Tenchu: Stealth Assassins Is The Core Of The Stealth Gaming Genre

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Over two decades later, many PlayStation 1 players have probably forgotten about the game that started the stealth genre. Looking at popular stealth games such as Dishonored, the Hitman franchise, the Metal Gear Solid series, the Assassin’s Creed franchise, and Deathloop, it is hard to imagine what came before. However, on 26 February 1998, the game that would inadvertently start the Stealth genre was launched in Japan. By August of the same year, the game had reached the United States and exploded in popularity. And what is this game, you may wonder? Well, none other than Acquired Corp.’s Tenchu: Stealth Assassins.

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Having been founded in 1994, Acquire Corp. was just a small start-up video game developer and publisher in Japan. And by 1998, they had their first game ready, which was none other than Tenchu: Stealth Assassins. Launched as a title for Sony’s PlayStation 1 console, the company did not know the reach their game would have. With a feudal Japan setting and 3-D graphics, the game was unique in many aspects, which grew in popularity for many U.S. players at the time. Now, the game stands forgotten despite it being such a gem. But that ends now. If you have not heard of this game before, then stay tuned.

Takuma Endo, the founder of Acquire Corp., stated that his mission with the game was to create a sim. He wanted players to understand that ninjas were also human, and if you were not careful, you would die. So, despite working in uncharted waters, Endo and his team transported players back to 16th-century Japan, where samurai factions were at war to take control of their proud island nation. Despite having competition from Hideo Kojima, who was creating