Poetry in Arthritic Motion
One thing I did remember was how stiff the control was. One on one combat, though largely not the emphasis of levels, was difficult due to some real control issues. Your only blocking option was backing away from an enemy, which with a PS1 D-Pad sometimes meant veering left or right at the same time, leading to getting your arse chopped up. This is particularly off-pissing when you consider that the later levels feature fights against overly powerful bosses without a checkpoint system as a safety net. Challenging yes, but certainly frustrating at times.
The Meat and Potatoes
Despite the antiquated control schemes and issues very much relevant to the age, the experience of Tenchu is not to be missed. As a game trying new things, it certainly offers a great deal of very clever and unique mechanics which still get a 'wow that's cool' a decade after release. The game relies very heavily (and I add historically accurately) on the use of tools of subterfuge in order to silently (but absurdly bloodily) dispatch the guards. The patrol routes of your enemies also differ on playthroughs, so replaying a failed mission is not as simple as learning a routine. Such gadgetry as poison rice balls to distract your enemies right through to the unlockable decoy whistles make the stealth strategic; and the limit on number and type of item prevents a load out of game-breakers. The levels themselves are varied in both theme and design, testing your ability further as you progress, though on some occasions the exploitation of the poor controls can bring about fits of swearing.
The Tone of Theatre
One of the biggest draws of Tenchu is definitely its own enjoyment with the ludicrously theatrical. The soundtrack, if the game took itself seriously, would be totally out of place as it treats you to some pretty chilled out folk hits. The music seems more to frame a mood than the situation, and the inclusion of weather effects and pretty sublime vertex lighting paint a picture it is easy to involve yourself in. The voice acting is so bad its good, with the immortal line of "It looks like you chose the wrong party to crash," still making me laugh to this day. The dialogue is actually a consistent source of entertainment even at the close of boss fights. When you successfully clear a boss they usually take about a minute out of their schedule to tell you how noble you were (even when you do smash a grenade in their face) while they bleed great spurts of comedy blood all over their collots. The whole thing speaks of theatre and feels more and more deliberate the further you go.
I was completely enraptured by Tenchu: Stealth Assassins from start to finish, and beyond. It was a perfect blend of really good ideas and an execution which was neither pompous nor self aware. The characters and stories involved seemed rounded just by the fact they were so over-blown, and the rating system (and rewards) produce incentive enough to re tread the modest ten level offering. You can look past the ropiness not least due to its age, but because it is so artistically crafted. You believe in the areas and the purpose of being there. I would love to see a Tenchu reboot that offered as much craft as the original but fear we will never see such from a franchise that has become as tawdry as it has.
