This is the first game this year I know of that's designed to bring back the hardcore gamers who Nintendo has ignored for about the last six months.
Well, I say it almost makes the grade. Almost.
Tenchu: Shadow Assassin is a 3D platforming game where you go from one point to the next, hiding in dark areas, blowing out candles, sneaking up bad guys and killing them.
The stealth part is the best part of Tenchu. I got a rush as I plotted a path so I can get close to a bad guy to kill him or to do something else.
The game also has great ideas, like blowing or dousing candles to create dark areas or to use a breathing tube while swimming in a lake.
But there are problems with game design.
First, this game could use a map that tells me where I'm supposed to go.
Then, there's sword fighting, which feels stiff and clunky. Positioning the Wiimote to block the enemy's attack is troublesome at best.
Some of the cut scenes where you kill a bad guy are good, but others are laughably bad. You drag a guy under water and he drowns in ten seconds or less. And when you stick a guy with a sword, the resulting gushing blood felt tacked on.
But the biggest problem is trying to figure out what the game designers want you to do. Which candle to blow out? Which guy to kill? Which direction do I go to? One wrong move and you're back to the start of the section. Tenchu can get really frustrating for some players.
Oh, there's also some story about a princess and some war, but I wasn't riveted by any of the story based cut scenes.
Still, if you're looking for a stealth game, you should give Tenchu: Shadow Assassins a try. RENT IT.

Tenchu: Shadow Assassins is essentially a puzzle game where the puzzle is how to effectively get by or kill multiple enemies scattered across a map without them discovering you. If you are discovered, you are either given a second chance to complete the map or (rarely) you enter a battle similar but somewhat simpler to the clunky sword mechanics of Red Steel. Occasionally there is a boss battle with that clunky sword mechanic.

Essentially each of 10 stages has multiple "maps" which have multiple opponents with different behaviors in fixed positions and patrols. You need to observe the behavior and exploit your environment to either get close and kill or get past your opponents to reach an exit from the map. The solving of the environmental puzzles is the most rewarding part of the game.

The are a couple of issues, though. First, you essentially replay each stage with two different characters, a powerful male ninja and a quick female shinobi. While having different opponents in each of the maps adds variety, this does not fully overcome the feeling of redundancy and at time tedium.

Also, there is a level where you need to swing from branches. The mechanics of this action break the goal of quickness and lightness of control that the developers set out to make by being extraordinary slow and somewhat choppy. The levels in which this occurs (once for each character) is thus rather frustrating.

Sometimes, there are issues with the camera and therefore important actions are hard to execute in these situations.

Finally, the story seems to be connected to earlier games in this series. There is no introduction to the characters and major enemies come in towards the end dues ex machina. Therefore, I found the story to lack emotional connection.

Despite these flaws, the game is still fun especially if you are a fan of 1980's ninja cinema which this recreates. Just don't expect a compelling story or fantastic variety of gameplay