Boruto x Naruto Storm Connections: Review

In this Naruto Storm Connections Review, we’re diving into the ever-expanding realm of anime and manga collaborations with gaming, particularly within the realm of arena and traditional fighting genres. Fans of Naruto are in for a awesome experience with the latest installment in the Naruto: Ultimate Ninja Storm franchise. While not labeled as Storm 5, this game seamlessly continues the narrative from Naruto Shippuden: Ultimate Ninja Storm 4. It presents players with two captivating main story modes to immerse themselves in. Additionally, an array of offline game modes and a multiplayer feature await. This allows players to engage in cool battles with friends globally.

True to its predecessors, Naruto x Boruto Ultimate Ninja Storm Connections pays homage to the rich universe and characters crafted by Masashi Kishimoto. It boasts an extensive roster of playable characters, each with awesome animated movesets. Additionally, it has a number of maps faithfully recreated from the anime, the visual experience is more captivating than ever.

However, a lingering query persists: does Naruto x Boruto Ultimate Ninja Storm Connections break new ground in a franchise often criticized for recycling familiar fighting mechanics? Does it deliver sufficient content to charm both newcomers and dedicated fans?

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This is where our detailed review comes into play. We’ll be exploring all that Naruto x Boruto Ultimate Ninja Storm Connections has to offer.

Naruto Storm Connections Review

Naruto x Boruto Ultimate Ninja Storm Connections Storytelling

For those unacquainted with Naruto’s narrative, the game offers a chance to immerse themselves in the beloved epic. Completing this mode not only unlocks an extensive Naruto encyclopedia but also provides options for character customization. However, the decision to remaster content from previous Storm games feels like a missed opportunity, particularly in addressing overlooked battles.

In Naruto X Boruto Ultimate Ninja Storm Connections, the original story mode introduces Boruto, navigating a mysterious new enemy’s attempt to initiate a Fifth Great Ninja War. The game divides its narrative into distinct modes. The “History” mode transports players back in time to relive Naruto and his friends’ journey. Spanning from Naruto’s early years as a kid to the conclusion of the Shippuden saga, the game weaves a “connections” tale. It highlights key battles selected from the anime and directly lifted from the source material.

While the History Mode allows players to relive Naruto’s story, the Special Story Mode presents an original tale starring Boruto. Despite our profound love for Naruto’s intricate world and story, Ninja Storm Connections falls short in its approach to storytelling. The History Mode, presented as a muddled flashback, hastily compresses events in a manner that lessen from the series’ depth.

The absence of engaging cutscenes compounds the issue. It employs subtitled stills from the anime and minimal sound effects attempting to compensate. Narrated by The Sage of Six Paths, these “movies” lack the vibrancy of character interactions. The Special Story mode, focusing on Boruto’s perspective, fares better by tugging at emotional strings. However, the limited character depth and lack of free roaming in the environment disappoint. But let’s move on.

Gameplay

Naruto x Boruto Ultimate Ninja Storm Connections boasts numerous impressive gameplay elements. To begin with, the game’s visuals are striking, capturing the charming and accessible aesthetic of Masashi Kishimoto’s art style through well-executed character animations. The broad roster and impressive battle sequences contribute to a visually stunning experience. This is also complemented by enhanced fighting mechanics that increase gameplay variety and accessibility. This installment is arguably the most fluid entry in the Ultimate Ninja Storm series to date. It delivers a seamless gaming experience running at 60 frames per second.

However, the game’s core fighting mechanics remain unchanged, mirroring those of Ninja Storm 4. While the prospect of over 130 beloved characters, including Ashura and Indra Otsutsuki, Boruto Uzumaki (Karma), Kawaki, Jigen, and more, seems exciting, a closer look reveals that many are duplicates with slight variations or age differences from the originals. These characters are mostly carryovers from previous games bundled into a single package.

