A good translation of Naruto Universe for the Portable. But just good.
Naruto Universe has always been source for many games, most of them working on the current endless saga of the fancy ninja, while others work on filler based arcs that might comes to the brain of the producers of the anime, and this one game is no exception.
Graphics 7,5/10: The Cel Shading feature used in this game really makes it smooth, both the characters and the scenarios look great and have nice effects on the enviroment, you can see water being plucked while your ninja "chakra walks" over it, and so the lighting effects have a great workout, especially when you see the Specials cutscenes during the fight who are really visual impressive and quick gaving the game a really quick motion sensation. The menu's design is very basic, but satisfatory, and despite during the Mugenju(or rather "History") mode you can see in a HQ like point the history, wich can both please who loves the manga and annoy who don't. Excellent visuals in overall, the only drawback that I found is actually the lacking of "expectators" in the arenas, which could have give a better and more realistic touch in the game, but despite this still got some breakable objects and very smooth animations giving some dept in the game.
Sound 7,5/10: Voice acting of the game is truly a jewel. Not only the oficial american dub cast make an great job inserting the dialogues but also, for those who despise translations, still ot the possibility of using the original voices from the japanese version. The sound effects of the game are well done, but somehow you will feel that it becomes a little repetitive over time because of the several, but not vast, arsenal of musics and stuff, you can nearly feel the blows of each characters attacks, yet you will se that a kick with a big shoe does the same sound of a punch with a naked hand.
Gameplay 5/10: This is where the game flaws for the most. Despite using a simple system (using 1 button for each of this actions: Block, Attack, Range Attack, Hyping up special, Taunt and stuff) and applying a combo system interacting each of these, it later fails in doing an innovative mechanic. Doing a branch of attacks depend on you using the "O" button mashing with the analog stick to show some variation (wich is very nice for the first 1-2 hours of gameplay, than it becomes more an annoy), not to mention that each character has only 1 special to perform, visual marvelous, but latter you could say that it should have at least putted another one just for the sake of replay. Abou the modes everything except for the campaign are well done (Heroes mode makes a good event/team match with possibilities of using some "skills" before the matches; Vs CPU bring you down against the AI in a straight foward match; Wireless as you might expect makes you pit against an friend who doesn't need the game to have a match what is very well executed ). As I said before the Campaign is ratter a mess, and by sayin mess i meant B-O-R-I-N-G, you have to ascend a 100 flor tower in the seek of a dark princess to save your village, but you will see that if you (player) literally ascend a tower of the same size by yourself you will feel that is more impressive than by this game means. You have to fill some gap rooms with scrolls that make some challenges not only resuming in fights, what look likes great at first, despite it reduces to just a few mini games and you MUST do then over and over if you are intending to finish the history for content sake. The games are simple, but too simple for it's use, what makes a shame. Gameplay in overall could have been so much more but epic fails especially if you consider the monstrous loading times between the scripts and talking parts(like 20 seg only to see Naruto complaining that the place is deserted and they should keep going).
Replay 5/10: For most please(and some annoying), the games have plenty unlockable content, that cames from about 10 playable characters to artwork and even cutscenes, and being a fighting gamem makes it less boring with constant gameplay than other genres(in a overall sense). Unfortunally, unlocking such content(because of the gameplay as stated before) is annoying because you have to complete a series of tasks(like the boring campaign) in such a hardore fashion that makes you wonder if it worth all your patience, wich is really put on test. Fanboys will, perhaps, love the challenges but casual players will find it terrible. Despite this is an average content that deserve some attempt at most.(At least 4 hours of gameplay)
Overall 6/10: Being not impressive as it first looks, Naruto Ult. Ninja Heroes 2, can satisfy the hardcore fans of the series and somehow please the casual players, despite the repetitve gameplay it can pack some hours of entrentainment. Could have been a lot better if wasn't by the long torturing campaign and the repetitive gameplay, but the whole doesn't let you down despite that.
That's my first PSP review, Hope you have enjoyed it^^