During the February 2023 State of Play, Bandai Namco surprised Shonen Jump fans with the announcement of a new Naruto: Ultimate Ninja Storm title. One had been rumored for quite a while, but no one expected it to be Naruto x Boruto: Ultimate Ninja Storm Connections, a collection of past titles instead of a straightforward Boruto sequel. Naruto x Boruto: Ultimate Ninja Storm Connections will contain brand-new story content, likely delving into the Boruto era, but the bulk of the game will be remastered content from the four numbered Ultimate Ninja Storm games.
While opinions on the gameplay quality of CyberConnect2's premiere arena fighter franchise remain split, fans still have plentiful reasons to celebrate this new entry. Naruto author Masashi Kishimoto himself has recommended these games as one of the best ways to experience the long-running Shonen Jump franchise, and it's not hard to see why. CyberConnect2 is the proud pioneer of some of the best cell-shaded animation in the video game industry, with even the first Ultimate Ninja Storm holding up today. Its years of work on Naruto: UNS will be evident in Connections, and the final product should be too stuffed with value to skip.
Tons of Content Will Be In Ultimate Ninja Storm Connections
The core concept of connecting several games is the reason. Naruto x Boruto: Ultimate Ninja Storm Connections will unite the rosters of the four main Ultimate Ninja Storm titles, as well as their story modes. The commitment to bringing Ultimate Ninja Storm’s record-setting giant roster together is impressive, and Connections is only pushing it further. Ashura and Indra Otsutsuki, two characters who were previously confined to a few Shippuden panels and an anime filler arc, are being brought to the forefront, which throws the doors wide open for any outstanding character in Naruto and Boruto’s universe.
Players are going to get very familiar with said universe, as the story mode will cover all of Naruto's pre- and post-time skip adventures, probably with some of Boruto's in tow. How Naruto X Boruto will format its story mode is currently unknown, as while the first three games progress using 3D environments, Ultimate Ninja Storm 4 filters its story through a menu instead. Speaking of which, Naruto: UNS's usual Adventure Mode that allows players to explore the world could be the biggest it's ever been, and could take advantage of its modern hardware to become truly open world. How Ultimate Ninja Storm Connections’ modes will turn out remains to be seen, but there will definitely be a lot to do in them.
Naruto X Boruto Could Be The Pinnacle of Ultimate Ninja Storm
On top of all the characters, modes, story retellings, and even unlockable art, there is the gameplay itself. Over the course of its life, Naruto: Ultimate Ninja Storm has gradually built up a solid base for 3D arena fighters to aspire to. Although basic gameplay seems simple, and is indeed accessible for all skill levels, it hides a surprisingly deep tag team system that encourages experimentation. The games themselves aren't very good at training players, but the tight-knit community formed around the Ultimate Ninja Storm series has found enough tech to make them look as fast and frantic as any 2D tag fighter.
That aspect of Ultimate Ninja Storm should be in its most refined form yet, with older Naruto games benefiting from later refinements. It may not be a full-blown Ultimate Ninja Storm 5, but should feel better at 60 FPS on modern consoles and PC. There are some worries among the high level community whether CyberConnect2 will repeat the controversial mechanical changes in Ultimate Ninja Storm 4's final update, but at least Connections will be a separate game to form its own meta around. While there are some uncertainties hanging over it, Naruto x Boruto: Ultimate Ninja Storm Connections should provide the ideal video game package for any Naruto fan.
Naruto x Boruto: Ultimate Ninja Storm Connections will be released in 2023 for PC, PS4, PS5, Switch, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.
