Tenchu: Return From Darkness: FAQ/Walkthrough by antseezee

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FAQ/Walkthrough
>>==<<==>>==<<==>>==<<==>>==<<==>>==<<==>>==<<==>>==<<==>>==<<==>>==
For Microsoft X-BOX
Version 1.0
By Chris Zawada
User: antseezee
E-mail: antseezee@epix.net
Website: www.antseezee.com
Created: 05/31/05
Last Update: 06/16/05
Copyright 2005 Chris Zawada
-<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>Author's Note
---------------------------Stealth-based games always have a hidden agenda amongst them. Whether
they're
legendary like the Metal Gear Solid series, or a complete spoof like Spy
Fiction, stealthy games often employ their own type of gameplay system.
Now,
imagine a stealth-based game with ninjas. Heck, it's tastier than a
mighty pie.
Tenchu was one of the first games to mold stealth and ninjas into one,
becoming
a smash hit for the original Playstation. Unfortunately, ever since
Tenchu
became a smash hit for the original PS, very little has changed. While
the game
does employ a somewhat stealth-based approach (with some arcade-fighting
elements included), Tenchu has never seemed to be able to improve their
original fighting system to parallel depths. Tenchu: Return from
Darkness is a
partial port of Tenchu: Wrath of Heaven (PS2), featuring a few enhanced
elements here and there. As much as I'd like to love this game, it has
a few
flaws intermittantly visible. Above average graphics, fuzzy sounds, and
a
lackluster addition of Live play simply does not make this an amazing

game.
Nonetheless, this guide will provide a complete walkthrough of the
game, talk
about the uses of certain items, and discuss multiplayer strategies.
Will you
silently neutralize samurai guards around the eastern perimeter, or get
your
limbs cut off in the process?
Contributing/Feedback
---------------------------If you have any contributions, feedback, or strategies you'd like to
have
added to the guide, contact me via e-mail or on GameFAQs. I'll be more
than
content to add your segment of information, and will also provide
credit. If
you have any questions you'd like added to the Common Questions
section, ask.
I simply don't have the time to sit around thinking of questions.
Provide me
with what you want to know!
Updates
---------------------------=06/16/05= v1.0
Finished the FAQ. Took longer than I expected, but it was slightly
worth the
amount of time put into it. The game's single player mode is quite indepth,
but I just found Live play to be horrible.
=05/31/05= v1.0
Started the FAQ. I'm not sure what to expect from this game. It didn't
get
truly great reviews overall, even though the game has mediocre Live
play. This
game is quite a disappointment for being both a port (with few improved
elements), and released a month after Ninja Gaiden.
============================
Table of Contents
============================
1) Introduction
2) Game Basics
> Controls
> Screen HUD
> Characters
3) Game Modes
> Description of each
4) Rikimaru Walkthrough
> Mission 1: Punish the Evil Merchant
> Mission 2: Execute Hamada and Return to Lord Gohda
> Mission 3: Find the Shichishito Sword
> Mission 4: Kill all who Follow You
> Mission 5: Cross the Ronin Village

5)

6)

7)

8)
9)
10)
11)

> Mission 6: Rescue the Kidnapped Princess

> Mission 7: Retrieve the Steel for Ressai
> Mission 8: Stop Tadokoro's Rebellion
> Mission 9: Find Ayame's Imposter
> Mission 10: Infiltrate the Buddha Temple
> Mission 11: Assassinate the Evil Tenrai
> Mission 12: Assassinate the Evil Tenrai - Part II
Ayame Walkthrough
> Mission 1: Rescue the Village Girls
> Mission 2: Execute the Evil Merchant
> Mission 3: Assassinate the Traitor Hamada
> Mission 4: Retrieve the Yoto Swords
> Mission 5: Stop Tadokoro's Rebellion
> Mission 6: Find the Jewel of Heaven
> Mission 7: Go to the Red House of Zennosuke
> Mission 8: Escape from Amagai Castle
> Mission 9: Retrieve the Jewel of Heaven
> Mission 10: Rescue Counsel Sekiya
> Mission 11: Assassinate the Evil Tenrai - Part I
> Mission 12: Assassinate the Evil Tenrai - Part II
Tesshu Walkthrough
> Mission 1: Assassinate Nasu and Echigoya
> Mission 2: Teach Rikimaru a Lesson
> Mission 3: Execute the Rebellious Yuge
> Mission 4: Find the Author of the Message
> Mission 5: Rendezvous with Senkichi by the Waterfalls
> Mission 6: Escape from the Limestone Cavern
> Mission 7: Go to the House in the Cemetery
> Mission 8: Return to Zennosuke
Extras
> Items List
> Secrets
> Enemies List
> X-BOX Live
Codes
Common Questions
Copyright/Distribution/Reproduction Guidelines
Proper Credits

-<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>============================
- 1) Introduction
============================
To be honest, Tenchu was one of the first ninja/stealth games to
combine both
in a fun fashion. We all think of ninjas as being masked marauders, who
wear
entire black clad uniforms, usually rely on stealthy kills (no honor in
that),
and do whatever they must to accomplish their mission. The most worthy
ninja
game by far is Ninja Gaiden, although Tenchu was one of the first games
to
actually make you use agility/navigation to kill enemies. Think of
Tenchu as a

Metal Gear Solid, except with more blood, a Japanese medievil setting,
and a
stretched storyline just as skewed as most complex games. Originally,
Tenchu
began as a simple game where you chose from one of two ninjas, and
continued to
finish each of their quests to quell an evil force from rising.
Tenchu itself was a blockbuster hit for the original Playstation.
People loved
running behind innocent guards, and watching complex decapitations
occur. Soon
enough, after a sequel, the game was eventually launched as a moderate
success
on the PS2. However, a majority of the graphics and gameplay elements
remained
the same. Nothing emerged as a bright innovation to the series.
Finally, the
XBOX received their version of the game, which was a partial port of
Tenchu:
Wrath of Heaven (PS2 expansion pack version), except it has a few unique
features of its own. Sadly enough, all of these stacked elements turned
out to
be fairly disappointing. Graphically, a majority of the polygons still
appear
blocky, and the XBOX version hardly looks finely tuned as was expected.
Gameplay is the same, relying on stealth kills as one-hit knockouts,
and a
combat system which can be sluggish/unrewarding. Other elements come
into play.
The hyped XBOX Live mode looks very unorganized, with no pregame lobby
for
anyone to search games, but rather a simple message box displaying
whether or
not games are available. All in all, when you compare this game for the
time it
came out (early 2004), and only a month after Ninja Gaiden, it's very
disappointing to come across.
Here's a brief excerpt from the instruction manual (credit to
Activision):
^%%^ PROLOGUE ^%%^
It was a time of hiatus in a period of bitter wars and great turmoil.
The Azuma ninja clan conducted the traditional ceremonies to end its
year of
mourning for the tragic death of Rikimaru. Meanwhile, the land of Lord
Gohda
celebrated the passing of the fourth season of peace since the defeat
of Lord
Mei-Oh. Only the Azuma ninjas knew the truth after he was defeated. It
was a
secret even Lord Gohda did not know. Lord Gohda did know that the Azuma
ninjas

served him with their lives and with their honor - delivering midnight
messages
to neighboring states and punishment in the shadows to those who turned
against
him. They were a feared yet unknown group, a faceless arm of justice
masked in
a cloud of secrets. Most importantly, they were his merciless force of
silent
assassins. This is the sequel to a tale of two shadows born unto
darkness
destined to die in darkness.
---------------------------_____________________
##### GAME INFO #####
//////////|\\\\\\\\\\
Players: 1-2 (offline or Live support, co-op available)
Developer: Activision
Released: 2004
Rarity: common
Special Features: HDTV 480p, Voice, Scoreboards, X-BOX Live
ESRB: Mature (17+)
Cover Art on box:
- Shows Rikimaru diving down with his blade into the head of a guard
-<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>============================
- 2) Game Basics
============================
The X-BOX controller fits fairly well to the entire theme of Tenchu,
although
it can get complex at times. Combat feels awkward if you're use to
playing
first person shooters, so it takes some practice to become a combat
master.
Other than that, most functions are set to one primary button.
KEY representation for each button:
Thumbstick = left/right thumbstick pads (black)
Control Pad = left directional pad (black)
A = A button (green)
B = B button (red)
X = X button (blue)
Y = Y button (yellow)
R = R trigger (black, underneath right side of controller)
L = L trigger (black, underneath left side of controller)
START = Start button (black, center)
BACK = Back button (black, center)
Black = Black button (black, right)
White = White button (white, right)
______________
/Game Controls/

-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
Left Thumbstick - moves character
Right Thumbstick - shifts camera view slightly
Right Thumbstick Click - detonates any deployed sticky bombs
L - enters stealth mode, crouches, if next to wall
slides along it
L + B - drags dead bodies on the ground
R - autolocks onto nearest enemy, hold to stay
locked,
strafes when no enemy is nearby
START - pauses game
A - jumps, tap again to double jump
L + A - performs various somersaults in specific
positions
B - block, perform special attack (usually close
range)
X - attacks
Y - uses selected item, hold down to aim manually
depending on item selected, let go to fire
projectile
Black - shifts through items in inventory
White - hold down to look around manually with camera
view
Directional Pad (Up) - shortcut to grappling hook
Directional Pad (Down) - shortcut to health potion
- For starters, understand that your main and only attack button being
used is
the X button. It can be altered with various directional presses and
tapped
repeatedly to mix up combos. Direction-pressed attacks often swing your
weapons
at various angles, catching opponents off guard, but they're tougher to
execute. When crouching along a wall, you can slide along, and use the
right
thumbstick to adjust the view around corners. Dragging bodies to dark
places,
or off of guard routes helps make your missions easier to complete
without
being detected. Autolocking onto enemies is crucial during duels, since
it's
various hard to adjust the camera manually. Your fighter also seems
more aware
to your enemy when locked on. The double jump is not as high as you
think, but
extends the length of the jump. It's ideal to double jump on top of an
enemy
for a stealth kill. Block must be held down moments before the enemy
begins
their attack. The reaction time is sluggish, and some attacks are
unblockable
(arrows, projectiles, various power moves). Holding down Y to aim
manually with
projectiles is very useful, especially the hook shot, and shurikens.

_______________
/Combo Controls/
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
X + X + X X + X + X + X + Up finisher)
Left Thumbstick rotate + X B + B B to
them

three hit combo

three hit combo with melee kick (great
360 degree attack
melee throw, get within close range, tap
pick up an enemy, then press B to toss
again, this attack only works for Rikimaru

- While there are many more combos that can be made up, these are just
a few.
Remember that both Ayane & Rikimaru have varying speeds on their
combos, or the
restriction limiting the amount of consecutive moves. The 360 degree
attack is
sort of like a whirlwind attack - useful for multiple enemies.
___________
/Screen HUD/
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
The interface of a game decides whether or not you've having success as
an
actual skiller gamer. Tenchu's interface is quite simplistic, easy
enough to
enjoy while watching the blood spurt out of your opponents.
_____________________________________________
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Meaning KEY:
[1] - Enemy Health Meter - This shows how much life your opponents
has,
with both a meter and small number saying
how
many hit points. It's better to lock onto
an
opponent to get an exact estimate.

[2] - Kuji Meter - This acts almost like an energy bar in a sense.
Each
stealth kill executed on the stage rewards you
with a
Kanji symbol. After 9 Kanji symbols are
collected, you're
given a special ability to use on that mission.
These
abilities can be selected in the main menu.
You'll also
become a stronger fighter with a more powerful
Kuji
meter. Basically, get as many stealth kills as
possible.
[3] - Ki Meter - In a typical sense, this is the awareness factor of

the

different

guards. It's a symbol picture that shows four

symbols:
"?"
"!"
"!!"
"!?"

=
=
=
=

Not aware of your presence

Unsure on whether or not you're a hostile
Spotted and identified
Aware of current situation and searching

The Ki Meter also has a normal green globe that

sort of
number will
and attack

gets larger as you get closer to enemies. The

increase as well as a proximity factor. Use this to
determine where guards are, then use this intel,
for a stealth kill.

[4] - Your Health Meter - Shows your health just as if it would show

refill

guard's health. Only healing potions can

it.

[5] - Inventory - Shows a brief amount of items you have collected,

along
with their quantity shown by a small number. The
current
selected item is highlighted by red crosshairs.
___________
/Characters/
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
Tenchu has always employed emphasis on a somewhat complex storyline,
that
revolves around the ideals of a ninja. It appears that some of the
characters
in the original continue to spiral through the series across various
paths.

^!~ Rikimaru ~!^

================
Age: 26
Description: Leader of the Azuma Shinobi-ryu ninja sect. His
thoroughness,
patience, and bravery have proven worthy of the Izayoi
sword by
the sect's master Shiunsai. Terrifyingly focused and
withdrawn,
his sense of destiny and of composure give him the
strength to
take on missions that most would consider similar to
suicide.
+ Powerful Striker
+ Uses single Samurai Sword
- Slow reaction times
- Heavier build lowers agility
^!~ Ayame ~!^
=============
Age: 22
Description: Bold yet quick, silent yet cunning, Ayame has been
trained
since childhood as a ninja. Sharp with her tongue as
with her
sword, Ayame uses an acrobatic style of ninjitsu to
overcome
obstacles living or dead. Ayame adores Gohda's daughter
Kiku as
if Kiku were her own baby sister.
+ Quick Striker
+ Uses dual knife blades
- Better fighter in groups
- Weak attacks
^!~ Tesshu ~!^
==============
Age: ??
Description: A powerful martial artist, who uses uplifting punches,
and a
concealed ninja to dispose of opponents. Tesshu is
actually a
mercenary who can be hired to assassinate others if a
feel of
injustice arises behind their position. Little is known
about
his background, although he is a fierce warrior in
combat. Also
a trained doctor by day, who knows of vital points, and
key
areas to "snap" for maximum effectiveness.
+ Extremely Powerful Striker
+ Uses concealed needle in wrist band
- Lacks speed

- Slow attacks
-<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>============================
- 3) Game Modes
============================
Tenchu has a small mix of actual game modes to choose from. To be quite
honest,
there's either the Story Mode, consisting of various chapters for
different
characters. The alternative, via off-line Multiplayer, or X-BOX Live
mode
probably entertain in the long run. While the Live features weren't as
great as
I expected, they exist, and the elite fans of Tenchu will love every
second of
it. This section will briefly go over each of the game modes in the
game.
*" STORY MODE "*
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Ideally your typical single-player mode, this let's you play the
one-player
designed in-game levels. There are three characters to choose from
(two
initially, with one being unlocked). It can be engaged on three
different
difficulties (easy, normal, or hard). Easy allows for continues, as
opposed
to restarting the mission.
in

NOTE: It's necessary to unlock these levels in single-player mode

unlocked
picking

order to play them online. BOTH players must have the

levels to play them, otherwise it prevents the host from
more levels. You cannot unlock co-op levels online.

*" OPTIONS "*

^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Let's you view a sorty of various settings. The settings are:
- Records (view your best times/scores on each level)
- Difficulty (Easy, Normal, or Hard)
- Sound
- Controller (reconfigure layouts if you wish)
- Abilities (let's you view earned abilities and a brief
description)
*" XBOX LIVE "*
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
One of the more premiere modes, although I found it to be somewhat
sluggish
and limited. XBOX Live mode let's you play either Head-to-Head
matches, or

co-operative matches. The limit is always two players. As usual, host

receives little lag. This mode is discussed in detail later on.
Multiplayer
mode is identical to XBOX Live, except it's offline.
-<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>============================
- 4) Rikimaru Walkthrough ============================
One of the unique advantages of playing through Tenchu is that both
characters
have two different campaigns. As opposed to previous beat-em-ups, or
stealth
games, this feature tends to expand the replayability. Rikimaru is
partially
the main character in the game, although I have preferences to use
Ayame for
her quickness. This section will discuss Rikimaru's walkthrough, on the
EASY
difficulty. LAYOUT 1 was picked by default. I originally planned to
play the
entire game on Normal, but with the ability to not continue within a
level, and
since I had to conserve my playing time, I decided to go with easy.
*The game begins with some screaming, most likely from Ayame & Kiku,
Lord
Gohda's daughter. A cave is collapsing rapidly, and Rikimaru tosses
a
samurai sword into a small slit to keep it from collapsing. He then
exits
the cave to the outerworld. Very little is revealed as to what is
going
on.*
- Start off by running down the beautiful stream. Walk to the ledge
overlooking
the valley. Rikimaru will then do a kamikaze nose dive off of the
waterfall.
____________________________________
/Mission 1: Punish the Evil Merchant/
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
DIFFICULTY: ****
OBJECTIVES: + Find a way into the inner area
+ Kill the gun-wielding henchman
+ Kill the evil merchant
*Apparently, a trusted merchant to Lord Gohda was found of being a
corrupt
individual. By blackmailing local peasants into paying him as part
of
extortion, many villagers had no choice as family members would be
kidnapped at Nasu's will. Gohda wants you to punish this evil
merchant now

that his identity has been revealed.*

RECOMMENDED ITEMS: + Healing Potion (x1)
+ Shuriken
(x3)
+ Colored Rice
(x3)
*Right off the bat, we see a corrupt deal occurring between the
merchant and
one of his businessmen. Eventually, one of them is blindfolded, and
led to
a small room containing a young captured woman. Those sick sons of
unrighteous dogs. You're inserted near the perimeter of the area.*
- Start off by ignoring the civilian down the road, but instead,
cutting a
right. In this watery pit, walk across, and you'll eventually overhear
a group
of 3 guards joking around with each other. It helps to crawl in the
water. Jump
up on the ledgeway, snatch the item on the ground, then crawl into the
small
inlet hole. You should be right next to the group of 3 guards, who have
probably spread out by now. Hold down the L trigger to stay crouched,
as there
are some ranged guards in the distance. Wait for the guards to disperse
on
their patrols, then sneak roll towards them, and go for stealth kills.
Kill all
three guards, and look near where each of them were sitting. The key
should be
laying on the ground. Snatch it up.
- Now, get out of this small area, and go down the alleyway to the
left. Kill
the guard around the corner, but cut a sharp right into this small
house.
You'll find a few health potions and varying items. Look in the
farthest room
in the house for a crawlspace. Crawl through it, and you'll load into
another
room farther into the complex. Pop out, and dispatch of the guard to
the left
down this small entryway. Be careful, they're armed with Tantos/Spears,
so
they're more lethal than usual. There's a second guard on the opposite
perimeter which should be disposed of ASAP. Try to hide this body if
possible.
Now, snatch up the goodies on the merchant blanket and in the
perimeter. You'll
have tons of items, ranging from bombs, to rice, to even the Spear as a
secondary weapon. Backtrack to the other side of the complex where you
didn't
go. There's a lone stationed guard. Use your grappling hook to get on
the roof
to your left, crawl behind him, and drop down for the stealth kill.
Jump back

to this roof, and look on the other side. Another guard will strafe
back and
forth near a temple entrance on the lower floor. Use the roofs to
navigate
behind him. Drop down, then do it again for the stealth kill.
- Get back on the roof, and look at the small temple opposite of you.
You'll
notice two guards near the front door. They can easily be dispatched of
by
hopping up to the temple roof, then dropping down, and get stealth
killed. No
real tricks here. Once they're both dead, enter the temple house.
Immediately
to your left is a guard around the corner. Lean flat against the wall,
wait for
him to walk past, then slice him. Go to the right now, and wait for the
lone
patroller to walk to his left. Rush in and hit him from behind. Once
they're
both dead, look at the wall with the colorful green pattern, and walk
through
it. Don't go to the end of the hall. Instead, cut a left at the door,
drop
down, and kill the sleeping guard with shurikens, or by distracting him
by
annoying the cat near him. Once he's dead, run to the end of this room,
and
look in the upper right corner. Grapple hook to this opening, and walk
through
the door. Reach the ending doorway, and you'll be greeted by a henchman
of the
Evil Merchant.
*******************************************************************
* Gun-wielding Henchman
*
*******************************************************************
* The biggest difficulty I had with this battle was maintaining a *
* solid defense against him. The mini-boss has three attacks to
*
* watch out for. His first is basic samurai-wielding attacks which*
* are not quicked and can be blocked. However, he can grab you in *
* close range, very similar to a Rikimaru flip-over toss. He also *
* has a triple-barrel gun that does multiple attacks when Rikimaru*
* is either out of range, or whenever he says "Suck on this." The *
* idea is to get out of the way before you're tossed in range of *
* his gunbarrel attack. Try to use any explosive bombs, or smoke *
* bombs in your inventory that you might have picked up. The room *
* is quite small, and prevents you from having any space in being *
* able to use health potions, so fight a defensive battle. The
*
* strategy is to block his normal attacks and counter-attack. If *
* he says to eat this, quickly slice him. This prevents him from *
* shooting his weapon.
*
*******************************************************************
- Head through the door where he came from. Go up the stairs, wait by
the wall,

and decapitate the patrolling guard. In the next area, the left door
has a
sleeping guard along with a health potion. Take the right door. A cat
should
run by you, but will eventually shut up. Crawl through the small
opening, then
look up against the wall, and grapple hook to this top area. Move
ahead, and
eventually, you'll see a guard to your right in the attic. Throw a
distraction
of some sort, or a smoke bomb, and lure him out. Finish him off via
help from
the item. Proceed ahead. After the second door, drop down on the guard
below
for a stealth kill. You'll find another health potion in the next room
ahead.
Finally, drop down to the last area.
*The Evil Merchant ends up walking up to Rikimaru blindfolded,
thinking he's
another captured girl. Suddenly, when they realize he's a ninja,
Rikimaru
says he's going to kill them for their evil scam. Guards will be
sounded.*
- This battle is tough for the simple fact that you'll have two guards
on you
right off the bat. Try to line them up so that one guard is directly
behind the
other. It leaves you with less attacks to block, and also will conserve
your
health. Focus on combo attacking one guard until he's dead, then finish
off the
other. As for the Evil Merchant, his fighting skills are merely
pathetic.
Simply use basic blocking techniques, and counter-slash away. Be careful
though, around 30ish health, he'll offer you something to save his
life. It's a
smoke bomb, and he'll also headbutt you away. Finish him off for his
insolence.
*After everyone is dead, the evil Merchant's servant is scrambling
for his
life. Rikimaru wants to know who else is in the scam, and
apparently a man
named Hamada inside Lord Gohda's castle is responsible. Here we go
again.
Before Rikimaru can ask another question, a man from the outside
throws a
projectile killing the informant. It's a former nemesis of
Rikimaru, one he
had killed in the previous Tenchu games.*
____________________________________________________
/Mission 2: Execute Hamada and Return to Lord Gohda!/
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=

