| Average Rating: 81 out of 100
Owned by 29 users
On 76 wishlists
72
It's a good game but I think that if you're not a big fan of the series then it will not appeal to you because of its flaws. But it is great for people who know Tenchu and know exactly what to expect and are used to it by now, and some even love the flaws.
Presentation - 85: Hardcore Japanese style, very cool.
Graphics - 75: Better than the original, almost on par with PS2 version, but suffers from major draw distance just like the 1st one.
Sound - 50: A nice Japanese flavor adds to the eerie, moody atmospheres, but alot of the sounds are from previous Tenchu games.
Controls - 65: Similiar to PS2, but with less button and no camera control, you get used to the cluckyness though.
Gameplay - 70: This game isn't made for everyone. It's good, hard fun, and stealthy.
Lasting Appeal - 90: Level editor makes this clunky game worth the purchase, endless possiblities.
80
When I first started playing Tenchu Shinobe Taizen I went into it expecting some terrible camera angles and the like based of other reviews. I did not find this to be the case but mainly the clipping range was my problem. The clipping range is so short that enemies can see you well before you can see them. Trust me when I say the clipping is close, because it is VERY close.
I cannot read Japanese so I had to get some guides off the net and they were very helpful. I have not played any of the previous games as I don't play consoles but this game was great fun. It felt like I was playing Hitman with the danger meter, the fact you have to creep around with stealth and kill people and you get bonuses for perfectly completing a mission. The fighting was also excellent with different combos and fighting multiple enemies at once who can wield different weapons.
I have not tried out the mission editor yet as I have not beaten the whole game but I will be sure to try it out after.
If you like challenging games that are not mindless slashing and stupid unrealistic situations ala other ninja games this game is for you. If you are 15 years old and have no patience, this game is not for you.
65
I just recently borrowed this game from my Japanese friend, and played it for couple days. I was a big fan of Tenchu game on the Playstation (the 1st one), and disappointed with most Tenchu series that were developed by Activision later on for the PS2. But now, Tenchu is available on the PSP, and in Japanese, which is great! I'm hoping the original Japanese developers start working on another Tenchu sequel.
I'm impressed with the opening FMV, which resembles the Dead or Alive 3 opening for the XBOX (where Kasumi is running away in the forest), giving a hint of the high quality game that is about to begin. The menu is totally in Japanese (doh, I can't read Kanji) and gives me a headache to find the actual play menu. But luckily I managed to enter the game.
Graphics
Overall top notch for PSP standard, I notice in-game cut scenes are reproduced in high detail texture, and the rest of the in-game graphic quality is OK, which resembles PS2 graphics, with added motion blur (because of the LCD response time). Some objects are choppy but the interior/exterior design amazes me for portable console quality. However the big disappointment is viewing distance, which is too short, but I can understand, it's only a portable.
Sounds
SFX are nice, you can hear your enemy making a noise when they're walking (using headphone though) and the music has a latin guitar feel.
Gameplay
It's basically the same as most Tenchu games, I don't really know the storyline, but it's a ninja simulation game?
Control
I find the analog movement to be awkward, and rather than make things easy, the reveresed controls make things difficult. I know it can be easily configured in the control option, but hey! I don't know where to find them.
Camera
Doh! This one is a big problem, you barely have control of the camera, and the angle sometimes upsets me, it's very hard to go stealth in the games because you don't even know if there's an enemy by your side.
Overall
The great Tenchu game is out for PSP, but still suffers from many mistakes, awkward controls, and frustating camera angles. I hope they fix this when the international version comes out, let's cross our fingers.
80
When I first heard about the PSP I thought it was cool that Sony is finaly releasing a handheld system. I've always beena ninja game fan no matter what it is. By far Tenchu is the best out of all ninja games i've played. I have all the Tenchu games that ever came out. So I thought to myself it be really cool if a Tenchu game would come out for the PSP. Well to my surprise my dream came true! Yup here it is a Tenchu game. Now IF only IF ONLY I understood Japanese it be much more convenient. But that doesnt matter its a Tenchu game. Story line is very typical and light.
Presentation
The intro movie just blew me away. I mean HOLY CHOW I would say that this quality is almost up to par with the PS2 graphics. The menus are easy to get around. Although I needed to download a translation file to understand it, other than that its okay.
