Tenchu

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Tenchu
Tenchu logo.png
English logo
Genres Stealth
Developers Acquire, From Software, K2 LLC
Publishers Sony Music Entertainment, Activision, From Software, Sega, Microsoft, Nintendo, Ubisoft
Creators Acquire
Official website http://www.tenchu.net/

Tenchu (天誅) is the title of a stealth game series of video games originally developed by Acquire wherein the player assumes the role of a ninja.

The title in Japanese literally translates in English as: "Divine Retribution", with 天 (ten), meaning heaven and 誅 (chu), meaning death penalty (another translation of this phrase, Wrath of Heaven is the title of the first PlayStation 2 entry in the series).

Contents

Storyline[edit]

The series takes place in 16th-century feudal Japan.[1] The original story (Stealth Assassins) revolves around two ninjas, Rikimaru and Ayame, who have both been members of the Azuma ninja clan since childhood. The two ninjas serve the heroic Lord Gohda and work for him as his secret spies to root out corruption and gather intelligence in his province. However, the evil demonic sorcerer Lord Mei-Oh sought to destroy Lord Gohda, and using his demon warrior Onikage, wreaked havoc throughout Lord Gohda's province. Although Mei-Oh was killed in the first game, Onikage appeared in all subsequent games (except Fatal Shadows and Sehran/Z) as the archenemy of the two ninja, especially Rikimaru. Another major character who shows up frequently is Princess Kiku, Lord Gohda's daughter who is often the damsel in distress.

The storyline has been continuously expanded with the release of newer Tenchu games:

  • Tenchu 2: Birth of the Stealth Assassins is the prequel to Stealth Assassins which depicts Rikimaru and Ayame as teenagers first being taught the ways of the ninja by their master Shiunsai, this game also indicate their fellow ninja and former master of the Azuma clan Tatsumaru.
  • Tenchu: Stealth Assassins is the continuation of Birth of the Stealth Assassins. This story takes place after Tenchu 2, which is set 7 years earlier.
  • Tenchu: Wrath of Heaven is the continuation of Stealth Assassins.
  • Tenchu: Shadow Assassins is the continuation of Wrath of Heaven. The Story takes place 1 year after the events in Tenchu 3.[2]

Unrelated to main storyline are: Tenchu: Fatal Shadows, Tenchu: Time of the Assassins, Tenchu: Dark Secret, Tenchu Z and Shadow Assault: Tenchu.

Gameplay[edit]

The game perspective is third-person. There are numerous items to help the ninja on his/her mission, but unlockable items can be acquired if the player gets a "Grand Master" rating at the end of the level by being as stealthy as possible. Items and controls vary from game to game, but the gameplay is essentially the same throughout with the exception of Tenchu: Shadow Assassins. Stealth is a very important element in the game, where players have to duck, crouch, and hide behind walls to avoid detection. Enemies can be killed with one manoeuvre by using Stealth Kills, and a player can avoid detection by using the Ki meter. The larger the number, the closer the player's position to an enemy. If a player is spotted, the Ki meter will turn red, the enemy will alert everyone in the area, and the player is forced to fight hand-to-hand or hide somewhere until the enemies give up their search and resume their patrol routes (similar to Metal Gear Solid's "Soliton Radar").

Characters[edit]

Main articles: Rikimaru and Ayame (Tenchu)

The main characters of the Tenchu series are Rikimaru and Ayame. Rikimaru is a tall, silver-haired ninja with a single ninjato named "Izayoi" and a scar over his right eye. He is physically stronger than Ayame but relatively slower. Ayame is a kunoichi or female ninja who wears standard ninja clothes with her midriff exposed. She carries a pair of kodachi. She is faster and could perform more combos than Rikimaru, but is the weaker of the two.

Games[edit]

Activision purchased the rights to this game from Sony Music Entertainment, who originally published the game in Japan. However, Activision sold the rights to the Japanese game publisher From Software in 2004.

From Software's rights agreement does not include games previously published by Activision. From Software licensed distribution of Fatal Shadows to Sega and Tenchu Z to Microsoft.

Currently From Software has the rights of the Tenchu series.