DIFFICULTY: **
OBJECTIVES: + Kill Hamada, but do not harm Gohda's guards
+ Make your way to Lord Gohda
*There is a traitor named Hamada inside Lord Gohda's castle. Your
mission is
to assassinate and kill this traitor, however, many of Gohda's
guards do
not know of your existence. You cannot kill any of Gohda's guards
in the
process.*
RECOMMENDED ITEMS: + Healing Potion (x1)
+ Shuriken
(x3)
+ Smoke Bomb
(x2)
*Rikimaru will be infiltrated into the roof of Gohda's castle. We'll

see

Hamada with a narrow face, along with a Godha guard escorting him
throughout. This can be tricky.*
- Before going anywhere, look in this attic room for a Smoke Bomb in the
corner. Drop down in the second hole (not the initial one where you
start).
Crawl around, and look across the dirt area. Wait for the guard to walk
away,
drop down, then cut an immediate right. Take shelter here, and proceed
through
the hall. Wait for this guard to move away. He should start to walk
towards
you. Lean against the wall, wait for him to pass, but don't wait too
long as
he'll turn and see you. Just wait for his back to pass you, then
quickly tippy
toe past him and down this hall. Don't go in the room on the left, as a
sleeping guard will just begin to lay down. Instead, round the hall
corner,
proceed ahead, and go in the door on the right where the traitor Hamada
is. You
can reference to the Shuriken on your mini-map.
*Rikimaru will execute Hamada, ending the suffering of this darn
traitor.
However, some of Gohda's guards will get killed. It's an enemy
ninja.
Rikimaru must find Gohda quickly to inform him of what's going on.*
- Immediately proceed out of the door, and kill this lone ninja. Ninjas
are
fairly immune to smoke bombs due to their masks, so focus on the
combat. Around
the corner down the hall, you'll find a lone ninja. Try to stealth kill
him if
possible, otherwise he will get reinforcements of a better ninja. You
don't
have many life potions, so use them wisely. Now, jump back to the dirt

area,
and crawl to the right side. There should be a crawlspace you can
navigate
under. Crawl through it, snatch the grenade, then proceed through to
the other
side. There's a lock on the door. You should have a key in your
inventory, most
likely from one of the enemy ninjas or on the ground. Use it on the
lock by
pressing Y. Now that this door is unlocked, head on through. Stealth
kill the
patrolling ninja, who should have his back to you. Move up the stairs,
and
check the side room for a health potion on the table. Up ahead is
another lone
guard in the room with gray mats on the floor. Either lure him out, or
sneak up
for the stealth kill. Run across, then down the stairs near the lower
floor.
You'll find another weary ninja in this left side room. Wait for him to
walk
away entirely, as he does quick shuffles looking back and forth.
- Head back out, continue to the main room ahead, and kill the
patrolling
guard. Enter the single-tile door, but be careful, as an aware guard is
usually
pacing back and forth. Lure him out, or decapitate him as he walks
away. Up
ahead, you'll find another flight of stairs. Slowly climb it, and lean
against
the sliding door panel. The guard is the next room is tricky to stealth
kill,
mainly because he'll spot you, even if leaning against a wall. Once
he's down,
you'll have a tough challenge up ahead. There are two guards in the
next room,
and one or the other will discover you, even if you stealth kill one of
them. I
tried using a grenade or smoke bomb to keep them busy, then quickly
engage them
both from behind or with ranged shurikens. Head into the next room, and
the
same situation will happen. The second guard is around the corner down
the
hall, but you may have to lure him out. After they're both down, you
should see
a courtyard to your right. Continue ahead, and stealth kill the guard
who walks
past the shudders on the left portion of the room. Go down the stairs.
You'll
enter some ornately colored rooms. The game will load eventually.
*Rikimaru greets himself to Lord Gohda. Gohda is surprised by
Rikimaru's
presence, as so is Ayame with you. Rikimaru says he sent his

"shadow"
across the lands to do dirty deeds.*
______________________________________
/Mission 3: Find the Shichishito Sword/
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
DIFFICULTY: ****
OBJECTIVES: + Navigate through the caves to reach the location of
the sword
+ Fight and kill both of Onikage's forms
*After analysis of some of the ninjas in Gohda's castle, it shows
that there
was a crystal residue on their uniforms. Their origins can only be
from the
Limestone Caverns. Deep inside, it is believed that the Shichishito
Sword
lies deep within the cavern. It is the former weapon of Lord MeiOh, and is
believed to be attracting evil powers.*
RECOMMENDED ITEMS: + Healing Potion (x3)
+ Grenade
(x2)
+ Colored Rice
(x2)
- You'll begin in a small inlet near the caverns. Drop down this
waterfall, but
do it silently. Grapple hook to the nearby guard tower, wait for him to
turn
around, then stealth kill him. As for the two guards below, I simply
ran in the
water around, and lured them over the by the grasslands. It was more of
a waste
to try and figure out a distraction plan, so I took them head on. If
you have
the Ninjitsu Block ability, it comes in handy. Run through the small
cavern
entrance, and pick up the accessories near the lit corner. Jump up
through this
walkway. Up ahead, you'll hear the conversation of two guards. Wait for
them to
split, and sneak up on the one near the left. Try to stealth kill him
first;
let the second guard spot you. Jump down to the plateau below, and
fight this
ninja. In a hilarious effort, you can have him commit suicide. Get him
to be on
the side where the ledge is, and approach him. He'll conservatively
backflip
off the ledge to his death. Once they're both down, enter the small cave
entrance along the right.
- Up ahead are two guards, one to the left, and one to the right. The
one on
the right should be a primary focus. Try to fight him one-on-one if you
cannot

lure behind for a stealth kill. The one on the left can easily be snuck
up on,
although grappling to get close is a good strategy. You'll find a
health potion
on the ground. Go back towards the right path, and it should lead up a
small
scaling path. Climb up it, and you'll see an undead warrior across the
small
pit. Grapple across, then drop down, and combo him off the edge. Be
careful not
to fall off yourself. Now, go ahead through the spurting water tunnel.
You'll
eventually overlook two guards at a small dropoff point. This part is
tricky
because if you don't have shurikens, or a ranged projectile, it becomes
a
forced two-on-one battle. Try to eliminate them using any items in your
inventory, otherwise you'll waste two health potions. Speaking of
which, you'll
find one health potion at the dropoff area.
- Head along the right pathway, then crawl in the small slit near the
floor. At
the other end, jump up to the ledge. Move through the wooden panel
area. You'll
have a series of jumps to do, along with grappling across chasyms. Use
common
sense to hook to the most ideal spots. When you reach the dark room,
hook
across to the green rock. Drop down to the log, jump across to safety,
and pick
up the item on the ground. Look straight towards the ceiling. Now, hook
onto
the wooden ledge to get you halfway up, then again to make it to the
very top.
Look out back into the dark chasym. Hook over to the small ledge, and
then to
your right, get to that area via the hook. The next part takes some
looking
ahead. There should be a wooden pillar that will let you shimmy to your
left to
the next area, find it, hook to it, and shimmy across. Once there, hook
across
the thin wooden plank, and crawl into the next area after snatching up
the
random gift item. Jump up above on the other side, and sneak up on the
zombie
guard. Stealth kill him from behind with some acrobatic maneuvers.
- Ahead, you'll find another stationary ninja. I threw a smoke bomb to
cover my
tracks, then rushed him for a stealth kill. Look across the small
canyon. Hook
across near the upper lip of the cave to make it completely across.
Grab the
gift on the ground. Don't run through this area ahead though. Instead,

look to
your left, and you'll see a stationary zombie. You can perform an
awesome
stealth kill combo. Using your grappling hook, look for the farthest
area on
the ceiling you can go. Hook there, drop down, and tap X for an instant
kill.
Grab the shurikens off his body. You should be able to drop down a pit
to your
right which is lit up. Do so, and kill the guard standing still in the
hallway.
Move ahead, and again, you'll have a chance to stealth kill a
patrolling ninja.
Hide behind the threads if he rounds the corner. Head up along the left
where
the large boxes are. Drop down, and rush the guard when he turns his
back down
the hall. Now, proceed up ahead, and we'll see a bunch of miniwalkways, along
with some guards in the distance. I found it best to crawl up a bit,
then
grapple hook along the left side, gradually making distance until you
reach
solid ground. Ignore the guard on the right, but be careful, as a guard
is near
a wooden walkway up top. Grab the red shuriken in the upper left
corner, then
hook to the walkway, and hang there. Climb up when the guard passes
you, and go
for the stealth kill. Run up the stone walkway that leads towards the
sword.
You'll eventually see a large green pool of water. Jump to the center.
*Here we see Rikimaru enjoyed that he can take the Shichishito.
Suddenly,
the revived Onikage (bad guy from previous game) comes down from
above. He
says he was revived by an evil man, who wants the sword in order to
re-summon Lord Mei-Oh. Rikimaru won't let him do this, and decides
to fight
to the death.*
*******************************************************************
* Onikage, Form 1
*
*******************************************************************
* In the first battle, Onikage will only be armed with his martial*
* arts techniques, so don't worry about any powerful blows. He is *
* very quick, and efficient with his combos, so blocking on time *
* is a must. Block his attacks, counter attack with a 2-3 swipe
*
* combo, and repeat. Quick stepping helps in this matchup, since *
* he usually swings through his entire combo, whether you're close*
* to him or not. A very easy strategy to complete this match is
*
* to use the (2) grenades you brought with you since the beginning*
* of the mission. Hit him twice for his life bar to go down to 0. *
*******************************************************************

*Rikimaru is superbly happy that Onikage was downed. Before he can

snatch up the Shichishito Sword, a second revived form of Onikage
sneaks up behind him and slashes his neck. Onikage looks more undead
than usual but is extremely happy now that he possesses the sword.
He

attempts to summon Lord Mei-Oh, but is interfered! A revived form of

Rikimaru appears on the scene. It's like a friggin' Undead party.
Anyhow,
you want to duel Onikage again.*
*******************************************************************
* Onikage, Form 2
*
*******************************************************************
* The second form of Onikage is tougher for one reason; you'll
*
* have less items in your inventory to use. There are two attacks *
* to watch out for - his close-range melee grab & vertical up-down*
* kick. The up-down kick is performed at attacking range, and is *
* barely blockable. It's quick, and will also force your character*
* to get blown back when blocking. The first attack is done
*
* similar to the melee throw that Rikimaru does. The only problem *
* is that it sucks life from you, and replenishes his life bar.
*
* Use any remaining grenades you have, extra items, or what not. *
* If you need to recover health, jump up to the side adverts of
*
* the arena, and drink a potion. Onikage will not jump up. Side
*
* step to the left to avoid his triple attack combo, and slice as *
* he recovers his balance. Avoid blocking directly since he'll try*
* to close in with the melee throw. The toughest part about this *
* battle is that he will try to drink a health potion if he has
*
* less than 15 life points. Attack him before he drinks it,
*
* otherwise it's a long battle.
*
*******************************************************************
*Rikimaru grabs the Shichishito Sword off of Onikage's body. Before
he can leave, suddenly, two ninjas ambush you from behind. During

the

distraction, Onikage rises yet again, and slashes you in your

already
scarred eye. That son of a bitch! Onikage is surprised that you hid
in the
portal without dying, since only Lord Mei-Oh could do that. He says
he'll
kill you another day, and runs off.*
___________________________________
/Mission 4: Kill all who Follow You/
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
DIFFICULTY: *
OBJECTIVES: + Eliminate all enemies on the map
*The first two missions were partially a decoy. When Azuma
die, they
have a shadow replace them. Rikimaru's shadow was who you
playing as
in the first two missions. Onikage killed the shadow, and
Rikimaru
appeared from the portal. The true Rikimaru wants to head

ninjas
were
the true
back to

Lord

Gohda for more orders, but notices some of Onikage's men following
him. He
leads them into a deserted temple, and plans on killing them for
dinner.
Haha.*
RECOMMENDED ITEMS: + Healing Potion (x2)
+ Smoke Bomb
(x2)
+ Caltrops
(x3)
- You'll start off near the deserted area, where you can see a pagoda
in the
distance. Run up towards this pagoda, and head right walking along the
inlaying
ledge that leads to the door. Around the right corner is a guard on
patrol. Hit
him from behind, then double jump slice the guard who's on the normal
ground
patrolling the perimeter. There should be one more guard on the
opposite side
of the pagoda, around the perimeter. Simply run stealth kill him from
behind as
he walks away. Use your grappling hook to get to the second floor of the
pagoda. Head inside, and you'll find a gift on one of the small ledges.
Exit
the area, drop to ground level, and walk on the wooden tracks that lead
up to
the next area. Enter the small cave, and drop down far below. Once at
the
bottom, walk along the walls till you get fairly close to a green
zombie. Wait
for him to pass, then decapitate him from behind. Again, there will be
one more
patrolling zombie near the bottom of the stairs. Exit the caves.
- You'll now be in the main courtyard of the deserted temple. Walk down
this
walkway, and jump slice the guard as he walks away from your direction
near the
bottom. There will be a woman guard to your left. DO NOT confuse her
for a
civilian. She's just as deadly as Ayame. Finish her with overwhelming
strength.
Move in this general direction till you're near the front entrance of a
small
village. It should be bordered by sharp metal spikes. There will be two
guards
inside, both zombies, and one being a Zombie Captain. Be careful, as
the Zombie
Captain tends to creep out of distance, and has grenades as ranged
weaponry.
Try to stealth kill one of them, and use basic fighting techniques to
kill the
remaining ones. There's also a woman guard on the inlaying walkway
around the

backside of this large building. Again, there will be 2-3 more guards,
varying
from Zombie Captains to woman ninjas along the exterior areas of the
small
village. They can be killed quite easily by using a height advantage of
crouching behind small obstructions.
- Head around the backside of this second pagoda, and grapple hook over
the
double door wooden barrier. Grab atop of it, jump over, and kill the
ninja that
appears to be yellow (due to the light). You'll find one last guard on
the
cliff walkway past the previous ninja. You can sometimes knock this
guard off
the ledge to give a hilarious end to your mission.
___________________________________
/Mission 5: Cross the Ronin Village/
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
DIFFICULTY: *
OBJECTIVES: + Make your way to the gate entrance of the castle
*Lord Gohda's daughter has been kidnapped. A ransom letter was left
claiming
she would be taken to a neighboring castle. Gohda wants you to
retrieve his
daughter. Before you can reach this castle, you must first pass
through a
Ronin Village.*
RECOMMENDED ITEMS: + Healing Potion (x2)
+ Blow Gun
(x3)
+ Shuriken
(x5)
- This mission can be be done quickly or in an extensive matter. If
you're
going for points, try to get as many stealth kills as possible, but
ONLY on
armed men. There are innocent civilians throughout. Many of the
villager guards
are weak, have very little defense, and can easily be beaten in one-onone
duels. Avoid getting into clustered areas where you're being attacked
from all
sides. Proceed by avoiding the intial guard in front of you, and
hopping across
via the roofs. If you're spotted, head for the highest building, wait
for the
coast to clear, then proceed up. Your goal is the upper left area where
there's a crawlspace you can navigate through. You will have to kill an
Archer
guard here via stealth or head-on. Watch out for attack dogs, and use
any items
you when you feel necessary. The Blow Gun is useful, especially for
taking down

stationary threats. Crawl through the small space once you're there.
- The second area is a tad tougher. You'll have a main marketplace area
near
the center, along with a lone building on the left, some trenches, and
about
6-7 guards total. The toughest part is right after you exit the
crawlspace.
There is a stationary guard directly straight ahead, two to your right,
and the
rest spread throughout. Blowdart the stationary guard out, then head
along the
roof ledge to the right, and take it to the upper left area. Once there,
grapple hook to the roof of this building, then jump onto the barrel
stacks,
and drop down to the main gate. You should be able to pass through even
though
it looks locked. It will load the third area.
- This part is real simple. All you have to do is avoid the guard
patterns by
weaving in & out on the barrels. The best path is directly along the
right
through the first barrel, along the right wall, and to the gate. You'll
hit the
final area. Navigate along the right side, by hopping onto a building,
then
dropping to the sewer water along the right. Crawl along the right
side, and
run past the guard when he turns his back. Jump up onto the wall ledge.
Wait
for the pike guard to turn around. Decapitate him, and head inside.
_________________________________________
/Mission 6: Rescue the Kidnapped Princess/
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
DIFFICULTY: ****
OBJECTIVES: + Navigate through the castle avoiding traps
+ Finish off Kimaira
*Apparently, the Amagai Castle is occupied by lots of wooden robots.
What
the heck is this, Star Wars? Anyhow, you're told to be careful, and
to not
forget that this mission is all about Kiku.*
RECOMMENDED ITEMS: + Healing Potion (x3)
+ Grenade
(x2)
+ Mine
(x3)
- Right off the bat, you'll be in an area that reminds you of a Dwarven
home.
There's plenty of lava, a wooden robot in the distance resembling a
skeleton,
and apparently tons of traps to be aware about. For starts, lean
against the

wall, and wait for the robot to turn away. Engage it. Then, look to
your upper
right. There should be a small ledge. Grapple up to it. Now, jump
across to the
other side, and then once there, look to your right again. Grapple up
there.
Hop across the two belts, drop down, and stealth kill this mesh of
wire/wood.
You'll find a new area up ahead, with a well-lit window & some wooden
stables.
Jump near the stables, hang on the ledge, and take out the wooden guard
as he
walks away. Drop back down, and proceed ahead. There are pitfalls in
the center
of the walkways, so avoid walking there. Otherwise, you'll plummet to
your
death. For safe measures, crawl along walls where vent shafts are on
the floor.
- You'll find a very weird midget robot up ahead. This guy is a pain in
the
arse. For starters, he'll probably spot you. When he does, watch for his
helicopter blade attack. It hits about 25 times, then he'll be stunned
temporarily. Counter with a well-lit combo. He may toss several
grenades out as
well. Quickstep out of the way. Crawl slowly towards the entrance, and
wait for
the trap spears to drop. When they do, roll under them, and finish off
the
midget guard. Now, look into the next lava area. There will be a bow-narrow
skeleton guard around the corner. Jump slice at him, and take his ammo
for
future use. You'll find a small pit in the next room. Drop down to it,
but
don't drop in the deeper pits which light up with fire. Use your hook
to get
back up on the other side. There's a midget guard on top of the stairs
which
can be stealth killed by jumping over the railing. Do so. Use your hook
to zoom
to the area above the dead guard. This next area will appear to be a
dead end;
it is not. Lean against the wall right here:
________
|
|
You'll flip slide the trap door to the other side.
Once here,
|
|____
there will be a lone guard in a small trap room along
the
|
^^ | right. Avoid him by grappling up above in the minor
attic,
|
| and dropping down past the opening on the right. Head
through
|
_____| the second doorway, and take out the archer guard
around the
|
|
corner.

