"The Rushed Revolution"

Is it time already for another Naruto game? This franchise is moving along at a breakneck pace and already we get another Clash of Ninja game. Because of Naruto's recent license spree, you'll find the anime keeping up with the games instead of simply giving us the best Naruto game first. Oh well. Clash of Ninja Revolution is Naruto's first game in North America created for the Wii, so there is its share of motion-sensing controls and such. Clash of Ninja and Clash of Ninja 2 were pretty fun, despite being rather simplistic. Is Clash of Ninja Revolution truly a revolution of Naruto games?

Clash of Ninja Revolution is the first Naruto game to hit Nintendo's newest console, so with it comes some interesting Wii tricks. The Wii Remote and Nunchuk can be used, with different attacks mapped to the buttons. Press A for a strong attack, shake the Wiimote for a weaker and faster attack. Press C to throw, X for a Special Jutsu Z or the B-Trigger to dodge or use a Substitution Jutsu. The Wiimote is far too cumbersome to use in battle, so it's definitely a blessing that the game allows for Classic or Gamecube controllers, which work wonders better. You can play mini-games during special attacks to power-up the special jutsu. Move them up to execute physical attacks like Naruto's Uzumaki Barrage or rotate the Wiimote and Nunchuk to power up a Rasengan even further. These are great and demonstrate some interesting concepts in the Naruto game universe, but they aren't really required and feel like tacked-on little inclusions just to show off the Wii. The remaining elements of the game feel reused from Clash of Ninja and Clash of Ninja 2 for the Gamecube. This isn't particularly bad, but the game shows a sense of incompleteness and the lackluster Wii controls are definitely a major letdown.

The gameplay does possess some interesting tricks. Players can actually hide behind obstacles for an attack or knock an opponent off the battlefield entirely. Don't expect the great effects and techniques of Naruto: Ultimate Ninja though; the game is incredibly simplistic. Characters can usually use only a few attacks and special attacks; the combo system itself is painfully basic. To the game's credit, some combos and skills can prove smooth and fluid, but these moments are so few and far between that the combo system can literally be ignored. Try randomly pressing buttons for the first few battles; you'll most likely win some of the matches.

A majority of the single-player plays out the classic Naruto story that fans know all too well. It picks up right before the second round of the Chunin Exams, right when Naruto meets Jiraiya, and makes its path up to finding Tsunade. The story isn't particularly deep, especially when it's dragged out by slow, text-filled still images that seem to possess as little animation as possible. The battles capture all the famous moments from the series: Naruto VS. Neji, Sasuke VS. Gaara, you'll see the same intensity and strength in each battle. That still doesn't stop the story's Mission Mode from being slow and methodical throughout. There is another single-player mode, which is typically an arcade mode. You get ten characters to defeat and the game is over. These are annoying. Show the fact that the battles against the CPU characters can be won by repeatedly pressing one button over and over again, and you get one of the game's most critically flawed modes. The really bad part is that you need to complete the lackluster Single Player mode to unlock the many characters. Once you unlock the characters, there's really little value to the rest of the single-player. It's just not fun.

Once you do unlock the characters, though, the game picks itself up off the ground and can be pretty challenging. The harder modes do provide a better amount of serious challenge; the CPU characters begin to dodge and use Substitution Jutsu less methodically and can prove to be fairly challenging. There's also the ability to play Time Attack and Survival Modes, which can add a bit of replay value to fans. There is multiplayer for up to four players, but the multiplayer has a nasty habit of confusing the camera. Tack on a slow framerate in multiplayer battles, and you'll see that the multiplayer has its share of issues. If you can get four players into the ring, the multiplayer will be a fun distraction if not for a while, and is one of the game's better modes. If you can ignore the game's limitations, you'll find plenty of Naruto action in Clash of Ninja Revolution, but the game doesn't seem to push itself very far in terms of gameplay enhancements, which is a real shame.

Clash of Ninja Revolution's presentation is a really mixed bag. The graphics, for one, are better than the Gamecube incarnations, but compared to games like Metroid Prime 3, they aren't particularly next-level. They still retain the manga influence: cel-shading and flying Japanese kanji appear to spice up battles and although it isn't flawless, it still manages to capture the same over-the-top action that the franchise is known for. The sound is pretty faithful to the original. Viz brings out the many actors for the game, you'll hear big-name anime actors like Crispin Freeman and Yuri Lowenthal throughout. There's a ridiculously large amount of voice acting; even on the menus the characters can't help but say something. This can get annoying at times and some of the things the characters say are just plain cheesy, but it is admirable to see such dedication to presentation. There aren't many moments of pure show-stopping finesse in Clash of Ninja Revolution's presentation, but it manages to take quantity over quality, which isn't really too bad a thing.

Pros
+ Great emulation of the anime
+ Lots of content
+ Four player multiplayer
+ Nice cast of characters

Cons
- Controls are too simple
- Wii motion sensing feels tacked on
- Single-player is boring
- Combo system isn't as skill-based as other fighting games

Naruto: Clash of Ninja Revolution has its moments of being over-the-top, flashy, and fun, but it takes a great deal of effort and time to find it. There's a solid roster with plenty of Naruto characters and the gameplay does a fine job of emulating the manga and anime. On the other hand, the game never seems to provide any sense of complexity or demand any real skill. The combo system is easy to master and does show its moments of being smooth and generally fluid. It's fun, but incredibly simple. If you're new to the whole Naruto bandwagon, then Clash of Ninja Revolution is a good starting point. There's plenty of content and characters to play as, and the combat is flashy and over-the-top as expected. Naruto fans will snatch this one up without a second thought, but anyone looking for a deep fighting game will be let down by the overly simplistic combat and lackluster single-player. There is a whole lot to like about Clash of Ninja Revolution; it just takes too much to find it. It's a good rental and a solid party game, but there just isn't enough substance in the gameplay to warrant a serious purchase for anyone other than the biggest of Naruto fans. Rent it first.

Reviewer's Score: 6/10, Originally Posted: 11/05/07, Updated 11/06/07

Game Release: Naruto: Clash of Ninja Revolution (US, 10/23/07)