The main characters are Rikimaru and Ayame of the Azuma clan; and a third character named Tesshu, which is available only after finishing two primary campaigns. Rikimaru can be described as a strong yet disciplined ninja, while Azuma is agile and quick as a cobra's snap. Tesshu does not have the power or the agility like the other two but he is extremely skillful fighting bare-handed. Each character offers unique view to the game's storyline, and has long enough campaigns to keep you challenged. In this version of Tenchu, the game puts more emphasis on the story using additional cutscenes.

There are numerous of missions to conquer and the layout of your objectives can change depending on the chosen difficulty setting. The areas in which you will carry out much of your infiltration are generally large maze-like levels. You have an indicator that alarms your senses that enemies are approaching. When that happens, you can move about into a stealth position such as crouching or hiding behind a wall. Then unleash a lightning-fast death blow. It usually takes one strike to kill unsuspecting foe. Even, if your cover has been exposed, you can still take him out in a one-on-one combat.

Since your character can run virtually silent, your enemies become easy targets. You will face a number of wicked people from ruthless monks, to expert assassins, to crazy samurai, to the living dead. New items are unlocked including special moves for your character, if you make enough stealth kills in one level. Besides the typical stealth moves you execute for swift kills, you can also utilize a wide range of weapons at your disposal such as explosives, ninja stars, and psychological devices that take control of the mind. You can even cloak so that you blend in with the surroundings. What's more is that your character is equipped with grappling hook for scaling various types of platforms.

If you have been a fan of past Tenchu games, you would notice quite a few changes to its gameplay. One example is that players no longer have to start from the beginning of the mission when his or her character dies, which was a drag in the last installment, working the same level over and over again. Thanks to the new continue feature, players can start off closer to where they lost their life. Another notable change is the inclusion of a nice versus mode to spice things up. Players can choose from several hidden characters including the bosses, and duke it out in the deadly arts of ninja combat. However, if you are one of those people who are still looking to push your multiplayer experience, then your answer lies with Xbox Live. You'd be glad to know that this game has online support for both tag team and death match play.

It's rather obvious that the cooperative missions are the game's most attractive feature. There is just something gripping about executing those double stealth kills that keeps you and your partner on your toes. What's more is that the tasks at hand seem to be more challenging than those found in campaigns. While the collaborative tasks don't necessary follow along the game's main storyline, they still offer unique objectives. The ability to play cooperatively gives Tenchu: Return from Darkness an irresistible edge.

The great thing about Tenchu: Return from Darkness is that it didn't deviate from its traditional gameplay. The controls are relatively easy to pick up. All you need to do is keep pounding on the attack button to create those devastating combos. The graphics have improved quite a lot when compared to Tenchu: Wrath of Heaven. The new levels are more state of the art, the characters are more polished, the motion-captured animations are smoother, and visual effects such as the lighting and weather representation are much cleaner this time around. Aside from the obvious tweaks in graphics, the game runs at a solid frame rate.

The game's sound effects are pretty good for the most part. They are made of kung fu flicks, which suit the game well. The voice acting can be described the same with the option for Japanese dubbing and English subtitles. The music serves as the best part of the game's audio component, which consist of oriental instruments and some twisted techno tunes. Overall, Tenchu: Return from Darkness is a worthy choice among stealth-based action games. It delivers the same dramatic flair as before. The minor setbacks are the awkward camera perspective, which seals the blind spots during heated battles, and the lag time online. While the game still plays like Wrath of Heaven in many ways, it fares far greater with regards to graphics, character animation, gameplay, and cooperative sessions. So if you are looking for a ninja title with joint venture, Tenchu: Return from Darkness is worth checking out.