Master the art of the ninja in Tenchu: Shadow Assassins on PSP
Avid fans of the best-selling ninja stealth game Tenchu on PS one are going to feel right at home with this latest iteration in the classic series. Developed by the team at From Software, developers of the original PS one title, Tenchu: Shadow Assassins sees the series revert back to its two starring characters: Rikimaru and Ayame, of the Azuma ninja clan.
Keeping the peace
Tasked with keeping the peace in feudal Japan, you spend a large portion of the game sneaking around and taking out enemies using all manner of lethal stealth attacks. This is done by moving through the level unseen using the shadows, blowing out street lamps to create dark spots and eventually ending up behind your enemy, ready to strike the fatal blow. To do this, simply press the Square button and depending on what angle you are facing your enemy, Rikimaru or Ayame will perform a visceral takedown.
There are great environmental attacks too if you find yourself stalking foes from high up along wooden beams in buildings. By balancing on a beam above an enemy and pressing the Square button either Rikimaru or Ayame will hang down and execute a foe with superb ninja deftness. You can also perform similar special moves if you find yourself hiding under water by pressing the same button near the foot of an enemy, swiftly yanking them under the murky waters and drowning them in one deadly move.
Each environment you traverse as either character is littered with obstacles, so to make your path that much clearer you will need to use the Mind's Eye view, by holding down the Triangle button. This instantly highlights useful things in the area such as your enemy's line of sight, objects of interest, suggested routes and interactive objects dotted around the environment.
Weapons masters
As Rikimaru or Ayame you'll also need to utilise your throwing stars or a bamboo tube to put out much larger flaming torches in each mission to help create shadows for you to move around undetected. While using the throwing star simply involves hurtling one at a torch, the bamboo tube requires you to fill it up with water and squirt it at a flame from a distance without being noticed.
The most important aspect of Shadow Assassins is to avoid being caught; otherwise you're immediately thrown into a swift mini-game where a push of the analogue stick in a certain direction is required to avoid an enemy attack. Get hit and you'll have to start the mission from scratch all over again. If it's the first time you have been spotted, Rikimaru or Ayame will drop a smoke bomb and then escape to the shadows but a second chance is not given in, which is why stealth is so important to master.
Hone your skills
Tenchu features a wealth of in-depth and demanding story missions, the first batch of which see you skulking through the shadows and assassinating a series of leaders before moving the story forward. Besides the story missions - which can be lengthy depending on how many times you are spotted or how calculating you are in utilising your ninja skills - there are a number of side quests too.
These allow you to practice your ninja skills to the point of perfection, meaning that when you do decide to head back into the main story of the game, you should be more than adept at wiping out your targets. Tenchu: Shadow Assassins offers up a meaty challenge for fans of action stealth games as well as those familiar with the smash hit PlayStation series. So, do you think you've got what it takes to stay hidden and become a master ninja?
