Tenchu: Shadow Assassins

So the game has some significant issues, which pretty much every Tenchu has, no matter the developer. And yet once you grow accustomed to the game's quirks, you soon find yourself in a rhythm where gamer instincts overcome sloppy game mechanics. Eventually, the thrill of starting a level -- unarmed -- and slowly but surely making your way over rooftops and underwater and over rafters becomes a guilty thrill. Sure, many of the mission objectives are mere copycats of previously done "kill the evil boss" routines we've done time and time again, but the deeper you get into the Shadow Assassins experience, the more enjoyable it becomes. Fortunately Ubisoft spent the months between the Japanese and U.S. releases tweaking and finessing the game to be less frustrating and more encouraging, so players will give each level one more try. There's an immense amount of satisfaction to be found here, provided you get past the game's initial stumbling blocks. And whether you're a long-time fan of the series or merely a curious onlooker, anyone looking to get past the "casual gaming" focus that's smothering the Wii these days can do no better than to begin here.

Preview: Shinobody does it better

"When Tenchu gets its sneak back on, however, it’s an enjoyable slice of action pie. Finding your footing and murderising 10 men within metres of one another is satisfying stuff, and for every bit of cowering behind a box there’s a shot of cool-looking ninjas doing cool-looking things to less-cool-looking villains. Perhaps not as meaty as its visual style suggests, Tenchu: Shadow Assassins is still a generous portion of fun."

"Tenchu: Shadow Assassins is by no means a revolution, either for the series or the stealth genre and if you've played any of the previous titles, you will already have accurate expectations of this Wii sequel. But despite some issues with regard to character control and the fact that some series staples like lots of rooftop exploration are oddly missing from the Wii sequel, the end product is still fun. The 10-plus- hour game is full of thrills and strategy, not to mention satisfying assassination sequences, and you can keep playing long after you've completed the main mission, either attempting to better your level scores or exploring the dozens of quick, relatively easy side missions designed to extend replay value. If you're a Wii owner in search of something beyond the next mini-game fest, Shadow Assassins is a surprisingly good choice. "