Official Website

Platform: PlayStation 2

Genre: Fighting

Number of Players: 1 - 2

I still haven’t managed to come to a conclusion as to why it is that everyone has become so infatuated with Naruto, but love or hate the series, it’s become big business, not just for those with the domestic rights on the anime and manga, not just for people looking to turn a quick profit on eBay, but Namco Bandai Games. Faster than you can utter the phrase “believe it,” yet another game is released and at this point, it seems that Naruto is poised on taking over just about every platform you can think of.

Naruto: Ultimate Ninja 2 follows up the fighting game seen previously on the PlayStation 2. As anyone probably knows already, the young, and rather obnoxious ninja-in-training Naruto is the real star of the series, and he’s in for yet another fight as are his friends. Naruto is preparing for the Chuhin final exams, something he’s been training very hard for, but no matter how ready he might think he is, nothing can prepare him for what’s to come next. The Leaf Clan has become the target of Orochimaru and Naruto soon finds himself engaged in a fight bigger than any final exams.

For those that played the original game, Ultimate Ninja 2 is going to be very familiar territory, and while the fighting spirit is retained, this new entry into the ever-growing Naruto catalog brings in some RPG elements as well. While you start out the game by playing in the role of everyone’s favorite anime ninja that will quickly change and other characters from the series are brought into the game as well for a total of 32 playable characters (the Japanese version of the game contains one extra; Doto Kazahana.)

The Naruto games have succeed in part with fans and those unfamiliar with the series in part because of the stripped down fighting system, and that remains true here as well. There is no switching between styles and weapons, no complicated button combinations, and you won’t need to concern yourself overly complicated controller movements. Naruto is a simple fighting game to get a grasp on, and many of the moves are accomplished by simply holding the D-pad in one direction and pressing attack. But, it’s also not just about throwing kicks and punches. You can block, use any items that you may have picked up or purchased during the game, jump around like a maniac, or even use your secret attack and each character has their own unique collection. During combat you may also find yourself treated to an visual combo display, though your enemy can unleash their own, but with the right set of defensive moves, you can counter these launch into a deadly strike of your own.

Being a game featuring ninjas as well as being based on an anime and manga series, you can expect that not only is the action fast and furious but there are plenty of far-fetched moves to be found. Walking on water, running up walls, even assaulting your enemy with throwing star attacks becomes part of the fun. Naruto also utilizes a multi-leveled combat arena, so in many battles you can jump into another section to avoid getting pummeled. The main idea behind the battles is to defeat your opponent, though as the game progresses and the foes become more powerful you will find that there are secondary objectives as well. Finishing the matches will reward you, not just with a progression to the next stage and possibly a new character to play as, you’ll also gain money which can be spent. As you fight your way through the game, you will also gain the aide of support characters who will come in quite handy.

The unlocked characters can be customized and their attributes tailored to your liking. These characters can then be used in the vs. portion of the game, or you can simply stick with those found normally. For those new to Naruto, there is also a training mode to get you more familiar with the fighting styles and overall play mechanics. But, you might be curious as to where you’ll be spending all of the hard earned money you’ve amassed, and that is done at the Tanzaku Market. Here you can purchase figures, audio clips, and even ninja info cards. Once bought, just head over to Naruto’s House and take a look at what you’ve managed to collect and as a cross promotion, there are even codes out there, somewhere, that can be input to gain even more things that normally aren’t that easily accessible within the game.

In the past endeavors, the Naruto games have looked quite good, but Ultimate Ninja 2 really sets the bar even higher for what the franchise has presented in terms of home console titles. While it may not look exactly like the anime, it’s a close imitation and really is comparable to what has been seen recently in the Dragon Ball games, particularly the most recent that surfaced on the Wii. Ultimate Ninja 2 is certainly going to be a visual feast for those who already adore the anime, and this might be the game that lures some into checking out the anime simply out of curiosity. The only thing that will probably top this version is a PlayStation 3 addition, and once the series finally makes its way onto the next generation console, hopefully the Japanese audio is also included as the English voice actors really are about the only pitfall that Naruto has to offer.

Ultimate Ninja 2 is more of the same ninja bashing goodness that appeased fans the first time around, but with a new selection of characters to play and an improved look, there’s no reason to cast a blind eye towards this latest sequel. The simplified fighting mechanics is the true success of the game and this makes Naruto easy for a player of any skill to get into, and with the action being as fast as it is, even those who have taken more than their fair share of digital lumps can enjoy Naruto, though probably not as much as the die-hard, core fan base the loves the series. There have been a number of anime games released here in North America, many that haven’t been spectacular, but Naruto: Ultimate Ninja 2 shows that it’s the cream of the crop and it’s going to take something really impressive to knock this game from the top of many lists.

 -mike-