Naruto X Boruto: Ultimate Ninja Storm Connections is, to be sure, a fighting game at its core. While not as rigid as Street Fighter or technical as Tekken, it does an exceptional job of continuing the legacy of the Ultimate Ninja Storm series by introducing a huge roster of over 130 characters – many of whom can interact with each other – as well as a brand new and very accessible “Simple Control Mode.” While some fans of the Ultimate Ninja Storm series might not be too hot on this totally optional simplified control scheme, the ability to ease things down a bit for newer players with simple single button attacks and movement is an excellent addition to the game, and still kept combat interesting and engaging in both the story mode and head-to-head against a real opponent. To put it bluntly, no matter how I played the game, I found myself having a blast with its quick and easy-to-grasp controls, and over-the-top visuals.
The large roster of characters opens up the potential for a ton of replayability due to their individual play styles, interactions, and how various characters from the series complement each other. Playing with a team of Naruto, Kushina, and Minato unlocked a short cutscene with the entire family working together to pull off a combined attack. The potential to discover these interactions and find complementary groups will definitely add a ton of replayability to Naruto X Boruto and help players carve out their own “perfect” team.
Outside of the standard arcade and multiplayer modes, Naruto X Boruto: Ultimate Ninja Storm Connections has two campaigns. One of them is referred to as a “History” mode, in which you can play through the events of the anime, complete with the original voice actors from the show and anime cutscenes. While the cutscenes don’t necessarily animate, the overall presentation and format made this mode feel more like a proper action game campaign than what you would typically find in a fighting game. The core gameplay is intact in this mode, too, as every chapter features a handful of optional challenges and quicktime events that kept some of the longer action cutscenes more engaging. While I’m not necessarily the biggest fan of quicktime events, they weren’t too difficult to perform, and they can also unlock bonus cutscenes depending on how well I was able to complete them. Regardless, the History mode is a great way for new fans of the series to complete the story without needing to watch 500 episodes of the show or read all 72 books of the manga.
The second campaign in the game is the “Special Story.” Unlike the History mode, this is a brand-new original story featuring Boruto as he makes his way through an online game. While this one may not feature anime cutscenes and the nostalgia that’s associated with the original anime, the little bit I played was endearing and definitely something that fans of the series will dig.
Whether you’re a long time fan of Naruto, a fighting game buff, or just someone looking to finally get into one of the most popular anime series of all time. Naruto X Boruto: Ultimate Ninja Storm Connections is an excellent entry point into both the anime and the Ultimate Ninja Storm series. With its easy-to-pick-up and intuitive gameplay, multiple campaigns, and endlessly customizable team combinations, this game is shaping up to be the complete package for both longtime fans of the series like me (yes, I did the run), or a complete newcomer to anime and manga.
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