Naruto Shippuden: Ultimate Ninja Storm 2

[SykoTech]

Thought I'd do everyone a favor by making this thread, cuz who doesn't love a game about a ninja in orange?

*tumbleweed rolls by*

Right. Anyway...

Publisher: Namco Bandai

Developer: CyberConnect2

Genre: Fighting

Release Date: September 28, 2010 is what most sites say. Apparently, Europe gets it first.

Naruto Shippuden: Ultimate Ninja Storm 2 is the sequel to the PS3 exclusive Naruto: Ultimate Ninja Sotrm. The now multiplatform series is a 1 vs 1 3D fighting game based on the anime show, with an action/adventure single player game as well.

E3 Trailer (with Lars)

E3 Demo

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lrIp1ftEESk

To be honest, I'm not the biggest Naruto fan. Little brother is obsessed with it, thus I've sat down and watched the show with him every now and then. I think it's decent, but not something I'm crazy about. Never really cared about anime, except maybe Dragonball Z back when I was like 9.

However, I quite enjoyed the first game. It's sorta my guilty pleasure. It's a very simple fighter, so don't be expecting Virtua/Street Fighter stuff here. But the simplisticity was a big drawn in being able to play with my more casual family. My brother, sister, and I spent many night's up at 1 am saying "one more game".

Naturally, we're looking forward to some multiplayer with the sequel, but I think I'm looking forawrd to the story mode just as much (if not more). Which is weird, given how much the it sucked in the first game. But it looks much better this time around. More streamlined, plenty of different locations, and tons a epic battles (whereas the the first only had...3).

Also, it's a very purdy game. Probably the best cel-shaded title I've seen this gen. Smmoooooothhh...

EDIT: Wow. I completely forgot about Valkyria Chronicles when I said that. LOL. Still a pretty game though.

Anyway, discuss and whatnot.~

Edited June 23, 2010 by SykoTech

[Glenn]

I am currently playing Naruto: Ultimate Ninja Storm for the first time, having recently finished watching the NARUTO anime... and I love it!

The idea of a sequel, therefore, already fills me with anticipation and excitement. Last night, I experienced the truly epic fight with Gamabunta (the first large scale battle) and it was the first moment the game made my jaw drop... as until then, it had only made me boil over with fanboy joy, but that... that was truly spectacular!

It does have a somewhat disjointed feel, though. I don't mind it, but things like finishing a mission as, say, Sakura and then seeing the same Naruto victory celebration, saying "I'm awesome!"... but, okay, you didn't do anything... still, running around the Hidden Leaf Village is relaxingly brilliant! Now, having not started Part Two of the manga (otherwise known as NARUTO SHIPPUDEN on telly) I'm avoiding the trailers above like the plague, but I'll get there soon enough and will post in more detail later.

For now, though, I'm on board!

[Tiller]

Now fix the god awful hub world controls and have actual interesting stuff happen outside of combat. The first game was such a boring grindfest so I never beat the storymode. Seriously, the whole scroll system to start menu mission choosing was stupid.

The combat could be a little deeper, but it was extremely fun to look at and certainly where the meat of the experience is. Adding online play to it just makes it better now that I can get my ass whooped online.

If they married the graphical style of this game, its animation, and its fighting engine plus Ubisoft's Naruto games' open world elements and platforming then we would have probably an extremely good game in its own right.

[SykoTech]

Now fix the god awful hub world controls and have actual interesting stuff happen outside of combat. The first game was such a boring grindfest so I never beat the storymode. Seriously, the whole scroll system to start menu mission choosing was stupid.

The combat could be a little deeper, but it was extremely fun to look at and certainly where the meat of the experience is. Adding online play to it just makes it better now that I can get my ass whooped online.

If they married the graphical style of this game, its animation, and its fighting engine plus Ubisoft's Naruto games' open world elements and platforming then we would have probably an extremely good game in its own right.

Agreed. Jumping around the Hub wasn't much fun and having to be reduced to doing things like playing hide-and-go-frigging-seek was ridiculous. Don't think I ever touched the single player again once we finished the basic playthrough.

Not familiar with the Ubisoft games, but some solid platforming sounds good. Maybe next time.

[Tiller]

Agreed. Jumping around the Hub wasn't much fun and having to be reduced to doing things like playing hide-and-go-frigging-seek was ridiculous. Don't think I ever touched the single player again once we finished the basic playthrough.

