This game is rated ESRB: Mature 17+ for Blood and Gore and Violence.
Tenchu: Wrath of Heaven is a stealth action game developed by K2 LLC, released for PlayStation 2 in 2003. Set in 16th-century Japan, the game centers on a shadowy conflict involving an enigmatic warlord named Tenrai, who has assembled a formidable coalition of ninjas and dark lords in a bid to conquer the country. Players take on the role of a stealth assassin serving Lord Gohda, tasked with hunting down Tenrai and his disciples before they can complete their conquest. The gameplay emphasizes patient, covert movement and precise lethal strikes over direct confrontation, rewarding players who can navigate environments undetected and eliminate targets efficiently. Honor and stealth are framed as central tenets of the ninja's approach throughout the experience.
After Lord Mei-Oh was defeated in Tenchu: Stealth Assassins, Rikimaru was left in Lord Mei-Oh's fortress carrying a giant boulder to provide an escape route for Ayame and Princess Kiku. He appears to be trapped and left for dead. Ayame stuck Rikimaru's sword, "Izayoi" (he is seen drawing this sword in the opening CG of Wrath of Heaven) in snow as a monument for her fellow ninja, now considered dead. A year later, Rikimaru reports to Lord Gohda that he has managed to survive this near-death experience; unbeknownst to them, the real Rikimaru is trapped in the 20th century trying to find a way back to their time. The game's plot plays differently depending on the character chosen, but connects at certain points. The story revolves mainly around Rikimaru's return and the struggle for the Three Jewels, which are said to give power to those who possess them. These are the Jewels of Heaven, Earth, and Virtue. Tenrai, an evil wizard who wants to get his hands on them, commands a band of his men to take the Jewels from whoever possesses them. However, upon encountering Rikimaru, he seems interested in his power and attempts convincing him to join his men. Rikimaru refuses, and he and Ayame face each one of them. One of the men in Tenrai's arsenal is Onikage, who only serves him to pursue his plan of reviving Mei-Oh (his former master) and Tatsumaru (the former leader of the Azuma Ninja Clan whom Tenrai revived). Rikimaru and Ayame follow Tenrai into his fortress to stop him from destroying the world using the power gained from two of the Jewels. If he can be defeated, peace will be returned to Gohda's land.