The uniformity in the playstyles of these shinobi characters raises questions about the necessity of overly varied move sets. This leads to a relatively shallow combat system that can be mastered in just a few runs.

Control

A new addition is the simple control mode, providing for newcomers or those who prefer a more automated experience. While veterans may find it off putting, as it automates various outcomes with a single button press. The option offers a unique and surprisingly enjoyable perspective. Fine-tuning individual automation settings allows players to adjust the difficulty to their liking, especially when going into competitive multiplayer.

In terms of combat mechanics, the game retains familiar elements such as guards, dashes, counterattacks, and team-based gameplay link attacks. Characters respond swiftly and fluidly to button inputs, displaying the expertise of the developers. Quality-of-life refinements include small tweaks and the replacement of previously useless chakra shurikens with a second Jutsu attack. This offers new ways to diversify playstyles.

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The addition of awakening, where characters undergo significant power-ups when their health is low, adds strategic depth. Each character’s awakening is unique, ranging from total transformations, and special moves, to substantial damage boosts while maintaining their original form. This, coupled with jutsus, kunais, shurikens, substitutions, and ninja movement, contributes to a bona fide Naruto experience.

Beyond the gameplay upgrades, Naruto X Boruto Ultimate Ninja Storm Connections excels in customization options, surpassing its predecessors. Completing story mode content and playing specific characters unlocks cosmetics and customization choices. This allows players to personalize their favorite characters and online profiles to a greater extent.

Naruto x Boruto Ultimate Ninja Storm Connections Multiplayer

Online multiplayer could be an exciting aspect of the game, provided two key issues are addressed. Firstly, there’s a noticeable decline in network and graphic performance during online battles. The second issue is the inability to invite friends to play. The game automatically queues players for a match once the mode and team are selected. This prevents the creation of private online matches. If only the responsive gameplay and graphic performance of single-player modes could translate to the online mode, it would significantly enhance the overall experience.

Regrettably, Ninja Storm Connections opts for peer-to-peer connection instead of using the more modern rollback netcode employed by many modern fighting games. This choice often results in a less reliable online experience. Despite this, the multiplayer options do offer an array of features. This includes various opponent rating systems and fail-safes for players who disconnect or engage in toxic behavior during a match. This approach is particularly commendable for a fighting game with widespread appeal. it effectively addresses issues of poor behavior commonly found in the casual arena fighting genre.

In instances where lobby times become extended or a fighting partner drops off, players have the option to stay engaged with free battles.

Verdict

In this Naruto Storm Connections Review, we explored many aspects but most of all, the visual prowess of this game is truly shocking. While the ninja battles showcase impressive visuals, it’s the story fight scenes and Ultimate Jutsu cutscenes that truly elevate the experience to the next level. The seamless integration of art style, graphics, and vibrant colors creates a visual feast for the eyes. The character models, special effects, and environments are of the highest quality, providing a delightful show.

However, it’s not without its imperfections. Some cutscenes fail to match the overall graphical excellence of the game. Additionally, there’s a noticeable dip in graphic performance during online play.

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Naruto x Boruto Ultimate Ninja Storm Connections undoubtedly boasts the largest roster and flashiest graphics in the series. If your primary desire is the latest, impressive, and most visually stunning way to witness your favorite shinobi in action, Ninja Storm Connections unquestionably delivers on that front.

Conclusion

The value proposition of this game ultimately hinges on your prior experience with the Storm series. If you’ve completed all the previous games, the story may not offer much novelty. However, for those who’ve only played a few installments or are completely new to the series, the $60 price tag becomes a worthwhile investment. The History mode guides players through the entirety of Naruto and Naruto Shippuden. This provides an excellent opportunity to delve into one of the most popular anime series. Additionally, the straightforward control scheme makes the game beginner friendly.

Looking ahead, there’s hope that future updates will address issues such as the inability to invite friends and refine some lacking features.

That’s it for our Naruto Storm Connections Review, stay tune for more anime updates and game reviews!

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