While series protagonist Ryu Hayabusa is now a mere guest star in Ninja Gaiden 4, he can be unlocked for more chapters than just a handful towards the end. As a matter of fact, both characters can be unlocked for play in each other’s exclusive chapters.
This guide for Ninja Gaiden 4 is an explainer on how to unlock both Ryu Hayabusa and Yakumo as playable characters in their exclusive chapters, and what to expect.
Unlock Both Ryu And Yakumo For All Chapters
Aside from the flashback chapters where you play as him by design, the actual unlocking of Ryu Hayabusa requires you to wrap up the game’s storyline to completion with Chapter 19. Difficulty does not matter, and the playable options are plainly visible post-game.
Among the new modes unlocked will be ‘Chapter Select’ which functions as you expect it, letting you replay any random chapter of the game without having to progress towards it first. Right at the start, you will have the opportunity to choose between either the default character for that chapter or the non-canon alternate.
This effectively means that not only can you play the early Yakumo-centric chapters as Ryu, but also replay Ryu’s later flashback chapters as Yakumo instead.
The various other modes also allow for this switch up, but you absolutely cannot start a proper new game and expect to play as Ryu from the start for the full playthrough.
This character select option exists purely to test your abilities with a different set of weapons and skills at your disposal.
Item and NinjaCoin tallies are shared jointly between both characters, though weapon and skill progression is distinct.
That is everything there is to know about unlocking character selection to play as either Ryu Hayabusa or Yakumo in all chapters of Ninja Gaiden 4.
