After it has been released 2016 for XBoxOne, PS4 & PC, it was ported for the Nintendo Switch in the year 2020 as well |
For anticipation: This game is the most magnificent game of the Naruto (Shippūden) Storm game series ever and it still makes great fun, a fortiori when you play it with friends. But playing this game online against players from all over the world is exciting as well cuz it motivates you to improve your gaming skills so that you're ideally on pro gamer level.
Absolutely, this game merits to be reviewed by myself. Well then, in the following, I'm gonna elaborate in this article:
- how accurate the story line from Naruto, Guy and Kakashi vs. Obito onwards has been reflected by the Story mode and the plot of Boruto - Naruto the Movie (2015) by the Boruto's Tale mode
- how good the character roaster as well as the skins cover the entire range
- which gameplay novelty has levelled-up this game on the G.O.A.T. level to the extent that it's gonna presumably be considered as a timeless classic even in ten, twenty years (and I suppose, you know what I'm referring to).
- and last but not least: how this game could be "updated" by additional patches and DLC, so it might be levelled-up on EVEN GREATER heights.
With that in mind and without further ado, let's go:
1) The plot-related modes, the character roaster and the gameplay
It's great fun beating the main story mode as well as the Boruto's Tale part. Especially considering when the former was adapted way before everything from the fight against Kaguya Ōtsutsuki (大筒木カグヤ) onwards wasn't still animated in Naruto Shippūden, it was nonetheless stunning. And the analogue way the colorations have been utilized in this game where adapted afterwards Naruto Shippūden, safe for some coloring nuances:
Above: The beginning of the Final Battle Naruto vs. Sasuke as portrayed in the cutscenes in Storm 4 Below: the same scene as portrayed in the double-episode from the anime Naruto Shippūden |
As you can see, the fight between Naruto and Sasuke begins in the game at sunset while said fight commences in broad daylight. Honestly, I personally think that the latter form of presentation is way better but this is a different story.
Anyways, the aforementioned game's novelty is about the so-called Leader Swap: When you choose three characters for a fight, you can swap between them, EVERYTIME during a fight - even during the Awakening State. But in order to not become too op, the max. three characters you choose share the same life energy bar.
Consequently, there're no Support-Only Characters in Storm 4, hence it's the first time that there ain't support characters in an installment of this game series. And it's good this way. Cuz let uns be honest:
They were superfluous either way cuz whether you implement a character in the game ENTIRELY as a playable character or you refrain from it. No things by half-measures.
Besides, unlike the previous games, you can set a fight in Storm 4 also in a max. three-round fight. Also being worth to mention is that you can the Ultimate Jutsu typ and the Awakening Type IN THE SAME FIGHT, so it's not like Naruto Shippūden Ultimate Ninja Storm Revolution (2014) where you had to choose one of them prior to a fight.
2) How this game might be levelled-up on EVEN GREATER heights by additional DLCs and patches?
Feel free to admit it: You also wish that the character roaster of Storm 4 was expanded by MUCH MORE characters having debuted at the latest in Boruto - Naruto Next Generations (manga since 2016 and the eponymous anime since 2017), e.g. Iwabee Yuino (結乃イワベエ) and Kawaki (カワキ).
Furthermore, there're other characters not having been implemented as well in Storm 4. For instance, Toneri Ōtsutsuki (大筒木トネリ) who's the antagonist from The Last - Naruto the Movie (2014) hasn't been implemented yet - let alone, a mode based on this movie. The latter could also be implemented.
Moreover, further jutsu which might be used as custom moves as well as potenzial alternate skins mustn't miss, for instance, this Jutsu:
風遁・烈風拳、Fūton: Reppūshō |
These are plenty of other jutsu having debuted in Boruto - Naruto Next Generations or being more relevant in the same, e.g.:
- all variations of the Boruto Stream so far, Boruto's High Compression Rasengan (having also used during the rematch against Deepa) and at least three further jutsu of his repertoire as well:
The Boruto Stream variation used in the Genin exam: The Gale Palm combined with a tackle while holding a Lightning Style loaded kunai |
Mitsukis Lightning Style: Snake Lightning (雷遁・蛇雷 、Raiton: Hebi Ikazuchi) which he has relatively often used, already before his graduation to a Genin back then. Even during the fight against Kakashi who was the Genin examiner (see the right pic).Above: The clash between Mitsuki's
Snake Lightning and Kakashi's
Purple Lightning during said Genin exam
Below: Sarada using the Lightning Ball
technique for the first time- Saradas Lightning Balls (in Japanese: 雷球、raikyū) which she had copied from Buntan Kurosuki (黒鋤文淡) during the School Trip arc. Of course, since then, Sarada has often used this jutsu (see the right pic)
- and Kakashis Lightning Style: Purple Electricity (雷遁・紫電 、Raiton: Shiden) which has been used even during Boruto and Co.'s Genin exam (as you can sie in the right pic).
