A STORM OF SORES

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The Naruto series draws far too large a fan following to not have a video game series. With what the anime is about (it’s about ninjas and fighting, and... more ninjas, basically), it wouldn’t be too hard to digest the fact that a brawler would be the sweet spot for a Naruto game. Naruto: Ultimate Storm Generations is an enchanting, praiseworthy venture into the universe.

The visual splendour that encapsulates the game is gleefully true to form. You’ll feel right at home if you’re a fan, with a high-definition, cell-shaded aesthetic quality that borrows stupendously from the show. It’s a lot like watching the fights on the anime, but this time, the fate of the characters hangs in the balance; a balance that you control.
The control mechanics are simple enough; the face buttons control attacking, dashing, throwing shurikens, and manipulating chakra (used for special attacks and combos), and the triggers control various other special moves. Going through the menus can get a little tedious and there is no dedicated tutorial. It lets you play and learn at your pace, pulling humble combos, dodging and backstabbing your nemesis, and unleashing a jutsu or two (special moves, basically).
There’s a story mode that brings to life the stories of most of the significant characters from the series and serves as a good warm up, but the soul of the title lies in its competitive multiplayer. Armed with equipment like bombs and potions, and an arsenal of assisting characters, you can jump in and choose from over 72 characters to play as, with the main differentiators between these being their devastating special attacks. The chakra and the limited dodge system keeps things balanced, however, and no character feels too strong or too weak. Mastery revolves mostly around conquering the substitution, movement and fighting mechanics, and only diligent practice goes towards honing that skill set.
That’s not to say we wouldn’t prefer a little more variety to its robust technicalities. Generations is a fine game, maybe too fine then it ever needs to be for an anime title. Whether you’re knee deep in Naruto lore or have no idea who our nine-tailed ninja is, if you want a beautiful, satisfying and investing fighting title, you shouldn’t overlook this title as a mere cash-in.