Near the end of the Muromachi Period... The shadow of war looms over the tiny province of Utakata...

End of the Muromachi Period - the late 16th century:

The power of the Ashikaga government is on the decline after the Onin/Bunmei civil war. Civil unrest is on the rise and conflict rocks province after province. Even Utakata, long peacefully ruled by the House of Ichijo, is now threatened. However, something in Utakata gives even the most power-hungry lord pause - the prestigious Asuka Ninja Clan.

It was thought that the combined protection of the House of Ichijo and the Asuka ninja would preserve the peace in Utakata. But this time of peace came to an end when the Asuka Ninja clan was destroyed in a single night...

The provincial lords, who had been watching and waiting for an opportunity to strike at Utakata, wasted no time in making their moves. And they were accompanied by rival ninja clans hoping to take the place of the Asuka Ninja.

Besieged by rival governments and ninja clans, Utakata stands on the brink of war...

Features:

Enjoy the lithe movements of ninjas and the realistic historical Japanese setting - The main character in this game is a ninja with superhuman reflexes and skills. The player can take full advantage of the character's wide ranging martial arts skills during battle. Shoji (sliding doors) get cut in half.Doors get kicked in. A complicated physics engine tracks all of the items on the game map in order to recreate all of these little touches you'd expect from a Japanese samurai drama, making the player feel like he's an action star.

Use an array of ninja tactics to survive in war-torn Utakata! - Ninjas bring to mind not only exciting battles, but also the idea of shadowy figures slipping into buildings unnoticed. This has also been recreated in "Shinobido" ("Way of the Ninja")! Here are a few of these kinds of actions. Spy on Enemies, Dangle from overhangs, Wall run, Throwing stars, Grappling hook, Stealth

Stunningly detailed 3D towns and buildings... Sneak in and trick the guards! - The towns and buildings where the player will carry out his missions are filled with guards and lookout stations, making them difficult to penetrate. Finding out ways to distract them, allowing you to slip in unnoticed, is one of the main attractions of this game. Because the sprawling 3D towns and buildings have been designed so intricately it is possible to discover some surprising routes within them. That's right -- there isn't only one "correct" answer. Part of the fun of this game is moving around the maps as you want, discovering your own original strategies.