Back in the 90s, getting into that first ninja-sword encounter in Tenchu was a massive shock to many gamers' systems. The blood spraying on and trickling down the walls, the screams, the brutal, precise combat mechanics were all things that games never really did before Tenchu, making the ninja-assassin game feel new, dangerous and impressively realistic. But Tenchu isn't all about the combat. It's first and foremost a stealth game, offering players the incredibly liberating feeling of running across the tiled rooftops of feudal Japanese towns, using ninja ropes, throwing stars and other paraphernalia to take out your targets as quietly as possible. Tenchu was the first game to realise a dark, adult version of all those childhood fantasies we all had of being ninjas - complete with ludicrously stereotypical Japanese accents that seem to have become more absurd and comical with time. If you haven't played Tenchu yet, then doing so today would be comic gold just on account of its voice-acting (not that that's the only reason you should play it, of course).
Gamer, Researcher of strange things.
I'm a writer-editor hybrid whose writings on video games, technology and movies can be found across the internet. I've even ventured into the realm of current affairs on occasion but, unable to face reality, have retreated into expatiating on things on screens instead.
