Tenchu

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Tenchu
Tenchu ​​Logo.jpg
developer Acquire
K2
Publisher Activision
From Software
Ubisoft
Sega
First title Tenchu ​​(1998)
Last title Tenchu ​​Shadow Assassins (2008)
Platform (s) PlayStation , PS2 , Xbox , Wii , NDS , PSP
Genre (s) Stealth action

Tenchu ( Japanese 天 誅 , Tenchū , dt. "Punishment of Heaven") is a Japanese video game series that is set in the Sengoku period around 1600 . The first part of the series, Tenchu ​​- Stealth Assassins , which appeared in 1998 for PlayStation , is considered to be a co-founder of the stealth genre , along with the Metal Gear and Thief series .

The main characters of the games are the two ninja Rikimaru and Ayame , fighters of the Gohda house , who have various orders to fulfill, mainly contract killings . This is done in the manner typical for stealth games by stealth and stealth. Numerous elements of Japanese history and Japanese mythology were used to present the games .

The debut was followed by numerous sequels and offshoots that have appeared for various consoles. The PlayStation parts of the series developed the Japanese development studio Acquire , the later parts come from K2 and From Software . All parts of the series were published by Activision (the first 3), Ubisoft and Sega . The fourth part of the series was released for Wii (and a little later also for PSP ), whereby the PSP version contains control mechanisms that are clearly designed for Wii; especially in sword fighting.

Game flow

The Tenchu series presents itself as an action adventure with strong stealth elements, as well as fights, which, however, should largely be avoided. At the beginning of the game, the player has the choice between the two playable characters Rikimaru ( 力 丸 ), an experienced and grim ninja who is armed with a ninjatō , which he carries on his back, or the young Kunoichi Ayame ( 彩 女 ) who have two Kodachi wields as weapons to choose. Additional characters are playable in some games or only included in others. With their Azuma Ninja Clan , whose last survivors are Rikimaru and Ayame, both serve the respected Lord Gohda, to whom they are loyal and whose interests they represent.

At the beginning of each mission you receive the respective order. For example, contract killings have to be carried out, for example of a merchant who exploits and subjugates the citizens or of corrupt politicians or leaders of rival clans. Other jobs include running errands through enemy territory or freeing prisoners. Before starting, in addition to the standard weapon and the grapple with which you can reach higher altitudes, you can select other weapons such as shuriken , smoke or incendiary bombs, as well as other items such as poisoned food, in order to use them from now on.

As a player, you steer the character from the pursuer's perspective through the open areas, where the goal is to reach the goal secretly and unseen. For this you use the numerous skills of the ninja, sneak around and use possible hiding places and the darkness to avoid guards and captors. If you have sneaked up close enough to an opponent unnoticed, you can trigger a so-called stealth kill at the push of a button ; An action that triggers a short sequence in which the enemy is skillfully killed. If you are seen by an enemy, they will pursue you. Either you face open combat, in which you often get the short straw against a superior force, or you seek your salvation in flight and hide until the situation has calmed down again. Opponents appear in three moods (calm, alert, ready to fight). To recognize this, as well as the health of the enemies, the ninja intuition is used in the corner of the screen, from which you can also read the distance to the nearest enemy. Patience and a tactical approach are essential to be able to successfully complete a level.

At the end of most of the levels (sometimes at the beginning or during it) you have a boss fight against a particularly strong opponent who you have to defeat in open combat. Film sequences spin the plot further. After each level, the game takes stock and evaluates your own approach. Depending on the style of play, insults such as amateur or praise in the form of the designation grandmaster can occur, which also affect the amount and quality of the equipment that you receive for completing the mission: the better the rating, the more and better equipment will be provided by Lord Gohda in the future.

The series

When the series began in the late 1990s, the game principle was considered new and innovative and Tenchu received a lot of critical praise. The gripping atmosphere of the games and the soundtrack were always particularly praised.

Numerous games that appeared later, such as Metal Gear Solid , Splinter Cell or Hitman , took up elements from Tenchu or developed them further. Newer parts of the Tenchu series are criticized by the trade press due to a lack of innovations. Other parts also offered reason for criticism due to graphic weaknesses or the difficult control in the open fights. Youth advocates also criticize the high proportion of violence in the games.

In 1998 the game Tenchu ​​was only released in Japan . An expanded and revised version of this game then found its way to the west as Tenchu: Stealth Assassins . The same revised game was later re-released in Japan as Tenchu: Shinobi Hyakusen . Tenchu: Stealth Assassins (already released for ages 18+) was indexed by the Federal Testing Office for writings harmful to minors after its publication in Germany . This was justified with the coarse depiction of violence and the game principle of "sneaky killing".

Tenchu: Shadow Assault is more of an offshoot . This downloadable game for the Xbox 360 was released in Japan on October 8, 2008 and features an action and puzzle game in an isometric perspective.

chronology

title platform Release date
Japan 		Release date
North America 		Release date
Europe
Tenchu PlayStation February 26, 1998
Tenchu: Stealth Assassins PlayStation October 31, 1998 August 31, 1998
Tenchu: Shinobi Hyakusen PlayStation November 11, 1999
Tenchu ​​2: Birth of the Stealth Assassins PlayStation November 30, 2000 August 7, 2000 September 8, 2000
Tenchu: Wrath of Heaven PlayStation 2 April 24, 2003 March 11, 2003 March 7, 2003
Tenchu: Return from Darkness Xbox May 27, 2004 March 9, 2004 March 17, 2004
Tenchu: Fatal Shadows PlayStation 2 July 22, 2004 February 15, 2005 April 26, 2005
Tenchu: Time of the Assassins PlayStation Portable July 28, 2005 June 22, 2006
Tenchu: Dark Secret Nintendo DS April 6, 2006 August 21, 2006 November 24, 2006
Tenchu ​​Z Xbox 360 October 5, 2006 June 12, 2007 June 27, 2007
Tenchu ​​Shadow Assassins Wii / PlayStation Portable February 12, 2009 unknown March 31, 2009

Web links