LEDGE

- Once this is done, grab the gift item in the corner, drop down below,
and
lean against the straight ahead wall to pass through. It's clearly
marked. This
next area can be tricky unless you think smartly. Look directly above
you, and
there's two openings. Grapple to the one on the right, then head into
the trap
room where the gift is. You'll be locked in from behind. Quickly grab
the gift
(don't stay in the center, you'll get smoked/grenaded). Look above you,
and
grapple hook to the ledge. Now, run straight ahead, cut a right, and
take out
the archer guard. Run up the ledges. Up top, you'll find a lone pike
guard
which can be dispatched of quite easily. Turn around, there should be
another
blue-lit area with ledges that can be reached via your hook. You're
near the
very top now. If you round the corner, you'll notice a midget guard get
blown
back by one of the grenade traps in the floor. Stealth kill him as he
gets up,
then proceed right, and double hop up both ledges to avoid the trap.
- DO NOT grab the red item on the ground you see in this upper area.
There are
collapsable floor panels that will drop you back to the same grenade
trap, and
you'll most likely be killed. Instead, cut a left, and take out the
midget
guard right before the outside balcony of the castle. Head this way. Run
through the red walkway, jump over the ledge, and take out the guard at
the far
end. Grapple hook over the meat grinder above, and continue ahead.
Another meat
grinder is below, but a well-placed hook shot to the upper right should
place
you in safe keeping. This next part is tricky, as long as you don't
waste any
time. You'll see two sharp blades continually drop in timed patterns,
along
with an archer guard directly across. Grapple hook to the wooden beam
above the
archer guard as both blades are retreating above. Drop down for the
stealth
kill. Proceed up the long series of stairs until you enter a main
temple room.
*Rikimaru will notice Kiku being raisen on a platform high above.
This
cannot be good. Suddenly, we see a large freakish robot come out

from a
wooden doorway. The man operating the wooden machine calls himself
Kimaira,
and says he is an inventor/scientist. Rikimaru wonders why he
kidnapped the
princess, and he simply reasons about why not to.*
*******************************************************************
* Kimaira
*
*******************************************************************
* This boss battle is not particularly difficult, as long as you *
* keep your wits aware of the situation. You should have some
*
* grenades saved up, both from combat and from picking them at the*
* beginning of the mission. This robot seems to have three various*
* attacks. One is rapid ranged machine gun fire. The second
*
* involves a whirlwind spin that is twice as damaging as the
*
* midget robots you faced before. Finally, he has some grenade
*
* tosses to watch out for. I found it best to grenade spam the
*
* robot each time it got up. This should knock off 3/4 of his life*
* bar. Block the whirlwind attack, and he'll be temporarily
*
* stunned. Counter-attack with a combo to finish him off.
*
*******************************************************************
_________________________________________
/Mission 7: Retrieve the Steel for Ressai/
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
DIFFICULTY: **
OBJECTIVES: + Make it to the end of the graveyard area
*The last battle with Kimaira managed to damage your legendary
blade. You
have been given a choice by the legendary Swordsmith - You can
either
replace the traditional sword with normal steel, risking the same
legendary
status, or attempt to mold it with some steel from the Shichishito
Sword,
at the risk of causing an unknown effect to overcome the legendary
blade.
The choice is yours!*
RECOMMENDED ITEMS: + Healing Potion (x3)
+ Shuriken
(x6)
+ Poison Rice
(x3)
- You will now be given a choice, to either use steel from the
Shichishito
Sword, or to use no new steel. This walkthrough will cover both results:
SHICHISHITO SWORD STEEL:
*Rikimaru hands Ressai the legendary Shichishito Sword, and explains
to him
that it possesses the power of Lord Mei-Oh himself. Suddenly, we
hear
several Undead rising from their graves. This cannot be a good

sign. Ressai
hands you his legendary Muramasa sword, explaining that it is the
only
weapon capable of slaying those in the graveyard. You will slowly be
drained of life, except each hit on an opponent will repair your
own life
bar. It's sort of like the Kitetsu from Ninja Gaiden. Ressai asks
that you
retrieve some metal from the House of the Cemetery, in exchange for
repairing your sword.*
- Immediately, charge at the Undead in front of you, and stealth kill
him. Now,
turn around, and run out back behind the house. Assault the Undead
Archer up
top, and head through the back pathway. Proceed through, jump slicing
each
Undead who attempts to spot you. It should act sort of like a
continuous amount
of regeneration on your part. When you reach the end, you'll end up
walking
into an ambush. 4-5 Creatures will pop out of the ground. This miniboss battle
will consist of about 12 total enemies ranging from goblin spitters, to
Undead
Samurais, and finally Undead ranged attackers. Concentrate on the fire
spitters
as they have weak defense, but a nasty close-range fire breath that
stuns you
while eating damage. You'll also be exposed to Undead Samurais. Once
they're
down, fend off the attacks of the Samurais, and quickly slash them to
regain
some life. Use health potions when your life runs down to about 25
points or
less. Finish off the remaining enemies, then run to the upper left
corner, and
jump down the mine shaft. Leap across the shaft, engaging the ranged
archer,
then fending off the Samurai who charges at you. Be quick as you do not
want to
waste your potions when they're most needed. Jump down, and look along
the
right side for a ledge. Leap up it.
- Run down this small path to the opening in the graveyard. Try to
stealth kill
2 of the 3 zombies for much-needed health, and fend off the remaining
spirits.
Undead are very unaware, making it easy to sneak up on them. You'll
eventually
reach a small graveyard after a series of small jumps/easy stealth
kills.
Inside the graveyard, dispatch of the two sentries, then head up the
ledges
where the spikes fence is. Grapple hook on the peak of the fence, climb

over,
and continue through the purple walkway. You'll have a lone guard
directly
ahead which can be taken, along with an Undead Archer to your right.
Watch for
the patrolling Ghoul Head. These guys are a pain to actually hit, but
have
horrible defense assuming you hit them. Continue flushing through. Go
right
when the pathway splits. Drop down into the blood-filled trench. Around
the
corner, you'll find a ledge you can hook up to. Do so, and proceed
through. If
you get lost, you can always try to re-find the white mouse as it will
lead you
in the correct direction.
- You'll eventually see a lone head around the corner, along with a
cat. Try to
combat the head, blocking its leeching attacks. Go to the right, and
take out
the Undead Samurai. Continue down this cave route. It will eventually
exit this
cave system to another graveyard. Out here, you'll have two Undead
defaults to
kill, a Ghoul head near the left up top, and one of those fiery
goblins. Take
your time, ensuring your health level does NOT get too low. Continue
through
the upper left, and ensure to take out the last guard. Enter the marked
doorway
to end the mission.
*A mysterious spirit called Tenrai appears, asking Rikimaru to join
his

forces. Rikimaru refuses. Suddenly, one of his well-known friends is

revived. Strange...*

DEFAULT STEEL:
*Ressai doubts your choice to repair the sword with default steel,
but at
least you will not be corrupted with Mei-Oh's spirit inside your
repaired
sword. The rest of the cutscene is a default.*
- The rest of the walkthrough is the same.
_____________________________________
/Mission 8: Stop Tadokoro's Rebellion/
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
DIFFICULTY: **
OBJECTIVES: + Make your way to the informant's area
+ Make your way to Tadokoro's area
+ Kill Mifuyu

*Ever since the mysterious attack on Gohda's mansion, Lord Gohda has
been nervously watching his back for threats. An informant has said
that
Samurai Tadokoro was planning a rebellion, and Gohda wants the
rebellion
stopped. He wants you to kill Tadokoro, but first, meet with the
informant.*
RECOMMENDED ITEMS: + Strength Potion (x1)
+ Healing Potion (x4)
+ Caltrops
(x3)
- Right off the bat, you'll start off near the perimeter of Tadokoro's
headquarters. There should be about 4 guards near the front entrance.
Make your
way to the entry roof, and disable the first guard that approaches the
street
by himself. Drag his body close to the stream. Kill any remaining
exterior
patrolling guards, then work your way in. Drop down for easy stealth
kills, and
clean up in head-on combat with anyone who dares. These samurais are
albeit
stronger, but not anymore skilled than before. Anyway, finish off the
remaining
guards using basic dropdown techniques. It works best to start from the
upper
left, and clear south. Then, head back to the narrow tunnel that
proceeds to
the next area. Wait for both guards to look in your direction and turn.
Make
your move, slicing the guard closest in proximity. Then, rush up the
stairs and
jump slice the guard as he walks away. The alternate path is a small
windowsill
which can be climbed, but this route is just as decent.
- Turn a right at the top of the stairs, and drop down through the main
double
doors. There's a lone guard in this hall, which then opens up to the
second
area. Once in the second area, make your way to the small water trench,
and
roll down into it. The guard should not spot you. Slowly crawl to the
right,
jump up, and crawl throughout this small area. Your map should have a
shuriken
marked on it showing exactly where to go. Move ahead, then cut a left
into the
room.
*The source reveals herself to be a woman. She says that she has
unlocked
passage to Tadokoro himself, which should make it easier to kill
him.
She'll meet you there in a bit. You never get to see her face

though.*
- Turn around, and head towards the marked shuriken on your map. A
small door
will reveal entry to a larger temple room where Tadokoro resides.
*Once inside, you realize that Tadokoro is already dead. Someone
assassinated him! A woman appears with two blades. She reveals that
she is
Mifuyu, daughter of Tadokoro. She had to kill him to preserve the
family
name, since she found out that her father was planning a rebellion.
She
knew that Lord Gohda was a rightful master, and Tadokoro could not
exist
without the throne of power. She also plans to kill you, since
you're the
last thread who knows about her father's betrayal. She wants to
keep it a
secret.*
*******************************************************************
* Mifuyu
*
*******************************************************************
* This girl is a much tougher adversary, even better than Ayame in*
* my opinion. She's basically armed with two Samurai swords. Her *
* perks include rapid attacks with decent power, a few counters of*
* her own, and an intermediate interrupt attack (similar to
*
* Rikimaru's interrupt ability). Your best bet is to stick with
*
* traditional quick steps. She has great footwork, and often
*
* strikes when you're within range. Focus on sidestepping but
*
* keeping out of her range. Now is the ideal time to use the
*
* strength potion you brought along. If you need to restore your *
* health, take shelter around a corner of the house, and I highly *
* recommend fighting in the pit outside of the urban area.
*
*******************************************************************
_________________________________
/Mission 9: Find Ayame's Imposter/
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
DIFFICULTY: ***
OBJECTIVES: + Reach the end of the level
+ Kill Ayame's Imposter
*Ayame has been accused of attacking Lord Gohda. Ayame tries to
explain
that she is being framed, and that he accuser fled to the forest.
You have
been assigned to track down this suspicious assassin in the forest,
but
must be weary as various spirits roam throughout the forest.*
RECOMMENDED ITEMS: + Strength Potion (x1)
+ Healing Potion (x4)
+ Smoke Bomb
(x3)

- Right off the bat, you'll have two zombie guards directly ahead of
you. Flank
along the right behind the wall of wooden spikes, then charge slice the
lone
zombie. Jump stealth kill the one on the ledge when he flips his head.
Up ahead
will be (2) Shikigami Spirits, and two zombie guards. Work on the
zombies
first, as the spirits are hard to stealth kill. Watch out for the
spirit bombs,
as they'll stun you mentally. Once this area is clear, head into the
thick
bamboo area. Enter the narrow shaft. This shaft will exit out to a
nearby water
spring. Snatch the health potion, and crawl through the small shaft
along the
left. It will exit out underneath a walkway. Kill the nearby wolf &
spirit,
then continue down the cave. It will eventually lead up to a new cave
entrance
with two zombie guards. Stealth kill the one, but the other one will
almost
always see you. Make use of a smoke bomb to distract him and finish him
off for
the kill. Watch for his quick execution melee attack.
- At the end of the cave, climb the stairs, and jump out of the
manhole. You'll
have to grab the gift after jump slicing the lone spirit in the corner
of this
area. You can do so by boosting on a wooden peg fence. There's also a
wolf on a
nearby path with long vision that must be killed ASAP. Grab the gift,
and head
up the path. You'll find another lone spirit around the corner, which
can be
killed with decent ease. Up ahead will be a small basecamp. You'll see
a target
practice snowman, along with another patrolling spirit. Ambush it from
behind
as it goes up the stairs. In this next stairs area will be several
wooden
walls, each complete with pairs of zombie guards. I found it best to
stealth
kill one zombie guard, then focus the rest of your fighting energy on
the
other. Taking on two at the same time is risky, since one has a suicide
grenade
attack, and the other has the instant kill execution attack. Take out
both
pairs, and go down the stairs. Round the corner, and finish off the
remaining
zombies/spirits patrolling the area. Head towards the closed wooden
doors along
the left side.

*Suddenly, Ayame appears. She gloriously welcomes you as a friend.

Rikimaru
laughs at the disguise, and says an Azuma would never say such a
thing.
It's nukem time!*
*******************************************************************
* Ayame's Imposter
*
*******************************************************************
* This battle isn't THAT tough, as long as you look at the bright *
* side of things. Many of the imposter's attacks consist of short *
* quick combos. The most deadly attack by far is the spread toss *
* as it launches five spread out shurikens which do a minimum of *
* 20 damage per hit. Stay within close range of her, and wait for *
* her to swoop BOTH blades down as if she was doing an uppercut. *
* Sidestep to the left or right, then unload a quadruple combo on *
* her. Use any grenades you picked up along the way. She will
*
* not fall into traps such as mines or smoke bombs. Sidestepping *
* is your friend, and quickstepping towards her to stay in range. *
*******************************************************************
*The imposter's disguise fizzles away to reveal a cunning man with
some sort
of cloaking device. He doesn't say much, and bites off his own
tongue to
prevent Rikimaru from gutting the truth out of him. We then see
Tenrai
summon his last candle spirit to use against Rikimaru.*
_________________________________________
/Mission 10: Infiltrate the Buddha Temple/
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
DIFFICULTY: ****
OBJECTIVES: + Make it to the inner temple room
+ Fight Ganda & Kagura
+ Fight Tatsumaru
*This entire operation was a distraction. Gohda's sacred Buddha
temple has
been invaded by Tenrai's forces. Gohda cannot resend his own army
to retake
the temple, as it is Holy Ground, and would appear to be a sign of
weakness
to neighboring states. Because of Ayame being imprisoned, and
yourself
occupied in the bamboo forest, there was no true "defense" for Lord
Gohda.
He now wants you to assassinate the leaders of the enemy's forces
inside
the Buddha Temple.*
RECOMMENDED ITEMS: + Strength Potion (x2)
+ Healing Potion (x4)
+ Shuriken
(x6)
- Start off by taking shelter behind the pillar, the engaging the
baskethead

guard when he walks away from your position. Look near the deep pit
ledge, and
you should see two docking platforms below. Drop to either one, sneak
up on the
monk guard, and then stealth kill him from behind. If you do get into a
battle,
make use of blocking techniques as he has powerful combos and a
whirlwind kick.
Hook back up top. Now, hook to one of the three horizontal beams above
you, and
climb through the small center ventilation shaft. On the other side, hop
across, and engage the basket guard as he walks away. These guys tend
to not be
as fluent though, so don't expect many stealth kills. Run up top, and
engage
the Buddha guard as he proceeds to turn around. Move to the next room.
There
should be two guards in the halls. You'll then find a small dropoff
point
below, along with 2-3 guards in this area. Stealth kill the Buddha monk
first,
although you'll probably be spotted by one of the backup basket guards.
Fend
them both off, and make use of the stab move for quick/easy kills.
- Now, look above you, and you should see some fertile areas. Hook up
to one of
the beams, then double jump to solid ground, and stealth kill the
basket guard.
Go to the right where the dead end stone wall is. Look up and grapple
hook
there. Move ahead until you reach the room with a large pit in the
center. Look
above you for a small bridge walkway. Grapple to it, climb up, then go
left. In
this next area, you'll find a lone guard which must be dispatched of
(to your
right). You should also see a large wooden door opened near his body.
Proceed
inside. Head around the corner until you reach a dead end with a wooden
barrier, and a large pit overlooking it. Jump on top of the barrier and
drop
straight down to the small wooden dock below. Go back through this
entryway and
you'll find a small hole in the stone wall. Climb through it, and
you'll be
inside a storage room. Boost up using your grappling hook to the very
top,
going from beam-to-beam. Do this until you reach the very top of the
temple, on
the outside.
- You'll have an immediate threat to deal with, a Buddha Guard, plus a
tiger in
the distance. Avoid letting the tiger see you as it is a ferocious
opponent.

Instead, turn around, and look above the hole. Boost up to the nearby
roof
platforms. Then, look at the temple, and boost to the wooden ledge.
Walk up to
the door to load to a new point. You'll now be inside the main temple
room.
Simply use the small catwalks to drop down from point-to-point (without
plummeting too far). Once you reach the ground level, a movie sequence
will
play.
*We're soon greeted by two monstrous minions of Tenrai, Kagura &
Ganda.
Kagura was the summoner in the forest who infiltrated to attack
Lord Gohda.
She's also responsible for tossing the cards which summoned
spirits. She
enrages Ganda, a gigantic Undead beast via a card, and it's boss
time!*
*******************************************************************
* Kagura & Ganda
*
*******************************************************************
* This battle is such an easy task, that it almost seems obvious *
* at the start. Both Kagura and Ganda can be struck in this battle*
* quite precisely. Your goal will be to attack Kagura, as she only*
* has about 25 health, and basic ranged attacks. She's also the
*
* headmaster to Ganda, which is a much more powerful creature that*
* would be an impossible task to fight head-on. Keep jumping
*
* around, from the base of the status to the platform so you can *
* flank Kagura by herself. When she's exposed, attack her with a *
* combo, or toss a grenade to knock her health down. Using a
*
* strength potion helps. Avoid her swirling ranged attack, and
*
* jump over the split three deck attack. Whenever she laughs or
*
* taunts you, run in quickly and strike as she will not block. If *
* Ganda gets close, simply run away, lure him to a corner, then
*
* jump over towards Kagura.
*
*******************************************************************
*After defeating Kagura, Ganda becomes greatly weakened, almost
paralyzed
in a sense. Tatsumaru drops down from above, one of your former
friends,
and finishes off Ganda with a fatal blow. Rikimaru realizes that
Tatsumaru
was also resurrected by Tenrai, and prepares to duel his former
ninja
friend.*
*******************************************************************
* Tatsumaru
*
*******************************************************************
* The toughest part about this battle is that he has some of the *
* longest combos in the game, and most varied melee grapples there*
* are. The best strategy is to stay within medium range, and wait *
* for him to start melee attacking, or swoop quickly with his
*

* knife. If he swoops with his weapon, tap B to do a ninjitsu

*
* block, which will temporarily stun him. Counter-attack with a
*
* combo of your own. If he doesn't do that, block off his melee
*
* attacks, and counter-attack yourself. If he runs straight at
*
* you, quickly throw some of your spare shurikens by tapping Y.
*
* This will lower his life bar quicker without worrying about the *
* tougher abilities at hand. DO NOT get too aggressive and attempt*
* to rush attack. If he blocks all of your hits, he will counter *
* grapple, usually dealing about 30 damage per grapple technique. *
*******************************************************************
*Tatsumaru is fatally wounded, and Rikimaru is fatigued from both
courageous
battles. Suddenly, Tenrai prepares to blow out Tatsumaru's spirit
candle.
Before he can, Tatsumaru reveals to Rikimaru that his scarred right
eye
contains the Ninja Eye, a great power that only he can behold. While
Rikimaru is not "awakened" yet, Tatsumaru tells Rikimaru to focus
all of
his energy and use the eye to conquer all those who oppose him.
Tatsumaru
dies, and Rikimaru prepares to avenge him. Tenrai tells him to come
to his
island fortress in two days to duke it out.*
________________________________________
/Mission 11: Assassinate the Evil Tenrai/
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
DIFFICULTY: ***
OBJECTIVES: + Earn 9 stealth kills to earn the Wrath of Heaven
ability
+ Fight Onikage again
*Two days have passed, and the anger inside Rikimaru has mounted.
You must
proceed to Tenrai's Fortress and defeat the evil Tenrai before his
powers
grow out of hand.*
RECOMMENDED ITEMS: + Strength Potion (x2)
+ Healing Potion (x4)
+ Sticky Bomb
(x3)
- Immediately crouch, and stealth kill the zombie guard to your left.
Run
ahead, and attempt to stealth kill the other zombie guard overlooking
the cliff
ledge. Once this is done, wait for the woman guard below to turn
around, then
drop down, and proceed to engage her. You'll find a potion around the
backside
of the house. Proceed near the front entrance to the cabin, and take
out the
lone zombie guard. Proceed through the canyon entrance, weaving in and
out

between lanes. Make sure to use the height advantage to take out the
patrolling
guard. After exiting the canyon, you'll now be in a main courtyard with
walkways, and about 8 total patrolling guards. Work your way on the
main guard
in front of you, then proceed right, occasionally stealth killing a
guard,
crouching, seeking cover, and repeating. Be careful for the woman guard
on the
stone platform to your right. I found it best to use the wall for
cover, get
around her, jump up, then slice her from behind. Double jump to the
wooden
walkway and proceed across the chasym. Look to your right, and hookshot
up to
the canyon. Crawl towards the martial arts expert in the upper right
and jump
across. I fought him head-on since I did not have any special items to
distract
him with. They're almost identical to the monk guards from the previous
level.
Go right up the canyon stairs.
- The next part will be tricky. Two Martial Arts experts will circle
around a
pillar in this area. Lean against the wall and wait for one of them to
backtrack while the other turns. Stealth kill one, then engage the
other (if he
sees you). Go past the cannons on the right, and grab the smoke bomb to
your
left. There's a zombie guard on the other side of the wall which can be
stealth
killed. This should give you enough for the Wrath of Heaven ability,
assuming
you did everything to perfection so far. Don't worry, you've got plenty
of more
enemies to go anyway. Head up the stairs, and take out this last
martial arts
guard from behind. Now, hookshot to the area above. You should see a
lone guard
look back and forth in three directions. When he looks right, rush up
the left
side and stealth kill him from behind. Enter the doorway, and cut a
left. Go
across the wooden bridge, and engage the martial arts expert around the
corner.
Move ahead.
- Again, you'll have two zombie guards near the next cannon room. A
jump slice
charge, and then a hookshot drop stealth kill ought to do the job.
You'll be
able to drop down to the next area where the woman/zombie guard combo
are. Try
to stealth kill one, and head-on with the remaining opponents. Hobble
jump up

the series of stone hedges. You should see a woman guard trying to hop
onto a
guard tower. Drop down for the easy stealth kill, and head left. Hook
up to the
next platform, and then continue up through the next area. Use your
basic
techniques to execute the martial arts experts. Walk up to the wooden
gate.
*We reach Tenrai's lair, only to reveal that Onikage is one of the
last
guardians before it. This should be a blaze. Rikimaru vows to end
Onikage's
life once and for all.*
*******************************************************************
* Onikage
*
*******************************************************************
* Believe it or not, this battle is made so much easier for the
*
* fact that we have uneven terrain on the battlefield! Start off *
* by immediately retreating diagonally backwards to your right.
*
* You should slant down a small scale of stairs. Lure Onikage
*
* there until he starts to perform one of his kick kick kick
*
* combos. When he does, retal on the third kick, and his kicks
*
* will go over your head, and not have to be forced to block
*
* against. His strategies are the same from the third mission,
*
* and as usual, he will gulp down one potion (on top of his 200
*
* life points). Keep abusing the stairs, and don't chase after
*
* him.
*
*******************************************************************
*Onikage will forgive Mei-Oh for failing, and then will throw
himself off
the canyon ledge to his death. Ah, what a shame.*
__________________________________________________
/Mission 12: Assassinate the Evil Tenrai - Part II/
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
DIFFICULTY: ***
OBJECTIVES: + Make it to the end of the level
+ Fight Tenrai's two forms
RECOMMENDED ITEMS: +
+
+
+

