Story - 8/10
In this review, the story score is a reflection mostly of the game's story, but a little on the story mode as well. The story of this game starts off at the beginning of Naruto Shippuden as one would assume. It's cut into 7 chapters that the player must go through, and the scenes are executed fairly well when compared to the story modes of other shonen anime fighters. The story expands all the way till the end of the Pain story arc, so it covers quite a bit of ground. They also did a really great job at explaining past events, in case you're not fresh on Naruto's past through the use of clever flash backs that aren't super often either. However the story mode is not without it's short comings. There is entirely way too much walking to be done. There were some points in the story mode that I had no idea why they would even make you walk from point A to point B, especially seeing as there are no random encounter battles. I would've liked to see more puzzle aspects and more platforming in the map traversing parts of the game, but since this is a fighter I can pardon the omission of them. However, I cannot pardon all the irrelevant, waste-of-time walking that I had to do. Probably one of my favorite aspects about the story mode was the giant boss battles you encounter. These were executed in a way that felt very fresh. The input moments got a little old, but the actual fighting parts were visually pleasing, and fun to do.
Gameplay - 10/10
The actual fighting is where this game truly shines as probably the best Naruto fighting game as of yet. At first you'll probably think the mechanics are rather basic with only one melee button, a projectile button, a chakra (or power gathering) button, and of course a jump button. However the mechanics grow deeper and deeper as you play. You can set up some really sick combos and the way the fighting sequences take place really makes you feel like you're in the shoes of the cast of the game, allowing you to do all sorts of acrobatic dodges, throws, and special attacks. If there has ever been a game where I felt like I was playing as the anime character it featured, this one is it.
Visuals - 10/10
Simply put, Ultimate Ninja Storm 2 is a beautiful game. The gameplay and cut-scenes look like they were taken right out of the anime, there are even parts of the game where I would have a difficult time not believing it was taken out of the anime. The visuals in this game are absolutely amazing, and any company still making cell-shaded games needs to take a look at what Cyber Connect has done with this game.
Content - 8/10
With a cast of 40+ characters and I believe 18 stages, as well as other numerous collectibles, this game is far from short on content, there is truly a lot to collect here. However I've only owned the game for 2 days and I've unlocked all but 3 characters, and I believe the stages are all unlocked from the beginning. This isn't a huge ordeal, but it gives you less of a reason to play the game for a more extended period of time. I'd also like to make it known, because other popular gaming sites *cough IGN cough* have stated that you can only unlock characters through story mode. This is however untrue, you can play any battle where you are awarded points, certain amounts of points will unlock you characters. This way is far more tedious and takes longer, but you can most definitely unlock characters without touching the story mode.
Music - 8/10
The music isn't anything incredibly amazing, but it's what you would expect from the Naruto anime, which I personally enjoy the music from the show. If you're not into the ninja chant and akatsuki organ music, you may not like the music, and you also may lack good taste. Also, don't make the mistake of playing with the English dub like I did. The English cast is the one I'm used to, which is why I used it, but some of the actors emotions in their voice hardly mesh with the facial expressions of the characters, and the actual words and mouth movements....well, they're horrible, it's like the dub didn't even try to look good at all. However the Japanese dub sounds good and looks good, it'd definitely be the wiser choice.
Multiplayer - 9/10
Seeing as this is a fighting game, the multiplayer aspect needs to be good. This game has local and online multiplayer, which both seem to work fine. Actually playing your friends in this game is much more exciting, seeing as they are less predictable and smarter than the game's AI. The one minor complaint I have is the lack of a 4 player melee mode. It'd be really awesome and intense to do a 2 on 2 or free for all match with your friends, unfortunately that's not an option.
Lasting Appeal - 8/10
While there is quite a bit of content in this game, the rate you acquire it is too fast. Otherwise that's really my main complaint. The only thing that could really keep you playing this game more is some customization options (which it actually does have a little allowing the use of "ninja tools"). The online mode is great, and Naruto fans and non-fans should be able to enjoy playing.
Overall - 8.7/10
Obviously this is an anime game that will most likely only appeal to fans of the show and manga. However it's unfortunate this game will not get the attention it deserves. This game has a brilliant fighting mechanic, deep gameplay, and beautiful visuals. It's a top-notch fighting game, Naruto fans need to own it, and they should probably convince their friends to get it too.
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