Not familiar with the Ubisoft games, but some solid platforming sounds good. Maybe next time.

It was more of an open world fighter with platforming and RPG character building thrown in.

Here's a video for reference. Now imagine that kind of platforming with UNS's fighting engine.

Edited June 24, 2010 by Tiller

[SykoTech]

They showed off a very cool trailer during Gamescon. You might not want to watch if you're avoiding spoilers, because it looks spoilerific.

It's awesome though. If you don't really care about savioring Naruto's story (like me), then be sure to watch it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W0ijKvXFBGs&feature=related

[Chooch]

My friends are big Naruto fans and excited for this game, so at the very least I'll play it with them.

I have some knowledge of the Naruto franchise; enough have interest in certain characters anyway. Lars Alexandersson in this game is pretty amusing tho'.

I'll probably use him the most along with Rock Lee and Kiba. Killer Bee too if I get around to him.

Edited August 20, 2010 by Chooch

[Glenn]

That new trailer looked awesome. Thanks, Syko.

There was a tiny bit of framerate slowdown there, though, which wasn't present in the first game (which is perhaps the smoothest game in my collection to run). I hope they don't overcompensate for the limitations of the original by cramming the sequel too full of nonsense. I mean, it covers so much ground from the manga/anime... well, fingers crossed!

Getting excited now. This is the first thing available on what's left of my 2010 wishlist. Roll on October!

[Glenn]

...and October's here! Rolled on indeed. Forgive the double post!

Pre-ordered this game last week, and Play.com dispatched my copy on Tuesday. With any luck, and by the grace of Royal Mail, it'll arrive tomorrow on launch day. A few more details have come my way between then and now: namely, an RPG single player mode that encourages free-roaming in vast environments between missions (goodbye, mission-based stop-start structure from the previous game) and a detailed character list which'll hit forty-four playable characters upon completion (two of which remain hidden surprises at this stage... my bet is Part One Naruto and Part One Sasuke, but I could be happily surprised by ANBU Kakashi and The Green Beast).

Expect a review at some stage in the coming week, once I've suitably overheated my PlayStation3 with it.

[Tiller]

I forgot all about this. I'm going to spend the rest of the day looking up impressions now. And I'll probably be out the $60 I was saving for Vanquish.

Amazon $20 off code gogoogogogogo.

[7Force]

I played the demo of this and think its pretty good fun. Gonna try and get the collectors edtion version when i get paid next.

[Glenn]

I played the demo of this and think its pretty good fun. Gonna try and get the collectors edtion version when i get paid next.

[SykoTech]

IGN review.

*WARNING: IT CONTAINS SPOILERS OF FIGHTS*

Sounds good. I don't think I'll mind having to go through the story to unlock characters, as long as it isn't a chore like in the first game.

Also, the game has apparently slipped out early in some places. 3 people on my friends list have it, as do quite a lote of other people around the web (NeoGAF). So if you really wanna get it early, try looking around.

[7Force]

IGN review.

*WARNING: IT CONTAINS SPOILERS OF FIGHTS*

Sounds good. I don't think I'll mind having to go through the story to unlock characters, as long as it isn't a chore like in the first game.

Also, the game has apparently slipped out early in some places. 3 people on my friends list have it, as do quite a lote of other people around the web (NeoGAF). So if you really wanna get it early, try looking around.

It does look good and i dont mind too much you have to play through to unlock new fighters and i dont mind the size of the roster it looks a good size but then since the world of Naruto is quite big i'm thinking many Naruto characters did not make the cut, though it would be nice if some were added through DLC. Thinking about it I think the Collectors Edtion has a character DLC code in the pack.

[Random Rhyme]

Im getting it as soon as I can.

Im hoping that getting new characters is not tedious since thats my main issue with these type of games.

[Glenn]

The game was released here in the UK and Europe on Friday, hence why some people around the internet and around the world have it before Japan and America.

I haven't even finished the main storyline mode yet: it covers an insane amount of the Naruto Shippuden storyline, so be prepared to lose a few days, rather than an afternoon, to watching the cutscenes and playing the massive boss battles (not to mention wandering around the vast landscape). I was planning on doing a full review later on this week, once I've at least finished the main storyline, so I'll keep my comments brief but... yeah. This game, in a word? Epic.

Naruto: Ultimate Ninja Storm was basically a HD version of the PlayStation2 game, Naruto: Ultimate Ninja 3. If that's true, then this game is a HD version of Naruto Shippuden: Ultimate Ninja 5, and continues the particular Ultimate Ninja series traditions and format. Only this one doesn't cover two arcs, it covers six.