Strength Potion
Healing Potion
Ninja Rebirth
Grenade

(x3)
(x5)
(x1)
(x1)

- Onikage was really just a "checkpoint", in a sense. You've still got

a long
way to go. Head around the next two corners, working on each of the
martial
arts experts. Jump up to the next ledge, and then double jump over the
pit.
Take out the martial arts expert to the right, and go up the path.
You'll find
a health potion at one of the dead ends. Now, go down the left pathway,

and
eliminate the zombie/martial artist. Both of them are on their
individual
paths. Look to your right for a ledge to leap up to. Do so, and proceed
forward. There's a woman guard down this hall, along wiht a martial
artist for
support. Eliminate them both, run ahead, and you'll see a bunch of tall
pillars
in the room. Hookshot to one, then the tallest pillar, and charge the
karate
guard once his head turns right. Now, move through the right path.
Hobble
across the pillars, and hug the left wall. Engage the green zombie
guard, and
try to block-hit him down the pit.
- Head through the large left opening. Hop up each of the walls, and
then hang
on one waiting for both guards to pass. Engage the one on the right from
behind, then wait for the one on the left to turn that way. Hit him
from behind
as well, and take the left path. You should use your mini-map to head
towards
where you're suppose to go. Hookshot to the opening in the upper right
that
appears to have red-lava walls. Grapple hook onto the ledge near the
top, head
through this doorway, and climb the stairs. Wait for the zombie guard
to turn,
then double jump and front-slash him when he turns around. Jump across
to the
lateral walkway. Now, a zombie guard will be to your left. Wait for him
to walk
out of view, then jump on the ledge, climb up, and slash him. Look to
your
lower left, and jump down for the present. Hook up to the wooden ledge.
Now,
look to your upper left (left of the metal fence, and hook to this
ledge).
Continue through here. Up ahead will be a skull-filled room with a
martial
artist. Finish him off as usual. Walk up to the giant door.
*Suddenly, we're greeted by the evil emperor himself - Tenrai. This
man

curses you, claiming you're nothing but pure evil. Suddenly,

Rikimaru
prepares to silence him.*
*******************************************************************
* Tenrai - Form I
*
*******************************************************************
* Tenrai's initial form is fairly easy to beat, as he only has 3 *
* varying magic attacks. They range from a ground spike that goes *
* straight up, a circular swirl of electricity, and a split
*
* projectile. Use basic evasion techniques on your own part to
*

* evade them. He will be temporarily stunned after casting each

*
* spell, so a quick jump-slash will do the job quite well. Keep
*
* focusing on getting close to him, as he'll occasionally retreat *
* away with teleports. Keep slicing and dicing for the final
*
* blows.
*
*******************************************************************
*Just when you think you've killed Tenrai, he calls upon the power
of Lord
Mei-Oh himself. The evil master grants him an overwhelming
sensation of
power. His eyes turn into solid gold.*
*******************************************************************
* Tenrai - Form II
*
*******************************************************************
* No matter what you do for the first couple of minutes, no damage*
* will be placed on him. You will eventually collapse, but call
*
* upon the power of the ninja eye. After this happens, you can
*
* fight him fair and square. Quickstepping will be your best
*
* friend, for both attacks and defense. He will have a diamond
*
* earthquake attack, a ranged projectile, and then close combos
*
* including a dive swoop. Sidestep out of the way before attacking*
* as it throws Tenrai's balance off-track. Strength potions should*
* only be drinken when you have the space. Avoid blocking as his *
* attacks will overpower you. Try to get in close when he casts, *
* and back out when he attacks. The swoop attack leaves him widely*
* exposed, ideal for a sidestep and counter-combo. The Wrath of
*
* Heaven should only be used in extreme circumstances.
*
*******************************************************************
*Rikimaru is fatigued heavily, from both relying on the Ninja Eye,
and

having to fight an overpowering beast for several minutes. Tenrai

makes one
last dive-jump on top of you, but lands on your sword. The blow is
fatal,
killing him. Rikimaru suffers a deep wound, but doesn't seem too
harmed.
Lord Gohda and his assistant arrive at the fortress thinking you're
harmed.
However, you show to them that Tenrai is dead, and they approve of
your
actions. Ayame assists you out of the area.*
- The game's credits roll.
*Suddenly, a dark crow flies by all of the blue spirit candles and
relights
them. Onikage says that it is time for his dark master to awake,
Lord
Mei-Oh. Damn that crow.*
__________________|_,,,.___
__________________))_/__))_) THE
__
| \ \)
END
, /|.'
'.|\ .\.-.

\\_\ \______/ /_//\.-'-.

'._____\/_____.' )__.'
/__| > < |__\ /
\
/___\ __ /___\/
|
mrf/____\\'__'//____\
__|

Rikimaru's Campaign

-<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>============================
- 5) Ayame Walkthrough
============================
Ayame is the second ninja in the Azuma clan, sort of like a subordinate
under
Rikimaru (although she tends to act tougher at certain times). This
section
will discuss Ayame's walkthrough, on the EASY difficulty. LAYOUT 1 was
picked
by default. I originally planned to play the entire game on Normal, but
with
the ability to not continue within a level, and since I had to conserve
my
playing time, I decided to go with easy.
____________________________________
/Mission 1: Rescue the Village Girls/
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
DIFFICULTY: **
OBJECTIVES: + Make it to the end of the level
+ Fight the gun mercenary
*Several village girls have been reported missing, and were seen
being
kidnapped off into the Bamboo forest. The government & police can
take no
action near the holy ground in the Bamboo Forest, and Lord Gohda
doesn't
have much of a choice. He's sending you in to rescue the girls from
this
evildoer.*
RECOMMENDED ITEMS: + Healing Potion (x2)
+ Shuriken
(x5)
- You'll notice a lone samurai near a campfire to your lower right.
Sneak up
behind him by crawling slowly (he'll hear you exit the water), and go
for the
stealth kill. Grab the present on the rock at the end of the stream,
then hook
shot back up, and go left. Two guards will be in the snowy trenches up
ahead.
Both can be eliminated one-by-one using new stealth moves (thanks to
Ayame's
flexible frame). Get back up on the ridge and continue up the left
path. You'll
find two more samurai guards up ahead, one being a ranged opponent, and

the
other a close-range threat. Remember that Ayame is exposed to melee
grapples,
so try to get your kills/attacks done quickly. Proceed up the slanted
route.
Grapple hook over the small stone blocking your path. You'll find a
lone guard
near the ground level which can be jump killed, and a health potion at
the
right dead end. Go left. Two more guards will be down this pathway, at
various
points. Stealth kill them both.
- Now, look on the left ledge for a small caveway entrance. Head in, and
continue through to the other side. At the spring, cut a left in the
small
hole, and crawl through. On the other side, you'll notice a dead body
next to
the fireplace. Enter the next cave, and grab the health potion to the
left. Two
guards will talk briefly near the main entrance, then break apart. Try
to stay
in the center; don't flank them, otherwise you're instantly spotted.
Attempt
stealth kills on both of them, then head for the main doorway. If you
have
trouble fighting them, switch to the Pike to give them a taste of their
own
medicine. Proceed forward, and leap out of the manhole. Continue around
the
corner, and hit the attack dog from behind for an instant kill. Run
towards the
minicamp where the target dummy is. You'll have a series of guards in
the
trenches to the left, and a lone archer directly in front of you. Use
basic
patience techniques, and wait for their patrol patterns to change.
Continue
through the trenches ahead. You'll reach one last area after a winding
path.
There's a guard on the lower and upper pathway. Try taking out the
upper one
with the bow-n-arrow, or some shurikens. Sneak up on the last guard
below, and
stealth kill from behind. Grab the gift next to the large wooden door.
*Ayame rushes up to a nearby fortified cabin. She hears what appears
to be
sexual foreplay, but in the sound of rape. A henchman is
terrorizing a poor
village girl. Suddenly, she bursts the door open to reveal that
it's only a
mercenary playing a game of cards with one of the kidnapped
villagers!
However, he's enraged that one of Gohda's pets has come to ruin his
party.

He says that Echigoya owes them.*

*******************************************************************
* Gun Henchman
*
*******************************************************************
* This battle is identical to the first gun henchman you faced
*
* with Rikimaru, except you'll be fighting outside on open ground.*
* Make use of Ayame's agility to quickstep out of his lunging
*
* sword attacks. His ranged attacks are avoidable, although he
*
* does pack a punch with his grapple blast shot. Avoid getting
*
* close to him, but attacking when he is off-balance. Toss instant*
* shurikens to bring his life bar down quickly. Use the grenade
*
* you found also. Not too shabby of a battle.
*
*******************************************************************
_____________________________________
/Mission 2: Execute the Evil Merchant/
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
DIFFICULTY: ***
OBJECTIVES: + Make it to the Evil Merchant's location
+ Kill the Evil Merchant
*Apparently, the son of the evil merchant has taken over the
business,
even after Rikimaru executed the first evil bastard. You have been
assigned
to assassinate the evil merchant's son as well to prevent this
family
business from being an eternal corrupt operation.*
RECOMMENDED ITEMS: + Healing Potion (x3)
+ Shuriken
(x5)
+ Smoke Bomb
(x1)
- You'll start off on a nearby roof to the estate. Drop down along the
right
and snatch the free gift. Climb back up, and wait for a lone guard to
pass by
the front of the building. Rush him for the stealth kill. Now, head
along the
far left wall, and go inside the top left building in this area. You'll
find an
item right in the doorway. Now, head back to where you killed the
guard, and
enter this doorway. Proceed inside this building, and a brief clip will
show
several jovial guards laughing, with a key on the ground. Ignore this
for now.
Go around the corner and climb through the small vent shaft. Jump up
and out,
then cut a left, and hit the guard directly to the right. Another guard
may see
you, so engage him clearly and efficiently. Now, proceed on the
opposite side
of these buildings to engage one last patrolling guard. Retreat back to
the

first side, hook to the nearby roof, and get to the large building in
the
center of the map.
- Drop down on the pike guard standing in front of the entrance, then
quickly
charge the patrolling guard in the courtyard. Head inside the front
entrance of
the building. Step through the mini-door, and take shelter in the wall
directly
in front of you. A guard will come around the left corner. When he
does, front
slice him for the stealth kill. Go right, and do the same for this
guard when
he walks towards the left. Now, proceed through the tree-colored door.
Take the
left door, and drop down on the sleeping guard. Kill him, then walk
past the
cat and hookshot in the upper right corner. Head through the door. Walk
up the
stairs, and head through the series of doors. Now, lean against the
corner
wall. This guard will stand still for a bit, but quickly rush him after
he
turns. Take the left door, and engage the sleeping guard as well. In
the right
door, you'll see a sleeping cat. Run past it, crawl through the hole,
and
grapple hook to the attic area above. Move ahead and lean against the
wall next
to the guard. Wait for him to turn, then stealth rush him. Drop down on
the
next guard near the last area, and grab the gift on the floor. Head
through the
sliding door. Drop down to the loading area.
*Ayame will listen in on the discussion between Echigoya and the evil
merchant's son. Apparently, Echigoya has discovered a powerful
stone that
grants power to one user when all 3 stones are collected. The
merchant
enjoys the idea of having power, and they both have a sinister look
over
themselves. Ayame drops in, ruining the discussion. Echigoya
retreats,
while Ayame fights off a series of guards that ambush her. Now,
it's you
and the evil merchant.*
*******************************************************************
* Evil Merchant
*
*******************************************************************
* An easy opponent. Simply use basic combos, and wait for him to *
* strike first. Avoid striking and not hitting, as he'll do quick *
* shoulder thrusts when you get close to finishing your combo. He *
* will automatically knock you away with a distraction at 10
*

* health. Make use of Ayame's melee kicks & close range moves to *
* knock him to the ground. Use attacks when he is downed on the
*
* ground.
*
*******************************************************************
*The merchant is surprised that a woman defeated him in battle.
Ayame starts
screaming as to where Echigoya ran off to.*
- You'll have to backtrack quite a bit. Hook back up to the attic, and
go back
to the initial area where the cat was. There should be a side door near
the
right you can take. Stealth kill the guard, run around the corner, and
head to
the last door to load the next area marked on your map.
*Echigoya screams about having a deal. Suddenly, he is brutally
slashed,
and dies from a fatal wound. Ayame never sees the assassin, but the
jewel
is certainly gone.*
__________________________________________
/Mission 3: Assassinate the Traitor Hamada/
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
DIFFICULTY: **
OBJECTIVES: + Make it to Lord Gohda's Chamber
+ Kill Hamada
*While you were away, a man named Hamada inside Lord Gohda's castle

has

taken the great lord hostage in an isolated room. Coinciding with

the

hostage takeover, several ninjas stormed the castle, occupying each

floor.
Your mission is to kill this traitor Hamada, save Lord Gohda, and
help
eradicate some of the ninjas from the initial premise.*
RECOMMENDED ITEMS: +
+
+
+

Healing Potion
Shuriken
Smoke Bomb
Blow Gun

(x3)
(x5)
(x3)
(x2)

- You'll begin in the one courtyard where the surprise attack began for
Rikimaru's campaign. Look along the right, jump up, and scurry down the
hall.
Wait by the bedroom doorway for the ninja to turn his head, then tippytoe past
it, and wait for the second ninja around the corner to turn his head.
Engage
him down. Now, cut a right in the one room where Hamada use to be in
the last
campaign. It's the single door on your right. Once inside, head around
the

corner, and walk up to the solid wall. You'll enter a hidden trapdoor.
Once it
finishes loading, grab the item on the floor, and continue forth. Don't
go up
the stairs. Instead, cut a left, and you should see a woman guard
standing in
the distance. Rush her when she looks the other way. Then, before
heading
through the next door, lean & wait for this ninja to turn. Again, rush
them as
usual.
- Now, head up this flight of stairs. Jump over the railing, and lean
near the
next doorway. Rush the man as he turns away. You'll find two ninjas in
the next
room, each in the split section of both sides. Try to stealth kill one
when he
is out of view, or use the Blow Gun to silently drop him down. Drag the
body
out of the way, and stealth kill the other one. Rush through the next
series of
rooms, but use the leaning door technique. You'll find a lot of these
ninjas
have fairly easy ambush patterns. There will be 3-4 ninjas in the one
extended
room, spread at various intervals. You can actually hit some of the
ninjas off
the balcony to fall to their deaths. Rush down the stairs. You'll be in
the
colorful rooms of enjoyment. Enter the door for a nice boss battle.
*Ayame and Gohda's assistant are present, but Hamada is threatening
Gohda's
life. Ayame turns away and tosses a shuriken slicing Hamada's hand.
Now
it's time to really assassinate this traitor.*
*******************************************************************
* Hamada
*
*******************************************************************
* Surprisingly easier than the evil merchant in my opinion, Hamada*
* has one lethal attack to watch out for - his powerful stab. It *
* will do a sufficient 25 damage. Other than that, he has basic
*
* swing combos, a weak grapple move, and lunges forward after a
*
* stab move. Slice and dice this exposed fellow after he leaves
*
* himself temporarily stunned. Counter with a combo of your own, *
* and it might be best to save your ranged projectiles for tougher*
* bosses in the future.
*
*******************************************************************
____________________________________
/Mission 4: Retrieve the Yoto Swords/
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
DIFFICULTY: ***
OBJECTIVES: + Destroy all 5 sealed stones throughout the level

+ Reach the shrine area

+ Fight the Giant Undead Samurai
*Apparently, Tenrai has managed to snatch one of the three jewels of
power, while Gohda possesses one of the others. One remains in
hiding yet
to be captured. These three power stones allows the holder to
control the
current realm. Gohda originally had all three, but since two were
stolen
from thieves, much time has passed. Tenrai is an evil being who
wants all
three stones to be able to control the dimension, and has the power
of the
Undead on his side. Lord Gohda needs weapons of equivalency to
fight the
Undead, and only the Yoto Swords are capable of fighting off the
Undead.
Gohda wants you to retrieve the Yoto Swords from deep inside the
cemetery,
so that his forces can fight Tenrai's forces. You must break five
sealing
stones inside the cemetery in order to retrieve the swords.*
RECOMMENDED ITEMS: + Healing Potion (x4)
+ Grenade
(x3)
+ Sticky Bomb
(x3)
- This map is fairly difficult for the simple fact that you alone
cannot harm
the Undead. Your swords do no damage to them whatsoever. For starters,
run to
the left out of the entrance courtyard, and charge past the zombie in
the
distance. You'll find the first stone in the lower right, before a cave
entranceway. Slash it with your sword to destroy it, then charge into
the cave.
Your opponents will be normal goblins, Undead zombies, and a few evil
human
ninjas mixed in. I highly recommend engaging he ninjas to get them off
your
tail, while sprinting along through this map. Rush down the cave. You
should
see a cat laying down on the floor. Rush the left side by crawling past
it, and
stealth kill this ninja. Then, run down this alleyway, and drop down
into the
blood trenches. Crawl away from the zombie not to alert him, and quickly
hookshot up the nearby ledge to your upper right.
- When you reach the next intersection, a goblin will spot you. Look
for a
small white mouse on the ground, and follow it down the hall. Take
shelter, and
grab the gift box. Wait for the Undead Archer to pass to the right,
then rush

by him and proceed up the left route. Continue ahead, and you should
see a
goblin standing behind one of the sealed stones. Crawl up to him, and
do an
uppercut swing to knock him down. Then, smash the stone, and run down
the right
hall. A human ninja is straight ahead for keepsake. Exit the cave. You
should
be fenced inside a wooden courtyard. Climb over the fence, drop down,
and
scurry to the right. Slide against the wall, and wait for this dark
ninja in
the distance along the left to walk back. Stealth kill him. Now, look
in the
corner of the base of the hill. Destroy the third sealed stone. Get
around the
ghoul head to the right cave entrance, and go inside. Proceed through
as usual,
grapple hooking when necessary. Watch for the invincible ghoul head.
You'll
just have to jump past him, and grapple up quickly before he can
strike. Exit
the cave to the grave courtyard.
- Crouch to get past the goblin in the distance, but you'll have to
stealth
kill one ninja halfway down the hill - preferably with a jumping
strike. Focus
on flanking the last human ninja via the right, and strike hard. Enter
this
narrow caveway. Again, more Undead to dodge. Since their awareness is
down,
pass them when turned around. After the mini-pit area, you'll have a
human
ninja to combat in the small hallway. Reach the end of this caveway,
and boost
straight out of the manhole with the grappling hook. Climb out, and
head up the
graveyard hill. Destroy the last sealing stone, and walk up to the
mini-shrine
in the center.
*Ayame walks up to the shrine and picks up both the Kasumi &
Shizuku, aka
Yoto Swords. These weapons can harm the Undead, however, she feels
temporarily weakened. Suddenly, she hears a rumbling. A huge
morphed Undead
Samurai marches on scene. It's nukem time.*
*******************************************************************
* Giant Undead Samurai
*
*******************************************************************
* The best I found to do for this mission was have a few health
*
* potions left over, and some skills in jump striking. Basically, *
* this samurai acts like a stupid ogre. He swings violently, and *
* chaoticly, leaving him exposed to jump attacks. Do it after he *

* swipes his blade, and even toss in a maximum of 3 strikes. His *

* only counters involve a foot stomp, or blood spurt which does
*
* short ranged damage. Keep jump striking, and don't waste your
*
* items as they do little to no damage. Repair your health if it's*
* less than 50 points.
*
*******************************************************************
_____________________________________
/Mission 5: Stop Tadokoro's Rebellion/
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
DIFFICULTY: *
OBJECTIVES: + Make your way to Tadokoro's Chamber
+ Fight Kagura
*Lord Gohda has sent an urgent message to you. One of his formerly
faithful,
Tadokoro, has started plans for a rebellion against Lord Gohda. He
also
supposedly has information on the Jewel of Heaven, which must be
retrieved.
Your mission is to stop Tadokoro from both handing over the
information,
and initiating his rebellion.*
RECOMMENDED ITEMS: + Healing Potion (x3)
+ Smoke Bomb
(x3)
+ Caltrops
(x4)
- This mission starts off with a bang. You'll be inserted right near
the base
camp of Tadokoro. Start off by working on the 4 initial guards that
patrol the
area. Work your way on the outermost patrols first, drag the bodies far
enough,
then repeat for the two around the bases of the two buildings. Move
forward.
Watch for an archer, and secondary guard near the upper left corner.
Once
they're both down, head to the upper right entranceway, and wait for
the guard
on the ground floor to walk backwards. Take him out, then run ahead,
and double
jump to the ledge above the door. Cut a left, and hang on this ledge.
Wait for
the guard to turn around, and decapitate him as well. Now, drop down to
the
double-wooden door straight ahead. A new area should load.
- Right off the bat, charge at the archer on the base of the building
in front
of you. Stealth kill him, and work on the pike guard to the right with a
drop-down kill from the roof of this building. Now, go to the far left
side
near the well, and enter up here. Walk to the right, go through the
sliding
door, and head to the final door to meet the boss.

