ALRIGHT, HIS FISTS ARE GLOWING. THAT CAN’T BE A GOOD SIGN…

As I look through the history of Naruto games I notice that only a very small handful are given any real notice. Having an oddly respectable library of Naruto releases (I don’t really follow the Manga any more), I’ve taken a look at the ratio of game that are good for fans and game that are actually good. There is a very steep lean towards fan releases to say the least. And now with Ultimate Ninja Storm 2 the question of ‘who actually wants to play this game’ comes up. Wanna know? Click the link.

I do have to say that I was impressed where Bandai took this game. Graphically this is the most impressive entry yet in the series. Vivid bright colors and great animation bring each moment to life, for a while just running around is fun – then again who doesn’t want to control a cartoon now an again. The in-depth storyline and its delivery is by far the best part of the experience and the obvious concentration of the development team. Some of the best voice acting in the genre breathes life into every character. All this along with the great musical score heightens the emotional roller-coaster that the player is taken on. The most exciting moments in the game are the timed button sequences that occur during battles. These are nothing new at this point, but Ultimate Ninja 2 has taken them to the next level. You never know when they’re gonna pop up in a fight. A quick timed sequence coupled with a blazingly fast animation sequence form some of the most quality gaming moments that stick with you long after the battle has ended. I have to say that it’s both refreshing and surprising when an anime based game – largely considered to be a ‘C-list’ genre by a large portion of the gaming community (don’t get pissy anime fans) – does what many of its colleagues struggle to do (and fail more times than not). Additions like the large character selection, array of unlockables, huge boss battles and potion-making are frosting on an already impressive cake…if cakes where videogames…forget it.

Despite all the things this game does well, there are still some big hits against the overall experience. First off is the pacing. In between all these incredible, emotional and exciting bits lie very tedious and almost painfully drawn-out filler sections. There are an awful lot of errand boy missions and traveling between destinations takes way too long. Granted, the areas’ visuals are outstanding, but the paths around are so linear that after the first few pass-through’s you’ll find yourself skipping your foraging just to get the damn trip over. Pretty much anything between the main storyline has a very ‘meh’ feel. And if you’re not a fan of the series the numerous characters and backstory bites that pop up can make you feel very lost. Combat outside of the Ultimate Ninja Mode shows exactly how shallow the system is when all the timed sequences are removed. This makes any multiplayer fights a button-mashing fest (albeit a very beautiful one) that is mildly amusing at best. When I see things like this hold a game back I always wonder why developers can’t learn the lesson so they could compete with serious fighters.

For diehard fans this is a must buy. For the rest of us we see exactly what’s there: a game with a core of fundamental flaws smothered in cheese and wrapped in a tortilla of excellence (no, I’m not drunk. Bite me). If you have the patience and accept the combat system for what it is there’s a very entertaining and rewarding game experience that grips you until the finish. Unfortunately most of you won’t take the leap. And although it’s obvious that this game was made for fans only, it was done so well and with so much care that the potential is there to bring in newcomers with no anime gaming background. If you’re on the fence try waiting a bit for the price to drop, then give Ultimate Ninja Storm 2 a heavy consideration.