Tenchu: Stealth Assassins

"A game that deserves a genre all its own"

There are games that are crappy, there are games that are fun, and finally, there are games that you will remember forever. Tenchu, is a game that won't soon be forgotten by me. What makes the game so good is that while it is only average in most areas, It REALLY runs strong where it counts, the fun factor. This game is amazingly fun. Very simple fun too, no confusing control setups, and the moment you start you can have fun. Beginners and experts alike will both enjoy the game at approximately the same level. Some of the fun from the game comes from the fact that is about stealth, a genre I think should be on it's own.

Gameplay 10/10

This game is the definition of fun. Crawling around on rooftops and sneaking up to guards and witnessing their bloody deaths is more fun that it sounds. Your easy-to-control ninja will respond obediently to your every command. The camera can get a little bad when in tight spaces though, and sometimes turning around takes a little more time than it should.

Story 7/10

The story is decent but not great. The plot consists of bad guys and honorable ninjas. The story won't move you but it will keep the game together. It's enough to make you at least listen to the storyline given at the start of the stages.

Graphics 7/10

Not bad, but nothing really spectacular here. The graphics were very polygonal almost everything has visible squares on it. The explosions were done good, and the cinemas were easily worth watching. Nothing revolutionary, but it's easily enough to keep you satisfied.

Sound 9/10

This was the second best part of the game in my opinion. I LOVED the music. It had a Japanese quality to it. If there was a soundtrack to this game, I would have it. The sounds were good too, The guards voices were a bit funny, and the rest of the sound effects could hold their own. If you enable the Japanese voice using the code, the Japanese language sounds VERY authentic. It isn't your stereotypical “Hung chow wang” sort of talk, but rather words that I would believe are really Japanese (and they are).

Replay Value 9/10

This game never did get boring for me. Using the debug code you could play for endless hours. I found myself coming back to this game whenever I felt like playing something different. The idea of earning ranks also adds a bit to it. This game never gets boring, you just start to play it less and less as you go.

Overall 9/10

Activision has really pulled off a great game because it is so fun. The game is cheap now too, you can find it easily for 30 bucks. If you're still unsure, rent it. After you rent it you can decide but I guarntee that this game will put a smile on your face.

Reviewer's Score: 9/10, Originally Posted: 03/24/00, Updated 03/24/00