During the February 2023 State of Play, Bandai Namco surprised Shonen Jump fans with the announcement of a newNaruto: Ultimate Ninja Stormtitle. One had been rumored for quite a while, but no one expected it to beNaruto x Boruto: Ultimate Ninja Storm Connections, a collection of past titles instead of a straightforwardBorutosequel.Naruto x Boruto: Ultimate Ninja Storm Connectionswill contain brand-new story content, likely delving into theBorutoera, but the bulk of the game will be remastered content from the four numberedUltimate Ninja Stormgames.
While opinions on the gameplay quality of CyberConnect2’s premiere arena fighter franchise remain split, fans still have plentiful reasons to celebrate this new entry.Narutoauthor Masashi Kishimotohimself has recommended these games as one of the best ways to experience the long-running Shonen Jump franchise, and it’s not hard to see why. CyberConnect2 is the proud pioneer of some of the best cell-shaded animation in the video game industry, with even the firstUltimate Ninja Stormholding up today. Its years of work onNaruto: UNSwill be evident inConnections, and the final product should be too stuffed with value to skip.
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Tons of Content Will Be In Ultimate Ninja Storm Connections
The core concept of connecting several games is the reason.Naruto x Boruto: Ultimate Ninja Storm Connectionswill unite the rosters of the four mainUltimate Ninja Stormtitles, as well as their story modes. The commitment to bringingUltimate Ninja Storm’s record-setting giant roster together is impressive, andConnectionsis only pushing it further.Ashura and Indra Otsutsuki, two characters who were previously confined to a fewShippudenpanels and an anime filler arc, are being brought to the forefront, which throws the doors wide open for any outstanding character inNarutoandBoruto’s universe.
Players are going to get very familiar with said universe, as the story mode will cover all ofNaruto’s pre- and post-time skip adventures, probably with some ofBoruto’s in tow. HowNaruto X Borutowill format its story mode is currently unknown, as while the first three games progress using 3D environments,Ultimate Ninja Storm 4filters its story through a menu instead. Speaking of which,Naruto: UNS’s usual Adventure Modethat allows players to explore the world could be the biggest it’s ever been, and could take advantage of its modern hardware to become truly open world. HowUltimate Ninja Storm Connections’ modes will turn out remains to be seen, but there will definitely be a lot to do in them.
Naruto X Boruto Could Be The Pinnacle of Ultimate Ninja Storm
On top of all the characters, modes, story retellings, and even unlockable art, there is the gameplay itself. Over the course of its life,Naruto: Ultimate Ninja Stormhas gradually built up asolid base for 3D arena fightersto aspire to. Although basic gameplay seems simple, and is indeed accessible for all skill levels, it hides a surprisingly deep tag team system that encourages experimentation. The games themselves aren’t very good at training players, but the tight-knit community formed around theUltimate Ninja Stormseries has found enough tech to make them look as fast and frantic as any 2D tag fighter.
That aspect ofUltimate Ninja Stormshould be in its most refined form yet, with olderNarutogames benefiting from later refinements. It may not be afull-blownUltimate Ninja Storm 5, but should feel better at 60 FPS on modern consoles and PC. There are some worries among the high level community whether CyberConnect2 will repeat the controversial mechanical changes inUltimate Ninja Storm 4’s final update, but at leastConnectionswill be a separate game to form its own meta around. While there are some uncertainties hanging over it,Naruto x Boruto: Ultimate Ninja Storm Connectionsshould provide the ideal video game package for anyNarutofan.
Naruto x Boruto: Ultimate Ninja Storm Connectionswill be released in 2023 for PC, PS4, PS5, Switch, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.
