u/LukeDies

I appreciate this sub giving me good advice for dealing with ranged enemies: https://www.reddit.com/r/ninjagaiden/comments/1teuzl9/how_do_i_deal_with_ranged_enemies/

Unfortunately, the combat just hasn't clicked with me. Specifically, how to deal with large groups of varied enemies all attacking me at once. This is mostly due to me not knowing what tools to use and executing, so it's certainly a knowledge gap and skill issue on my part. But I feel NG4 also does a horrible job on onboarding new players. It's all fine and well for me to use XY -> Izuna Drop -> Landing UT against a single mook. But that's not much use when I'm being attacked non-stop by 8+ enemies with projectiles, dashing attacks, and multi-hit sweeping attacks from all angles before retreating.

I could never get any offence going before I get smacked down. In the split second between me recognising an elite enemy is guarding and I need to press Bloodraven + X/Y to break the guard, another enemy hits me from the side or behind me. I kept cursing I needed an AoE stun attack to give me some breathing room but I never found it. I'm running around trying to catch my breath and chugging down healing items. There's no flow and I felt shit. Even if I survive the initial wave of enemies there's always a 2nd or 3rd or 4th wave. The regular battles already feel like trials. The game's UI sarcastically reminding me of my light/heavy/shuriken attacks as if that's the problem lol.

It all came to a head on chapter 6 when I had to fight through a gauntlet of arenas with all sorts of enemies including Tengus that are a pain to hit and keep track of. It got so bad I was running past fights to grapple to the next area. At that point I'm pretty sure I was no longer playing the game as it was intended. The game also stopped letting me Retry the Battle after a death for some reason and I could only Restart from Checkpoint. Aren't I already being penalised by being branded a Lesser Ninja at the end!?

The vapid writing certainty didn't compel me to persevere, although I was beginning to enjoy Seori's comments about Yakumo's blasphemy. I found myself enjoying the platforming sections despite the finnicky wall run controls over the arena battles. The 1v1 boss battles were also fine and felt fair and balanced to me.

I did actually watch a playthough on YT to see how other players got through chapter 6. Turns out I could've used a BR attack that instantly sweeps an elongated katana 180 degrees in front of me to manage crowds. And here I was using BR + charge Y like a chump and getting interrupted. I feel like there are so many moves which are just a worse version of a better move you unlock later.

Why is it even taking Yakumo so long to get to the second seal? I swear I was meant to be near the second seal 10 battles and platforming sections ago but there's always more!

I thought to myself the game's not going to change so in frustration and exasperation I requested a refund from Steam. In the age of digital game ownership where I can't sell the game later, I'm forced to make a decision ASAP whether a game is for me or not and claim a refund. The more hours I've put into it, the less likely Steam grants a refund. I'm actually surprised they allowed it with my 9ish hours of playtime. If I played NG4 on Game Pass, I might actually keep trying because there's no time pressure or opportunity cost. But I couldn't justify taking a $110 hit on a game that didn't and might never gel with me.

It's a shame because DMC4 is my favourite character action game, and NG4 seemed to share many similarities. NG really makes the player earn the right to feel powerful without telling them how to get there.

I just bought NG4 on Steam. I'm on the second mission and ranged enemies are just a constant source of frustration stopping me from engaging with the combat and enjoying the game.

I can't seem to figure out what tool or counterplay I'm supposed to employ against ranged enemies on higher elevation. My shurikens don't seem to lock on, reach, or have an effect. I've unlocked moves that supposedly let me air dash towards enemies and attack, but they never activate or target the ranged enemies even when I'm pointing the camera directly at them.

I've reached an area where there are machine gunners floating on kites and it's simply painful. Are there no uppercut or air dash attacks that allow Yakumo to reach and hit them? I have to frantically swing my camera around trying to find a drone with a prompt to hop onto?

I can't emphasis how frustrating I'm finding the ranged enemies in NG4. I really don't want to refund the game because I just unlocked a cool perch-on-a-sword-like-a-raven move that seems awesome, but that's kind of the problem: there are dozens of attacks that let you deal with enemies close to you, but seemingly nothing to deal with ranged enemies.