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Almost perfect for this niche
I've read a whole lot of negative for this game, no real plot, gameplay problems, etc. But I have to disagree. Sure, it's very easy to run to the outbuilding on some levels and find your target or item you're looking for. Sure you can select an easy diffeculty and complain about the bad battle system-

-but that's not at all what this game's about!

This game is about trying to be a perfect ninja, a silent, unseen, killing machine that wipes out the whole level of badguys without being detected. It's about the tension of stalking a man, and the thrill of bleeding him out and slipping into the darkness in time to see his buddy return from a quick patrol or a trip to the bathroom to see his friend's inverted torso. -all the while you're laughing, while they're freaking out looking for you. Don't try to fight through the enemy like you're Dante, the battle system sucks, but then again, the stealth system in DMC sucked, -see what I'm saying?

I think there isn't another game out there that captures the idea of being a ninja, the way you have to carefully stalk your enemy and take them out in the right order, at the right times, all while doing it flawlessly and sneaking away is often times challenging. This game is part action, and part strategy, sure you could race through each level and fight like a dumb grunt, and complain the fighting sucks, or you can be a little patient, study your enemy, and eliminate them like a trained ninja would. Playing the game in this way, the game is smooth, it's challenging, it's just plain fun.

The game has good graphics, great sound, and the levels are beautifully done, and everything about the controlls are really solid, but when you try "go Dante" on the enemy, it can be a daunting task for sure. Now, to be fair, I've seen guys on YouTube destroying the enemy 1 on 1, but I'm not as good as those guys. For me this game is a solid stealth-killing game, possibly the best. It's the best Tenchu by far anyway. I recommend this game whole-heartedly, it's too much fun to create an awesome looking Ninja and then being let loose on several levels with plenty of enemies to bleed out. Maybe I'm sick, but it never gets old, this one's going to stay in my collection.

not bad. dont pay full price for it.
overall,this is not a bad game. yes the levels are reapetative. if you like ninjas,and stealth games,you'll dig this. stealth kills are fun no matter how many times you do them. especially grappling hook (mid-air) stealth kills. i wouldn't pay more than 35-40$(new) for it however. multiplayer is ok,it takes forever to find people to join though. so, if you have a hankerin for a ninja stealth game,and have a little money to burn, pick up a copy.

Thanks!
Thank you very much! I have been enjoying this game ever since I received it in the mail. Thanks again.

A game of stealth and murder in medieval Japan.
This is probably the most pleasant gaming surprise for me in years. With mediocre or worse reviews across the board, I thought I knew for sure I was wasting my $34.99 buying a used copy. Lucky for me, I love ninjas.

The graphics are pretty standard, nothing special, but not bad either. If anything it looks like a really nice original Xbox game with some textures that wouldn't be possible previously. Unlike many games of the current generation, I have experienced no technical problems whatsoever. That means no frame rate stutters, reasonable load times, and no object pop in. As for the art design, if you love Japan, or ninjas for that matter, you'll love the visual style of the game, although the scenery does change quite a bit as the game progresses, but I won't ruin that for you.

The sound is perfect for what the game needs. The sound effects work great, and I can't imagine them needing to be any better. The soundtrack itself is very subtle, but can build up at times, creating effective tension as you stalk through the shadows.

The controls are all responsive enough, and work just fine for taking down your enemies. The character animations are very fluid, and its awesome to go from rooftop to rooftop. This is probably the only ninja game I've ever played to actually use stealth, and trust me, if you don't want to die, you'll use it.The stealth kills are especially awesome, and are always a pleasure to execute. The gore is over the top, making it all the more satisfactory when you kill a target or guard. There's a fair amount of character customization, but its mostly just in looks so it doesn't effect much, and the only item I ever really bought from the shop other than new costumes is med kits. The rest of the items really aren't all that useful.

I have a few problems with this game. The main one being that the combat is pretty stale, and sometimes even irritating when you aren't assassinating someone. My other complaint would be the graphics, I know i said they were fine, but I would like them to be better than fine if you know what I mean.

I enjoyed this game a great amount. Just another prime example of why you shouldn't pay that much attention to one single review. I actually find user reviews to be the best indicator on if a game was good or not, because they seem to focus more on if the game was fun, rather than nitpick at technical problems, or if its not revolutionary. That why I wrote this review, I felt that Gamespot wronged this game with a terrible score, and i want people to see another side of it. If you like Japan, Ninjas, or stealth, please at least give this game a rent.

Must get!
This game is amazing, your a cold calculating assassin and you can do it quickly and efficiently. The controls are very easy to operate and you can unlock all kinds of new moves that make sneaking around easier.

My only two minor complaints are, one, the co-op feature isn't through the story play. You can do most of the missions availible with a friend, but there is no story to go with it. Two, the regular combat when you are noticed is not very exciting or intuitive.

Other than that the sneaking, climbing upside down, running across walls, and the assassinations are just superb. Overall a must get, especially if you have been dreaming of a Hitman/Thief type game in a different setting , that you can play with a buddy.