Naruto x Boruto Ultimate Ninja Storm Connections review: The definitive Naruto game

Naruto x Boruto Ultimate Ninja Storm Connections is by far the most fun yet frustrating video game I've played this year. As a fan of the original Naruto manga and the later seasons of the anime, I was excited to get another new entry in the Naruto Ultimate Ninja Storm series. This isn't my first Storm game, as I've played almost all the titles in the series, even the more obscure ones like Ninja Storm Revolution.

I was introduced to the Storm series in high school and immediately fell in love with its accessible controls, robust combat system, and massive roster of fighters.

However, seeing Bandai Namco extend the franchise with games like Naruto to Boruto and even the countless overpriced DLCs for Ninja Storm 4 did not leave me with much hope. However, Naruto x Boruto Ultimate Ninja Storm Connections ended up surprising me, albeit with a few caveats.

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Naruto x Boruto Ultimate Ninja Storm Connections: An incredibly fun fighting game hindered by a dearth of content

Visuals and presentation

On the surface, Naruto x Boruto Ultimate Ninja Storm Connections looks and plays almost identical to the previous Ninja Storm games. The game shares a lot of assets from Ninja Storm in particular, especially when it comes to character models, arena, and even some of the UI elements. However, that's not to say it doesn't have anything unique.

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CyberConnect2 seems to have stuck to the idea of "if it ain't broke, don't fix it" when it comes to the visuals of their latest title. While in most instances, this might feel like a negative, the art style of the Ninja Storm series, despite its age, still holds up pretty well. Ninja Storm Connections also has a few new additions of its own.

The first of these additions is the set of new playable fighters, including the "Kara members" from Boruto manga and anime. From Jigen and Delta to even Kajin Koshi, there are some great new characters added to the game's already expansive roster. Additionally, there are also new variations of existing characters, such as Naruto's Baryon mode.

Quality of life upgrades and soundtrack

Apart from playable characters, Naruto x Boruto Ultimate Ninja Storm Connections felt a whole lot smoother to navigate around. The previous Ninja Storm games were notorious for capping the framerate to 30, even on PC. However, Ninja Storm Connections instead uses a v-synced 60fps cap, which, although rudimentary, still feels a lot more fluid.

Some of the cutscenes are taken right from the anime (Image via Naruto x Boruto Ultimate Ninja Storm Connections, Sportskeeda)

While I adore the Ninja Storm art style, the visuals do show their age. The environmental textures seemed to have received little to no update, still featuring the low-resolution texture maps present since the early PS3-era games. Likewise, the shaders and post-processing feel outdated, especially on current-gen consoles and PCs.

I would also like to mention the soundtrack, which, much like the previous Ninja Storm titles, is quite befitting for a Naruto-themed video game. I really liked the option to have licensed tracks from the anime's various opening montages playing in the background in training, PvE, local co-op, or tournament modes.

Gameplay and combat system

In terms of gameplay, Naruto x Boruto Ultimate Ninja Storm Connections is identical to Ninja Storm 4. Those who've played the previous titles will find the game pretty similar, albeit with a few small changes. The first of these modifications is the additional cooldown to the substitution gauge, which I'm a fan of.

The biggest and most up-to-date roster in a Ninja Storm game (Image via Naruto x Boruto Ultimate Ninja Storm Connections, Sportskeeda)

In prior Ninja Storm games, substitution was a powerful tool, one that was borderline broken for certain characters, like Minato and Six Paths Naruto. Phasing out of attacks, even the ultimates made substitution absolutely overpowered, especially online. However, the added cooldown somewhat balances this tool.

I also liked the added ability to switch "jutsus," i.e., combat abilities mid-combo. Previous Ninja Storm entries had you commit to a single jutsu and only swap after finishing the one you've already initiated. However, in Ninja Storm Connections, you can start a jutsu, and while that plays out, buffer another input to continue the combo.

