Tenchu - Dark Secret (Nintendo DS)

Tenchu: Dark Secret (Nintendo DS)

Ninja fans are going to be happy to get hold of the latest in their favourite series, with Tenchu: Dark Secrets on Nintendo's DS putting you in the role of a ninja as you battle to quell an uprising against your clan and guard the life of the princess.

Pah! All in a days work for any self-respecting Ninja. The game itself takes place after the events of Tenchu: Birth of the Stealth Assassins and the storyline goes something like this - an evil clan of ninjas, LED by the mysterious Kurokaze, have attacked your clan princess Shizuhime and have placed a curse upon her.

Rikimaru and Ayame - two of the best ninja's from the Azuma Shinobi Ryu clan are dispatched to find these dark ninjas, uncover their sinister plot and find a way to cure the princess.

Dark Secret is an action game with a difference, with a heavy focus on discretion and tactics over and about direct combat. This is a stealth game that encourages would-be ninjas to keep to the shadows and to take their time over things, not rush in willy nilly.

Only through observing the patterns of enemy guards and anticipating the perfect opportunity to strike are you going to truly learn the way of the ninja.

You are able to see what your opponents are up to at all times due to the twin screens of the DS. The top screen shows the in-game action from a bird's eye perspective, acting as a visibility meter so you can see if you're likely to be spotted.

The bottom screen displays a map of the immediate area, plus the location of all enemies within that area and the direction in which they are facing, so you know how and where you can sneak up behind one of the critters for a silent kill or to set a booby trap.

With forty levels it's certainly going to keep ninja-philes happy for some time. Plus, with the superb Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection you can buy and sell Ninja Gear, such as shurikens or new bamboo traps, with your friends online.

Nifty. In terms of multiplayer action, Tenchu: Dark Secret includes a LAN multiplayer mode in which you can opt to battle to the death in Annihilator mode, capture the flag in Glutton mode or take part in a tense game of hide and seek in Sneak mode with up to four other players.