Video Games : Tenchu 3: Wrath of Heaven

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from: Activision Inc.

: Tenchu 3: Wrath of Heaven

Price: $83.33
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Amazon Maximum Age: 20 years
Amazon Minimum Age: 204 months
Binding: Video Game
Brand: K2 (Japan)
EAN: 0047875804210
ESRB Age Rating: Mature
Label: Activision Inc.
Manufacturer: Activision Inc.
Number Of Items: 1
Platform: PlayStation2
Publisher: Activision Inc.
Sales Rank: 10108
Studio: Activision Inc.

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Editorial Review:

Product Description:
As a cunning stealth assassin, you must defeat the mysterious Tenrai and his army of ninjas and lords of darkness before they conquer 16th-century Japan.

Amazon.com:
Tenchu: Wrath of Heaven is the third in the successful mission-based stealth series that first appeared on the PlayStation in 1998; few changes have been made to the basic format. Players can once again choose to be either Rikimaru, the silent sword-wielding assassin, or Ayama, the acrobatic younger ninja. Both characters pass through the same game world, but each has slightly different goals that take them on different routes. A third character can be unlocked later on.

During the first mission, you're required to choose a number of weapons to aid you in your immediate tasks. Throughout the game, more and more weapons--from melee to ranged weapons--are added to your arsenal depending on your performance during each level; your chosen weapons dictate how you approach the mission goals. The silent approach is always encouraged, and there's a variety of graphically satisfying stealth kills that will only work if you remain elusive and strike unexpectedly and silently.

Aside from the stealth kills, the game is a mixed bag in terms of its graphics. Light shimmers off your sword menacingly, but the environments are bland and repetitive, and the game fails to maximize on differences between light and dark areas in ways that might have added to the experience. Also, the stealth dynamic is made less challenging by the shortsightedness and slow reactions of the enemy guards and the iffy AI. Since guards give up searching for you within seconds and are unable to follow you through doors, this potentially atmospheric and tactical stealth game is actually just a hack-and-slash arcade romp. Multiplayer options are included, though, so if you feel the need for a more realistic opponent, you may want to call a friend.

Tenchu: Wrath of Heaven is still an enjoyable experience despite its flaws. It’s just a shame that, after doing so much to establish and define the stealth-game genre, it fails to raise the bar or introduce any novel elements. The game feels more like an update of the first Tenchu, and while this is no bad thing, fans will probably be expecting more. --Chris Ryan, Amazon.co.uk



Customer Reviews
Average Rating: out of 5 stars

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars - Why can't more games be like this?
This is one of those games that isn't particularly innovative, original, artistic, graphically beautiful, or well-written, but it's just so incredibly fun. Face it, you always wanted to be a ninja, didn't you? The makers of this game understood exactly how the appeal of being a ninja works, and integrated that fun and excitement beautifully. The gameplay builds up tension and suspense very nicely throughout each level. You gradually get new moves as you progress, so that the game becomes more and more complicated as you go along. I thought the pacing was perfect, so that the game stays fresh the whole way through, but never overwhelms.

The multi-player is barrels of fun. You can play against another player, or in co-operation with another player. There aren't many games where two players can play co-operatively, so that part alone makes me a very happy player. There are lots of items you can use, which means there is some element of strategy and flexibility in the game. The controls have a very steep learning curve, but once you get the hang of them, you'll be fine. The camera isn't great, but I don't know a single 3D action game that has really mastered the camera, so that's no surprise.

In conclusion, this is fun. Being a ninja is so very, very, fun.


Rating: 2 out of 5 stars - Not a Very Good Stealth Game
I played this right after I played Splinter Cell. For those of you that played Splinter Cell, you know that Splinter Cell is a near perfect stealth game. But Tenchu is just a dumbed down stealth game in comparison.

First of all, the point of the game is to get stealth kills. I didn't like that aspect at all. The point of being a ninja is to go through the mission undetected without leaving traces. But you're just jumping around and leaving bodies everywhere.

