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The Naruto phenomenon has
completely passed the UK by to
a large extent. Go to any anime
show and you’ll see plenty of people
dressed up as the show’s protagonists,
but most of them were fans a long time
before the show was even broadcast
on UK televisions. As Rise Of The Ninja
finally brings Naruto and friends to our
beloved Xbox 360, it really feels as if the
boat has already sailed on what could
have been a rather major money-spinner
for Ubisoft.
However, this doesn’t appear to
have dampened Ubisoft’s enthusiasm
for the series and that’s why Rise Of
A Ninja manages to impress far more
than it falters. For a start, the art design
and construction of the Leaf Village
is fantastic and evokes the fun and
vibrancy of the anime perfectly. Naruto
himself is full of character and energy,
as is most of the main cast. The villagers
are a little bland, unfortunately, with
only a few character models between
them and their conversation isn’t really
up to much, but thankfully they are not
the focus.
While previous efforts to bring Naruto
to the videogames market have been
fighters, Ubisoft has opted (quite rightly
in our minds) to make this an action/
adventure game. Of course, Naruto’s
ninja roots could not be ignored, so like
many a good RPG you’ll be dragged
into one-on-one bouts with enemies
in your path that play more like Naruto
games of old. With two attack buttons,
the combat may come across as rather
simplistic, but with the array of combos
and ‘jutsu’ moves that each character
has at their disposal, the fighting
mechanics are actually quite deep. In
fact, fights can be downright complex
sometimes, with counters, blocking,
special moves and throws happening
at high speed. It’s a tough system to
master, even if it is easy to learn.
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This is perhaps where the game falls
a little short, though. With concessions
like cut-scenes directly from the show
allowing new players to catch up with
the Naruto legend, the game will be
intimidating to those not already versed
in the lore of the show. It comes across
as pretty harmless fun but, in actuality, it
is deceptively difficult at times.
Jon Gordon
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