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FAQ/Walkthrough
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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
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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 in-depth,
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
> 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
5) 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
6) 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
7) Extras
> Items List
> Secrets
> Enemies List
> X-BOX Live
8) Codes
9) Common Questions
10) Copyright/Distribution/Reproduction Guidelines
11) Proper Credits
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============================
- 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
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============================
- 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 - three hit combo
X + X + X + X + Up - three hit combo with melee kick (great finisher)
Left Thumbstick rotate + X - 360 degree attack
B + B - melee throw, get within close range, tap B to
pick up an enemy, then press B to toss them
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.
_____________________________________________
| |
| (---[1]---) |
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| # $ % [2] |
| \[3]/(---[4]---) {} {} {} [5]|
|_____________________________________________|
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
guards. It's a symbol picture that shows four different
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
gets larger as you get closer to enemies. The number will
increase as well as a proximity factor. Use this to
determine where guards are, then use this intel, and attack
for a stealth kill.
[4] - Your Health Meter - Shows your health just as if it would show a
guard's health. Only healing potions can refill
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
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============================
- 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.
NOTE: It's necessary to unlock these levels in single-player mode in
order to play them online. BOTH players must have the unlocked
levels to play them, otherwise it prevents the host from picking
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.
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============================
- 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 Mei-Oh, 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 mini-walkways, 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 ninjas die, they
have a shadow replace them. Rikimaru's shadow was who you were playing as
in the first two missions. Onikage killed the shadow, and the true Rikimaru
appeared from the portal. The true Rikimaru wants to head 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-on-one
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-n-arrow
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 mini-boss 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 (x3)
+ Healing Potion (x5)
+ Ninja Rebirth (x1)
+ Grenade (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
, /|.' '.|\ .\.-.
\\_\ \______/ /_//\.-'-.
'._____\/_____.' )__.' Rikimaru's Campaign
/__| > < |__\ / \
/___\ __ /___\/ |
mrf/____\\'__'//____\ __|
-<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>-
============================
- 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 (x3)
+ Shuriken (x5)
+ Smoke Bomb (x3)
+ Blow Gun (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 tippy-toe 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.*
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* 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 versi