Ghost of Tsushima has been a huge success for Sony, selling like hotcakes on PS4 and PC and getting a future movie adaptation. Similarly, while the game hasn’t officially come out yet, some fans are raving about Ubisoft’s Assassin’s Creed Shadows, showing that those delays were worth it. Lizardcube are also working on a fantastic-looking Shinobi game, so ninjas are very popular right now.
Now that we know these ninja-themed adventures are a hit, we think it’s time for Tenchu to make a huge comeback. The fact that FromSoftware owns this IP should get more attention, given their successes with Elden Ring and Dark Souls, not to mention the constant yapping for Bloodborne remastered.
Debuting back on PS1, the original Tenchu was a breath of fresh air when it came out, letting fans immerse themselves as deadly ninjas. While the series didn’t set the standard for stealth games at the time, they were always considered solid titles and reviewed decently. There were an impressive eight entries for this series, though things fizzled out by the time the final entry, Tenchu: Shadow Assassins, came out on Wii and PSP.
Throughout all of these games, fans would have to make use of their surroundings and try to stealth their way through all the enemies. Because this series was M-rated, there was plenty of blood, which made it appealing to the edgy youth. Some of these games also had boss fights, so players could show off their ninja skills in close combat as well.
Unfortunately, these Tenchu games didn’t break new ground and had a hard time competing with more beloved stealth entries. Metal Gear Solid was getting critical praise for each entry, which is why Snake Eater is getting a remake soon. Similarly, Splinter Cell was taking off and Assassin’s Creed would eventually make its mark as the premiere stealth series.
Admittedly, fans could argue that Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice is technically a spiritual successor to Tenchu. Like Tenchu, this game has a good amount of stealth and requires patience before making a move. Where Sekiro separates itself is the combat and death mechanics, which are more similar to the Souls games but with parrying.
Unlike Sekiro or the Dark Souls games, we think this ninja revival shouldn’t go open-world and stay a level-based stealth adventure with some action here and there. Interconnected levels are cool but fans wouldn’t mind a smaller game to play through now and then. They can even follow the new Hitman game and make giant levels where players can succeed in multiple ways without that odd live service element.
If FromSoftware can bring Armored Core back from the dead, we don’t think it would be impossible to have Tenchu return. Bringing back the parrying mechanics from Sekiro would be pretty cool, alongside that game’s more fantastical enemies. Plus, it would give FromSoftware something else to work on that isn’t just another big Soulslike title.