There's an in-game encyclopedia on every single character and story event (Image via Naruto x Boruto Ultimate Ninja Storm Connections, Sportskeeda)

The combat system in Naruto x Boruto Ultimate Ninja Storm Connections is very intuitive and easy to pick up while boasting plenty of depth for those looking to master every single character. Don't expect the nuance you see in games like Mortal Kombat, Street Fighter, or Tekken, but it's enough to satiate die-hard fans of Naruto.

Campaign and progression

The game's progression is also quite similar to the previous Storm titles, with a dedicated single-player campaign, a custom PvE tournament, and the usual online PvP modes. However, what's different this time is the story, or rather, I should say stories. The first campaign is centered on Naruto and his entire history up to the Fourth Great Ninja War.

The History mode (Image via Naruto x Boruto Ultimate Ninja Storm Connections, Sportskeeda)

The history mode sparked some genuine excitement, given the last time I enjoyed a good Naruto story was back in 2016 with Ninja Storm 4. As someone who often binges on the anime to this day, I was looking forward to playing through some of the best moments of Naruto's story in Naruto x Boruto Ultimate Ninja Storm Connections.

Unfortunately, I was let down by the way Ninja Storm Connections presents the Naruto side of the campaign. I was expecting to relive moments like the fight against Pain, Obito, even the Nine-Tails, and many more such iconic clashes. However, most of these moments were relegated to a slideshow, with few boss fights being playable.

The few boss fights that made the cut (Image via Naruto x Boruto Ultimate Ninja Storm Connections, Sportskeeda)

While not every boss fight from the Ninja Storm games can make the cut, I was expecting to relive the best ones. The ones we did get, such as the battles against Shukaku, Six Paths Obito, Awakened Madara, and even Kaguaya, were great, but I would've liked to see a few more such boss fights.

The second campaign and my gripes with the game

As for the second campaign, I wasn't looking forward to it much, given I never really connected with Boruto as a character. However, Boruto's campaign in Naruto x Boruto Ultimate Ninja Storm Connections really took me by surprise. The second campaign features an original story that genuinely intrigued me from the start despite my low expectations.

The second campaign (Image via Naruto x Boruto Ultimate Ninja Storm Connections, Sportskeeda)

I don't want to spoil the story, but expect something on the same level as Boruto's first movie. The campaign is brimming with cool moments as well as twists and turns that will keep you hooked for the entire duration. My only gripe with the second campaign would be the lackluster boss fights.

While Naruto x Boruto Ultimate Ninja Storm Connections might've done a somewhat flawed job with the Naruto-focused history mode, it nailed the Boruto-focused campaign, something I did not expect from a mainline Ninja Storm entry.

The fighting remains equally as fun as in the previous Ninja Storm games (Image via Naruto x Boruto Ultimate Ninja Storm Connections, Sportskeeda)

Outside of these two campaigns, however, Naruto x Boruto Ultimate Ninja Storm Connections is extremely lacking in content. The PvE tournament mode is essentially a rehash of the previous Ninja Storm titles and won't hold interest for more than a few hours at best. Even the online feels lacking in terms of polish.

During my time playing the game's online mode, I faced multiple disconnection issues, lags, and even crashes. And as expected, these issues severely hampered my enjoyment. While the game is extremely fun, especially in PvP, the technical issues drag the experience down a few notches.

In conclusion

Naruto x Boruto Ultimate Ninja Storm Connections is a flawed but extremely fun game, one that I'd see myself revisiting quite often. While its dearth of single-player content and a plethora of technical issues with the online modes are a bummer, those don't detract from the pure elation delivered by the Ninja Storm series.

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As the latest chapter in the iconic Ninja Storm franchise, Naruto x Boruto Ultimate Ninja Storm Connections is essentially the definitive Naruto game that I, alongside many other fans of the manga and the anime, have been waiting for since 2016. Naruto x Boruto Ultimate Ninja Storm Connections might not be perfect, but it remains one of the best Naruto games out there.