Tenchu 360 for US

By Robert Purchese Published 22 January, 2007

Sometime this year.

Microsoft has confirmed to the US press that Tenchu 360 will be available on American shelves sometime this year.

It's being tentatively called Tenchu Z, though any other concrete details are mysteriously scarce. Hidden, you might say. Waiting to pounce.

The game, developed by From Software, was released in Japan last October. It's the largest title of the eight-strong series and allows you to create your very own ninja, building your own skills rather than choosing from a pre-set template.

There are more than 50 missions, and you'll have to use all manner of items to survive, including grappling hooks, ninja stars, potions, and bombs.

There's no word on a European excursion; we're crossing our ninja-slippers in anticipation.

Picture of Robert.

About Robert Purchese

Bertie is Eurogamer's Senior Staff Writer. When he's not hunting down news stories he's often found playing with his kids or gabbling about fantasy games and strange online worlds.

Read more articles from Robert by visiting the Robert Purchese archive page.

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Comments (20) Latest comment 5 years ago

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  • jonsaan #1 5 years ago

    Cool. I hope it can restore my faith in the series after the dreadful psp version.

  • Der_tolle_Emil #2 5 years ago

    Does anyone know how this was rated in Japan (preferebly Famitsu)?

  • Nobuo #3 5 years ago

    This series has sucked ever since the first one.

  • absolutezero #4 5 years ago

    I am happy about this, finally what looks to be the best of the From Software 360 titles is getting a release, the demo was a refreshing change from the Tenchu usual, you actually feel like a trained ninja with superior reflexes and skills. Not just some bloke with a sword and grey hair.

    Off topic but why would you want to know Famitsu review scores when its widely known that reviews are bought? The whole point in Famitsu is to have a fat glossy exclusive-filled magazine, not in-depth honest reviews.

  • Hunam #5 5 years ago

    I remember seeing a video of this and thinking it looks like a PS2 game

  • Zero Beat #6 5 years ago

    No mention of the game being completely shit? Oh well.

  • absolutezero #7 5 years ago

    From playing the demo, the visuals are'nt mind blowing but its still nicer than alot of 360 games to date, the animation is nice and smooth moving too and from moves. Plus the distances and backgrounds have been boosted a hell of alot. If you actually play the game, or its demo you'll know that it could'nt have been done on current consoles. Thats not to say that current console Ninja games are bad, Shinobido was fantastic.

    What I missed from the demo was the Tenchu series usually wonderful use of music.

  • rmg #8 5 years ago

    bah, I would rather have Shinobido: Way of the Ninja on 360.

  • Grim... #9 5 years ago

    Hurrah!

  • lambtron #10 5 years ago

    Fuck Tenchu I want Ninja Gaiden 2!

  • Xerx3s #11 5 years ago

    I don't understand why people like this. Oh well, taste as they say...

  • L42yB #12 5 years ago

    First tenchu woz cool... Think it went a bit downhill from there tho... hopefully this will bring it back to its former glory :)

    /crosses ninja slippers

  • absolutezero #13 5 years ago

    Ninja gaiden has nothing to do with being a Ninja, well apart from the Real Ultimate Power sense of being a ninja.

  • Clive_Dunn #14 5 years ago

    Ninja's are soooo 1996.

  • jonsaan #15 5 years ago

    Not 'The' Clive Dunn surely?

  • Steroyd #16 5 years ago

    Tenchu Wrath of Heaven was the only enjoyable Tenchu last gen but TBH the game is like Splinter Cell where the games have barely changed from the original.

  • wiper #17 5 years ago

    Tentatively interested. I do enjoy the Tenchu games, though Shinobido superseded it in most ways (though the lack of silly numbers of Stealth Kills saddened my blood-hungry tastes). Hopefully they've learned from it.

    Either way, I'll probably enjoy it. It's not at all like Splinter Cell, though. As stealth games go, it's closer to Metal Gear Solid, albeit with far superior levels and a more freeform design (reminding me of the Thief series, which is A Good Thing).


    Damn, now I want a new Thief game :(

  • lambtron #18 5 years ago

    The problem with Tenchu is the horrible controls and clunky movement.

    You hardly "feel" like a ninja when you clumsily bodge your way around the game world. That was one of the things that was great about Ninja Gaiden - Ryu moves like a ninja should.

  • SBfistfun #19 5 years ago

    shame it'll be balls

  • Bezzy #20 5 years ago

    The level design in the recent ones let it down, too. Far too linear.

    That level used in the demo of the first one had me playing and replaying for aaaages. They lost that quality in the others, restricting your path a bit more.

    Perhaps they were trying to idiot proof it? Well, if you ask me, there are better ways to do this than cleaving off areas of freedom. It's the same reason I could never get into splinter cell (as well as the clunky animation system)

    But still... NEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEENJAAH! And grapplehooks which arbitrarily don't work on some surfaces because they haven't modelled that part of the level even though it's right there and you are very tempted to look around it ftw (they should look at Thief's rope arrows for that... just mark grapple-able surfaces with something recognizably grapple-able)
    Edited by 1 at 23/01/07 @ 11:33