*You'll end up finding Tadokoro, meditating by his own morals. He

knows that
you're one of the Azuma ninjas, impossible to outrun. You ask him
about the
Jewel of Heaven, but he says he never knew of such a thing. He then
propels
a dagger into his stomach, committing suicide. Suddenly, his
daughter,
Kagura, barges in. She is angered that her father would try to
betray the
family name, and wants to end your life for witnessing the event.*
*******************************************************************
* Kagura
*
*******************************************************************
* Quite possibly one of the toughest boss battles I've faced so
*
* far, this one takes skill and cunning use of your items. For
*
* starters, she's an identical character to yourself, except she *
* uses two samurai blades, as opposed to 2 daggers. Watch for her *
* five-hit combos; use sidestepping to counter. She has partial
*
* tracking on her combos, meaning she will keep her attacks
*
* focused on you. Make use of the 3 Smoke Bombs you brought, and *
* ensure a thrown one hits her. This should disable her, allowing *
* you to lay in a 4-5 hit combo yourself. Once you get her life
*
* bar down to <50 health points, the battle will end.
*
*******************************************************************
*Ayame lowers her blades, realizing that Kagura is almost identical
to

her. She says that there are better ways to live your life, since

the

path is cleared with her father's death. Oh, and I thought they
were going
to kiss, hehe. She knows that the Jewel of Heaven is located in an
abandoned temple nearby the city. That's where you can find it.*
____________________________________
/Mission 6: Find the Jewel of Heaven/
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
DIFFICULTY: ***
OBJECTIVES: + Make it to the second pagoda
*Ayame decides to rush to the abandoned temple, in an attempt to find
the Jewel of Heaven. Soon does she realize that Tenrai's men are
already
there. Let's lock n' load.*
RECOMMENDED ITEMS: + Healing Potion (x3)
+ Smoke Bomb
(x3)
+ Poison Rice
(x3)
- You'll be inserted near the initial pagoda. Hook shot up to the wall
near the
stairs, climb up, and slash the pike guard when he's not looking.
Quickly

scurry along this left side, and look at the samurai guard on the wooden
walkway. Wait for him to go right, then use your grapple hook, and hit
the
ceiling beam on the entrance to the tunnel. You'll zoom up there. Now,
run down
this cave path. Drop down the large hole and run through. You will find
a lone
samurai near the bottom of this scale of stairs. Exit the cave, and
wait by the
wall to the right as the samurai guard turns around. Jump stealth kill
him, and
run up the stairs along the left.
- You'll now be near the main pagoda where the jewel lies. Start off by
working
on the first perimeter guard right out front. He shouldn't be too hard.
Do not
lean against the transparent brown fence, as guards inside the
perimeter will
notice you. Instead, work around the left flank, on the lone guards,
who don't
have backup with them. Cut back out front, and kill the guard at the
base of
the house. Then, drop down, and kill the remaining 3-4 guards in the
front
courtyard. One is sleeping by the firepit, so he can be sliced up last.
There
are also a pair of guards out back. Head into the front entrance of this
pagoda.
*Just when we think we have the Jewel of Heaven, a mysterious blade
comes
and swipes it in half. Apparently, it was a trap and fake gem. The
mysterious samurai calls himself Jinnai, one of Tenrai's six
mysterious
henchmen. Anyhow, he has been summoned here to permit you to die!*
*******************************************************************
* Jinnai
*
*******************************************************************
* This battle is slightly easier than Kagura, although you still *
* face a threatening opponent. Jinnai uses a combination of sword *
* slashes, with a powerful flash slash technique when you're up
*
* close. Try to let him strike first, and wait for him to shudder *
* his blade in his sheath. Attack when he does this, as he'll be *
* totally exposed. He tends to block most of your initial attacks,*
* but continue to utilize this strategy. Strike him whenever he
*
* unsheaths, or sheaths his sword. After his health is <50 point, *
* the battle will end.
*
*******************************************************************
*The battle gets taken outside. Just when we think things are getting
warmed up, a shuriken comes down from above. Jinnai wonders why
there is
outside interference. He heads back to the netherealm where he
talks to

Tatsumaru, one of the other Tenrai minions. Tatsumaru says that

it's his
fate to kill Ayame, not Jinnai's. Jinnai snickers at the comment.*
____________________________________________
/Mission 7: Go to the Red House of Zennosuke/
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
DIFFICULTY: ****
OBJECTIVES: + Make your way to the red house before the castle gate
+ Fight Tesshu
+ Fight Rikimaru's Imposter
*Two months have passed since the incident. Lord Gohda has sent out
many
of his men in an attempt to find the location of the Jewel of
Heaven. It
has come to no avail. A rumor has popped up that a sage named
Zennosuke
knows the whereabouts of the jewel. Both Tenrai's and Gohda's men
are
heading to the Ronin Village to find out what he knows. Let's bust
an
informant!*
RECOMMENDED ITEMS: + Healing Potion (x3)
+ Poison Rice
(x3)
+ Smoke Bomb
(x5)
- Right off the bat, you should see a woman ninja walking on top of one
of the
nearby houses. Rush this house, double jump up top, and quickly stealth
kill
the lone woman. Jump to the houses along the left, crouching every once
in
awhile to avoid getting detected. You'll find a second dark-masked
ninja on a
house near the left that can also be eradicated. Make your way to the
northern
houses along the ridge, and head for the upper right corner. One last
ninja
will be patrolling the house roof, along with a fairly stationary ninja
standing near the crouching tunnel. Wait for that ninja to turn, then
run up to
it, and crawl through to the next area.
- This next area will be slightly tough. Crawl down via the left
entryway, and
there will be a lone ninja around the corner. Stealth kill him by
silently
crawling behind without making too much sound in the water. Rush up the
small
slanted path, and grapple hook to the house roof. Hop onto the storage
barrel,
then drop down to the gate when no guards are looking. In the next
area, you'll
have 3 ninja guards, along with several storage barrels. I stealth

killed the
first guard once his backup went to check the back area. Then, hop from
barrel
to barrel, kill the woman guard, and head inside the gate area to the
last
segment. In this last segment, start off by leaping to the first house
to the
left. Stay on the roof crouched, so the nearby woman guard doesn't spot
you.
Work your way around the outside perimeter on the far left, and silently
eliminate the woman ninja near the castle gate. Then, hookshot up to
the tall
building which is the red house. Work on the two male ninjas patrolling
the
perimeter below, and head to the front door of Zennosuke's House.
*You'll enter inside to see the old sage brutally murdered. A
shuriken is
tossed into the ground. A man reveals himself, and appears to be a
monk of
some sort. Suddenly, he says that he's going to avenge his boss's
death.
What the hell!*
*******************************************************************
* Tesshu
*
*******************************************************************
* This is one of the characters you'll get to unlock later on in *
* the game. Anyway, Tesshu has very basic fighting techniques. His*
* only attack to watch out for is a palm charge, in which he will *
* thrust forward with all of his might. Simply sidestep, or block *
* the attack head on, then counter with a combo of your own. Once *
* Tesshu's health is less than 60 points, the battle will end.
*
*******************************************************************
*The man realizes that you are an Azuma Ninja, and says he has no
quarrel
with you. He realizes that you did not assassinate the old man, and
says
his name is Tesshu. After he leaves, Ayame says she heard a rumor
about a
mercenary force which would fight for justice of villagers. He must
be a
member of that organization.*
- Walk back up to the red house front door.
*Suddenly, Rikimaru appears out of the shadows. He says that it's
really
him, but Ayame doesn't quite believe him. She slashes her blade at
him, and
he barely dodges the attack. She says the real Rikimaru would have
dodged
it completely. It's nukem time!*
*******************************************************************

* Rikimaru's Imposter
*
*******************************************************************
* For starters, this version of Rikimaru can be considered fairly *
* tough because he has various items in his inventory. Watch out *
* for Rikimaru's basic four-hit combo, which can do a decent
*
* amount of damage HP-wise. Avoid his combos by blocking the
*
* attacks, or simple quickstepping backwards. I found it best to *
* lure the imposter into the watery pit by the sewer room, and
*
* then jump on high ground. Wait for the imposter to jump up, then*
* start slashing with your combo until you hit him. Rikimaru's
*
* throw move is not that powerful, but he will use a strength
*
* potion the first time he is injured in the match. Avoid him with*
* the potion on, as he'll have incredible strength; wait for it to*
* wear off. He also has one potion in his inventory, so be
*
* prepared for an enduring battle. Get his health down to 0.
*
*******************************************************************
*The imposter's disguise fizzles away revealing a not-so spectacular
wanna-be ninja. Suddenly, Ayame is hit by a blow dart, and
collapses to the
ground. Kimaira and several of his robotic minions drop down from
above,
and snicker at what they have caught. Tesshu hears all of it in the
background, and feels angered.*
_____________________________________
/Mission 8: Escape from Amagai Castle/
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
DIFFICULTY: ***
OBJECTIVES: + Fight Kimaira
+ Escape to the end of the level within 20:00 minutes
+ Choose to fight Onikage if you wish
*After being dragged off to Kimaira's Castle, you simply await in
your cell
knowing that your fate is to come. One of the guards suddenly
shreaks, as
Tesshu infiltrated the castle to help set you free. Seeing that you
can
escape by yourself, Tesshu says that he heard the Jewel of Heaven
was
inside the eye of the Budda Statue at the Buddha Temple.*
RECOMMENDED ITEMS: + Healing Potion (x3)
+ Strength Potion (x1)
+ Shuriken
(x8)
*After Tesshu releases you from your cell, the door suddenly slams
shut.
Kimaira was listening all along, and knows the secret as to where
the Jewel
of Heaven is hidden. He then wants to "play" with you a little
longer.
Enguarde!*
*******************************************************************
* Kimaira
*

*******************************************************************
* This one can be fairly tough, since Ayame's attacks do little
*
* damage to Kimaira's large frame. Start off by realizing how many*
* attacks that Kimaira has. He has a ranged machine gun attack,
*
* which can be avoided by double jumping in the left/right
*
* direction. You'll see him bounce around a bit before shooting
*
* the uzis. His second attack is a charge; he'll bend forward like*
* a bow position. Finally, he has a spinning attack which will
*
* have him stand still before doing anything. Simply avoid these *
* attacks, and counter-attack after each attack finishes. He'll be*
* exposed then. Toss shurikens if he comes at you in a head-on
*
* fashion.
*
*******************************************************************
*After the battle ends, Kimaira says you are going to die. Poison
gas is
set to release if Kimaira dies, and well...he's about to. You have
20
minutes to escape the castle.*
- Run down the series of stairs, and drop into the pit without awaring
the
wooden archer. Grab the gift to the left, grapple up, and stealth kill
the
archer. Grapple hook across via the horizontal beam after one of the
spades
drops. Now, don't drop down right away; there's a meatgrinder below.
Double
jump, but do it slowly. Jump once, fall, then press jump again to reach
the
small ledge. Drop down on the pike guard for the stealth kill (make
sure to
avoid the second meatgrinder). When you reach the wooden walkway, wait
for the
midget guard to turn before executing him. Jump across the pit, reach
the next
hall, and do the same for the samurai guard. Rush down the hall. Walk
up next
to the grenade trap, but duck as projectiles will be fired overhead.
Grapple
hook across the grenade pit trap. Ignore the pike guard, as he'll get
blown up
by the device. On the other side, cut a right, and drop from the attic
area to
a series of stairs. Go down them.
- There's an archer guard around the corner near the bottom of the
stairs. Grab
the two items in the pit, but don't fall in the pitfall holes. On the
other
side of the pit, jump to the upper left area. Walk on the walkway, and
the door
will seal shut, with gas spurting below. Look where the door dropped,
and now
there's an opening if you jump through up high. Do so to pass through.
The pike

guard on the other side of the wide pit will fall below. Double jump
across
here. Now, lean against the wall. Look for little /--\ symbols on the
floor.
Lean against the walls at these spots until one of the walls flips to
reveal a
secret room. Now, watch around the next corner for a midget guard.
Execute him.
There's another pike guard to your left. Take him out, and lean against
the
straight-ahead wall. Double jump onto the pike guard below, and head
down this
series of steps.
- Once below, you'll have a samurai & midget robot to deal with near
the lava
room. Do your best fighting them head-on. Exit the lava room, and go
into the
stable room. Remember to duck to let the pikes drop down, then roll
under them.
There are fake floor panels in the stable room. Simply run past them and
they'll collapse in your tracks. There is a horizontal spear trap in
the next
room along the left where the enemy is. Dispatch of the enemy, grab the
health
potion, and take cover outside of the spear trap. Hookshot on the
horizontal
beam above, then jump over to the next room. Don't fall in the lava
below.
Instead, engage the wooden archer man on the other side. Run all the
way to the
frontal room where a large circle is. A sequence should load.
*Onikage's back and ready to kick ass. Suddenly, Rikimaru appears by
your
side. You tell him that it better really be him this time. You tell
him
that the jewel is inside the Buddha statue. Rikimaru says for you
to go,
while he engages Onikage. You now have a choice.*
LET RIKIMARU FIGHT ONIKAGE:
*You leave the scene, while Rikimaru prepares to engage Onikage.
They both
exchange a series of words, mainly taunts and typical mojo stuff.
This
saves you from a personal boss battle.*
FIGHT ONIKAGE YOURSELF:
*Rikimaru says fine to it. He leaves, and you start to taunt
Onikage. It's
two boss battles in one level, wahoo! I chose this option to be the
real
man.*

*******************************************************************
* Onikage
*
*******************************************************************
* Basically, this version of Onikage is identical to the other
*
* versions, as he uses a plethora of martial arts combos, a
*
* powerful vertical up-down kick, and drinks a health potion when *
* his life bar is down initially. I found Ayame to be much easier *
* to use as opposed to Rikimaru, since she can quickly strike in *
* between Onikage's combos. Wait for Onikage to triple kick, and *
* strike right before his third kick as he's exposed. Don't get
*
* too close or he'll leech life. He will try to use a health
*
* potion when brought down to 25-40 life. When he retreats back, *
* quickstep towards him, and swoop strike the potion out of his
*
* hand. His movements will get quicker, so keep countering and
*
* finish him off.
*
*******************************************************************
________________________________________
/Mission 9: Retrieve the Jewel of Heaven/
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
DIFFICULTY: **
OBJECTIVES: + Fight Ganda
+ Make it to the eye of the Buddha Statue
*The Jewel of Heaven is located at the deserted Buddha Temple.
However,
some of Tenrai's men are already there, including a minion called
Ganda.
Eh, doesn't sound that bad. You're to go there, retrieve the jewel,
and
execute this Ganda fellow.*
RECOMMENDED ITEMS: +
+
+
+

Healing Potion
Ninja Rebirth
Grenade
Kasumi & Shizuku

(x4)
(x1)
(x3)
(x1)

- This battle will begin right off the bat with you facing Ganda. There
is no
navigating to do, just the first objective of killing this giant beast.
I
brought the Kasumi & Shizuku for you to use if the situation gets
desperate, as
they do extra damage against Ganda. You probably won't need them, but
we can't
let them get dusty, can we?
*******************************************************************
* Ganda
*
*******************************************************************
* We've been holding those 3 grenades in your inventory for a
*
* reason - to hit high HP opponents. Ganda has a 200 point life
*
* bar which has to be brought down. Lock onto him, and throw all *
* 3 grenades. This should bring him below 100. Now, to finish him *
* off, get in close after he swings 3-4 times, and fight away with*

* your combo. Quickstep back to avoid his power grapple slam, and *
* counter jump strike. Repeat this pattern, and use the two swords*
* briefly if you wish. A lot easier than he looks.
*
*******************************************************************
- Ayame will climb up into the beginning area of the fortress. You'll
now be
inside a cave. Execute the first basket guard around the corner, and
drag his
body to a safe area. Then, rush the second basket guard patrolling the
cliff
edge. Drop down to the wooden dock, and ambush the monk guard on this
lower
area. Look up into the ceiling for an opening. Hook shot up there. Be
careful
as there is a stationary guard. Try to rush him when looks towards the
left.
Drop down to the next wooden dock, and hop over the next two platforms
to a
solid cave entrance. You may find 1-2 items on the ground along the way.
There's also a basket guard up ahead which can be executed when he
turns face.
Run up the small flight of stairs.
- When you reach the next floor, be VERY careful. There's a huge bear
to the
right that you do NOT want to face. Execute the monk guard as he walks
around
the column on the left. Then, grapple hook above the bear not alarming
it. The
ledge should be directly above you on the left hand side. Rush this
lone basket
guard from the left flank, and enter the new cave area. Boost up with
your
grapple hook. In the next area, jump to the wooden dock below. Then,
grapple
hook to the above dock. Hook up to the second floor of these wooden
beams, and
hide behind the pillar. Let the blowdart guard turn around, then
stealth kill
him. Now, jump across the pit to the solid rock across. Head in the
direction
of the shuriken to make sure you're not going the wrong way. Quickly
look to
your right for a guard, and a large wooden door. Kill the monk guard
around the
corner, and rush down the next hole. Take out the basket guard, and
proceed up.
You'll find a wooden barrier here. Climb the barrier, and drop onto the
dock
straight below. Two basket guards will spot you immediately. Sprint
past them,
and crawl through the slit on the floor. Once on the other side, hook
shot your
way out of the manhole to where the temple is up top.

- Once you're outside the manhole, use the secret entrance to your
upper right,
via use of your grappling hook. Enter this side door. Hook up above,
but don't
climb it. Wait for both guards to turn their heads. Decapitate the one,
hide
his body, and take out the other. Move forth. There's a blowdart guard
on one
of these platforms that has to be taken out. Do it when he turns. Head
over to
the head of the statue, and walk near the eye.
*Tatsumaru appears out of nowhere, juggling the Jewel of Heaven in
one hand.
Ayame says she cannot let him take that to Tenrai. Tatsumaru does
not want
to fight her since he knows he'll win. He then quickly snatches his
blade
to her throat, and she collapses from exhaustion. He runs away with
the
jewel saying they'll meet again.*
__________________________________
/Mission 10: Rescue Counsel Sekiya/
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
DIFFICULTY: ****
OBJECTIVES: + Free Sekiya
+ Get the Box of Explosives
+ Destroy the Rock in the Final Room via Explosives
+ Fight Kagura
*Tenrai now controls two out of the three jewels. Gohda attempts to
launch
a surprise attack, but first must discover where his home fortress
is.
Gohda manages to lose half his army as sacrifice for gaining the
intel, and
his personal assistant, Sekiya, is taken hostage. Your mission is
to rescue
the assistant at this secret fortress.*
RECOMMENDED ITEMS: + Healing Potion
+ Caltrops
+ Poison Rice

(x4)
(x5)
(x3)

- You'll begin slightly into the level, near some tracks. Climb up to
them,
then drop stealth kill the purple zombie near the cave entrance. Move
up ahead,
and a cut a right. There's a woman guard around the corner who can be
distracted by poison rice. Continue up this hill. Jump across the pit
and take
out the zombie from behind. You'll find a nearby woman guard around the
corner,
near the cave exit area, so be prepared. You can drop down on the
zombie in the

pit, but ensure to take cover behind the nearby pillar. Slash the woman
guard
as she rushes over to see what's going on. Take the far path in this
cave along
the right, and execute the zombie captain. Crawl in the small hole, and
jump up
to the ledge. Take out the zombie when he's least prepared. Hook across
the
large pit. At the next large pit area, hook across via the rock above
the
ledge. Drop down to the wooden plank, but stay on it. Don't drop down
to where
the ghoul can get you. Hookshot to land on the diagonal post, then
hookshot
above. Once up top, look for the wooden beam on the right to swing
across.
Climb up, and crawl in the next hole to proceed forth.
- Run up ahead, and engage the spirit ghoul when it's turned around.
Jump down
below. At the next large pit area, you'll have to do another grapple
hook to
get across, then a hook shot to reach the small broken bridge area on
the left.
Try to stealth kill the woman guard as you land behind her. Finally,
drop down
to the left where you will land on solid ground next to a torch. Take
this cave
pathway forward. It will start to load.
*Sekiya is inside a prison cell. He says he's alright. However, his
mission
was to blow up a certain rock inside the cave. He hid his
explosives at a
certain area, along with the rock marked on the map. Do both to
accomplish
your mission.*
- Before heading around the corner, where for the spirit ghoul to turn
its
face. Charge and stealth kill it once it turns. Then, go right, and
grab the
health potion inside the cell. Now, take the left pathway. Cut in along
the
left side, and grab the small brown box of explosives. You may have to
drop or
use a few of your items in order to pick it up. Do this, then walk up
the
nearby flight of stairs. Drop down to the area ahead, and pick up the 2
items
on the boxes if possible. Assassinate the spirit ghoul around the
corner.
Again, drop down. When you reach the next area ahead, it's gonna be a
small
ambush. There's a dangerous bobcat in the center which I recommend
range-killing. Use the grapple hook to swing via the left side to avoid

the
major commotion. You'll have a lone zombie guard in the upper left
corner to
deal with. Then, grapple hook to the walkway above him. Now, take this
path all
the way to the green water room. There's one last woman guard in the
upper left
corner who can be taken out easily. Finally, run up near the circular
rock on
the right. Plant the explosives in front of it, not right next to it.
Press Y
to do so. A path will be revealed. Go inside.
*The hole you blew actually leads secretly into Gohda's fortress.
You know
what to do, and you know how to slice it hard. Anyhow, Seyika
wishes you
your best luck. Suddenly, he is slashed from behind by a spirit
ghoul.
Kagura, the summoner from Rikimaru's campaign appears, and says
death means
nothing - just a part of life. Ayame is visibly angered. Kagura
summons a
large white tiger to assist her in the battle.*
*******************************************************************
* Kagura
*
*******************************************************************
* This is somewhat more challenging than the previous Kagura
*
* battle because of the white tiger that is summoned. The White
*
* Tiger is a very swift and charging attacker, meaning it will
*
* back, wait, then strike forward, and keep repeating this pattern*
* until you die. The problem is that the creature strikes over
*
* your body, even if hurt, causing you to repeatedly get knocked *
* time after time on your butt. Try to get up, and immediately
*
* jump away to safety. Kagura is very weak. Just get in close, and*
* lay down several hits including a roundhouse kick. She will warp*
* a few times, but does not use any health potions. Her low life *
* bar should make this battle easy. Avoid getting both the tiger *
* and her on the same screen.
*
*******************************************************************
*Kagura is amazed that her own blood is spurting out of her neck
(what do
you expect). She then realizes that she's dying. Ayame reminds her
to be
regretful for her actions for eternity.*
_________________________________________________
/Mission 11: Assassinate the Evil Tenrai - Part I/
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
DIFFICULTY: ****
OBJECTIVES: + Reach the end of the level
+ Fight Tatsumaru
*After the simple battle with Kagura, you return to Lord Gohda to

inform
him about Sekiya's death, and what to do next. A strategic plan is
formed.
You are to infiltrate Tenrai's castle, and attempt to assassinate
the
leader inside. Meanwhile, Lord Gohda will make an exterior assault.*
RECOMMENDED ITEMS: + Healing Potion
+ Shuriken
+ Grenade

