October 15^th, 2004 (6:46pm) - SEGA today announced plans to publish Tenchu: Fatal Shadows in North America this February, exclusively on the PlayStation 2. SEGA has partnered with K2 studios, developer of the critically acclaimed Tenchu: Wrath of Heaven (released in 2003 for PlayStation 2), and FromSoftware to continue the legacy of the flagship franchise.

Set in historical Japan, Tenchu: Fatal Shadows features two playable ninja warriors - returning heroine Ayame and newcomer Rin. This installment of the fan-favorite franchise offers a tight balance of melee combat and shadow stalking, and its levels are structured to avoid the frustrating trial-and-error patterns that are all too familiar in the stealth genre.

"We’re happy to add the latest addition from the critically-acclaimed Tenchu franchise to SEGA’s current lineup," said Scott. A. Steinberg, Vice President of Entertainment Marketing, SEGA of America, Inc. "Tenchu titles have had great success in North America, selling more than 1.4 million units, for two key reasons: they offer deep, involving worlds to explore and present gamers with exciting gameplay options."

The title is fast paced, tense, and balanced for both stealth veterans and novices, offering multiple difficulty modes. Significant visual upgrades have been made from prior installments, and a slew of new move sets are on hand to deliver more realistic ninja experience, including the ability to hide bodies and breathe underwater while sneaking.

Tenchu: Fatal Shadows is expected to ship to stores in February for $49.95 MSRP.