Minor loading time gripes aside, and a few tiny frustrations that hardly spoil enjoyment, this game is absolutely fantastic.

[Random Rhyme]

The game was released here in the UK and Europe on Friday, hence why some people around the internet and around the world have it before Japan and America.

I haven't even finished the main storyline mode yet: it covers an insane amount of the Naruto Shippuden storyline, so be prepared to lose a few days, rather than an afternoon, to watching the cutscenes and playing the massive boss battles (not to mention wandering around the vast landscape). I was planning on doing a full review later on this week, once I've at least finished the main storyline, so I'll keep my comments brief but... yeah. This game, in a word? Epic.

Naruto: Ultimate Ninja Storm was basically a HD version of the PlayStation2 game, Naruto: Ultimate Ninja 3. If that's true, then this game is a HD version of Naruto Shippuden: Ultimate Ninja 5, and continues the particular Ultimate Ninja series traditions and format. Only this one doesn't cover two arcs, it covers six.

Minor loading time gripes aside, and a few tiny frustrations that hardly spoil enjoyment, this game is absolutely fantastic.

Sounds epic.

Do it have Killer Bee?

Edited October 19, 2010 by Shade???

[Glenn]

Sounds epic.

Do it have Killer Bee?

Yep, sure does.

Other new characters to the series include Tobi, Pain and Konan from the Akatsuki, then you've got Suigetsu, Karin and Jugo to form "Hebi" with Sasuke.

There are also two new variations of Naruto, two new variations of Sasuke and that bloke from Tekken 6.

And Guy Sensei.

[speedfreak]

Is the story mode better then the first? There were too many many boring tasks in the first.

[Glenn]

Is the story mode better then the first? There were too many many boring tasks in the first.

Side missions are back in full force (they always are) but the main storyline mode feels much more like the anime, and feels like you're part of the ongoing events. The major downside of Ultimate Ninja Storm was the "flashback" nature of the story mode: you select a chapter from a menu, read about it, then load up a totally detached fight sequence.

Here, Ultimate Ninja Storm 2 is much, much better. There's a whole map for you to roam around, and you don't always control Naruto, either. For example (I'll use an example with minimal spoilers) when Team Guy is dispatched from the Hidden Leaf Village, you actually control Guy, and his team follow you, rather than just reading about it on some loading screen. Or when you're told you're supposed to head over to Tenchi Bridge, you actually have to GO to Tenchi Bridge. The one minor downside? No sprint button. Getting places can take a while... but at least the scenery is pretty.

Cutscenes, both cinematic and not-so-cinematic, help drive the plot and there are very, very few "boring tasks", as you put it. Most of the time, you head to a destination, engage in a few awesome fights, then head home. Sprinkle in some plot and bingo, you've got a huge improvement over Ultimate Ninja Storm and that awful "flashback" mission system.

Also, no tree-climbing!

[speedfreak]

Sounds a lot better! Thanks Glenn.

[-Mark-]

I finished it yesterday, and as Glenn said, whilst there are admittedly the odd minor niggles here and there (mostly in form of a couple of boss fights not being as epic as they should be compared to others), it's almost a perfect experience overall.

Hell, in my opinion, there are a few parts that are handled better than the anime or manga.

[Glenn]

Sounds a lot better! Thanks Glenn.

My pleasure.

[SykoTech]

Damn Mid-Terms and Lab Practicals just had to be this week. Keeping me away from this game and Vanquish.

Hopefully, I'll be able to get both by the weekend.

[Glenn]

Damn Mid-Terms and Lab Practicals just had to be this week. Keeping me away from this game and Vanquish.

Hopefully, I'll be able to get both by the weekend.

Best of luck!

I finished the main storyline earlier. This game, in a word, is "epic" and whether you're a fan of Naruto or not, you have to admire the sheer scale and scope of the storyline mode. Of course, I've now got hours and hours of extra content to unlock, and I've already found all the Cursed Dolls and completed the cool "Fragment" storyline. The freedom suddenly opens up, too: you can now go anywhere, use Warp Scrolls to get around instantly (saves so much time) and pick your own four-man squad to take on missions.

I know this'll sound like a fanboy fangasm, but this really is the best Naruto videogame I've ever played. And I've played a lot of 'em, all very recently.

Highly, highly recommended.

Full review coming soon.