Tenchu: Wrath of Heaven

"The Tale of Two Shadows"

''This is the sequel to a tale of two shadows born unto darkness and destined to die in darkness.'' With that piece of writing, the stage is set for the return of the classic Tenchu series, in Tenchu Wrath of Heaven. Once again, players assume the role of two mysterious ninjas: the battle scarred Rikimaru and the sharp-tongued Ayame. Though previous versions of Tenchu were easily some of the best games on the Playstation, they each had their own set of problems. In the original, the gameplay was tight and the music was brilliant, but it lacked a coherent story. In it's prequel, the story was very well done and had new stealth kills, but the gameplay wasn't as good. So now we get the most recent version of Tenchu on the Playstation2. Has the formula for stealth action finally been perfected? Read on to find out!

GAMEPLAY:
I'll start with the gameplay, since that will usually make or break a game. The control has been modified a bit to accommodate the new camera system. Pressing down on the left analog stick will allow the ninja to turn right around, instead of backing up like previous versions. Due to this, the ninja is much more mobile and can easily escape from situations that require split-second reflexes and you don't have to time to turn around in a big circle. The camera does have it's drawbacks. Fighting in small spaces can be frustrating, but there is a lock-on system that combats it. By pressing and holding the R2 button, players will lock onto their opponent. They will then be able to strafe in four directions, plus perform a monosault that deposits the ninja right behind their opponent. The grappling hook, which is used to scale buildings and walls, has been much improved from the second version. It will attach itself to just about anything higher than you, so aiming isn't such a big deal when you need to escape in an hurry.

Of course, at the heart of the Tenchu series are the stealth kills. There are some old ones, but most of them are brand new. Stealth kills allows the player to kill an enemy in one hit, provided that one hit came when the player was undetected. Another improvement is finishing the stealth kill. In past versions, if you stealth killed someone near a cliff, chances are you would dance right off the edge and kill yourself. This is not the case in Wrath of Heaven. After the kill is performed, the player will reset to his original position if the kill is going to carry them over a cliff. This is a much welcomed feature, as several levels contain cliffs and such. The new Kanji meter allows players to obtain new combos to fight with. With each stealth kill, the meter is filled, and when it reaches the end, the player is awarded with a move. These include clinging to ceilings, feigning death and a shoulder thrust, which can be used to knock an enemy down.

GRAPHICS
The graphics are some of the best the PS2 has to offer. The rainstorm looks nothing short of amazing, and the lighting is top-notch. They are much improved over the previous Tenchu games. There is relatively no draw-in, you can see as far as the environment lets you. The levels are the real stars in Wrath of Heaven. No game save Tomb Raider has created environments that are this big. Most levels are massive, and most have different routes the player can take. You can go a certain path and have to face difficult enemy patterns, or you can take the abandoned route only to face a myriad of traps and pitfalls. To add to the replayability is the fact that each level has three different enemy layouts. The different layouts add a challenge, since it is harder to memorize where the guards are.

SOUND/MUSIC
One of the disappointments of Tenchu 2 was the lack of music during the level. This has returned, and in grand fashion. The music for level is beautifully composed, and reflects on the type of level you are playing. For instance, a cemetery level plays spooky music to try to freak out the player. In a demonic temple, the music is so freaky and foreboding that you wish you could run right through the level to make it stop. The boss battle music is a remix from the original, so fans will appreciate that. The sound is great as well. Falling into a pool of water will create a splash, as will running through it. All the stealth kills sound more brutal and deadlier than ever, with fast slices and bone-breaking combos.

STORY
While no where near as good as the story in Tenchu 2, it has the coherence that the original lacked. It does explain the return of Rikimaru, and most of the story is told through narration, similar to the original. An evil lord called Tenrai has sent out his army, and resurrected a few choice characters that fans of the series will be happy to see. The overall story is good, my only complaint is that the stories of Rikimaru and Ayame do not intertwine, it's like playing two different stories.

RENT/BUY
This game could easily be completed in rental, but you won't get the entire game. It's very fun to go back and Grandmaster all the levels, and there is a lot of stuff to unlock, so it should keep ninja fans busy for a while. I recommend you buy this excellent game.

I haven't been this enthralled with a game since Metal Gear Solid 2 or Final Fantasy X. It truly deserves to be mentioned among the great games of the PS2.

Reviewer's Score: 10/10, Originally Posted: 03/09/03, Updated 03/09/03