Audio
Well it's Tenchu, your typical Japanese musicals and sounds sword clashing, slicing, screaming sounds of pain blah blah blah. If you've played the previous games they used the same music for some levels which is okay.
Graphics
The intro movie was good. The graphics are okay considering it's a handheld system, so of course it has its limitations. It gets choppy in moments when 3 or more baddies are on screen. But other than that the framerate has a good ratio.
Gameplay
Good gameplay for the most part. Lets just say if you're a fan then camera issues wouldn't be a problem. There are only 2 things that should have been polished here. First thing is the that a ninja game is nothing without stealth kills. When you do stealth kills in the game, the camera rotates around the victim slowly. This becomes a problem in tight areas because when the camera hits the wall it points upwards which means you can't see the slealth kills. You still hear the sound but there goes the point of the game. The second thing is the view distance. I understand that the setting is always nightime. But you can't see the enemy till your ki is about 45+ which is reall really bad for the game because you end up just guessing for the most part where the enemy is. But I always say a true ninja would succumb to this problem and deal with it. Other than these 2 porblems the game is great, controls and response time.
Overall
I've personaly always loved Tenchu games. This one is a little bit different though because its in Japanese and it's on a handheld. I really hope in the future they decide to remake it in English and at the same time polish those minor problems this one had. So basically if you're a big fan of Tenchu games get this one. Other than that it's good to try out new things. I promise you that you'll have lots of fun.
95
Tenchu has never really changed that much over the years. The evolution only lies in graphics and additional features.
The Editor feature from Tenchu 2 (I believe) is back and better than ever! This is a full powered mission editor which allows you to not only control the setting, character choices, weapons, as well as the plot, music, mood, and dialogue. Why would anyone want to play stages they created themselves? Look at it this way, if you are not creative or just plain lazy, there are plenty of other gamers in the world who will design and post their custom missions on the web for you. Some will be terrible (nontheless entertaining), other may be mindblowingly fantastic, perhaps even better than the officals stages. It is the possibilities that gives this option so much life and replayability.
The main game offers 5 characters' storylines in the usual style of Tenchu. You can unlock A LOT of other characters to play these stages or your custom stages later on, including some rather amusing characters you would never think of.
True to its name, Shinobi Taizen (Encyclopedia of Ninjas), this game has collected all the good things Tenchu has to offer and added so much more. The fact it is on PSP, made it even more impressive. Yes, I admit the camera is not very forgiving and the draw distance is short, but this has always been an issue with Tenchu, and those who love the game will look pass it as simply another challenge.
93
Tenchu has always had it's fair share of glitches and unfortunately, ST is no exception. Plagued by a poor draw distance and glitchy camera, this game may turn many gamers off. However, the draw distance is really no worse than it was on previous iterations on the PS1 and it does not render the game unplayable at all. As a matter of fact, it's pretty easy to get used to, especially when levels are designed well. Also, the graphics are extremely nice.
That brings me to my next point, the scenario missions included with the game, which were all designed via the mission editor, are a mixed bag at best. Some levels are very well designed (such as the castle village levels) while others are just plain boring (some bamboo forest levels come to mind).
However, there is one inclusion that makes all these problems easy to overlook. That is the Mission Editor! More robust than ever, the level editor allows you to create intricately designed, multi-tiered levels with as much creativity as you can muster. Featuring 13 different tilesets (including 2 modern day settings) each with animated items (such as fireflies floating around bushes, and various light sources, and sliding doors), traps, any characters you wish to place and a number of different terrain tiles, the mission editor should keep you busy for months. It offers nearly limitless replay value.
In addition to your own missions, you can open up the scenario missions as well, altering them to your heart's desire.
Another nice touch are the 33 playable characters, almost all with unique moves/animations and stealth kills! Even the bear and dog ara available. Onikage even has his own 8 levels to play through in scenario mode!
Also, there's multi-player mode (Ad Hoc only I'm afraid) including VS. And Co-op play. I haven't played this that much so I can't comment other than to say some of the multiplayer level designs are inspired.
Pros
• Mission Editor!