Up to this point, all of them and this ain't been implemented in Storm 4. What they're waiting for? If they focused upon of all this like they do so concerning, e.g. in the game Naruto to Boruto: Shinobi Striker (2018, for PS4, XBoxOne and PC) and in the app game Naruto x Boruto: Ninja Voltage (2017 for iOS and Android), Storm 4 would've already become a game on super g.o.a.t. level.
Enclosed, there're some suggestions of mine in which extent and amount the additional characters, jutsu, custom moves and alternate skins might be implemented as DLC packs in Storm 4 (without intending to be exhaustive):
Storm Extra Pack Vol. 1 - Blank Period & New Era
Boruto Uzumaki (all variations of the Boruto Stream)Implementing these characters and
jutsu, respectively, in Storm 4 is
way overdue.
Say no more.- Mitsuki (Lightning Style: Snake Lightning), plus the Jōnin outfit from the Hidden Sound Village as alternate skin. Of course, his Sage Mode shall be implemented as Awakening State.
- Sarada Uchiha (Lightning Ball). As she had copied the jutsu Lightning Style: Overdrive from Buntan as well, this might be implemented as Sarada's Awakening State either.
- Kakashi Hatake (Lightning Style: Purple Electricity), receiving two additional skins: the outfit from The Last as well as his outfit Boruto. The latter should be implemented as default skin.
- Konohamaru Sarutobi (adult), with that black outfit as alternate skin
- Shikadai Nara
- Log (the older clone brother from der Mitsuki)
- Toneri Ōtsutsuki
additional alternate skins for:
Ōrochimaru (his default outfit in Boruto as well as the Jōnin outfit from the Hidden Sound)Sasuke' outfit as portrayed
in Sasuke Shinden
(i.e. Shippūden Episodes
484-488)- Sasuke Uchiha (Sasuke Shinden-Design + Jōnin outfit which he had worn in Tsunade's dream caused by the Infinite Tsukuyomi)
- Kakashi Hatake (WITHOUT mask)
- Naruto Uzumaki (Jōnin outfit even though he was technically still a Genin before he became Hokage)
- Naruto Uzumaki (Casual Outfit from The Last, with that orange hooded jacket)
- Naruto Uzuamki (current default outfit WITHOUT his Hokage Cape)
Storm Extra Pack Vol. 2 - Past & Present
Yahiko (as standalone character)If Yahiko should ever included as a real
playable character, the Pain skin based on
alive-Yahiko shall be removed by a patch- Jūzo Biwa
- Kagura Karatachi
- Metal Lee
- Chōjūrō (Mizukage)
- Kurotsuchi (Tsuchikage)
- Darui (Raikage)
- Urashiki Ōtsutsuki
- Shin Uchiha (not only the father but also the clone son)
additional alternative Skins:
- Boruto Uzumaki (Time Slip-arc outfit)
- Sasuke Uchiha (Time Slip-arc outfit)
- Hidan (Pre-Akatsuki outfit according to Itachi Shinden)
- Shisui Uchiha (Jōnin outfit)
Storm Extra Pack Vol 3 - Emerge of Kara
(in a pinch, this DLC pack might be splitted in half)
- Sarada Uchiha (Chidori)
- Naruto Uzumaki (Baryon Mode)
- Victor
- Deepa
- Ao
- Sumire Kakei
- Garō
- Katasuke Tōno (Scientist outfit + Shinobi Outfit + Armor)
- Kōji Kashin (with and without mask)
- Kawaki with the arm prothesis as well as his normal right arm
- Jigen
- Isshiki Ōtsutsuki
- Code
Storm Extra Pack Vol. 4 - Chūnin-Re-Examination
Denki KaminarimonIdeas for Awakenings:
- Activated Byakugan for Himawari
- Denki using Lightning Style: Overdrive
- Shinki's Iron Sand Wings
- Wasabis cat transformation
Chōchō's Butterfly Mode- Iwabee Yuino
- Shinki
- Hōki Taketori
- Inojin Yamanaka
- Himawari Uzumaki
- Wasabi Izuno
- Namida Suzumeno
- Chōchō Akimichi
additional alternate skins:
- Chūnin vest for Sarada, Denki, Wasabi and Hōki
- for Denki, additionally, that green overall
- and last but not least: The respective Pre-Graduation outfits from Boruto and Co.
