Even if it´s awfully short,it´s by far the best Naruto-Game yet.
+Great Graphics
+Well made City
+Challenging Online-Mode
+Downloadable japanese Voices (for free!)
+Soundtrack of the series
+Easy to get around 450GS
The Bad:
- Short (finished under 10h)
- Couldn´t be much easier
First off,I wasn´t a big Naruto-Fan until a friend buyed this game.I didn´t even really like the PS2-Brawlers or the Action-Adventure-Games.I got into the series BEFORE I played this game....I recommend that to everyone who´s interested,because this game got Cutscenes of the series that are missing some important details.
The Gameplay:
You start off in order of the Storyline at the point Naruto is being mocked for not finishing the Ninja-Test.This discribes already the love of detail that the developers made,giving you the feel for the Storyline.After a few Cuscenes (Taken from the original TV-series,even without trying to cut the picture to 16:9) you´re getting to Konoha,which is the place you spend most of the game´s short span.
The City is really fun to explore and since you learn the Ninja-Arts in the way the series-storyline you have to learn some to reach every point.
The bad is,that there´s not too much around.You only reach the (around 3 to 4) places that are given to you until the fight against Gaara (Episode 80) which isn´t that much.
The Fighting-System is 1-on-1...I personally had prefered a Brawler-System,but it´s a lot better then the one of the "Ultimate Ninja"-Games.You can do the typical attacks and you can use every Ninja-Art you´ve learned in the fights,too.While you walk around you have random encounters,which are,like the rest of the Game aren´t much challenging.
Maybe that´s the main problem of the game.Even if you have some nice sub-quests,the game remains short and easy.You can buy Items to improve the Character,even new throwing Weapons...but I never did,because I just didn´t need to.
The Multiplayer is basic 1-on-1 Fighting.To get all Gamerscore out of the Game you have to win a whole buch of MP-fights which should keep you playing for a long time,if you like it.
The Graphics:
I was really impressed by the love of Detail they gave in some places.It runs smooth even if you´re sliding over the City´s ropes and it looks a lot better then the series itself.That´s how a Naruto-Game should look like!
The Sound:
The Original tracks from the series sound clean,I personally liked them and the 5.1-Mix is good.The greatest bonus was the downloadable japanese Voiceover,because I didn´t like the english.The european Version has English Voiceover,the japanese downloadable Voices too and is subbed in the chosen language.
So...:
Exept that the game is short and easy,there´s absolutely no reason why a Naruto-Fan shouldn´t get it for a nice price around 30 Bucks.
It is really what a Fan can expects of the Game,maybe even a bit more,because Konoha is made so great.But it´s just not worth full price.I had much fun as long as the game lasted,but the mark was below 10h!
Maybe only rent it if you´re not the type of gamer that needs to have every game...
If you´re not a Fan of the series...well you won´t have that much interest in it anyway.