Changing between characters becomes less strategic and more cosmetic – there’s only really one attack button, a guard, a dodge and a chakra (mana) charge. However, quickly switching between fighters can let you continue chains, and utilise their different chakra powers for some cool-looking combos. Unlike that series, however, they all share a single life bar. Many times you’ll have a party of three players to rotate between as well – Marvel vs.
Battles take the form of 1v1 fighting matches (although occasionally you’ll have to fight a mob of weaker foes).
That’s not to say you’ll only be controlling these two, in fact the roster of characters in both the Story mode and Free Play is huge. There are two main protagonists you’ll largely be following, Naruto and Sasuke. The game’s main Story mode follows a ‘Storyboard’ timeline, which unlocks further chapters as you proceed, occasionally offering small branching side-paths for extra story content. Together, however, it forms a very well told and cohesive package that ends the Naruto saga confidently with style. Cutscenes unfold with fully-voiced, but static slideshows, and occasionally more exciting 3D action scenes. From there, certain twists and turns in the story can require further explanation, and the game takes time to do so, with a lengthy flashback into Tobi’s past forming a good chunk of playtime.
Thankfully, key events that affect the mythology of the world and the story told in this game are presented and made playable, as the story opens with a near-mythological battle from the very start of the Naruto universe. There’s a lot of backstory to the Naruto franchise, as it’s a very long-running series, but Ultimate Ninja Storm 4 helps by summarising key points efficiently. It picks up right where Ultimate Ninja Storm 3 left off, as the young ninja Naruto prepares to face the villainous Tobi and his plan to re-make the world. The game’s main focus is on wrapping up the Naruto franchise, focusing on the final arc of the anime.
With the existing framework of the Naruto franchise to build off, the developers seem to have effortlessly translated the art into the third dimension, making Ultimate Ninja Storm 4 on PS4 one of the best-looking cel-shaded games I’ve seen.
Playing Naruto Shippuden: Ultimate Ninja Storm 4 has cemented my position that developer CyberConnect2 is one of the best teams out there for translating the look, scope and feel of anime to video games. Their earlier original title, Asura’s Wrath, formed its own entertaining and hilariously over-the-top mini-series that was uniquely stylish and surprisingly engaging.