GameSpot editors' review
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CNET editors' rating:
stars
Good
Detailed editors' rating
- Reviewed on: 09/04/2007
- Released on: 08/28/2007
- Originally published on GameSpot: Naruto: Ultimate Ninja Heroes (PSP) Review
It seems like the primary purpose of Naruto: Ultimate Ninja Heroes is to bring Namco Bandai's snappy PlayStation 2 fighting series to the PSP--no more, no less--and to this end, it is mostly successful. It offers some superficially different gameplay modes and introduces team-based combat, but neither really changes the feel of the action. If the Ultimate Ninja games didn't do anything for you on the PS2, the arrival of Heroes on the PSP isn't going to have much impact, either, though it's sure to please fans.
The pacing is kind of like Super Smash Bros., but with fewer players, and way, way more ninjas.
Naruto: Ultimate Ninja Heroes is a one-on-one fighter that favors speed and simplicity over depth and precision, and the controls feel comfortable on the PSP, though that's not to say there isn't some nuance to it. You've got a single attack button that you can easily string into a few different combos, as well as a projectile attack button that you can bolster with different types of shuriken found on the battlefield. The jump button proves most versatile, allowing you to easily double-jump, quickly dash toward your opponent, and instantly teleport yourself between the two planes found in each battlefield.
More often than not, though, the key to victory lies in your chakra attacks, which are fueled by chakra orbs dropped by your opponent whenever you finish a successful attack. Once you've amassed enough chakra, you can activate it with a single button press, after which you have a few seconds to connect with your enemy. Succeed, and you'll watch as a hyperstylized attack sequence unfurls, usually taking a huge swath of your enemy's life bar with it. Unlike its predecessors, there's no interactivity once you've launched your chakra attack, which kind of takes you out of the action. Furthermore, there's only one chakra attack per character, which means you'll see the same protracted sequences over and over again. There's a grand total of around 20 characters to play as, and though you might notice some differences in speed and attack strength, they all basically use the same controls.
While most of the combat basics should feel instantly familiar to established Ultimate Ninja fans, the big twist offered by Heroes is the introduction of team-based action, which is central to the heroes mode, where you'll fight against increasingly challenging opponents. The mode is divided by difficulty level, with each level consisting of a set series of fights. You can choose from an established three-person team of characters, such as Team Kakashi, Team Guy, Team Kurenai, and Team Asuma, or you can build your own custom team. You also choose the order they'll fight in, which doesn't really matter at first, but since your team's health and chakra levels carry over from one fight to another, spreading the load becomes a factor.
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Where to buy
Naruto: Ultimate Ninja Heroes (PSP):
$19.99 - $38.99
| store | price | in stock? | rating |
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$19.99 | Yes |
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$38.99 | No |
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