As we get closer to the October 21 release date for Ninja Gaiden 4, one of the studios working on the title – PlatinumGames – has revealed some details about its development with a new dev blog. Focusing on the concept art that was used to create the world, art director Tomoko Nishii has written about the role of concept art in development.
Discussing some of the types of concept art that were created for the game, Nishii wrote about three distinct types: imaging art, design sketches, and overpainting. While imaging art is used to “establish a shared vision of the overall atmosphere,” design sketching is used for the creation of characters and backgrounds. Overpainting then allows one to “refine the appearance of created assets and screens”.
“While the artwork created here often doesn’t remain in its final form, it serves as a crucial reference point for the entire team during the production process, making it a role with significant responsibility,” she explained while talking about imaging art.
Some concept art work tends to also revolve around envisioning how the game will look while it is being played. To achieve this, the concept art accounts for enemy placements and interactive areas. The process of doing this is called whiteboxing. Some examples highlight the differences between whiteboxed concept art and the design sketch of the same area in further detail.
Further in the post, when discussing the eye-catching red effect when the player pulls off a big move, Nishii wrote about how the effect was created by an animator. The process involved establishing the flow of action, deciding camera angles and key frames, adding overpainting and decorations, and then handing it to the VFX team to implement in the game itself.
Ninja Gaiden 4 is shaping up to be a visually striking action game from what we’ve seen so far. Most recently, the title was available at Gamescom 2025 in the form of a playable demo. Gameplay was released by publisher Koei Tecmo just last week, giving us a look at 13 minutes of fast-paced combat and exploration.
The gameplay video showcased a host of different weapons that can be used by protagonist Yakumo, including a bo staff, a pair of shurikens, and the drill spear. Capping things off, we get to see a tougher fight with a group of enemies, including a pair of massive opponents whose designs seem to have been inspired by classic depictions of samurai wearing heavy armour. These enemies can use larger weapons, including a naginata.
Ninja Gaiden 4 is being developed for PC, PS5 and Xbox Series X/S. For more details, check out how much content it will feature at launch.