Sneaking around in the shadows and silently snapping spines has always been fun in Tenchu, but this latest edition fails to address the problems that mired previous instalments. While the graphics are sharper than ever before and the story does a decent job of portraying the ninja duo as real people - stressing that the nimble heroines are fragile human beings, rather than the indestructible fighting machines found in most martial arts mash-ups.
The frustrating controls, repetitive challenges and dumb-ass enemies who are unable to spot an assassin until one slaps them in the face make Fatal Shadows a deeply unsatisfying experience.