Never expected a game adaptation of an anime to be this good.
Taking place from the beginning of Shippuden (Naruto's return to Konoha after 3 years' training with Jiraiya) to the end of the Pain/Pein Arc, Ultimate Ninja Storm 2 takes us through the most important points of the original story, complete with boss battles and unlockable characters of nearly the complete cast (to be used in multiplayer). The main story itself does not take long to get through and can be completed in 1-2 sittings, but there are many side missions, "titles" (can be used to display on your online "Ninja Card"), and even an extra story chapter to collect, which adds several hours more to the gameplay. The side quests are a nice change of pace from the main story (though collecting materials can be repetitive).
UNS2 features voice acting from the English dub cast of the anime, with an option to switch to the original Japanese audio, which will be a big plus to fans of the anime. The music in UNS2 is excellent, with many atmospheric pieces adding a lot to the experience of both the story and the battles themselves.
Visually, this game is one of my favorites I've seen. It has beautiful, vibrant colors, which along with the cinematic feel give a lot of impact to the game. If you've ever wished the anime had a better frame-rate, this is it. My first reaction to this game was that it was like what I'd imagined in the manga had come to life (and in that way, I prefer it to the anime!).
The controls are fun and easy to get used to, with several combos and special attacks unique to each character, most coming straight out of the manga. The game also offers customization of ninja tools in the story mode, although oddly each character seems to be stuck with their own default set during Multiplayer.
The difficulty is set in Story Mode, which may leave some players finding battles too difficult at first and too easy later, though in my experience it was not a big point of frustration. Difficulty is changeable in Free Battle, and if you want a real challenge you can try the Online mode! Multiplayer can offer countless more hours of fun gameplay (both local and online), and it's where I've spent most of my hours on this game!
This is a great game- visuals, music, story and gameplay. As a standalone game I consider it very good, though being familiar with the characters certainly makes it all the more fun! It's a must-have for Naruto fans who own a PS3- in fact, if you're a big Naruto fan, it might be worth getting a PS3 just for this title alone. Pick up this game and relive the series like never before!