NARUTO SHIPPUDEN: Ultimate Ninja STORM 4

Naruto Shippuden: Ultimate Ninja Storm 4 is the latest addition to the franchise, and this one is by far the biggest and most ambitious one. It is a fantastic fighting game, and this one follows the ending of Naruto’s story. For fans of the anime, nothing is more incredible than being able to actually play the story and use your favorite characters and also create the fights of your dreams. There are a lot of characters in this game, from classic Naruto, Shippuden, and even from the Boruto movie and The Last: Naruto Movie.

Your Ninja Way

Naruto Shippuden: Ultimate Ninja Storm 4 tells the story from the anime's last arc, the fourth shinobi world war. In order to stop the world from ending, all shinobi villages had no choice but to join together so that they could finally defeat the Akatsuki and put an end to their plan. In case you’re not familiar with the story, or if you haven’t played any of the previous games, then you might not understand anything that is going on with the story, as there is a lot you need to know to be able to get what’s happening. But if you’re a fan of the anime, you will absolutely enjoy the game, as it has all the most critical fights from the final part of the anime, and as always, the boss fights are simply amazing and extremely well done. Even the regular battles are great, as you can use all different types of jutsus and ninja tools to defeat your opponents. All characters have unique combos and jutsus that they can use, and all of them fit perfectly with the character.

The combat in this game is absolutely incredible, the combos are unique, and all jutsus and ultimate jutsus look amazing. The game still has the awakening mechanic, which allows players to undergo a transformation by completely charging their chakra gauge when their health is under 50%. This awakening is unique to each character. For example, Naruto’s awakening will make him use his nine tails transformation, making his attacks even more potent and faster. Also, some awakenings can give you unique skills. This transformation gives you a significant buff, but it won’t last forever, so you have to be able to take advantage of it.

Shinobi Fight

Naruto Shippuden: Ultimate Ninja Storm 4 is a 3D fighting game like Tekken 7, so you can move freely in all directions on the stage. All characters have ninja tools that they can use in battle, like paralyzing seals, paper bombs, and others. Each character can use different types of jutsus and an ultimate Jutsu that deals a lot of damage. When fighting with a team, you can use them to assist you in battle, but you can also swap places with them. The great thing about this game is that it is easy to learn, and you can quickly get it.

Conclusion

Naruto Shippuden: Ultimate Ninja Storm 4 is a fantastic game. The combat is excellent, its graphics look great, and playing the story mode and controlling the characters during the most incredible fights in the anime is simply awesome.

Pros

• Plenty of characters
• Great visuals
• Fun combat

Cons

• Combat is simple
• Confusing to newcomers

Based on one of the most beloved anime of all time, NARUTO SHIPPUDEN: Ultimate Ninja Storm 4 sees the climactic end of Naruto's story while celebrating the series in general. Fast, flashy, and lots of fun, this exciting fighting game gives players the chance to feel immense power without needing too much practice. With over 100 different characters to fight as, it's a surefire bet that your favorite will be included. However, even if you're not a fan of the original manga and anime, NARUTO SHIPPUDEN: Ultimate Ninja Storm 4 is still a bunch of fun.

Main Game Features

• Experience the end of the Naruto story
• Over 100 playable characters
• Intense 3-on-3 fighting

Story

NARUTO SHIPPUDEN: Ultimate Ninja Storm 4 takes place near the end of the Naruto story, bypassing the setup often seen in other games in the series. Similar to story modes in games like Dragon Ball FighterZ, the main campaign is a combination of fights and cutscenes, leading players through a linear adventure. The story opens during a time of war, where a group of mystical Shinobi warriors fights against a nefarious group led by Obito Uchiha, the main villain. Together with the help of his reanimated sidekick, Obito awakens the Ten Tails creature, forcing Naruto and his friends to fight back.

The main campaign is split between Naruto and Sasuke's individual perspectives, before the two team up to defeat Obito together. The story hops between major fights, rarely wasting time on filler. That said, you can still take on side quests that focus on smaller stories and characters. Once you've completed the main story mode, you can roam the open-world Adventure mode, taking on quests from various characters. In Adventure mode, you can also battle memorable bosses from earlier in the Naruto story, giving players a taste of the narrative before the beginning of the campaign.

Gameplay

NARUTO SHIPPUDEN: Ultimate Ninja Storm 4 plays very much like its predecessors, albeit with a few notable differences. Players face off in 3D fights, similar to Dragon Ball Z: Budokai 3, and are able to dodge around the arena. Wall-running is also back for the first time since the original game, opening up more movement options. Instead of choosing one fighter per match, you now select a team of three fighters, all of which share one health bar. You can call for assists and swap between characters at any time, and choosing a squad that fights in perfect harmony is a big draw.

Like Marvel vs. Capcom 3, finding your ideal group of fighters is a constant puzzle, as some bosses require specific tactics. However, the fighting system in NARUTO SHIPPUDEN: Ultimate Ninja Storm 4 is pretty basic, so you should be able to win even if you just like to mash buttons. There are over 100 playable characters spanning the entire history of the Naruto anime, including multiple versions of popular characters. In addition to the single-player offerings, you can also battle against a friend locally in multiplayer, all while unlocking new concept art and content.

Conclusion

For a while, the NARUTO SHIPPUDEN series has been regarded as one of the best anime fighting games around, and Ultimate Ninja Storm 4 is a great way to close the franchise. The story mode is shorter than you'd think, but it doesn't waste much time, jumping right into the action.

Pros

• Over the top anime action
• Fun even if you just mash buttons
• Lots of characters that fans will love

Cons

• Unbalanced character power
• Very basic controls and fighting systems
• Story mode is short