Not as backwards as it sounds. Full review.

User Rating: 6.6 | Tenchu Senran X360
By gauntlet2021 | Review Date:
The Tenchu universe has been around for quite a while now, making its debut on the PS1. Although the idea of being a ninja assassin has been used alot, this series often managed to pull it off (although generally it was a close call). Tenchu Z is extremelly similar to the older versions, but at the same time is very different. You still play as a ninja assassin, you're still given sylish 'Stealth Kills' to eliminate enemies, and you still have access to most if not all the old mechanics. However, this latest edition attempts to add what the makers probably thought was brilliant, but is infact predictable and standard. The most obvious of the changes is the new Custom Character/RPG element. At the beggining of the game, you get to build a character. This is pretty lacking, but after finishing a tutorial level you suddenly get a load of more interesting pieces to make your ninja all the more 'you'. While there are multiple colours of the sets of armour you can attach, they are given fairly cryptic names like 'Mountain 2' or 'Mountain 5', forcing you to purchase blindly for the matching piece. The second big change is the way the story is done. By which I mean the makers clearly desired quantity over quality. They often bragged "You ask and you recieve! 50 Levels of ninja action!". At first glance, this seems decently true, but after some playing you'll find that many levels repeat themselves almost exactly. "Punish the Evil Merchant", "Punish the Greedy Merchant" among others have the same target model, same layout, same enemy paths, etc etc etc. Even in total, the storyline is dissapointing. And finally, the gameplay. You'll be told the gameplay is lackluster, but it has still evolved from the older games (thankfully). Previously, you'd find yourself tapping one button repeatedly while getting knocked backwards when in a swordfight. Now, the combat is slightly more smooth and real. Naturally the focus is on the stealth. The AI is pittiful, but it's always been that way (would have been nice to change, but it hasnt gotten any worse) . It seems that the makers compensated for this by adding in new ways to be detected (along with new ways to kill to avoid it), which is a nice plus. Simple things like drawing your sword yourself and flipping over the heads of enemies are the real improvement here. Things that should have changed:

-L-Trig + X is block? They should have made Y block and move the Y function to BACK. That would have made both alot more usable.

-A little panic would be nice if you're spotted. It would be harder, but give a much more real feel.

-Rename the costumes!

-The majority of levels were TOO open. It's so easy to kill the boss alone that there doesnt seem any structure to it.

-A better storyline.

-Nextgen graphics. Come on, this is late xbox stuff.

This is worth a rent, or a try at a gaming spot. It could be worth a purchase but its probably not what you expect.

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