(x4)
(x10)
(x1)

- Right off the bat, rush ahead as there are no enemies nearby. You'll
have to
drop down on the green zombie along the house first as he's the biggest
threat.
Focus on killing the normal zombie near the front of the house from the
roof
position. Rush through the canyon, and engage the lone zombie around the
corner. Use the height advantage to drop down on him. Rush ahead till
you're in
the next open area. Immediately to your left past the dock is a lone
zombie
guard. Hide behind the stack of boxes, and side-rush him for the
stealth kill.
Double jump across the chasym as the green zombie guard walks under the
bridge
to the right. Rush him from behind for another easy stealth kill. Now,
grapple
hook to this bridge above you, and hop up the scaffoldings. Make your
way to
the upper right area where the lone karate guy is. Wait for him to walk
backwards, then rush him for the kill. Move up through this canyon.
- One martial artist will be around the corner where the torch is. Side
swipe
him as he passes by your lean body. Don't go past this corner. There's
a second
martial artist backing him up. Use the same strategy of a leaning-wall
side
swipe to finish him off. Run past the cannons and boxes. There's a third
martial artist through the flaky wall. Take him out when he turns
around. Head
up the next group of stairs, wait by the wall, and rush the expert when
he
flees to the other direction. Grapple up to the next area, and jump
slice the
zombie guard to your right on the stairwell. Climb the stairs, and head
through
the door. Go left and cross the bridge. Take out the green zombie
around the
corner when his path changes. Up ahead, you'll find more cannons,
however,
there will be an undead zombie. You cannot harm him with your normal
weapons.
Do your best to avoid him; he tends to juggle in a random path. Run
around the

corner, and decapitate the patrolling zombie. Run through to where the
next pit
is. There's an Undead on the ledge. Wait for him to look the other way.
Silently drop, lean against the wall, and make it to where the stepping
stones
are. Wait for the zombie to walk away (refer to your Ki meter), then
jump up
the stones one-by-one. Up top, you'll find a quick stealth kill for
safekeeping.
- Again, you'll find another Undead after dropping onto the guard
tower. I just
simply ran by him, and sprinted up the stepping stones until the next
trench
area. You'll notice a lone zombie here. Jump slice him when he looks
the other
way for just a moment. I found it best to rush the next martial artist
expert
after he turns around. Get close by seeking shelter next to a pillar.
Reach the
main door by grapple hook.
*Ayame meets Tatsumaru before Tenrai's ultimate lair. He says that
it's
destiny which guides him. He must kill you now. Enguarde!*
*******************************************************************
* Tatsumaru
*
*******************************************************************
* Probably one of the hardest boss battles in Ayame's campaign,
*
* unless, you realize Tatsumaru's flaw. Basically, Tatsumaru is
*
* the male version of Ayame. He's quick, fairly powerful, and has *
* flexible moves giving him a great range of damage. Watch for his*
* spear grapple, this will make you lose about 25 health. He will *
* counter-attack in the middle of your combos when he sees an
*
* opening, and also will perform a quick slash attack. His flaw is*
* that he will charge at you in a straight pattern, even when you *
* retreat from him. Simply do quick shuriken tosses straight ahead*
* and he will walk right into them. This is why you were suppose *
* to bring so many shurikens. He does not drink a potion, and has *
* a 100 point life bar. Hide behind a pillar if you need to drink *
* a health potion.
*
*******************************************************************
*Tatsumaru starts gushing out blood, and Ayame was mistaken, thinking
he was one of Tenrai's pets. Well, he was. Onikage then drops down
from
above, expecting to kill you. However, Tatsumaru grapples him from
behind,
and betrays Onikage. He tells you to run, and get Tenrai. He says
he's
going to take Onikage back to hell with him. He grapples him, and
they both
jump off the pit. A huge explosion engulfes them both.*
__________________________________________________

/Mission 12: Assassinate the Evil Tenrai - Part II/

-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
DIFFICULTY: **
OBJECTIVES: + Make it to Tenrai's Lair
+ Fight the two forms of Tenrai
RECOMMENDED ITEMS: + Healing Potion
+ Shuriken
+ Ninja Rebirth

(x4)
(x10)
(x1)

- Right off the bat, grapple hook to the upper right, and hit the
martial
artist from behind. There will be another guard down the hallway which
can be
killed quite easily. Take out the 3rd expert by jumping onto the ledge,
and
popping up when the moment is right. Continue forth. Watch for the
quickfall
pit. Grab the gift item at the end of the right path, and now take the
left
path. There will be a zombie guard at the first left inlet you see.
Ensure to
take him out when he briefly turns around. The coast should be fairly
clear.
Boost up to the next ledge via your grappling hook. The next part can
be fairly
frustrating. There will be an Undead bastard around the corner. Since
you
cannot harm him (and I didn't feel like bringing those goofy swords),
let him
see you. Try to lure him off the ledge if possible by backtracking.
There are 2
martial artists around the corner you DO NOT want to upset. After he's
distracted, or somewhere else, get to the first pillar ledge, and hook
to the
very top one. Jump across to solid ground.
- Run up ahead, and get to the other side by hopping on the pillars.
You'll
find a zombie guard on the left who can be dispatched by taking your
time, and
waiting for him to turn away. Now, move through the large doorway, and
hop up
each segment wall. At the very top, you'll find a green zombie guard
whom I
recommend rushing ASAP. A martial artist will come over to check the
body. When
he does, lay a quick pop-out stealth kill before he becomes alerted.
Head up
the brief amount of stairs, and grapple to the lava-lit room on the
right. Once
up top, jump to the nearby platform, and run to the other doorway.
You'll find
a green zombie along the well-lit wall to the left. Hang from the ledge
until
he exposes himself for a kill. Jump to the bottom ledge near the

bottomless
pit, and grapple up to the little stone ledge. Hook back diagonally
left to
this nearby ledge, and decapitate the zombie guard. He's a tad more
aware than
normal. Move ahead. Take out the last martial artist before the main
door. Walk
up to it to for the final battle.
*You enter Tenrai's lair, and are almost amazed at the dump he lives

in.

Tenrai takes it as a compliment, and prepares to engage you in a

battle to
the death.*
*******************************************************************
* Tenrai - Form I
*
*******************************************************************
* Tenrai's initial form is fairly easy to beat, as he only has 3 *
* varying magic attacks. They range from a ground spike that goes *
* straight up, a circular swirl of electricity, and a split
*
* projectile. Use basic evasion techniques on your own part to
*
* evade them. He will be temporarily stunned after casting each
*
* spell, so a quick jump-slash will do the job quite well. Keep
*
* focusing on getting close to him, as he'll occasionally retreat *
* away with teleports. Keep slicing and dicing for the final
*
* blows.
*
*******************************************************************
*Tenrai notices you to be a tough opponent. He calls upon the power
of the
2 jewels, even though he's missing the third one. His ultimate goal
was to
gather all 3, and use them to summon Mei-Oh as one of his minions
to rule
the world. Ayame calls him a fool, but it's too late, he manifests
into a
vampire-zombie form. You start to feel extremely weak. Suddenly,
the bells
that Kiku gave you before the Seyika mission kick in. The magic
lights up
the room and Tenrai feels weakened greatly. You have hope, fight
on!*
*******************************************************************
* Tenrai - Form II
*
*******************************************************************
* This form is actually fairly different from Rikimaru's campaign,*
* as this Tenrai less defensive-based. Simply use the swoop attack*
* when he charges at you and wiggles his hands. He has a ground
*
* wiggling attack that takes about 35 health, which also leeches *
* life for him. Jump over it. Watch for his normal swipe combos. *
* A quick way of abusing this battle is to do quick shuriken
*
* tosses since he rushes in aggressively. You should kill him in *
* a breeze.
*
*******************************************************************

*The lair starts to fall apart, and Ayame decides to escape. On the
rooftop,
she takes a quick breather, but is ambushed by Onikage. He prepares
to
slice her, but Rikimaru saves her for once, and for all. Rikimaru
then
tells her that the bells Kiku gave her were actually made out of
the Jewel
of Virtue. When the jewels were created, the Jewel of Virtue's sole
purpose
was to neutralize the other 2 jewels, should one of them be put to
evil
use. They were, and that's how you gained the power. Lord Gohda
kept the
secret in the bells so no one would know at all. Rikimaru gives you
a
helping hand, but you shove it away like the wench you are.*
- The game's credits roll.
/)
//
__*_
//
/-(____)
// THE
////- -|\
//
,____o% -,_
//
END
/ \\
||| ;
//
/____\....::./\
//
Ayame's Campaign
_/__/#\_ _,,_/--\
//
/___/######## \/""-(\</
_/__/ '####### ""^(/</
__/ /
,)))=:=(,
//.
b'ger
-<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>=============================
- 6) Tesshu Walkthrough
=============================
Tesshu is actually a secret character which can only be unlocked by
first
completing Ayame's & Rikimaru's complete stories. All levels must be
beaten.
You're first introduced to Tesshu during Ayame's missions, in which he's
supposedly a mercenary who fights for justice. His appearances grants
him the
title of a monk, even though he possesses powerful martial arts
capabilities.
This section will discuss Tesshu's walkthrough, on the EASY difficulty.
LAYOUT
1 was picked by default. I originally planned to play the entire game on
Normal, but with the ability to not continue within a level, and since
I had to
conserve my playing time, I decided to go with easy. Note that there
are only
six missions in Tesshu's campaign, probably since he's just a secret

character.
_________________________________________
/Mission 1: Assassinate Nasu and Echigoya/
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
DIFFICULTY: ***
OBJECTIVES: + Reach the area to execute Echigoya
+ Reach the area where Nasu is
*Tesshu Fujioka - the story of a man whom is a doctor by day,
assassin by
night. Basically, there are various underground groups which offer
assassin
services, but only if the accused is guilty of a treacherous crime.
The
local villagers have managed to bring to light that both Nasu &
Echigoya
are guilty of kidnapping villager girls, and the villagers feel no
justice
will be served because of Nasu's high ranking. Tesshu prepares to
take them
both out.*
- Tesshu's recommended item section is different from the other two
characters.
He must use personal money to purchase items, as opposed to an infinite
supply.
Money is earned after completing an assignment/mission.
RECOMMENDED ITEMS: + Healing Potion (x2)
- You'll start off on a nearby perimeter to the Echigoya estate. Jump
onto the
nearest perimeter roof, then jump to the next roof. Avoid the front
gate. Now,
hop from roof to roof along the left flank. Drop down to the ground,
and jump
up the slanted stairs. Charge and stealth kill the Archer when he turns
around.
Grab his bow. Jump down and kill off the pike guard near the very top
wall of
the area. Grab his pike. Tesshu has very powerful strikes, at the cost
of speed
and agility. Turn around after killing the pike guard, and head to the
locked
gate. It isn't locked anymore. Run around the corner, and wait for the
one
samurai guard to pass you (as you lean). Pop out, and rip his heart out
with
Tesshu's brutal stealth kill animations. There will be a second guard
around
the second corner which can be taken out after he turns around. Rip his
spine
out using another brutal Tesshu attack. Grapple hook up to the ledge,
then up
the manhole.

- Once you pop out of the manhole, you'll have 2-3 guards to
neutralize. Avoid
the pikeman to the right, but go between the 4 small shacks, and snap
the
archer & samurai's necks. Then, move to the roofs, get on top of the
large
building. Drop down on one of the guards to stealth kill, take out the
other,
and then enter the building. The one will probably be alerted, but it's
fairly
easy to counter-block the pikemen. Once inside, lean against the wall,
wait for
the guard on the left, and take him out. Go in the second closet. It
should be
marked as a red circle on your map.
*Tesshu will sneak behind Echigoya, and stick a needle in his neck,
ending
his life. You snatch a key off of his body, and tell one of your
servants
that you'll be done within the hour.*
- Pick up the key on his body. Now, head along the right, and execute
the
guard. Head through the tree-colored door, then use the key on the
doorway on
the left. You'll have to manually press the key on it, so make sure.
Drop
silently down to the ground, and then execute the guard while he sleeps.
Grapple hook to the area in the upper right, and head through the door.
There
will be a few more doors and some stairs. Once up top, wait for the
guard down
the narrow hall to turn. Execute him. There will be a guard in the left
bedroom
up ahead with some rings that you may want to collect. Take the right
door when
you're ready. Once through, sneak past the cat, crawl through the
manhole, then
go ahead through the left door. Take out the patrolling guard after he's
unaware. Go back to the room you crawled in before, and hook shot
above. There
will be one guard in the usual right inlet in this attic area. Take out
the
final guard at the dropoff area. Head through the door.
*Tesshu starts to hear screaming and slicing in the distance. He
sneaks into
the main room where he finds Nasu dead. He opens the door to see
Rikimaru
fleeing away. Tesshu is angered that he cannot collect on the
contract now.
His boss, Zennosuke, was watching the entire time. He's actually
the leader
of the Underground organization of "Muzen", which employs Tesshu.

Zennosuke
warns Tesshu to never cross paths with the Azuma ninjas.*
___________________________________
/Mission 2: Teach Rikimaru a Lesson/
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
DIFFICULTY: **
OBJECTIVES: + Make it to the final room
+ Fight Rikimaru
*Tesshu has trouble sleeping the entire night, simply because he
could not
collect his fee, due to Rikimaru killing Nasu. While he was told
not to
interfere with the Azuma ninjas, Tesshu is relentless to prove that
he is
the better asssassin. He sneaks into Lord Gohda's castle in an
attempt to
show Rikimaru the truth.*
RECOMMENDED ITEMS: + Healing Potion (x2)
+ Smoke Bomb
(x2)
- Crawl straightforward out of the hole, then take out the pike guard
around
the right corner. There will be two more guards behind you, one being an
archer, and the other a samurai. Get out of view from the archer as he
can see
you over long distances, but take him out when he turns around. Lean
near the
next corner, and look down the hall. There should be a lone pike guard.
Take
him out, and enter the small padshack room on the left. Go around the
corner,
and enter the secret trapdoor. Now, there will be a single guard right
outside
of your door to the left. Eradicate him, then cut a left, and proceed
into the
small dojo. Take out this pike guard when he is not looking at you.
Then, lean
against the next doorway, and rush the second guard when he is exposed.
Rush up
the stairs, jump over the railing, and lean near the next door. There
is a
single exposed guard to take out ahead in the next room, but he's
fairly aware;
so be careful.
- There will be an archer to take out in the next small room. Two more
guards
are to be taken out, one in the same room as the previous, and one
around the
corner in the next hall. You'll be fairly close to the outside
courtyard. Rush
the pike guard near the balcony. A samurai will be up ahead in the
meditation

room. Go downstairs, and you'll be near the ebony-colored rooms. Head

into the
series of doors for a sequence.
*Rikimaru tosses two quick shurikens, but you manage to dodge them
quite
easily. Rikimaru says he cannot let you pass, and you say that's
perfectly
fine - you came for him!*
*******************************************************************
* Rikimaru
*
*******************************************************************
* This battle is both difficult, and uneventful. Rikimaru has
*
* 4-5 hit combos we've seen before with the kick finishing each
*
* series off. He will also strike in the middle of your combos,
*
* and plays very aggressive, making it somewhat challenging to
*
* actually get a breather. Make use of your combo attacks after
*
* blocking or evading one of his. I found it best to switch out
*
* the pike, and use it against Rikimaru. The long range fits
*
* perfectly, since Rikimaru rushes you. You can keep two-hit
*
* swiping to keep him back and do moderate damage. Once he has
*
* less than 30 health points, the battle will end.
*
*******************************************************************
*Rikimaru manages to get his blade right next to Tesshu's neck,
however,
Tesshu also has his needle near Rikimaru's. They both hesistate to
slice
n' dice, and Tesshu just wanted to test Rikimaru all along. Tesshu
says
that if they meet again, one of them will not be alive.*
_______________________________________
/Mission 3: Execute the Rebellious Yuge/
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
DIFFICULTY: *****
OBJECTIVES: + Do not kill any of Tadokoro's Samurais
+ Make it to Yuge's Chamber
+ Fight Yuge
*A rumor has been spread that Yuge, a servant under the great
Tadokoro,
has been assembling foreign ronins for a rebellion against Lord
Gohda. Your
mission is to execute Yuge, their leader, and take out any foreign
ronins
that you see. However, DO NOT engage any of the innocent Tadokoro
samurais,
otherwise you're a wanted man.*
RECOMMENDED ITEMS: + Healing Potion (x3)
+ Throwing Needle (x4)
- Well this mission has a twist, don't kill any guy in a blue uniform.
Aside

from that, you can kill anyone without a blue robe that is not a
civilian. The
foreign ronins usually wear reddish, brown, or navy-colored robes.
Start off by
crawling along the left, dropping down, and rushing the ronin on the
left. Look
up, and you should see a ventilation shaft along with a Tadokoro
samurai.
Grapple up there, then crawl behind the samurai, and stay slightly
right, he'll
look left. When he does, wait for him to turn right, and roll behind
him down
the dropoff point towards the wooden doors. Basically, don't be seen or
heard.
Wait for him to walk back, then run to the doors.
- Run through this narrow tunnel, and look in the next opening. You'll
see a
ronin right at the base of the house, a stationary pike guard to the
left, and
some more samurais in the distance along the right. Crawl-roll towards
the base
of the house, jump up, and then assassinate the ronin. Quickly jump
into the
water, and take cover by the house to get any guards off your tail.
Now, sneak
into the interior of the house, being careful not to alert the Tadokoro
men.
Wait by this wall as there is a Tadokoro samurai who patrols the main
door.
Wait for him to pass, then go past the door down the right hall. The
door is
locked, which is why we'll head for the back entrance. There are 2
Tadokoros
out back, mainly on the ground level. They will not see you as long as
you
crouch. A second foreign ronin tends to circulate through the area
where you
are, so be quick, and cut a left around the corner. Walk up to the door
to load
the new point.
*Yuge slides open the doors to reveal Yuge meditating in the
distance. He
says that he's taking him to hell, and that he was sent here to
kill him.
Yuge releases his sword.*
*******************************************************************
* Yuge
*
*******************************************************************
* This is the hardest boss battle in the entire game in my utmost *
* opinion. Yuge is a master samurai practically, with high-hit,
*
* powerful combos, awesome counters, and even spectacular holds. *
* Be weary of three various abilities - one being a quick side
*
* slash that is extremely hard to block. He rarely does it, but
*

* when he does, he'll penetrate through. His second attack is a

*
* 5-hit combo involving many swirls. DO NOT stop blocking until he*
* stops slicing, period. If you think he will only strike twice, *
* and release your block, he'll usually hit again. Finally, he has*
* Ninjutsu Blocking capabilities, meaning he can stun you after
*
* you toss a punch at him, meaning you'll get exposed to a stab or*
* power slice. I could find no effective strategy to use against *
* him on terrain, as he'll usually block all default attacks, or *
* quickstep backwards away from your swoop attacks. The only
*
* viable technique is to stay close to him (less than 3 feet), and*
* wait for him to do his normal 5-hit attack combo. Block ALL of *
* the attacks, then counter-attack with three punches of your own.*
* Other than that, you'll find it difficult to get any other hits *
* on him. Counter-attack this entire matchup, and quickstep out of*
* his grapples, special swipes, or quick swoops.
*
*******************************************************************
*After assassinating Yuge, Tesshu slides the doors close. Suddenly,
he hears
a samurai scream that Tadokoro is dead. Tesshu thinks it best be
time to
get the hell out of here.*
__________________________________________
/Mission 4: Find the Author of the Message/
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
DIFFICULTY: **
OBJECTIVES: + Make it to the main room of the second pagoda
*After the severe deaths of Yuge & Tadokoro, Tesshu receives a
personal
message asking him to a duel. Tesshu never backs down from a duel,
even if
it means a complete ambush. Tesshu decides to proceed to the
location in
the message, a deserted temple filled with ronins. Eh, I came here
to do
some good.*
RECOMMENDED ITEMS: + Healing Potion
+ Smoke Bomb

(x3)
(x1)

