To start, I have never played either Tenchu for the PSX, but I played Wrath of Heaven, and enjoyed it despite its flaws. I never played Tenchu Z because I heard it was horrible, so this is my first Tenchu game . . . actually, my first stealth game . . . in a while. Having said that, I'll just jump right in.

    

    Put simply, it's probably among the best Wii games available, and is easily a contender for best 3rd party title on the system, along with the likes of Boom Blox, No More Heroes, and only a few others.

    

    The main focus of the game is stealth, and the gameplay here is fairly methodical. Between blowing out candles, putting out larger fires with water to conceal yourself, grabbing items with fishing line from afar, and rolling between bushes, there are many ways to progress through the level. It's enjoyable, and while it's pretty methodical, it also doesn't seem completely played out. Some of the bushes are placed in oh-too-convenient spots from time to time, but overall, these environments are believable.

    

    Dispatching enemies is also great fun. Stealth kills are similar to the other games, though they're executed with gestures. Simple gestures. Don't think you have to actually go through the exact motions or anything. These work pretty well, though some are slightly unresponsive. You can also use rocks and shuriken to take people out with the help of the environment. You can knock them into wells and pits, off of buildings and towers, and knock them into torches to set them on fire. This is huge, because it actually makes the shuriken useful. In Wrath of Heaven, they were terrible.

    

    If you're seen, though, you are introduced to the final nail in Red Steel's coffin: functional swordplay. Alright, sure, it isn't perfectly responsive, but it has a great design and the overall execution is awesome. Basically, you go into a defense mode where you have to parallel your blade to theirs, while your "Tenchu" meter fills up. Once full, you go on the offensive, and slice him up. This combat is really hard, especially against the tougher enemies, but it's also really rewarding and incredibly fun. I've actually found this to be among the best things in the game, which is funny, because it's basically a last resort. Oh well, it's fun. In fact, it proves that swordfighting, when done right, is best on Wii. If only a game could be made to focus on it . . .

    

    Other than that, the general presentation is absolutely phenomenal. The graphics are detailed, and while they only run at 480i, which is very noticeable on my TV, they outclass many other Wii game graphics. The voice acting, despite some, uh, odd parts, is really good, and all the major characters have great fits. Rikimaru's voice is perfect for him. The story is also greatly improved, and it does so by keeping itself grounded in reality. The ninja may be somewhat mystical in abilities, but the story is one of feuds between kingdoms and betrayal. It elevates the quality of the ninja rather than simplifying it to just some dude who can hide. 

    

    Other than that . . . they have done a remarkable job with recreating Rikimaru, the protagonist. While in Wrath of Heaven, he had a magic sword, he now has to salvage weaponry from the field. Whereas before he refused to kill innocents, he now can for the sake of the mission. While he used to hide his face throughout the entire game, he now has no ninja mask in his portrait. After every kill, he does a short exhale of breath. All of this builds him into a fairly human character rather than some badass with a magic sword.

    

    One last thing . . . there's multiple difficulty modes in this game. The most difficult, called "Shadow Mode", features an incredible amount of enemies to deal with within the normal game. This mode, while defeating me now, is a wonderful addition, as it pits you in situations of intense challenge. Finally, a game that isn't insanely easy.

    

    Tenchu: Shadow Assassins should be in your library if you have a Wii. End of story. If you don't buy it, at least give it a rent. It features some great design that should be respected. 've heard that Acquire is interested in doing multiple Tenchu games for Wii, and, needless to say, they have room to improve. Co-op, stage creators . . . all this would make the package unstoppable. Also, with future titles comes Motion+, which would throw any "unresponsive" claims out the window, and would make the swordplay all the better. The developers are really onto something. If they do well, maybe they could bring their other series to Wii. The one I was hoping for when I bought the system.

    

    Well, thanks for reading, and remember . . .