It's been 25 years since Tenchu: Stealth Assassins first launched on the PS1. Let's not forget just how influential this series actually was.
'Tenchu: Stealth Assassins' showed the world how to live by honor and kill by stealth.
Seriously?
In the 80s, there were two Metal Gear games alone that helped to usher in stealth games. And in 1998, there were 3 major games that have become the foundation for modern-day stealth games (not just one). Tenchu, Thief, and Metal Gear Solid. The last one is the most popular of the three.
Yeah. I think the writer is off in his history. Or was only born during the era of PlayStation. As much as I love Aquire games, Tenchu wasn't first in this concept as I was sneaking well before 98. But I'm guessing he's giving it credit as first to release on PS1 even though Metal Gear Solid was to release in 1997 before Tenchu but was delayed.
The strange thing, and it's speculation, both games are in development in 94, 95. Someone seems to know what the other is doing without getting busted for copyright infringement. Maybe developers talked about concepts over saki. Same over the head angle, same first person view to look, same angle in hiding behind a wall, both simulating different forms of combat, same changes in music, both orchestra like, both releasing for PS1, etc.
The timing of both arriving with a similar gameplay concept in 3D is just interesting. Sony publishing Tenchu is interesting. I would like to know "who knew who and who knew what in relation to both at that time. Unless it was just spontaneous. It's rare for that to happen though. And Sony then releasing the flip side of stealth with Syphon Filter.
But I guess it all doesn't matter. Metal Gear and Tenchu both get accolades for their awesomeness. Metal Gear gets the high sales and recognition from a series that started well before PlayStation that I think grew the stealth genre more than Tenchu did.
Shout out to Noriyuki Asakura. His music was banging at the time. Even the title music is awesome.
Metal Gear Solid was not awash with the numerous gadgets the article alludes to, although who could forget the usefulness of chaff grenades! MGS also became classic with all those codec conversations, cutscenes and goofy Kojima moments like putting the gamepad on the floor and having Mantis move it with his l337 skillz. IIRC, Tenchu was much less about the sword based combat, and much more panther stealth with fun tools. It also offered open sandbox type maps which MGS games didn't really offer until MGS V! The grappling hook as well has been used in many games since then including the Assassin's Creed series. I think the author has a point buried in there (not discrediting Tenchu at all), but perhaps ignoring the other stealth games at the time comes across a little disingenuous.
The whole stealth assassination by sneaking up to an enemy for an instant kill can be pretty much be attributed to Tenchu and is a mechanic common in almost every modern 3rd person action game. Assassin's Creed, Souls games, heck, even RE4 Remake has it now.
Ah, I see you changed the title after my comment. It used to say it invented stealth games we know today. I agree with the new title but perhaps do that before submitting.
Over two decades later, many PlayStation 1 players have probably forgotten about the game that started the stealth genre.
Yep, probably my favourite game on the original PS. Tenchu 2 level creator was also really cool. Wrath of Heaven was also great. I was hopeful Sekiro would bring back the Tenchu goodness but it is a different beast.
Never say never.
I would be shocked if they let it die after the Tenchu Z disaster. I liken it to F-Zero: it's not dead. There just need to be certain conditions met to make it happen.
Tenchu: Stealth Assassins influences signal a method for stealth to continue to be relevant in the challenge-averse world of AAA games.
after Sekiro the chaos ...probably the best Ninja game ever created ...Miyazaki took the formula and launched it to extraodinary level ....yes stealth has a bit less centric role but with 1-2s modification to Sekiro formula (ex dont be that much boss run struggle o, have bigger world to explore and have free hook attchment everywhere you want) will be perfect
If you speak about purely stealth gameplay , then MGS4 imo is the best game yet...the octacamo (or camo in MGS3) genuniness (and realism) and the prerfectly polished stealth tactical gameplay has yet to be topped by any developer
I love the original Tenchu games.
Tenchu's problem was that it changed hands in developers and lost what made the original game special. The stealth and music were perfect at the time. Later developers killed the "feel" of the game.
So I followed where Acquire went and played Way of the Samurai. Which had that feel again even if it was samurais.
But what's lost in this article is the fact that Shinobido isn't mentioned at all. Which was a spiritual successor to Tenchu made by Acquire for PSP and PS2.
https://youtu.be/0k8jVg2ets...
Also came out on Vita but I never got to play it. The stealth, the music, the "FEEL" was back. I suggest playing it and you'll see. And, the amount of unlockable characters is ridiculous and fun.
If Tenchu ever rises again, they should start off with what made the original so good. Not try and be like Nioh, or Sekiro, or any of the soul type games. And if they really want to give it that Japanese feel again, they need to take a look at Ghost of Tsushima as something they can learn from when Jin plays Ghost Style.
First stealth game I ever played. Remember it came out before Metal gear solid. Anyone that's read me on here in the last 12 or so years has heard me repeatedly bring tenchu up. I would love this series to come back and get the AAA polish it deserves and never had.
That was the only stealth game I played back in the day before I even knew I liked stealth games or knew what a stealth genre was. It was just a ninja game to me.
Armored Core is returning in 2023. Its time for Tecnhu to return
My vote is for a Bushido Blade remake!
I would love a new tenchu, still some of my all time favorite games.
Kojima would make a sick tenchu. Tenchu with mgs5 animations.
I pretty much thought Sekiro was Tenchu remade