Release: February 3 2009
Developer: Acquire
Publisher: Ubisoft
Genre: Stealth
Rating: Mature (ESRB)
At first glance, Tenchu: Shadow Assassins seems to have something for everyone. It’s a stealth game, complete with neck snapping, throwing stars, big boobs, guys in eye patches, and best of all… ninjas. However, upon actually playing the game, you’ll find that it’s best suited for the extreme Tenchu fan. The bottom line is that Tenchu: Shadow Assassins just isn’t any fun. Once the delight of sneaking up behind an enemy and silently thrusting a sword through them wares off, completing the remainder of the game seems like a chore.
Tenchu fans will be glad to see Rikimaru and Ayame are back in action in Feudal Japan. The basic “save the princess” story forms the plot to Tenchu: Shadow Assassins. Most of the story is told through well crafted cinematics. The voice acting however, leaves something to be desired. It’s just not believable that Japanese kings or warlords are speaking with British accents, especially when they are using words like “ain’t.”
The main game contains only ten missions. Tenchu: Shadow Assassins is not a long game but it is arduous. Each mission is broken down into smaller sections and there is no ability to save prior to completing a mission, only afterwords. Varying up the monotony slightly are up to fifty additional assignment side quests, which can be completed to gain additional items. Each mission and mission segment is timed. At the end of a mission players receive a grade based on how long it took to complete, times you were discovered and the number of hissatsu (instant kills) made. Most missions take far longer than the game thinks they should. Part of this is due to it being so difficult not to get caught. Each time you are noticed, poof, Rikimaru or Ayame disappear in a ball of smoke and you’re sent back to the beginning of the section, while time continues ticking.
The controls for Tenchu: Shadow Assassins add to the frustration of being spotted by enemies. Many times the lack of control is why a guard spots you. Waving the Wii Remote allows Rikimaru or Ayame to roll into bushes, shadows or right out into the open. Jumping is also very awkward and best done only when onscreen prompts advise. There are many onscreen prompts but they’re not always given in the correct places or at an appropriate time and without them it’s difficult to know what to do next. When a new action is presented into gameplay, an announcer instructs the player on how to perform the new action. During sword fights, which are few and far between, an image of the Wii Remote is placed on screen to instruct the player in how to block attacks. When throwing an object aiming is done with the joystick on the Wii Nunchuck rather than just pointing with the Wii Remote.
Tenchu: Shadow Assassins has a couple of redeeming qualities, the first being Mind’s Eye view. During this mode players can see what areas and items can be interacted with. Items such as candles or flames can be snuffed out by squirting water from a bamboo container. In Mind’s Eye mode, players can also see enemies shaded in read and a red beam designating an enemies line of sight. Another useful ability is using the Shinobi cat item. The player actually controls the cat to scout for guards and retrieve items. Although it’s a fun change of pace, using the Shinobi cat adds a lot of time you don’t need to you ranking score.
For players that find the challenge of this game enjoyable, there is an additional, even harder shadow mode to be unlocked. Many people just won’t have the time or attention span to put into this game. This may be a good game to play portions at a time rather than straight through. If you’re interested, definitely try before buying.
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