Tenchu Should Return Now That AC Shadows and Ghost of Tsushima are Doing Well

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Sony’s Ghost of Tsushima has been a massive hit, selling swiftly on PS4 and PC, with plans for a future film adaptation. Meanwhile, Ubisoft’s Assassin’s Creed Shadows, though not yet released, is creating quite a buzz among fans, demonstrating that the delays were justified. Additionally, Lizardcube’s upcoming Shinobi game looks promising, reflecting the current surge of interest in ninja themes.

With these ninja-themed adventures proving popular, it seems like the perfect moment for Tenchu to stage a major resurgence. Given FromSoftware’s ownership of this intellectual property and their recent triumphs with Elden Ring, Dark Souls, and the ongoing demand for a Bloodborne remaster, it’s high time this gem receives more attention.

Originally appearing on PlayStation 1, the first Tenchu game was a welcome innovation when it launched, offering players the chance to assume the role of lethal ninjas. Although it didn’t revolutionize stealth gaming at the time, the series was consistently well-regarded and received generally positive reviews. Over the course of its run, there were a total of eight games in this franchise. However, interest began to wane with the release of the final installment, Tenchu: Shadow Assassins, on Wii and PSP.

In these games, players must utilize their environment for stealth and maneuver past all adversaries. Given its M-rating, there was an abundance of violence, which attracted the more mature or edgy audience. Additionally, some games featured boss battles, allowing players to demonstrate their ninja abilities in intense close combat scenarios.

It seems that the Tenchu games didn’t introduce many new concepts and struggled to keep up with other popular stealth titles. Meanwhile, Metal Gear Solid was receiving rave reviews for each installment, which is why Snake Eater is about to get a remake. At the same time, Splinter Cell was gaining traction and Assassin’s Creed eventually became the go-to series for stealth enthusiasts.

Surely, enthusiasts might point out that Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice bears strong resemblances to Tenchu in spirit. Like its predecessor, this game emphasizes stealth and demands patience before action. Yet, what sets Sekiro apart is its combat style and death mechanics, which share characteristics with the Souls series but also feature parrying techniques.

Instead of following the open-world format like Sekiro or Dark Souls games, we believe this ninja revival would be better suited as a level-based stealth adventure with occasional action sequences. While interconnected levels are appealing, fans might appreciate a more compact game they can complete occasionally. The developers could take inspiration from the new Hitman game by creating large levels where players can achieve success in various ways without incorporating that peculiar live service aspect.

If FromSoftware manages to resurrect Armored Core, we believe Tenchu could also make a comeback. Incorporating the parrying mechanics from Sekiro and introducing more fantastical adversaries would certainly add an exciting twist. This could provide FromSoftware with a fresh project beyond continuously developing Soulslike games.

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2025-02-25 19:12