Amazing gameplay backed up by horrendously good graphics. And a new standard for fighting games.
I got this game 2 days ago and I have been playing it as much as I can. Even though my fingers hurt I feel like I owe it to this community to tell everyone how good game this is. Even though you have seen the series this game is still fun to play through. Since there are tons of interresting twists from the original story in the game making it well worth while to live the expierience. Some of these twists are actualy more impressive/interresting then the game itself.
The game offers 4 different modes to choose from, one of wich already said story mode. In order to unlock characters you have to progress in the story. Wich let you play through the original story allong with a fair ammount of extra's, so even for people who have seen the series it's still very interresting to play this game. The other mode is Free Battle, where you can fight against friends or computer in either team or single mode. The second one is online mode where you can also fight against friends or other players from your continent. The final option you get in the game is training, where you can practice moves and combo's. Training is very important especialy if you go in online mode.
I have pretty much played all the Naruto games, on the PS2, PS3, Xbox and the Wii. So far the ones I liked the best where the ones from the PS2 Narutimate Hero 1, 2, 3, Narutimate hero Accel 1 and 2. Ofcourse I like the last one the best. I consider Ninja Storm the 3d version of those because the combat is pretty much the same as in it's 2d predecessors. Although Ninja Storm 1 was a good step in the right direction I still liked Accel 2 the best because it had more characters, was original + shippuuden and had more fighting options. So far the improvements to these series always have been very meagre. They always added a few new characters. Made some minor tweaks to the gameplay and voila a new game has been born.
I am a old school gamer that fancies gameplay over graphics. When you see this game has actualy better graphics then the TV show, you might get worried. Some of the trailers I saw made me think this game was sort of like heavy rain, push the right button at the right time and voila. Well trust me this game is the real thing, you are in control most of the time. Yes there are some push the button at the right time moments, but these only make the game all the better.
This all ends in Ninja Storm 2, yes they added a few characters but no the tweaks to the gameplay are all but minor. The combo possibilites have been upgraded to almost infinite. This game is intuative enouch for beginners but always offers new ways to master. I.E. when playing Naruto and have a few teammates you can actualy send in one of your teammates first then butt in with a combo of your own to send your opponent flying, then use another comrade of yours and then get in with your own combo's as well. When timed precisly the connection between these attacks are so fluid that you feel like your watching a cutscene. The ammount of choosable characters in the game are legion and so is the possible combonations of teams giving you all kinds of options. Maybe one of the but's is that all these options do seem sort of overwhelming.
Although fighting against computer or other players in either free or online mode seems like a nice addition. Nothing is as good as playing the story. In addition to being a great fighter game this game has some RPG elements as well. You can earn skillpoints, money to buy skills or items. These elements offer you yet another way to give more depth to the gameplay as well. I must say however that progressing in the story is so interresting and fun that they sort of feel a neccesary evil in order to progress in the game. The fights are just great, from your standard upgraded Ninja Storm one fighting to minigames and cutscenes during fighting. Wich make the fighting all the more epic and heroic.
Additionaly good music that really supports the game. And optional Jappanese voices with English subs. wich I reccomend since the voice acting of the Japanese are one of a kind.
In anycase if your either a fan of the series or just like action. RUN TO THE STORE AND GET THIS GAME. You wont regret it!!!!!! YOUR WORTH IT !!!