Since it’s
inception on the original PlayStation, the Tenchu series has been providing
ninja-stealth action to the masses, taking on ninja arts in a way that other
ninja action games don’t. Relying more on deception and sticking to the shadows
than stringing together fast combos with a katana sword. However, the series has
been slowly going downhill over the years, not really growing much with each
entry and losing footing to other prominent stealth franchises, like Metal Gear
Solid and Splinter Cell. Even though it’s comparing apples to oranges in many
regards, these series have shown what can be accomplished with AI and the basics
mechanics of sneaking around in the dark.
The years
have cumulated with Tenchu Z, the first next-gen entry of the series, and they
have unfortunately not been kind. Tenchu Z suffers from stagnant gameplay, with
bad controls, a lousy camera and awful AI. Tenchu Z is an insipid action game,
and probably won’t hold your attention for long.
Tenchu Z
adds a new element to the series by letting you choose your character from
either a female or male character, and then customize them as you see fit. This
gives you more control over previous entries in the series, which previously had
you playing as a set character through the game’s missions.
The
mission structure is largely the same as previous Tenchus. Each of the game’s 50
quests have you charged with assassinating a certain person, meaning you’ll have
to weave through their defenses and either dodge or depose their guards in order
to make the final kill. You have a couple of ways to do this, using your ninja
gadgetry or simply doing the best you can to avoid them altogether. The mission
count is pretty impressive, but it’s moot considering how redundant they can be.
There’s a
new feature that should ideally get your enemies onto your scent (literally). If
you fall into a cesspool or get soaked in too much of your enemies’ blood,
you’ll begin to smell, adding a new way for your enemies to find you in the
darkness. In order to counter this, you’ll have to use special ninja
cologne/perfume or jump into some clean water to wash off. Speaking of water,
you can swim now, letting you avoid enemies by keeping your head underwater and
breathing through a reed.
The
problem is that the AI is so inept, that it really makes not much of a
difference what you do to get to the end of the level. Enemies will walk set
paths, and will quickly forget you even if you shoot a dart into their heads.
They are very easy to lose once you make even the slightest effort to evade
them. This means that even though the new features like the scent and swimming
features are interesting, they are basically broken out of the box.
So, if
running away from enemies is way too easy (or maybe it isn’t even your bag),
then the combat system should be pretty solid right? Umm, no. Locking onto
enemies is extremely haphazard, as you may think you’ll have a guy in your
sights and then suddenly be swiping at nothing at all (hey, I thought I was the
ninja here!).
However, it shouldn’t matter much, as the easiest way to go through the missions
is simply motor from point A to point B and finishing off the main baddie.
Avoiding guards is a snap, plus avoiding the lousy combat system is certainly
for the best. However, is the game fun when you take this approach? No, not
really.
Graphically, the game isn’t much better than the gameplay. The character models
are very simplistic and not terribly well animated. The environments are kind of
impressive at first, but quickly become bland and repetitive as the missions
wear on. All in all, the aesthetic is not very impressive, looking more like an
original Xbox game than a true next-gen game. The sound effects are adequate at
best, with very sparse music and decent Japanese voice work (can’t really rate
in on the quality of acting, since I don’t know Japanese).
Tenchu Z
is a lousy action-stealth game, a weak entry to the series, and basically a
waste of money. If you are looking for some hardcore stealth-assassination
action on your 360, I’d suggest waiting for Assassin’s Creed, but avoid this
one.
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Gameplay: 5.0
The combat is
pretty unfun, and the AI is very buggy, more often than not acting like they’ve
already got a kunai sticking out of their heads before you can provide one. The
control scheme is also very lousy and frustrating, as is the awful camera.
Graphics: 6.5
Tenchu Z isn’t a
terrible looking game, but certainly doesn’t showcase anything the Xbox 360 is
capable of. The simplistic character models and bland environments make it look
like an Xbox game in high-def.
Sound: 6.5
There’s not a lot of
music in this game, but the Japanese voice acting sounds decent enough.
Difficulty: Easy
When the AI is
this dumb, it’s not tough to breeze through the game.
Multiplayer: 6.0
Online co-op is
usually a pretty cool feature, but not when it’s coupled with gameplay this
lousy.
Concept: 5.5
The Tenchu series
has been going on for a while now, and Z is proof positive that it’s really
starting to show its seams.
Overall: 5.5
Tenchu Z is a
pretty lousy entry to the series, and is one Xbox 360 title that doesn’t flex
any next-gen muscle.
