This is actually the third game in the Tenchu series and they really should be getting things right by now - ninja are cool, and deserve a cool game. Wrath of Heaven was developed by K2, who were supposedly all huge fans of the original game so this should be good, oh yes.

   

Playing as Rikimaru or Ayame you serve your boss Lord Gohda in several missions from rescuing kidnapped girlies to assassinations. Although Ricki and Ayame can handle themselves in hand to hand combat, whatever the objectives stealth is always the best (and most satisfying) course of action. The game actually rewards you for stealth kills with useful new special moves, it's a cool system.

Played from your typical third person viewpoint the camera is always allowed to float, which often means that it's in front of you, which can be disorientating. Stealth kills are fairly simple; sneak up on an enemy without being spotted, get fairly close behind them and press the square button and you'll get a nice gory stealth kill animation that seems to vary randomly. Graphics are on the nice side of average and manage to be moody and full of character without ever making the PS2 sweat.

The game introduces some multiplayer levels for the fist time and although these seem a bit tacked on and at odds with the feel of the rest of the game (a proper co-op mode for the main story would have been SO much better). Completing the story with both original characters unlocks a mysterious and rather unique third character (their individual levels are similar, but differ slightly and aren't played in the same order as their stories run sort-of concurrently).

You get to pick from a varied and sadly limited (at the start anyway) selection of extra items, from: spikes (to drop on the ground and hurt pursuers' feet), poisoned rice, extra health ups or weapons and even "ninja rebirth" logs (these act as a restart point should you die). The very fact that you have to pay for restart points (although they can be found on some levels) seems extremely tough - some levels can take a long time to fully explore and clear of enemies and no mid-level save points coupled to the nature of the game means death can come swiftly (meaning an unceremonious return to the start of the level).

   

So what's wrong with Tenchu Wrath of Heaven then? Well, a fiddly control system that requires too many fingers, a lock-on system that likes to lock-off, a dopey wayward camera during combat, stupid guard AI that sees them bumble into traps and even fires, annoying boss battles that do away with any thoughts of stealth and often mean a complete restart of the level if you fail, and the sheer fact that your grappling hook (the best part of the original game and indeed this one for many) is still incredibly tricky to use quickly and accurately, at the very times when you should be confidently using it to make a rapid escape. The levels also seem to lack a bit of imagination with ledges and platforms with no logical purpose, and the game engine looks better than it really is, with many invisible barriers that occasionally cause gameplay problems.

Lovers of the original Tenchu (and indeed the less-than-great sequel) will probably lap this game up. The game allows some truly cool stealth action (if you practice enough) and has some excellent music. It might be perfect for you if you prefer shuriken and katana to Solid Snake or Sam Fisher's hi-tech weapons.