Also, the AI is stupid. I'm so used to Splinter Cell where the enemies can hear you sneak up behind them if you're not careful. But here you don't have to stalk. You just run up and kill them. They also give up too easily. You can hide behind a tree and they'll get stumped.

Finally the camera is horrible. It is very hard to actually sneak if you can't monitor the enemy because the camera is being retarded. I think this game might be a little more fun if the camera work was better.


Rating: 3 out of 5 stars - eh.....so,so!
I love tenchu, but this one was short, i was a bit dissapointed, but still fin to play.


Rating: 2 out of 5 stars - Could have been great!
Good graphics, great concept, great story, immersive gameplay - ALL of this completely ruined by terrible, uncontrolable camera angles. To me it wasn't worth the 5 dollars I paid for it on eBay. All they had to do was fix the camera...unbelievable.


Rating: 3 out of 5 stars - The best ninja simulator to date, but something is missing...
Recommendation: Worth purchasing one game of the series. Chances are you'll enjoy it, but it will be more than enough.

Tenchu 3 is a true step into the world of Japanese mythical ninja popular culture. This is a consistent theme throughout the gameplay, the music, and the story, which makes this a very fun, interesting, and educational experience for anyone who is into such scenes. The problem is, Tenchu 3 brings nothing new to the gaming experience that we haven't seen again and again other than it's theme. This, unfortunately, is bound to happen when trying to resemble something precisely.

One of the most prominent drawbacks for this game has to be the repetition of levels, enemies, stories, and unlockable skills and items. While players will be given a choice among 3 different characters with their own storylines, they will all go through the same levels, achieve the same or similar purposes, unlock the same skills and items, and fight the same enemies. Many will agree that this is a crushing flaw as the majority of what propels players to complete a game is to progress further within it. Unfortunately, this means that after completing one character's storyline in Tenchu 3, basically the player will have played through the whole game of all the characters.

As far as the gameplay goes, it is far too simplified and instead of making the game more difficult by making the gameplay more creative, Tenchu 3 relies on archaic alternatives such as having the opponents deal more damage. Most combo/special attacks give little tactical advantage for the player and enemies, instead forcing the player to rely on luck or patience to wait out the enemy's attack. As for the enemy, they will have no reason to rely on luck or patience as they are much quicker than the player and calculate actions without falter, giving them a great edge over the player. Items the player may use additionally have no real tactical purpose other than damaging or knocking the opponent off balance to leave them open to damage, making even significant battles on the child's level of play - button mashing. And in the end, engaging in combat with enemies, regardless of how difficult is it, is simply a fast pass to getting a low score, as normal combat kills are only worth 1/4th what stealth kills are. This makes the tedious combat even more annoying to deal with.

Tenchu 3 really captures its audience with the stealth killing feature. This makes plowing through fortresses of clueless enemies quite a treat. Not only is it more fun, but it is also more rewarded in score - stealth kills are the only way to achieve the best score. There are various cutscenes for the interesting ways to surprise your enemy and run them through with your sword, however unfortunately you will find that you will only see one cutscene the majority of the time as it is based on location and generally you'll be attacking from behind. Often, the graphics might be too muddy to actually calculate a plan of stealth, which can become quite tedious, sometimes even leading the player to their death. And in Tenchu 3, if you die... you begin all the way from the beginning to repeat the averagely 40 minute stage all over again. But stealth killing still remains to be quite fun, especially when coupled with the grappling hook and some of the only useful skills in the game.

In the end, a poor game can at least draw in players with an intriguing story. Well... not Tenchu 3. The story here is so pumped full of filler sub-stories that it's hard to even determine which is filler and which is not. However, the story is also pumped full of classic Japanese lore, which is a treat to anyone who is into such scenes. Additionally, the only story that is well documented in cutscenes is Rikimaru's, leaving the other characters' stories simply bland and directionless.

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