Titles in the Tenchu main series
Title Release Platforms Developer Publisher Notes
Tenchu: Stealth Assassins 1998 PlayStation Acquire Sony/Activision
Tenchu 2: Birth of the Stealth Assassins 2000 PlayStation Acquire Activision
Tenchu: Wrath of Heaven 2003 PS2, Xbox, PSP, Mobile phone K2 Activision/From Software
Tenchu: Shadow Assassins 2008 Wii, PSP Acquire From Software/Nintendo
Tenchu spin-offs
Title Release Platforms Developer Publisher Notes
Tenchu: Fatal Shadows 2004 PS2, PSP K2 From Software/Sega
Tenchu: Time of the Assassins 2005 PSP K2 From Software/Sega
Tenchu: Dark Secret 2006 Nintendo DS Polygon Magic From Software/Nintendo
Tenchu Z 2006 Xbox 360 K2 From Software/Microsoft
Shadow Assault: Tenchu 2008 XBLA From Software From Software

There was an additional Japan-exclusive release for Tenchu on the PlayStation. One hundred of the best competing levels designed with the level editor of Tenchu: Shinobi Gaisen (an expanded version of Tenchu re-released in Japan) were put together to form a stand-alone, non-story based expansion set called Tenchu: Shinobi Hyakusen. The engine and game fundamentals remained unchanged. Shinobi Hyakusen is still famous for the hardest level settings among Tenchu fans, especially because of the tight time limits and the overall lack of the items, excluding the caltrops and the throwing stars. No North American or European versions were released however.

Several games were also ported to mobile phones with graphic changes. This includes: Tenchu: Ayame's Tale 3D which was released for The Sony Ericsson mobile phone series and Tenchu: Wrath of Heaven by TKO-Software and Digital Bridges which was released for mobile phones in 2005, although it used two-dimensional graphics.

Reception[edit]

Aggregate review scores
As of February 26, 2011.
Game GameRankings Metacritic
Tenchu: Stealth Assassins (PS1) 86.45%[3] (PS1) 87[4]
Tenchu 2: Birth of the Stealth Assassins (PS1) 79.43%[5] (PS1) 77[6]
Tenchu: Wrath of Heaven (PS2) 79.62%[7]
(Xbox) 70.09%[8]		 (PS2) 79[9]
(Xbox) 70[10]
Tenchu: Shadow Assassins (Wii) 69.00%[11]
(PSP) 65.18%[12]		 (Wii) 70[13]
(PSP) 68[14]
[icon] This section requires expansion. (January 2011)

See also[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ Tenchu: Return from Darkness Official Trailer
  2. ^ Mielke, James. Tenchu: Shadow Assassins (Wii) Preview. 1UP. Retrieved on 2009-02-02
  3. ^ "Tenchu: Stealth Assassins Reviews". GameRankings. Retrieved February 26, 2011. 
  4. ^ "Tenchu: Stealth Assassins Reviews". Metacritic. Retrieved February 26, 2011. 
  5. ^ "Tenchu 2: Birth of the Stealth Assassins Reviews". GameRankings. Retrieved February 26, 2011. 
  6. ^ "Tenchu 2: Birth of the Stealth Assassins Reviews". Metacritic. Retrieved February 26, 2011. 
  7. ^ "Tenchu: Wrath of Heaven Reviews". GameRankings. Retrieved February 26, 2011. 
  8. ^ "Tenchu: Return From Darkness Reviews". GameRankings. Retrieved February 26, 2011. 
  9. ^ "Tenchu: Wrath of Heaven Reviews". Metacritic. Retrieved February 26, 2011. 
  10. ^ "Tenchu: Return From Darkness Reviews". Metacritic. Retrieved February 26, 2011. 
  11. ^ "Tenchu: Shadow Assassins Reviews". GameRankings. Retrieved February 26, 2011. 
  12. ^ "Tenchu: Shadow Assassins Reviews". GameRankings. Retrieved February 26, 2011. 
  13. ^ "Tenchu: Shadow Assassins Reviews". Metacritic. Retrieved February 26, 2011. 
  14. ^ "Tenchu: Shadow Assassins Reviews". Metacritic. Retrieved February 26, 2011. 

External links[edit]

Tenchu
Main series
Spin-offs
Characters
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