In regard of these, there're also plenty Storm 4 mod showcases on YouTube, so you can better imagine how it'd kinda look like if these characters, alternative customes and custom moves were implemented in the game itself. On the one hand, there're really magnificent mods on par with professional game designers and programmers and on the other hand, there're some mods where you quickly realize that there was nothing but picking available charcters and just swapping the skins. A selection of said mods having been magnificently made have been linked in the PS below.
And yes, I know that not every arc from Boruto - Naruto Next Generations can been adapted in Storm 4 but nevertheless, at least following arc could be added as playable story modes:
- The Shin Uchiha arc (which should be the only part of the Pre-Graduation arcs being adapted in this game)
- The Time Slip arc
- The Mujina Bandits arc
- The entire Kara-Arc (including the Kawaki arc)
- The Chūnin-Re-Examination arc
- The Code's Revenge arc (which shouldn't be adapted until it has been adapted in the anime cuz it's still in the manga currently, thus it's just a matter of time)
Concerning patches, if it comes to a power creep due to all the aforementioned potential additional characters and jutsu, a few patches may be fix the power creeps. Because experience has shown that something like this can be facilitate a power creep in a beat'em up game, so patches have to be gotten underway in order to make the power balance happen.
All in all, the game Naruto Shippūden: Ultimate Ninja Storm 4 - Road to Boruto is great fun to the extent that you won't wanna play its predecessors anymore. Indeed, in my assessment, the Leader Swap feature was decisive for this game's magnificentment, considering that it facilitates regarding this game as a timeless classic - even several decades later.
I rate this game with 4 of 5 stars. But if it was already kinda updated by the potential DLCs suggested by myself, I would've scored this game even with a 5 of 5 stars rating. But self-evidently, time will tell.
And now, I'd be interested in knowing whaddaya think about this game (for the case if you've also played it before): Can you also relate with that what I've stated aforementioned, i.e. once you played this game, you won't wanna play the previous games of this game series anymore? And do you also wish that this game was "updated" by additional DLCs and patches? Do you have other suggestions for potential DLC packs as well? Don't hesitate writing it in the comments.
PS: Here's a selection of showcase videos about Storm 4 mods which I've found on YouTube:
- My Shikadai (Road to Boruto) Moveset + Link
- Naruto Shippuden Ultimate Ninja Storm 4 : Boruto Storm Redux Jigen Combo Tests
- Boruto: Naruto Next Generation - Delta [Storm 4 Modpack]
- Naruto Baryon Mode - Naruto Shippuden Ultimate Ninja Storm 4 [Crossover modpack]
- Sasuke Shinden Unleashed - Naruto Shippuden Ultimate Ninja Storm 4 Road to Boruto
PSS: Here you can go to my other Naruto franchise-related articles:
- Review: The Light Novel "Kakashi Hiden" - An excellent transition within the entire "Naruto" story-line
- What if...: Neji was still alive?
- Review: "Naruto Shippūden Ultimate Ninja Storm Revolution" - not so revolutionary as implicated?!
- Statement: Is Kakashi still overpowered? Or has he already past his best?
- Review: The Novel "The Tale of an Utterly Gutsy Shinobi"
- Review: "Boruto - Naruto the Movie" in German Dub - top or flop?
- Theory: Have Naruto Uzumaki the Jōnin-rank? Or is he only a Genin but on par with a Jōnin?
Here you can go to my other articles from the rubric "Review":
- Review: The German dub of the "Digimon Adventure"-series - a levelheaded analysis of a good dub without the nostalgic glasses
- Review: The German Dub of "One Piece" - a levelheaded analysis without the nostalgic glasses
- Review: "Street Fighter - Assassin's Fist" - an excellent produced live action movie adaption
- Review: "Pokémon the Movie - Mewtwo Strikes Back" in the Japanese original dub - very different from the "4Kids"-dub
- Review: "One Punch Man" in German Dub - really magnificent
- Review: Is the Pokémon Trainer in "Super Smash Bros. Ultimate" really better than in "Super Smash Bros. Brawl"?
- Review: "Attack on Titan" in German Dub - a very exciting masterpiece
- Review: Zamasu's voice in English Dub