I'd have to call the game an upmost sucessful transition from console to handheld. They successfully chopped up the levels to be bareable to short amount of play and actually kept the fun-factor safe within each level. Still there are prevalent issues in the game lack the aforementioned camera. However the chunk of the game that is still intact, plays very well. The stealth kills are top-notched and are worthy of the Tenchu name. Melee fighting has been improved and is more fluid that it's predecessors, especially since the game has more action-elements now.

Graphics again are very detailed like the PS2 counter-part and could easily be mistaken for them. The character models move very smoothly, but I shouldn't be too impressed as it'd be a rare occasion to see more than one character on screen at once. However the game does have the environments designed well enough to help with the atmosphere of the game. But I already mentioned before that you can barely see within a few steps ahead. A huge issue for a stealth game that ultimately strangles much of it. It's really a killer just staring out and not being able to see in front of you. Maybe in the next revision of the game, the character will carry a candle.

The soundtrack for the game I have to say is very enjoyable. You feel as if the sound belongs to the environment and meshes in very well. With the subtle asian chords chiming, then suddenly a stealth-kill. But what else would you expect from a Tenchu game? It always has to have the east asian sound to it to be accepted. Although the game does a great job of keeping traditional with the series, the problem lies how much of the same you will hear throughout the game.

Tenchu: Shinobi Taisen replicates the stealth ninja experience right down to the finger tips. Although there were a few hassles along the way, the experience is key and would leave fans satisfied. Not to mention that they have brought back a relic, the level editor. Now the gameplay experience doesn't stop at the end of the campaign and can continuously be enjoyed as long as there is a map maker willing to squeeze his creative juices. The hiccups in the game are rather sizeable and overally bring the game down from where it could have been.

The game is completely enjoyable without any Japanese skills. Though you will not be able to understand the single-player campaign and the menu options. There is also difficulty in understanding mission objectives

• Crisp graphics as good as the PS2
  
• Tenchu experience intact
  
• Level editor

• Line of sight is very very small
  
• Camera issues