There is no doubt that the developers at CyberConnect2, very skilled at creating highly spectacular intermediate sequences, have been able to capture the atmosphere and action of Naruto better than anyone else in a video game series. And so, after a long break, the Japanese team returns to do what it does best.
The new tie-in produced by Bandai Namco is called Naruto and offers an unprecedented story and the largest roster of fighters ever seen, with more than one hundred and thirty playable characters.
So what was it like revisiting Leaf Village after all this time? We tell you in Naruto X Boruto: Ultimate Ninja Storm Connections Review.
History: that of Naruto and that of Boruto
Naruto's fulcrum; While the second is based on an unpublished story written by the development team (therefore without the direct participation of Masashi Kishimoto).
If you have played the original Ultimate Ninja Storm quadrilogy, read the manga or watched the Naruto anime, you already know the plot and the battles that characterize it; but for those who arrive almost or completely without food, the summary of the first story mode frankly leaves a lot to be desired, missing the opportunity to enrich the journey with many important events and reaching the end of the eight chapters after only a couple of hours: definitely too little.
In general there is little care and attention in this part of Ultimate Ninja Storm Connections: the feeling is that the developers had to revisit the original saga more out of imposition than out of passion, and the materials used for the interlude sequences demonstrate this due to a decidedly poor quality of the images taken from the anime, often blurry due to the low initial resolution.
Fortunately, the special Story mode immediately feels very different. As mentioned, it is an unprecedented adventure starring Boruto: Between one mission and another, the son of the seventh Hokage takes possession of a new virtual reality video game, Ninja Heroes, and enjoys impersonating his father within this digital world.
In the game the boy meets Nanashi, a character who acts as a guide for the users but who is not actually controlled by the computer, but by a real person with whom Boruto feels he can establish a friendship, understanding his nature from a few gestures. and sad and lonely behaviors. However, behind the Ninja Heroes manufacturing company hides a dangerous secret organization...
As stated, Naruto X Boruto: Ultimate Ninja Storm Connections' second story mode is decidedly more interesting than the first, and although the central part of the campaign would have deserved a more calm and reasoned narrative construction, making the most of what happened in the last chapters, there is no doubt that the final result is excellent, at times even moving.
Structure: between characters and content.
Although the single-player offering represents the aforementioned Naruto foothold, it takes just a couple of hours to complete and therefore doesn't take full advantage of the source material.
Boruto's special story is therefore the real centerpiece of this chapter, and although it does not improve as the virtual world of Ninja Heroes could have done, which is not even freely explorable (but a linear structure is better than an open world mediocre). ), brings the total duration of the campaigns to more than ten hours, touching the figures of the previous episodes of Ultimate Ninja Storm.
Furthermore, the story mode in question also manages to exploit, thanks to an intelligent narrative resource, the entire and very numerous roster of fighters, which includes more than one hundred and thirty characters and Therefore, it stands as the best in the history of the franchise.. In short, the developers have avoided limiting this important resource only to competitive modes and free confrontations.
The modes that complete the offer, Free Battle and Online Battle, do not deviate from the tradition of this type of options, allowing us to fight with any ninja in individual duels or tournaments, alone or with a friend locally or in online multiplayer. in casual or ranked games: later there will also be the possibility of creating custom games.
Gameplay: In the name of tradition
In terms of gameplay, Naruto a simplified control system, fortunately optional, which allows you to fight practically by pressing a single button and letting the system automatically execute the ninja arts.
With normal commands, the system confirms both the merits and defects that we have learned to know in the various Ultimate Ninja Storms, so, on the one hand, the absolute spectacularity of the special moves (especially those performed in Awakening mode) and, in general, the great immediacy of the experience; in the other one the very obvious limits of the patterns that regulate the artificial intelligence of opponents, they often engaged in endless escapes and we had to chase them around the stage in an attempt to land some shots.
En general, the system of substitutions and combos feels the full weight of its age, and at this point it makes clear the numerous limitations linked to the three-dimensional brawler-style approach, with attacks that can be easily "spammed" from one side to the other, as well as a certain lack of variety in individual repertoires that are not saved by new techniques. combined.
What saves the day is fundamentally the fan service component, which with such a gigantic and well-represented roster manages to express itself in the best way and thus overcome the specific deficiencies of a gameplay that is put at the pure and exclusive service of the narrative: When the latter is present and valid, like in the Boruto story, everything is fine; Otherwise, interest risks decreasing very quickly.
Technical execution: great spectacle but a lot of carelessness.
naruto They reach heights of epic not seen since Wrath of Asura. and they use the fascinating images created by Masashi Kishimoto (as well as those who translated them into anime) in the most powerful and impactful way possible.
The Japanese team also demonstrates a rare skill in the use of cel shading graphics, which is expressed here as best it can, literally catapulting us into a Japanese cartoon, without taking the opportunity to go further: the settings are pretty but it is not possible to explore them in the campaign, while the character animations during dialogues are hopelessly robotic and dated.
In the context of combat there is little to say: the spectacle that Ultimate Ninja Storm Connections offers is as dynamic and exciting as it lacks depth in the gameplay aspect. special move performance is amazing in some cases and if you're a fan of Naruto and/or Boruto, even this aspect alone might convince you to proceed with the purchase, given that the game isn't sold at full price.
The dubbing is present in both Japanese and English, the first intense and exciting while the second we practically never appreciate, and in both cases with Spanish subtitles and a soundtrack that effectively accompanies the action, underlining in one way at the same time the most frenetic and the most The dramatic and reflective phases of the story are excellent.
Conclusions
Tested version PlayStation 5 digital delivery Steam, playstation store, Xbox Store, Nintendo eShop Price 59,99 € Holygamerz.com 7.5 Readers (9) 7.0 your voteThe Japanese Naruto team did not take the opportunity to give us the definitive transposition dedicated to the Leaf Ninja, outlining the story mode and re-proposing all the limits of a gameplay that has already passed its time. Luckily, the Boruto Special Story, the incredible interlude sequences and the huge roster put a patch on it, or rather a seal: if you are a fan of the series, go ahead and purchase it.
PRO
- Boruto's campaign is exciting.
- Incredible scenes
- Huge roster of fighters
AGAINST
- Naruto's campaign is a disappointment.
- The gameplay has all its limitations.
- In terms of content, more could have been done.
