Tenchu: Wrath of Heaven

 PlayStation 2
Metascore
79

Generally favorable reviews - based on 33 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 24 out of 33
  2. Mixed: 9 out of 33
  3. Negative: 0 out of 33
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  1. Into Liquid Sky
    100
    The best stealth game and ninja game on the market today. This is my choice for 2003's Game Of The Year. [Grade = A+]
  2. Maxim Online
    100
    If you’re the kind of guy who likes to chop his prey into Sizzlean before he gets a whiff of your bad man musk, then the ninjas of Tenchu: Wrath of Heaven are right up your dojo.
  3. TotalGames.net
    93
    The perfect example of how to update a classic game without losing the spark of sheer enjoyment that made it great in the first place. This is the first must-buy game of 2003.
  5. Absolute Playstation
    91
    A real beauty in gameplay, graphics and sound. I cannot imagine any Tenchu fan out there not being overjoyed with the overall experience this game has to offer.
  6. Game Informer
    90
    The ninja game the world has been waiting for. It fights with honor, but still handily slays the competition. [Apr 2003, p.80]
    All this publication's reviews
  7. Game Chronicles
    90
    Spectacular kill sequences, a cool plot, cooler weapons and great levels all contribute to make this game the best of the Tenchu series, and one of the best first-person stealth games on the market.
  8. Gamer.tv
    88
    The main thrust of the gameplay is thoroughly mesmerizing, and there's a bundle of replay value here too. Despite glitches, Tenchu: Wrath of Heaven is ace.
  9. GameZone
    86
    Perhaps the most puzzling thing of all is what happens when an enemy gets really, really confused. Most commonly you'll see them walk into a wall or some other barrier.
  10. Game Over Online
    85
    A solid storyline, the inclusion of co-op play and plenty of unlockable items and abilities go a long way in extending the life of this game. However, the contradictory AI and sometimes abysmal camera angles can complicate the gaming experience.
  11. GameCritics
    85
    Even without the open-ended level design, it was every bit as absorbing as the first game was at its very best and then some. And because of its mission-based structure that allows for quick access to all unlocked levels, it became a very hard game to put down.
  12. IGN
    85
    The combat engine is solid, the new moves are great, and the stealth-reward system is an excellent, tried-and-true technique that works perfectly here.
  13. Armchair Empire
    84
    Does a marvelous job of bringing the tension and suspense of being a silent device of death to the PS2.
  14. GameSpy
    83
    Gone are cumbersome mechanics like hiding bodies and sheathing swords to run faster; back are gruesome one-hit kills, fun grappling hooks and those lovely poisoned rice balls.
  15. GameSpot
    83
    Not only lives up to its predecessors' own high standards, but also to the generally high standards of this popular style of gaming.
  16. GamerWeb Sony
    82
    While the PS2-level graphics make the game prettier than its PSone predecessors, the basics of gameplay remain essentially unchanged since the debut of the first title.
  17. Gamer's Pulse
    80
    Although its plot didn’t captivate me, its exciting gameplay did. Gameplay is covert, yet exciting and had my heart beating rapidly each time I crept up on an enemy for a stealth kill.
  18. Cheat Code Central
    80
    The story is confusing and as far as I'm concerned you might as well forget trying to figure out the whole picture. Just concentrate on completing your current mission and everything will take care of itself.
    All this publication's reviews
  19. Electric Playground
    80
    And oh my brothers, does the red, red krovvy flow real horrorshow under Tenchu's ultraviolence. That's A Clockwork Orange speak for "there's a lot of blood, too."
  20. Play Magazine
    80
    The game's core mechanisms, a mixture of platforming, grappling, sliding along walls, creeping in the shadows, and hand-to-hand combat, are tuned to near-perfection. [Apr 2003, p.54]
    All this publication's reviews
  21. GMR Magazine
    80
    The framerate is also speedy-slick, and your ninjas feel and move as light as a feather. [Apr 2003, p.69]
    All this publication's reviews
  22. Eurogamer
    80
    This is all fairly familiar, but the key thing is that it's new content, there are new challenges, it all looks spectacular and it'll last you for ages.
  23. G4 TV
    80
    May not be the perfect ninja sim, but it's a ton of fun, and that's far more important than some minor flaws.
  24. PSX Nation
    80
    Good graphics, solid controls, decent sound (including purposefully-campy English dialogue) and mucho replayability (especially from its two-player mode) make Wrath of Heaven the best Tenchu game of the trilogy.
  25. GamingWorld X
    79
    Substitute the words Mildly Frustrating and Ninja into the title of the old Geto Boyz song "Damn it Feels Good to be a Gangsta" and you’ve roughly got a statement of Tenchu: Wrath of Heaven.

Awards & Rankings

63
#63 Best PS2 Game of 2003
51
#51 Most Discussed PS2 Game of 2003
34
#34 Most Shared PS2 Game of 2003

User Reviews

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User Score
8.6

Generally favorable reviews- based on 74 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 65 out of 74
  2. Mixed: 6 out of 74
  3. Negative: 3 out of 74
  1. MinionX
    Sep 14, 2019
    8
    As a whole, is the best game in the Tenchu franchise, but with the same problems as its predecessors, either with respect to the camera andAs a whole, is the best game in the Tenchu franchise, but with the same problems as its predecessors, either with respect to the camera and the very stupid AI of the enemies in it; Other point against it, is the fact that during the whole main game plot, of all the cool characters in this game, only Ayame, Rikimaru and Tesshu Fujioka are playable!… Full Review »
  2. DavidN.
    Oct 30, 2003
    10
    This game iz DA BOMB the steath kills the graphics n EVERYTHING!!!!!!any ways i never played the first one but the first time i played thisThis game iz DA BOMB the steath kills the graphics n EVERYTHING!!!!!!any ways i never played the first one but the first time i played this game i loved it!!!!!!!!!then i played the second one and it didnt make any sense cause rikimaru had his full eye so i guess they screwed up on that one.the only game series as good as this is the MGS series n the dynasty warriors series thos ones r tight. so in the end this game iz tight so im totaly buyin the fourth one!!!!!!!!!!!… Full Review »
  3. DavidHoltzer
    May 2, 2019
    10
    This game built the great legacy of the Tenchu games even further.I loved all of them and concisely i'll say this game is fantastic andThis game built the great legacy of the Tenchu games even further.I loved all of them and concisely i'll say this game is fantastic and versatile in any aspect that it has and the music in it is just top notch.I have played countless hours on it and i've enjoyed every second.… Full Review »
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