Grab your shuriken and head out for some Oriental mischief. (Tenchu 3: Wrath of Heaven (PS2))

Member Name: alexlea88

Product:	Tenchu 3: Wrath of Heaven (PS2)
Date:	12/08/09 (5 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Stealthy, head-removing ninja fun. Three stories increases the longevity.

Disadvantages: Uneven difficulty, graphics aren't the best on the PS2.

Having played the first two Tenchu games on the PS1, when I finally got round to buying a PS2, this was up there on my lists, and it didn't disappoint.

Tenchu is your typical stealth type game, but set in feudal Japan. You play either Rikimaru or Ayame, two ninjas loyal to their Lord. You make your way through a number of missions, doing your masters work and trying to get to the bottom of a plot to overthrow your master.

Missions take a variety of types, from assassinations to simply getting to the other side of the village (harder than it seems). You can choose to go straight through the enemies and fight them normally, but that usually end badly. A better approach is to use your stealth to creep across roofs, through tunnels and drop down behind your foe and dispatch them with a gruesome set piece (often involving the loss of a head). Not only is this easier, but the more stealth kills you get, and the fewer times you are spotted equate to extra items and secret abilities to be gained at the end of each level. These include magic spells, armour, blow darts, grenades etc.

There's also technically three interwoven stories in the game, as you play with either Rikimaru, Ayame or the third unlockable character, which helps to keep you interested and coming back for more.

While the graphics are not the best by a long shot compared to some more recent games of the PS2, Tenchu scores points through sheer gut-wrenching tension. You'll find yourself hanging from a ledge, crouched in the shadows or perched on a rooftop watching the enemy, figuring out his routine, before swinging down and quickly dispatching him, then retreating and watching as his comrades discover their (now headless) colleague. Te feel you get from a swift and stealth kill is fantastic, and making your way through a level without being seen at all is a real kick. I often found myself spending over an hour on one level, just trying to tiptoes my way through.

Tenchu isn't without its flaws; the computer AI is a bit on the weak side and some enemies will give up and wander back to their patrol after a few minutes, and are too predictable in their behaviour in general. As mentioned before, the graphics aren't amazing and there is a bit of tearing and flickering (to the point where you can swing the camera round to a point where you can see you enemies through a wall - nice!

There's also the levels. While some a really atmospheric and have a real feudal Japan feel about them, in trying to vary the story, some levels find you in settings and fighting enemies that are just daft (zombies in a graveyard anyone? Very Resident Evil). I understand that the developers wanted to vary the locations, but the more traditional levels are generally better and you'll be replaying them trying to perfect you ninja skills.

Summary: Ninjas are cool - FACT