Release Date: 12/15/2008
Previews
We take a run through Hidden Leaf Village in the beautiful PS3 Naruto fighting game.
By Alice Liang 09/03/2008
If you're reading this, I'm assuming you're a fan of the orange-haired, headband-wearing ninja with a can-do attitude (or an aficionado of his various friends and enemies). But if you aren't...first off, why are you here? Secondly, please keep reading. Why? Because the PS3's Naruto: Ultimate Ninja Storm -- the first current-gen incarnation of CyberConnect2's Ultimate Ninja fighting series -- looks fantastic. Those who follow the anime series will definitely appreciate the game's art style -- you look like you're in the TV show, which makes Ultimate Ninja Storm's battle sequences all the more enjoyable. But you should be able to appreciate the 3D animated look even if you aren't a rabid Naruto devotee.
While the game has dozens of side missions to complete -- ranked in difficulty from D to S, and ranging from battles to fetch quests -- it's also got story-focused battles that'll take you through the series' pivotal moments. The cut-scenes depict events from both the manga and the anime series, though they skew toward the TV show, complete with voiceovers done by the original English and Japanese casts.
SCREENS: Click the image above to check out all Naruto: Ultimate Ninja Storm screens.
You gain items and complete in-game achievements through the side missions (since Ultimate Ninja Storm already has a built-in "achievement" system, though, the game won't support PS3 Trophies), but you'll essentially "level up" your characters as you go through the game's story mode and gain character-specific special abilities -- like Naruto's Rasengan, a spinning, exploding energy ball. When your Chakra permits, you can even unleash special attacks through a "competitive" button-pressing sequence (which are supposed to roughly translate to the ninja hand signs used in the show). It's "competitive" in the sense that your opponent can try to press more buttons in the sequence than you, in an attempt to counterattack.
And here's something for the fans: You can freely roam around and jump from rooftop to rooftop in a 3D version of Hidden Leaf Village. As your Chakra level increases throughout the story mode, you'll be able to access more areas in the village. For example, Naruto can create a shadow clone and use it to catapult himself into the air -- the more Chakra you have, the farther you can fly.
OK, so this entire game's basically a massive helping of fan service, but if the over-the-top attacks, crazy blur effects, and beautiful graphics interest you even just a little, then you should consider checking out Ultimate Ninja Storm when it releases later this year.
