In the single player mode players could play as both Rikimaru and Ayame from the start and a third playable character, Tesshu, was unlocked once the game had been completed. Tesshu was different from the original characters in that he did not start missions with a traditional weapon and instead used his bare hands. Wrath of Heaven also featured a co-op mission mode, in which players could initiate dual assassinations on enemies, and a competitive mode in which players could select from a variety of characters which appear in the game, each with their own specific move sets.
