The annual, unchanging Naruto Shippuden: Ultimate Ninja Storm series has little to offer anyone but hardcore fans. For that particular audience, though, it’s a consistent, reliable giver. It rarely shakes up the core mechanics of its 3D combat, instead opting to improve the spectacle of it all.
Ultimate Ninja Storm 3 appeals to fans that may have been let down last time, and gives them new layers to appreciate. And all the while, it leaves those unfamiliar with the popular anime in awe.
It’s clear developer CyberConnect2 learned a lot working on Asura’s Wrath – Ultimate Ninja Storm 3 has more interactive button-prompt sequences than ever. Typically quick time events leave bad tastes in gamers’ mouths, but these are so stylish in presentation that they’re easy to love. Fights are as much about fast-paced punching as they are presentation, so if you’re not into watching a bit of action go down and having control taken away, you’re absolutely not going to fall for Naruto Shippuden. That said, battles are fully watchable separate from the game because they’re so true to Naruto’s television style.
This is particularly true during the returning boss battles. What’s not to love about beating a city-smashing fox with a giant pipe, or transforming into a massive fighter and suplexing it in a Godzilla fight? Yes, that’s really a thing. Check it out:
Their spectacular scale is part of a broader thesis in Ultimate Ninja Storm 3: Size matters. It’s all about huge bosses, more fighters, and more ways to play. The most intriguing new addition for Naruto fans, though, is the minor element of choices – again, another in-the-moment interruption for those concerned about it. During some battles, the camera will zoom in behind your brawler at an important moment, giving you the opportunity to finish the fight or play through a flashback. The memories serve more than a story purpose – giving you insight into the characters – because they fundamentally change the form and function of your fight.
If you're playing as Naruto, for instance, you'll flip back in time from the Shippuden era -- just before the Fourth Shinobi World War in which Ultimate Ninja Storm 3 is set -- to the ninja's childhood. The characters you and your opponent play revert to their younger selves, changing their appearance as well as play style, special moves, and interaction. This disrupts expectations you have going into a fight, and forces you to learn to play multiple fighters. It's a clever bit of fan service that also adds an interesting element to an encounter.
Naruto Shippuden games have been predictable until now. With more than 70 characters in the roster, the return of epic boss battles, and the switcheroo flashback matches, there's enough here to keep even the most vetted fans on their toes -- and that's exactly what this series needed to stay strong.
Mitch Dyer is an Associate Editor for IGN's Xbox 360 team. He’s also quite Canadian. Read his ramblings on Twitter and follow him on IGN.
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