- You're going to be inserted near an initial pagoda. Work on the first

pike
guard, and drag his body near the stairs. Grapple to the second floor
of the
pagoda, head inside, and drop down for 200 money pieces. Get back
outside, and
take out the two ronins below, one being an archer, the other "another"
samurai. Move along the left side, and grapple hook to the beam above
the cave
entrance. Drop down below. You'll find a samurai guard about halfway
through
which can be killed as he runs up the stairs. Move forward a bit. After
exiting
the cave, wait for another unsuspecting ronin to lose his head in a

twist. Move
down the road now. Crawl up along the right, and jump up the ledge.
Crawl along
this outside perimeter to this lower right corner. Jump on the
manifold, and
drop down the guard in the corner, then work on the back base guard on
the
walkway. Move along this wall, get around to the front of the pagoda,
and then
focus on getting into the front door as all 3 guards look away.
*Tesshu walks into the pagoda seeing the daughter of Tadokoro,
Mifuyu,
challenge him to a duel. She believes that he killed her father. He
avoids
her blade slice, and temporarily stuns her by cracking a bone. He
seals her
body shut inside a cabinet. Suddenly, several ronins rush in. They
ask
where the girl is. He says she's put away tight. They say they were
hired
to kill both you and the girl. Tesshu says he's going to cut them
out of
the deal - literally!*
- This next battle is considered a mini-boss battle. You'll be going up
against
3 aware Ronins. Use your only smoke grenade when they're clumped
together in
this room. This should temporarily cause them to all choke. Move in,
and focus
your attacks all on one ronin. Try to kill him if possible. Now, run
out of the
small room to the outside area. Position yourself so the ronins align
behind
each other, making it easier to fight them one-on-one. If they don't
charge in,
fire away with the bow-n-arrow to get a few quick hits in. Other than
that,
counter-attack or assault when they're exposed.
*All three assassins are dead. Tesshu says that she'll be able to
regain
control of her body in a few minutes. She heard everything, about
her own
ronins trying to betray her. He tells her to be happy and get a new
life.
The past is the past, woohoo!*
______________________________________________________
/Mission 5: Rendezvous with Senkichi by the Waterfalls/
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
DIFFICULTY: ***
OBJECTIVES: + Fight Ganda
+ Make it to the meeting place

*Six months after his first assignment, Tesshu has taken up a new
assignment - the assassination of a religious cult leader, aka
Ganda.
He was originally responsible in the villager girl scam, but
managed to
slip away due to religious protection. He is currently occupied at
a Buddha
Temple outside of Lord Gohda's realm.*
RECOMMENDED ITEMS: + Healing Potion (x3)
+ Grenade
(x2)
+ Throwing Needle (x5)
- Thankfully, you managed to sneak into Ganda's personal lair, so we'll
start
with the boss battle.
*******************************************************************
* Ganda
*
*******************************************************************
* A fairly simple battle. You'll be at the base of the Buddha
*
* Statue. Simply throw your 2 grenades at him, all of your
*
* throwing needles, then jump punch after he swings with his
*
* warhammer. Do this a few times and he'll die easily. He's also *
* exposed to normal punches when he taunts you.
*
*******************************************************************
- You'll now be at the top of the Buddha area. Jump across the
platforms to the
solid ground, and take out the basket guard around the corner. Drop
down the
hole and head out the door. You'll be outside the temple area. Drop
down on the
basket guard, and jump down the manhole. Reach the very bottom, grab
the health
potion, and crawl through the small hole. Take out the stretching guard
on the
other side. Now, you'll be at the bottom of a large pit. Hook shot to
the left
vertical wooden beam. Then, look backwards, and hook onto the wooden
barrier.
Drop down the hole, and engage the monk. Hook shot up above, and wait
for the
monk around the corner to expose himself. Now, run down this hall, and
cut a
left. Jump across the pits, go onto the wooden bridge, and drop to the
dark
cave dock below. Wait by the wall for the guard, and execute him. Drop
down,
and proceed outside. A sequence will load.
*You wonder where your contact is. Suddenly, you're surrounded by
ronin
blades. It's an ambush. Jinnai says that they need to talk. Tesshu
is
knocked unconscious.*

____________________________________________
/Mission 6: Escape from the Limestone Cavern/
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
DIFFICULTY: ***
OBJECTIVES: + Retrieve your three equipment packages
+ Make it to the end of the level
*Jinnai was a former member of Muzen, the same organization that
Tesshu
works for. Tesshu plans to escape, even though most of his tools
were
confiscated.*
RECOMMENDED ITEMS: + Healing Potion (x3)
+ Strength Potion (x1)
*Jinnai says you only have one way of getting out of here. You must
take
a job for him, to kill Zennosuke. Tesshu says that he cannot do it,
no
matter what. Jinnai says he can rot there for eternity. Thankfully,
Tesshu
had a needle hidding near the collar of his robe, and picks the
lock on the
cell. He rolls past the guard.*
- Simply jump stealth kill the guard, or fight him head on. Grab the
pike for
use ahead. Drop down to the bottom, then rush the ninja from behind. Go
in the
left cell and pick up the first equipment package. Now, move ahead, and
take
out the two guards around the corner. If you have to fight them headon, make
use of the recently gathered pike. Finally, check the next two cell
rooms by
eliminating any nearby guards. They may stay confused a tad longer than
normal,
since you escaped from your cell. You'll find a key in one of the
packages.
Head up the slanted stairway up above. There should be a pike guard
below at
the dropoff point. Try to drop down when he turns; do it silently; then
rush
him. Watch for the nearby backup ninja. Head near the right so you can
drop off
into the wooden walkway area is. The water should coat the floor. There
will be
two initial ninjas, one near the dropoff area, one near the middle, and
a few
in the back. You will not be able to grapple hook by them like the
previous
characters. Do your best to get stealth kills without hitting the water
as it
instantly alerts them.

- Make sure to grab the gift item right next to the torch on the left.
It
contains a samurai sword. There's a ninja in the upper left corner too,
who
keeps a close watch. Grapple to the wooden walkway, grab the smoke
bomb, then
run up to the flowery-green water room. There will be a ninja to take
out along
the way. Watch out for a long-range archer inside the water room. Move
up to
where the rock use to block a path. Head on through here.
___________________________________________
/Mission 7: Go to the House in the Cemetery/
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
DIFFICULTY: ***
OBJECTIVES: + Make it to the house in the cemetery
*Tesshu was quite worried, almost chilled with the sense of fear
down his
spine. He had to hurry to the cemetery where he could retrieve his
payment
from Senkichi.*
RECOMMENDED ITEMS: + Healing Potion
+ Smoke Bomb

(x3)
(x3)

- You'll begin near the entrance to the entire facility. Start running
forward,
and take out the initial zombie guard along the wall. There will be an
archer &
samurai on the level below, both of which can be taken out
individually. Work
on the first tunnel, and do not rush the pike guard until he turns
around.
Watch out for the archer around the left corner (and the foolish cat),
at the
Y-split. Cut a left. Drop down into the blood trenches, and focus on
killing
the zombie captain. Hook up to the opening near the left path, then
once above,
watch for an immediate zombie guard by the opening. Continue down the
hallway.
An archer will pop out at the far end of the hallway. Take cover in the
left
inlet, then eradicate him. Go left now, and watch for a samurai to pop
out at
the far end of the hallway. Use the same strategy of hiding in an
inlet, then
rushing.
- Grab the smoke bomb, then cut a right down the hall to exit the cave.
One
last zombie guard awaits you before the exit. Once you're in the
courtyard,

focus on jumping outside of the wooden fenced perimeter. Drop on the

archer
when his zombie friend goes to walk the other way. Then, work on the
zombie. Go
to the walkway entrance on the right. There will be two enemies though,
one on
the high ridge, and one on the low. Pick one of them to engage, then
take out
the other. Enter the caveway. A few meters into the cave, you'll run
into a
samurai guard in a small pit. Jump on top of him from behind after he
turns.
You'll find a health potion up top. You'll enter a small graveyard. I
simply
rolled along the left outside wall past all 3 guards. When they see
you, sprint
forward until you reach the room with the pit. Drop into the pit and
lean
against it, until your Ki meter recharges back to normal. Take out the
purple
zombie on the ledge, but be careful that he doesn't jump to the other
ledge to
check it out. Move to the manhole at the end of the tunnel.
*Jinnai will meet Senkichi before you can get there. He fatally
slices
Senkichi killing him. Jinnai disappears.*
- Hook up the manhole, and run up to Senkichi's body.
_______________________________
/Mission 8: Return to Zennosuke/
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
DIFFICULTY: ****
OBJECTIVES: + Meet with Zennosuke near the beginning
+ Reach the ending location
+ Fight Jinnai Ukyo
+ Fight Jinnai Sakyo
*Senkichi was dead, and Tesshu knew what had to be done next. Jinnai
was

the only one who could have killed him, since he was the only
former member
who knew of such a meeting place for assassination payments.
Nonetheless,
Tesshu heads back to the ronin village to help Zennosuke.*
RECOMMENDED ITEMS: + Healing Potion
+ Smoke Bomb

(x4)
(x4)

- You'll spawn fairly far inside the town. Jump onto the house roof,
then drop
down onto the ronin near the front door. Walk up to the front door.
*Zennosuke appears alive and well. He has one last job for you, a
personal

the

matter. He wants you to kill Jinnai, for terrorizing the people of

town. Hell, he even hands over two stacks of gold coins as payment.
Zennosuke also says he won't be giving out anymore jobs...he's
retiring.
Tesshu agrees, and walks out of the door happily. Then, Zennosuke
collapses
over, just long enough for his friend Tesshu to believe all was
well.*
- You now have to reach the other side of the ronin village. Go along
the left
hand side, and enter the sewer room. Hook shot up the waterfall to
reach the
next ledge. Grab the gift, then exit this area, and head up the lefthand side
of the town. Watch out for a ninja near the center of town. Hook shot
up the
stairs, then take out the pike guard as he navigates his patrol. Enter
the
large wooden door on the left. Grapple to the first barrel on the left,
then,
drop onto the woman ninja below you. Move up the left barrels to reach
the next
door. Hook onto the first barrel, double jump to the house, and drop
onto the
ninja along the upper right. Now, wait for the ronin in the distance to
walk
his path away from you. Double jump across the canal (where a ninja is
below),
and then take out the ruthless ronin. Hop onto the marketplace roof,
and take
it around the corner. There will be a woman ninja you can easily drop
onto for
a stealth kill. Now, move on the small stone plateau, and drop into the
water
silently when both the sewer ninja & water ninja take their backtrack
paths.
You can roll all the way to the path, and crawl through it.
- You're now at the last area. Hop onto the first house roof, then drop
at the
marked area where we see Jinnai waiting.
*Tesshu says that it's time for Jinnai to die, for all of the
horrible sins
he has committed. Jinnai is more than happy to meet the equation.*
*******************************************************************
* Jinnai Ukyo
*
*******************************************************************
* Fairly hard to fight with Tesshu because of his slow, power
*
* moves. Always counter-attack whenever Ukyo puts his sword back *
* in the sheath - he's always exposed in this stance. Blocking and*
* counter-attacking is useless as the Jinnais' attacks always give*
* blowback resistance. Use at least two smoke bombs to disable him*

* temporarily to get a few free shots in. Make use of your

*
* surroundings, aka the house roofs and sewer tunnel to get some *
* exposed hits in.
*
*******************************************************************
*Tesshu makes sure Ukyo is dead by snapping his neck. He then tosses
a

shuriken knowing that Sakyo is somewhere nearby. Apparently, the

Jinnais
are actually identical twins, Sakyo & Ukyo. Ukyo use to lay out the
traps,
while Sakyo did the killings. Many of the victims did not know
there were
two, except for Tesshu. He wants to end Sakyo's life as well.*
*******************************************************************
* Jinnai Sakyo
*
*******************************************************************
* The only difference I could find between Ukyo & Sakyo was that *
* Ukyo has a lighting-quick forward strike, a tad faster than
*
* normal. He also has an alternate grapple slash technique. Aside *
* from that, use the same strategy. Sidestep out of the two-hit
*
* combo, and strike back when he puts the sword in the sheath.
*
* Make use of the remaining smoke bombs in your inventory, and
*
* unload your advantage of the surroundings. You can also drink
*
* your health potions on the roofs where it takes time for Jinnai *
* to reach.
*
*******************************************************************
*Tesshu has to make sure Sakyo is dead, and cracks a bone or two.
Sakyo
says the place is set to blow, and that he's gonna go down with him.
Tesshu starts to walk away slowly, and is stabbed in the gut by a
foolish
generic ronin. He plants a needle in the back of the ronin's head,
and
tries to walk away again. Three more ronins pop out, he disables
them all,
and walks away. He notices a moth catch on fire, and calls it a
firefly.*
*Several weeks later, Rikimaru is on assignment, and is sneaking
throughout
an area. He hears fighting in the distance. One of his targets
appears to
have been assassinated, by a needle in the back of the neck. He
knows that
Tesshu still works about.*
- The game's credits roll.
,.
\-'
/_\'\-'/
\_/=.-'
/_|\_\

THE
END
Tesshu's Campaign

/ / \ \
\ \
\ \
-''mrf ''-<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>============================
- 7) Extras
============================
Extras are always intermittant throughout various adventure games.
Items,
different opponents, and even small secrets manage to protrude their way
through the existing manifold to the outer shell of a game. Developers
try to
add certain extras that keep games going. Tenchu: Return from Darkness
possesses quite the factor.
___________
/Items List/
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
There is a huge variety of items available in Tenchu: Return from
Darkness,
some of which can be earned through earnest discovery, while others can
only be
attained through certain ranks. This section will list the available
items,
their rankings, along with what rank is necessary to unlock certain
ones.
__________________
#!| Flash Bomb |!#
-----------------This device acts almost like a flashbang, allowing you to
temporarily blind
enemies in range once it is tossed on the ground. Sadly enough, it's
fairly
rare to snatch, only encountered in a few levels, but does have
usefulness
as it can basically stun all enemies without them having to be in a
range of
"smoke."
RATING: ****
EARNED: Grand Master Rank on Mission 4
____________________
#!| Viper Potion |!#
-------------------Similar to the eye of the viper (heh I wish), the Viper potion
drains your
health in exchange for a sensation of increased power. It lasts much
longer
than a strength potion since it takes away from your health. I
personally
despise this potion though because I'd rather take a strength potion
without
having to worry about such consequences.

RATING: **
EARNED: Grand Master Rank on Mission 8
__________________________
#!| Invisibility Spell |!#
-------------------------By enabling this spell, your character becomes almost transparent,
allowing
them to weave in and out of enemy territory. Better yet is that you
won't be
seen at all. Lasts a short time though.
RATING: ****
EARNED: Grand Master Rank on Mission 6
__________________
#!| Fire Spell |!#
-----------------One of the few high-damage items in the game, the Fire Spell is best
used in
masses, especially when surrounded. Simply use this, and a wall of
flames
will extend outward in a circular direction. Useful, but the damage
is not
extreme.
RATING: ***
EARNED: Grand Master Rank on Mission 7
_______________________
#!| Chameleon Spell |!#
----------------------Identical to the Invisibility Spell, except it does not make you
transparent. You'll be disguised as an enemy guard for a brief
amount of
time. Less useful than not being seen at all.
RATING: ***
EARNED: Grand Master Rank on Mission 3
_____________________
#!| Ninja Rebirth |!#
--------------------Pretty much the only chance of revival on a map, unless you're
playing on
the EASY difficulty. The Ninja Rebirth item brings you back to life
right
where you died. I highly recommend this item on tough maps,
especially ones
with multiple boss battles are dangerous settings. You can only take
one
rebirth item though.
RATING: *****
______________________
#!| Super Shuriken |!#
---------------------Ideally the toss of a normal shuriken, except 8 come out at one
time. The

direction is split like a semi-octagon so it allows for increased

spread.
Only problem is that one shuriken will still hit an enemy in one
direction,
as opposed to 8 shurikens hitting him/her in a row.
RATING: ***
EARNED: Grand Master Rank on Mission 1
_____________________
#!| Decoy Whistle |!#
--------------------One of the tougher items to find, however, it can be used beyond
belief and
is heavily abused in this game. It basically turns investigating
guards back
to their normal awareness states. It supposedly mimics an animal
call.
However, this item will also make guards return to their normal
state when
hit by ranged projectiles, or when discovering dead bodies.
RATING: ****
EARNED: Grand Master Rank on Mission 11
_______________________
#!| Exploding Arrow |!#
----------------------Basically an arrow with a bomb on the tip. Acts like a better-aimed
mobile
grenade. Unfortunately, arrows are difficult enough to aim in this
game with
the auto-arc, so it's usefulness is not as great as it should be.
RATING: ***
EARNED: Grand Master Rank on Mission 2
___________________
#!| Ninja Armor |!#
------------------Basically minor ninja armor which will close to halfen the damage
you'd
normally take during attacks/boss battles. Sadly enough, this armor
is
extremely hard to find.
RATING: ****
EARNED: Grand Master Rank on Mission 9
________________
#!| Dog Bone |!#
---------------This calls a dog named Semimaru to attack the enemy, I suppose. What
a tasty
treat. The dog is somewhat ferocious, but can be killed by the enemy
if hit.
RATING: ***
EARNED: Grand Master Rank on Mission 5
______________________

#!| Stone of Power |!#

---------------------Cures the ability of always carrying those pesky potions and boosts.
This
item will give you a permanent boost in your power without having to
worry
about gulping this and that.
RATING: *****
_____________________
#!| Binding Spell |!#
--------------------A small seal is implanted onto the ground, causing any enemies
inside the
seal to get frozen. It's a fairly large circle, but if your enemy
avoids it,
then all is wasted.
RATING: ***
EARNED: Grand Master Rank on Mission 12
__________________
#!| Tiger Trap |!#
-----------------Basically like a mine, except it does concentrated damage to one
opponent
who steps on the trap. Will do a hefty amount of damage plus a
knockback
effect.
RATING: ***
________________
#!| Shuriken |!#
---------------The basic ranged device of any formidable ninja, Shurikens are a
must-have
during missions. While they do minimal damage, they usually get
tossed in a
straight-path, and can be tossed rapidly for enhanced damage. Cheap,
common
item too.
RATING: ***
______________________
#!| Healing Potion |!#
---------------------By far the most useful item I've used, the healing potion instantly
repairs
your life bar to the full amount. These are must-haves during levels
to keep
your health up, and also for boss fights. Make sure to get some
separation
to take a quick drink of it.
RATING: *****
________________
#!| Caltrops |!#

---------------I never found much use for these. Chasing suspects who walk over
these
dropped pricks will start to hop up & down on their feet from the
pain. Acts
as a temporary stunner, but does hardly any damage, and you have to
watch
for the prickles yourself.
RATING: **
____________________
#!| Colored Rice |!#
-------------------Marks a small blatant dot on your mini-map once the item is used.
Unfortunately, I never had to use this item once because the minimap is
fairly thorough if you know what you're doing.
RATING: *
________________
#!| Blow Gun |!#
---------------Easier to aim then the box, but just as difficult to hit an
opponent. Seems
to have a slight uplift after the firing of a dart. It will
instantly knock
a guard out, causing them to sleep "forever", assuming you can hit
him/her.
RATING: ***
__________________
#!| Smoke Bomb |!#
-----------------A fairly common stunner that renders a small cloud of smoke to rise
from the
ground after being tossed. The positive aspect about smoke bombs is
that
they work on nearly every boss/enemy (with the exception of a few
powerful
bosses). Causes your opponent to cough, letting you run in with a
slashing
combo. They must be near to the cloud of smoke.
RATING: ****
_______________
#!| Grenade |!#
--------------An uncommon ranged projectile which does heavy damage when it hits an
opponent directly. Also does knockback effect. Multiple grenades can
lead to
a huge loss of life for bosses, and very useful for making battles
easier.
RATING: *****
___________________
#!| Poison Rice |!#

------------------A decoy item which is dropped onto the ground. If a guard sees it in
his/her
path, they will eat it. Their health will slowly begin to lower,
until they
die from the poison, or your slash them. They are usually exposed to
stealth
kills when choking on the rice. To save your item from being wasted,
stealth
kill the person choking on the rice, and you'll get the poison rice
item
back!
RATING: *****
____________
#!| Mine |!#
-----------Pretty much a grenade that is implanted on the ground. It only
detonates if
your opponent walks over it in close proximity. Because of this, its
usefulness will never be maximized. You also have to worry about
planting
it, making it almost useless to attempt to use against bosses.
RATING: **
_______________________
#!| Poison Antidote |!#
----------------------If you are poisoned during a boss battle or from an item, this will
let you
stop the effects of poison. I personally was never poisoned, so this
item
was never necessary for me to use during battles.
RATING: **
___________________
#!| Sticky Bomb |!#
------------------A unique ranged projectile that can be detonated at your will. Toss
it like
a normal shuriken. It will then stick to the ground, or to a target.
Click
the right thumbstick to cause it to detonate, doing equivalent
damage to
that of a grenade. It is too rare to find commonly, making its use
restricted to boss battles.
RATING: ***
_______________________
#!| Strength Potion |!#
----------------------I love these kind of potions, because they allow you to get a small
increase
in blocking power, offensive power, and resistance to damage for a
short
period of time. You'll notice a bright shining aura surround you

while the
potion is in effect. Its effects are very short, maybe 15 seconds at
most.
RATING: ***
________________________
#!| Kasumi & Shizuku |!# (AYAME ONLY)
-----------------------Blades that resemble the Kitetsu from Ninja Gaiden, these two swords

fit

Ayame in a fashion that allows her to kill the Undead. At the same
time,
they slowly drain her health when equipped.
RATING: ***
______________
#!| Dokuto |!# (AYAME ONLY)
-------------Basically enhanced normal blades. These swords have poisoned tips,
letting
you do increased damage during battles. Sometimes, it's better to
slash an
opponent and run/hide so they can die naturally from the poison. Of
course,
these swords are a hidden treat, and must be discovered in a hidden
location.
RATING: ****
__________________
#!| Tetsubishi |!#
-----------------Basically a grappling hook for guards, the Tetsubishi will suck a
guard
close to you, almost like Scorpion's "Get over here" special move. Of
course, this item is only useful for battles where you are already
detected,
but most ninjas have one just in case.
RATING: **
_________________
#!| Fireworks |!#
----------------Sets off a small distraction in the air, causing guards to look up.
You can
easily sneak up behind them, by them, or into them for easy stealth
kills.
Useful, but against, rarely discovered.
RATING: ***
EARNED: Grand Master Rank on Mission 10
________________
#!| Muramasa |!# (RIKIMARU ONLY)
---------------A necessary sword that Rikimaru must acquire to fight the Undead, the
Muramasa acts like the Kitetsu, but also drains your life slowly.
Slightly
enhanced damage.

