IGN Review of Naruto: Clash of Ninja Revolution 2

We'd be lying if we said the Naruto franchise on GameCube and Wii wasn't leaving us with a sense of déjà vu at this point. We've now had two games on Nintendo's previous console, and two on Wii, all of which feel 95% the same, with just a few minor tweaks. They are still extremely fun, they each get better (or fuller, we can say) with each iteration, but they're also getting really repetitive too. For those of you out there that wait with baited breath for the latest Naruto fighting game, you'll again be happy to hear that Naruto: Clash of Ninja Revolution 2 is a worthy contender, offering new modes, characters, better balance, and for the first time in the series, both 480p and 16:9 display. For anyone looking for a sizable update from last year's effort, or a fresh take on Naruto fighting games, you'll need to wait at least one more year.



Naruto is a token example of a "battle anime" that has gone the distance, filling out more story and building characters to the point where fans are still chomping at the bit for more, and always down to see the latest movie (filled to the brim with beautifully produced eye candy). It makes sense that a series like Naruto is getting the star treatment as a fighter as well, especially when developer Eighting studios is brought on to keep the legacy going year after year. This time around, Clash of Ninja Revolution 2 brings in a new interface, more characters, some all-new additions to the roster (instead of just filling out the cast with oversights from previous Clash of Ninja games), and far more balance to it all. What it doesn't offer though, is a fresh take on much of it.



When looking at first glance, Clash of Ninja Revolution 2 looks like a pretty sizable update. You've got 35 total characters, seven of which are totally new to the Clash of Ninja series (here and in Japan), and four of those that are specific to just Clash of Ninja Revolution2 here in the states. You've' got new levels, the ability to play on either the first or second half of each tiered level (effectively doubling the amount of areas in size), the option to turn off level transitions and arena obstacles, hand gestures for building health and chakra, and a new story mode built specifically for Revolution 2 in the states, and unique to the regular Naruto cannon.



It's a beefy package, especially considering how much there was within the game already. You've got hundreds of missions to complete, survival mode, team and free for all battles, team-based supers, and an overall fighting mechanic that is tried and true at this point, legitimizing Naruto as a true tournament fighter over the years. It makes sense then, that characters were balanced a bit, so even the added Ultimate Nine-Tailed Naruto and Second-State Sasuke are pretty fair, though we did find that with those two in particular we were able to clean up pretty good. Still, there is obvious balancing going on, and not just in adding new fighters. Combos have been changed, the amount of damage per combo (we noticed it most with Naruto's main combos) has been tweaked to add a bit more of a common ground, and trying to juggle opponents seems to be harder. Of course this is an aspect of the game that's left better in the hands of the hardcore tournament battlers, so only time will tell just how much this new balance has helped. From our general play though, it's noticeable, and for the better overall.







The biggest issue this time around is just that Clash of Ninja Revolution 2 is so similar to the previous game. Interface is changed, and yes, you get a lot more content this time around, but there's nothing that really validates it as a yearly franchise with such a small increase overall. New characters are nice, as are the added motion controls (building chakra and health works great), but online is at this point long overdue, and the overall visuals - though stronger by a slight margin - can still be rivaled by PS2 efforts, and that needs to change. A style change is definitely in order. In addition, the new story mode is stronger than the previous setup, but it's still extremely basic on a presentation side. The core game may still be fun, but it could stand to really be blown out with presentation, style, and in-game visuals. Clash of Ninja Revolution just ends up feeling like another yearly update to the same main fighting, even though the source material is still great.



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