• 33 Playable Characters (even in scenario mode)
• Great Graphics
• Virtually Unlimited replay value
Cons
• Poor draw distance
• Somehwat glitchy camera
• Bland levels in scenario mode.
• Japanese Release Only
Though I consider this a must buy for Tenchu fans (especially those of the first 2 games) the non-fan may want to wait on an American release for potential improvements.
85
I can consider myself as a fan of Tenchu series - not a die-hard fan, but I always liked the feeling of the Tenchu games, innovative, gore stealth-kills and all the ideas these games came with. Thanks to that I could forgive many bugs and developer's mistakes that every game had. I feel the same here. Even considering the fact that it's the 4th or 5th game in the series (so it's rather hard to be innovative like with the 1st one).
If anyone ever liked the adventures of Rikimaru, Ayame or Rin, this time will be no different. Draw distance? I can see no problem here - for me it's just an intended part of the game rather than a bug. I see it as another challenge for the gamer, not a technical issue or PSP hardware/developer limitation. DD is exactly the same as in Tenchu for PSone (checked it myself) - well enough for enjoyable experience but I can understand it can be annoying for some. That's why we have proximity meter, the best tool in the Tenchu series. When you see someone (about 40-50 on the meter) he can't see you yet - trust me.
There are various, interesting missions (incl. rescue/escort/follow type except killing-only) with many different cult characters from the series. As always, great, moody music, but mostly a rehash of old tracks rather than any brand new ones. It's important to play Tenchu: ST in a dark environment (afternoon, room with lights off) - it's not the game for a sunny day outside, due to mostly dark locations, with action in the night.
I really enjoy this game and I haven't even touched the Mission Editor yet, what is considered by many as the games main strong point. I don't think I will even fiddle with custom missions - original are enough to keep me busy for a while, giving tons of pure, Tenchu-ninja-slashing-fun. Give it a try, if you understand and love the series - if not, go play with Spidey.
90
This game is great - I've just returned from Japan and was afraid I would not be able to play it. (They have the same policy as the US -- pay & play). I purchased the game - went to the hotel and played the game ASAP - not knowing about the history of this game I had no clue how to begin - so I just pressed the start button (that at least was in english), and played through. Yes - camera problems exist, but still entertaining. I paid about $39 US and it was well worth it as it came in handy on the 9 hour plane ride back home - I also purshased a second battery ($29).
I've played the other characters, but the levels seem to be more difficult as you change. Some levels seem to be too easy to complete, and I could not figure out how to get past the initial mission creation screen. You can build walls - homes, etc. And even add story text - but I'm not able to decipher how to save and load the mission. I'm sure there are translation screens somewhere, but for now I'm content. Take my opinion for what it's worth, as I own only two other PSP games TW & FIFA 05.
70
I'm a moderate fan of the Tenchu series, having played through 1 and 3, so I was excited to hear that it was coming to the PSP. However, the game itself is all but unplayable for an often mentioned reason: horrendous draw distance. You can barely see maybe ten paces ahead of you and enemies tend to pop-in quite large. The only way you'd know someone is nearby is because of the series' numerical proximity meter, in which case you still can't even see them until they are at least within 50-65 distance of that meter (and if you've played that game, that is pretty close and you're easily spotted at such a distance. The screenshots seem to be doctored as the draw distance is nowhere near as good as it is portrayed.
The loss of a single look button is also kind of disappointing as holding two buttons down to look is not intuitive. A couple of times I had performed stealth kills near a wall and I couldn't even see myself, the camera for no reason pointed into the black sky (all outdoor environments don't even have fog, it's just blackness). The game just suffers from a lack of buttons and secondary analog stick.
That being said, the graphics are quite good. Character models seem to be between PS1 and PS2 but closer to the PS2. Realtime cutscenes look FANTASTIC. Unfortunately, the game uses different models ingame that look nowhere near as good. Still, the presentation is nice and the signature series music bits are intact. Levels are much shorter now, though.
I didn't get into the mission creator mode as I was still disappointed with the game, plus it is Japanese heavy. Extremely kanji heavy, too. This game hasn't picked up a US distributor yet but I'd wait if you can, that is if you're still interested. Maybe they'll fix the draw distance issues. I wouldn't mind downgrading the whole look of the game to the PS1 version if I could see as far as you could in Tenchu 3.
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