Review: Naruto x Boruto Ultimate Ninja Storm Connections

“You have an insane number of playable characters, everyone’s favorite is most likely in there.” | Naruto x Boruto Ultimate Ninja Storm Connections is a special game in the fighting genre. There are no less than 100 different playable characters and an overstuffed story has been pushed into a sardine can. Over 20 years of storylines, Naruto is probably older than most of our LifeisXbox readers. It should have become a game for loyal fans of Masashi Kishimoto creations. Naruto, Sasuke or Gaara. And also for those for whom these names mean nothing. But there is still a downside to this accessibility, you can read about it in our review.

This is the sight I have when I standup from the toilet.

Things I liked!

• Sparkling graphics | It seems like you are watching the Anime, but you are very much in control. This really is quite an impressive visual experience, with effects that fill the screen and can please an entire nightclub. Cutscenes happen frequently during the fighting, which is very cool for first timers. Unfortunately, after a while it does fall somewhat into repetition.

• 130 unique playable characters | You have an insane number of playable characters, everyone’s favorite is most likely in there. There is repetition, but I’m okay with it. There are so many different play styles, from the typical short or long-range fighters to fighters who need a very specific approach. The balance here is also good, not unimportant for online modes. The hundred plus figure is also somewhat skewed, you often have multiple versions of certain characters. Naruto, for example, already has more than five.
  
  
• Controls | New is a single-button fighting mode. This allows that Naruto x Boruto Ultimate Ninja Storm Connections can be played by everyone. Your character will decide what to do, performing awesome combos. The only thing you still have to do yourself is blocking. Know that there is no way of winning against real-life players who understand the basics of the game but seeing this option is great for accessibility. The game is much more fun if you don’t use this control method. Performing combos and special moves is linked to seperate bars, knowing what to do when is the difference between victory or defeat.

This is lovely fist-hugging.

Neither good nor bad

• Sound | Much of the voiced work is done by a narrator. He does an okay job but he doesn’t set the world on fire… some of the other voiced lines don’t always sound right. Emotional wise it is regularly out of tune. Fighting effects on the other hand are more than fine.

Do you take the blue or red orb?

Things I disliked!

• Netcode | Fine isn’t it, setting up a fighting game briefly to fight online players. On paper anyway! I’ve had my share of issues with the online portion of Naruto x Boruto Ultimate Ninja Storm Connections, though. Most often it was just a barren connection, with hiccups and teleportations from my opponent. Then we occasionally had disconnections…. Frustrating, especially since with other games I never have problems. Not even with similar ones like Killer Instinct.

• They searched for the most boring way to tell the story.. and found it | Putting Naruto’s story into one game is actually impossible. 700+ episodes, it’s a lot of source material. They are trying anyway with history mode, here you can experience the story of Naruto in a concise way. I found it lacking some magic, the narrator does his job but it could have been better. Many of the exciting and epic events are missing or lacking in tension. There is also a unique story in the game, which is Boruto’s special story. Cool but quite short and the added value remains limited. Here more attention has been given to the overall picture though. With cool cutscenes, especially in the beginning and end.