RATING: ***
______________
#!| Fugaku |!# (RIKIMARU ONLY)
-------------Probably the best enhanced secret weapon you can get in the game,
the Fugaku
does much more damage when in Rikimaru's hands. Basically an
upgraded weapon
of mass destruction.
RATING: *****
__________________
#!| Bamboo Gun |!# (TESSHU ONLY)
-----------------An upgraded form of the blow dart, the Bamboo Gun will actually kill
enemies
with one accurate shot. The launched projectiles are extremely quick
and
almost head-on.
RATING: *****
________________
#!| Magazine |!# (TESSHU ONLY)
---------------Not as useful as poison rice, but a much more sinister crime. These
"magazines" contain picture of more than willing woman, which will
distract
guards for quite some time. Move up behind them and slash them for
an easy
kill as they're occupied.
RATING: ***
________________
#!| Disguise |!# (TESSHU ONLY)
---------------Pretty much a disguise spell, except it's a uniform that Tesshu
wears to
keep himself in hidden secrecy. You will look like a guard for a
short
amount of time.
RATING: ***
____________________
#!| Super Needle |!# (TESSHU ONLY)
-------------------Identical to the Super Shuriken, except it tosses 8 needles in a
semi-octagon direction. Useful for spread damage against several
opponents.
Tesshu faces a ton of these situations.
RATING: ****
________________
#!| Kumihimo |!# (TESSHU ONLY)
---------------Identical to the Tetsubishi, except it launches a spike through the

enemy,
instantly killing them. Can be retracted and used against. Takes
some time
to aim and get use to.
RATING: *****
_______________________
#!| Throwing Needle |!# (TESSHU ONLY)
----------------------Weaker than shurikens, and probably not as useful. Their minimal
damage
and acute weakness doesn't make them as useful as shurikens, even
though
they can be multi-tossed.
RATING: **
________
/Secrets/
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
There are actually alternate endings for both Rikimaru & Ayame's
campaigns,
assuming you pick a different choice during the middle-based missions.
I chose
for Rikimaru to use normal steel, and for Ayame to fight Onikage. If
you choose
differently, a small cutscene will be different at the end of the game.
For
example, choosing to repair the sword with steel from the Shichishito
will
cause for Tenrai to be hoping you would mold the evil steel with a
purely good
sword. He would state it was his plan all along. I personally didn't
bother
checking the alternate endings because they really are not alternate
endings,
just a cutscene switched before & after the boss battle.
- To check it out really quick, simply pick the opposite choice,
complete the
mission, then in story mode, rush ahead to the last mission to see the
different cutscenes.
_____________
/Enemies List/
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
The following section will briefly describe the various guards you
encounter
during the game, and if any weaknesses can be exploited on their part.
:+: Pike Guards :+:
===================
Encountered on various royal estates, and rural areas of Japan, pike
guards
are infantry equipped with pole-based weapons, giving them extreme
range on
attacks. They are ideally rotated around outside perimeters where

the range
proves to be a useful tool in fighting against oncoming intruders.
Pike
guards in Tenchu are extremely easy to kill because they have slow
attacks,
and a max hit-combo of two attacks. Block their attacks, rush in, and
counter-attack. Their defense is below average since they use a twohanded
weapon.
DIFFICULTY: **
:+: Enemy Ninjas :+:
====================
Usually cladded in a ski mask and fitting toga, enemy ninjas equip
dark
colored uniforms, usually accompanied with a small katana, or hand
claws on
each hand. Enemy ninjas are fairly formidable in this game, as
they're
agile, have 3-4 hit combos at maximum, and can also block/evade
attacks.
Thankfully though, their final attack on most combos leaves them
vulnerable,
making it a perfect twist to block, counter, and kill. Watch for
their
agility though.
DIFFICULTY: ***
:+: Female Ninja :+:
====================
Don't mistake her for a civilian; she has purple spiky hair. This
feminine
ninja is almost identical to Ayame as she holds two small semiswords, one
in each hand. This allows for 3-4 hit combos at maximum, fast
striking
attacks, and limited agility. Female ninjas are not as dangerous as
you'd
think, since they can easily be overpowered.
DIFFICULTY: **
:+: Zombie Guard :+:
====================
Pretty much an Undead character that is risen, making him not
classified as
"Undead", per say. Looks like a pink/purple devil, with a goatee.
These guys
are quite dangerous as they're better than ninjas with powerful
attacks on a
one-handed sword. They have decent blocking ability, and 4-5 hit
combos in
extreme cases. Their grapples are not as strong as the Zombie
Captain, but
still formidable foes. High life bar.
DIFFICULTY: ***
:+: Zombie Captains :+:

=======================
I hate these guys since they're one of the only characters with an
instant
kill grapple move. Basically, don't let these green/blue colored
zombies get
in close, otherwise they have a throat-slit grapple kill which
instantly
knocks your life to 0. Use typical block-counter attacks, and also
try a
variety of uppercut swings. It's best to try and stealth kill these
weary
foes.
DIFFICULTY: ****
:+: Ronins :+:
==============
These are sort of like mercenary soldiers. They're not as
professional as
true guards, nor do they have uniforms to support the occasion.
You'll often
find them dressed in red, purple, green, or blue patches. Many of
them have
grizzly hair on their face, and have extremely horrible defense.
Make quick
work of them.
DIFFICULTY: *
:+: Wooden Robot :+:
====================
Typically a wooden robot, either resembling a skeleton or some sort
of

demon. Wooden Robots are not Undead, so they can be stealth killed,

but

their life bars are quite high. Their defense is horrible, but the
life bar
makes up for it. Watch out for their brief attacks, many of which
appear to
be in chopping motions, or swirls.
DIFFICULTY: **
:+: Wooden Midget Robot :+:
===========================
Insanely hard in my opinion, which is why it's best to attempt to
stealth
kill them before they see you. Watch out for their charged-up swirl
attack
which swings around about 30 times. You can try blocking it
continuously and
counter-attacking. Near their death, they launch out about 4
grenades which
can instantly kill you. They also have sporadic charge movements.
DIFFICULTY: *****
:+: Fire Goblin :+:
===================
Little four feet tall beasts that protrude fire from their mouths,

and also
have claw swinging motions. They can only be killed with an Undead
weapon,
so make sure you have one, or run. Their fire blast protrudes a
short radius
like a flamethrower, and does splash damage.
DIFFICULTY: ***
:+: Spirit Cards :+:
====================
Not too difficult per say, even though they have moderate attacking
abilities. Looks like white ghouls, except you do not need an Undead
weapon
to kill them. I find it best to use basic fighting techniques, and
watch out
for the spirit slash grapple attack.
DIFFICULTY: **
:+: Basket Guards :+:
=====================
These guys are identical to pike guards, except their swinging
motions are
slower and their defense is worse. Not much more to say about them.
DIFFICULTY: *
:+: Martial Artists :+:
=======================
These guys are extremely similar, if not identical to the Buddha
Monks.
They're basically normal forms of the midget robots you faced inside
the
castle. They have a swirling leg kick, various swift combos up to 5
hits,
and a slamming grapple technique. Difficult opponents, but can be
outwitted
with smart sidesteps.
DIFFICULTY: ****
___________
/X-BOX Live/
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
One of the new features of Tenchu: Return from Darkness is the ability
to
actually play online against another person, either head-to-head or
co-operative. Sadly enough, the Live play is somewhat lacking, as
hardly anyone
plays it nowadays. Anyhow, this section will describe the Live portion
of
Tenchu: RfD, and also explain some key strategies to making it past
certain
levels.
_____________
/Head-to-Head/
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
This places you in one-on-one deathmatch, however, it allows you to

select from
the various bosses of the game, and also from the default playable
characters.
Once you complete the game, all selectable multiplayer characters
should be
unlocked. I rarely play Head-to-Head, so handing out pointers can be a
toughy.
Here are some general tips to earning a high ranking though:
#1) HOST YOUR OWN GAMES
> Some of the highest ranked players host their own games for a
reason;
there's no lag. Hosting your games not only gives you a lagfree
advantage, but control of the map, and player approval if you
wish.
Your opponent will lag more, making it easier to defeat them in
combat.
#2) OPTIMATCH WITH THE RIGHT FILTER
> When optimatching, it can filter through games by players
higher
than you, lower, or almost the same. Always pick higher as
you'll
usually find the top players to be more active, otherwise,
you'll
never locate a hosted game.
#3) USE TATSUMARU
> This is the only character I've managed to snatch a cheese
tactic
tactic from. Knock down the opposing player with either an
explosive
arrow, or powerful blow. Once your opponent is down on the
ground, use
Tatsumaru's stab grapple technique. You should be able to
immediately
grapple your opponent right when they rise from the ground.
The great
thing is that you can keep doing this for the rest of the
match. They
won't have enough time to quickstep, jump, or evade the
oncoming
charge grapple of Tatsumaru, and it does a whopping 30
guaranteed
damage.
#4) YOUR MAP HOLDS YOUR ENEMY'S LOCATION
> While there are only six maps, you can see where your opponent
is by
pressing the BACK button. They should be marked with a colored
arrow.
_____________
/Co-Operative/
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=

While this is the only other mode you can play on Live (and also more
fun), it
too suffers from minor flaws. The biggest limitations are that none of
the
single-player maps can be played online. Instead, six unique
multiplayer maps
can only be pummeled over and over. Secondly, combat can be tough for
the
second player, who will usually suffer from minor control lag during
combat.
Because of this, co-op gets old REAL fast, rather than getting fun real
quick.
It does have its perks if you can find a loyal gamer who's willing to
stay
around for a good half-hour to play each of the maps. This section will
describe how to complete each map efficiently.
NOTE: Points cannot be earned during co-op, so you can only be ranked

in

head-to-head games.

>>=> VILLAGE <=<< {{ Recommended Duo: Rikimaru & Ayame }}

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Basically a small ronin village setting, with some highground in the
corner,
several streets/alleyways, and six scrolls which must be gathered
for the
mission to be complete. Five of the scrolls can be found on the
ground at
various corners/areas of the map, while the sixth is on a captain
ninja
guard who patrols around the middle. I found this map impossible to
complete
without being detected, but a good idea is for both of you to split
up. It's
better to earn as many stealth kills as possible to maximize the
fun. If you
get into a bind, run away a bit, jump onto a roof, crouch, and
repeat.
>>=> BATTLEGROUND <=<< {{ Recommended Duo: Rikimaru & Tesshu }}
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Similar to a royal estate area near the morning, Lord Gohda has been
severely injured during combat, and must be escorted to safety. This
is a
hostage escort mission, as there will be a Gohda NPC near the
beginning. You
will have to clear the way ahead for him, otherwise, one blade swing
will
kill him. Right off the bat, have one ninja go left, the other
around the
right flank. Stealth killing gives you a greater chance of success,
so work
on the initial guards. Repeat this strategy, working quickly and
efficiently

as Gohda is a quick walker. There will be four mines at the bottom

of a
stairwell near the end of the map. Try to defuse them by crawling
over them.
If you cannot, sacrifice yourself to clear the path as Gohda will
step there
no matter what.
>>=> CASTLE <=<< {{ Recommended Duo: Tesshu & Ayame }}
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
This is an all-stealth mission, and probably one of the most fun coop maps
as long as you're prepared. You cannot be detected once, so make use
of the
items you find along the way. Try to get as many co-op stealth kills
as
possible. To do so, have your friendly in the area when the other
ninja
presses X on the opponent. Only one person has to press X; you'll
witness
one of the 3-5 co-op stealth kills (neat stuff). Try flanking
enemies from
above by using the alternate paths. Also, make use of the grapplingceiling
technique. Grapple to the ceiling, and hold down L right when you
reach it.
Your ninja will stick to the wall for about 20 seconds, before
dropping down
from a lack of energy. Make use of the poison rice, but remember not
to run
directly at them when they look up.

be

>>=> CAVERNS <=<< {{ Recommended Duo: Rikimaru & Ayame }}

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
There are a ton of Undead enemies in this one, but many of them can

killed with normal weapons. Make use of the heightened platforms as

earn as
many stealth kills as possible to meet the points quota. Watch for
small
groupings of enemies, which is why it's best to stick together, and
help
stealth kill two at a time if possible.
>>=> FORTRESS OF EVIL A <=<< {{ Recommended Duo: Tesshu & Ayame }}
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Appears very similar to the Caverns, except you're surrounded by
lots of
tougher opponents (martial artists, spirit cards, etc...). There's
also
small lava pits and drop-offs to watch out for. Use the same
strategies from
before, and have the stronger player take on the white-uniformed
martial
artists. You'll lose lots of life if you aren't efficient on this
one.

>>=> FORTRESS OF EVIL B <=<< {{ Recommended Duo: Rikimaru & Tesshu }}

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
I would never recommend this combo unless you'd absolutely need
them. This
is basically a face-off of up to 10 bosses, ranging from the Evil
Merchant,
the Jinnai Samurais, and so forth. The catch is you don't have any
way of
healing your life. Two bosses will appear at a time in this large
open
arena. It's highly recommend you face off with one each, so that two
bosses
don't gang up on one player. If you manage to distract one boss,
throw small
hit combos on the second boss from behind. You will only get back 20
health
after defeating 2 bosses per round, so be very defensive.
-<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>============================
- 8) Codes
============================
Ah yes, the inevitable urge to plug in a series of buttons to unlock
endless
possibilities. Thankfully, Activision decided to add plenty of plug
cheats to
let gamers enjoy their endless frenzy of expansionability. This section
will
reveal all available XBOX cheat codes. I'd like to give credit to:
- http://www.gamewinners.com/
for providing these cheat codes.

_______________________________________________________________________
___
Restore Health
| Press START to pause the game. Press Up, Down,
Up,
Down, & X (3 times).
All Characters
Black,
White +
unlocked

| Wait for the press start screen. Hold White +

& press Up, Right, Left, Down. Then, release
Black, and press L & R. All characters are
for multiplayer, single-player, and head-to-

head.
All Story Mode Missions | Press White (twice), L, R, Right, X, click
left
thumbstick, & click right thumbstick at
mission
selection screen.

All Layouts | Click Right thumbstick, left thumbstick, L, R, White,

& Black
at mission selection screen.
Increased Offensive Power | Pause the game. Hold R + White, press
Up, Down,
Up, Down. Release R + White, and press X
(3
times).
All Ninja Items | Hold L + R, press Up, Down, Up, Down, X (3 times),
Left,
Right, Left, Right, & X (3 times) at item selection
screen.
Unlimited Ninja Items Quantity | Hold L + R + White. Press Up
(twice), Down
(twice), Left, Right, Left, Right.
Release
only white, and press X (3 times).
"Through the Portal" Bonus Mission | A unique mission only for
Rikimaru.
Press White, Up, Black, Down,
L, R, &
Left at title screen.
Full Kuji | Pause the game. Hold L + R. Press Left (3 times), Right,
& X.
-<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>============================
- 9) Common Questions
============================
)) Gameplay ((
---------------------------<< What would you rate this game? >>
- As much as I want to say Tenchu rules (which it did originally on the
PS),
the XBOX version did NOT blow me away by any means. When you're playing
a
direct port of Tenchu: Wrath of Heaven from the PS2, and there's only a
few
extras tossed in, you'd hope for some improvement in the presentation
department. I found nonewhatsoever. While the framerate may have
improved
generally, graphics are still potently "texture-slabbed". Houses look
perfectly
geometric, textures protrude out in repeat patterns, and most of the
level
designs are straightforward (take this area, and move forth). While the

actual
designs provided alternate routes (including various layouts), the
audio was
quite hairy. Voiceovers are horrible, almost something out of a 60s
film. The
actual gameplay is probably the best part, as it incorporates the
feeling of
death, stealth, and action fighting into one. However, for a game that
was
released a month after Ninja Gaiden, I found it to be almost dismal. The
biggest disappointment by far was online play, which to my frown, was
nothing
more than a "menu-based" type. No one plays it online mainly because
there's no
friendly pregame lobby where players can chat through. Everything is
head-to-head based, there's only support for 6 maps on co-op, and the
host
benefits from a HUGE lag difference. Head-to-head games are pointless
to play
as the competitor will have no chance against a lag-free host. Sadly
enough,
while the game features tons of depth, including 3 story mode
campaigns, no one
will dare play them on high difficulties where you cannot continue on a
level
if you die once. It turns out to be a sham, forcing a [6/10] rating.
<< What are the extras in Return from Darkness? >>
- Two additional maps are included in Rikimaru's, Ayame's, and Tesshu's
campaigns. I'm not 100% sure, but I believe the items are the same.
Multiplayer
supposedly has two new maps, although I still only found 6 total. The
biggest
difference is X-BOX Live play, which allows for head-to-head combat
(with a
majority of the bosses playable), or co-operative (on 6 multiplayer
exclusive
maps only).
<< Why do you dislike this game so much? >>
- I'm probably spoiled. Ninja Gaiden gave me so much more to look
forward to.
While Return from Darkness is a great Tenchu game, it's not necessarily
a great
XBOX game. When I see outdated presentations, barely noticeable
differences
between a PS2/XBOX version, and horribly designed Live play, I start to
whine
miserably. This game is a great purchase for no more than $10 on eBay,
but
you'll find its excitement to wear off after 2 weeks. To be honest, if
the Live
portion was improved (as was expected by many reviewers), then perhaps
this

game would have received an amazing rating. It could have been the next
Ninja
Gaiden of multiplayer games, but failed in my eyes. You need more maps,
less
lag, and some balance to tweak these problems.
<< Who's your favorite Head-to-Head character? >>
- Tatsumaru. This guy, while fairly slow and possesses a similar
fighting
fashion to Tesshu, has a tremendous knockdown grapple. Try knocking your
opponent down with an explosive arrow, then right when he/she is about
to get
back up, do the Tatsumaru charge-grapple attack. You'll always grapple
them,
and get an easy 30 health. Repeat this cheese technique for an easykill.
<< Are there any other versions of Tenchu? >>
- Why yes, of course. There were originally two classics produced on the
original PS, Tenchu & Tenchu 2. Both of them were considered must-haves
for the
awesome Sony Playstation. Then, Tenchu: Wrath of Heaven was released
for the
PS2. It was sort of a rehash of the same elements, but added the
multiplayer
elements & had better visuals. Return from Darkness is the fourth game
in the
series. A complete port of the PS2's Wrath of Heaven, but with Live
support.
Too bad the Live support doesn't help make it a necessary purchase.
Tenchu:
Fatal Shadows was recently released for the PS2. It's supposedly more
of the
same, if not slightly less impressive than Wrath of Heaven. The series
still
seems to be spiraling in the same direction.
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- 10) Copyright/Distribution/Reproduction Guidelines ======================================================
This FAQ/Strategy Guide/Walkthrough is my own published work, and
copyrighted
by Christopher Zawada. Whatever you do, DO NOT edit this FAQ in any
way. DO
NOT steal anything from this FAQ. If you want to use some information
in your
own guide, simply ask me. If you want to place this guide on your
website,
either link to the GameFAQs game page, or download the file and place
it on
your own web server. Basically, you can post this on your website as

long as
it's in ORIGINAL form, and not linking directly to GameFAQs. Aside from
that,
all proper credit is due when necessary. Also, don't even think about
selling
FAQs. Trying to prosper off of other people's work will get you in big
time
trouble (coming from an eBay seller myself).
Any site out there has permission to host my FAQs (following the above
terms),
however, these are a list of current sites that host my FAQs officially:
-

http://www.gamefaqs.com/
http://www.ign.com/
http://www.neoseeker.com/
http://www.cheatcc.com/
http://www.cheatplanet.com/

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- 11) Proper Credit
============================
I'd like to thank the following people for their help in making this
FAQ
possible:
)) CJayC (( for constantly updating GameFAQs, and dedicating his entire
life
to it. Takes a lot of effort to keep a site going this long.
)) Gamewinners.com (( for providing a brief list of codes which I knew
nothing
about in order to expand the game's replayability.
)) Activision (( for trying to create an aspiring XBOX title, but
failing
somewhat in the multiplayer department. I was really looking forward to
the
Live portions, but was greatly saddened by the lack of support.
)) TheGuyinGTA3 & Swiftshark's FAQs (( for having complete Wrath of
Heaven
FAQs, which could let me verify that some of the details in the XBOX &
PS2
games matched. Thanks.
)) ascii-art.de (( for providing 3 brief ascii gallery pictures which
has their
original author names posted in. I love your huge collection of
compiled ASCII
art, and thanks a ton.

"Some people make sacrifices to make other people happy." - Chris

Zawada
"Freeeeeeddooommmmmmmmm!" - William Wallace (Braveheart)

Tenchu: Return From Darkness: FAQ/Walkthrough by antseezee

Version 1.0, Last Updated 2005-06-16 View/Download Original File
Hosted by GameFAQs
Return to Tenchu: Return From Darkness (XBOX) FAQs & Guides