Naruto: Uzumaki Chronicles 2

"One tail is better than none"

Just so you know as you read this, I am a big Naruto fan. I've ben following the series for awhile now and have played all the games on the PS 2 that are out there and I can say this is the best one so far. What I prefer about the Uzumaki Chronicles games over the Ultimate Ninja games is the 3-D environment you fight in. It seems more like the manga and cartoon if you go run all over the place and do your ninjutsu instead of in a straight line. But enough about my personal preferences, about the game!

Graphics:

They are everything you would expect if you have played any of the other games. I enjoy the cel shading, but I think they could have been updated a little bit by this point in time. However, that one little gripe aside, they are fine and won't ruin your experience. Unfortunately, they really won't wow you either.

7/10

Sound:

The character's voices are done very well. From the looks of the closing credits, they got a lot of the cartoon voice actors to resume their roles in the game. It just makes it feel like it really is part of the series as a whole, and not a game put out there to make money off the Naruto name (which is exactly what it is of course). I especially enjoy playing as Kakashi, just to listen to him announce his attacks one moment, then the next start humming and reading his Icha Icha Paradise book the next. Classic.

9/10

Gameplay:

If you have played the first game, the controls are pretty much the same. If you haven't, it's an easy scheme to pick up and by the second chapter won't even be a concern. What I like about this game is they gave each character a 3rd ninjutsu attack to use (in case you were curious, only Naruto had a 3rd ninjutsu last time) and you can activate it by pressing both ninjutsu buttons at the same time. I also am a big fan of the fact missions are separate from the story, it adds a lot more depth to the game. 2 player mode is really fun, especially once you get the two hidden characters unlock to beat each other up with. And survival mode is a lot of fun if you just want to get in their and brawl for a few minutes.

9/10

Story:

The story actually disappoints me a little. Without ruining it, the antagonists this time around only really annoy me. It's not like Itachi who kind of makes your blood run cold or Orochimaru whose just plain insane and creepy. You will enjoy beating them into the ground, you won't really give a crap if they ever make another appearance again on your screen. However, take the time to unlock the 2nd story mode. That one is worth the trouble it takes.

6/10

Overall thoughts:

If your an avid Naruto fan, its worth buying. However if you just enjoy beat 'em up games and think this game looks to be fun, go ahead and just rent it first. You can accomplish everything you want to in about 15 hours, perfect for those long weekends where the weather isn't too good. Mission mode, the 2nd story, and survival mode give it replayability and the chance to unlock some of your favorite characters by accomplishing certain tasks is also a nice bonus. I was going to give this game a 9, but the main story just isn't worth that so the final report card grade is 8.5 out of 10. Believe it!

Reviewer's Score: 8/10, Originally Posted: 09/11/07

Game Release: Naruto: Uzumaki Chronicles 2 (US, 09/04/07)