I don't care what you think of anime-licensed games. Well...I care a little, given that I'm encouraging you to get a demo of an anime-licensed game, apparently hoping that you'll like it. Actually, it's one of the better licensed games around, be anime-licensed, movie-licensed, book-licensed or otherwise.
It's a 3D fighter based on the Naruto Shippuden anime and was developed by CyberConnect2, it comes from the same minds behind the epic Tail Concerto and some obscure indie darling series called ".hack."
It's also totally off the chain. Fighters dash around and spam specials and tag attacks at the speed of a high-level Marvel vs. Capcom 2 match, but without all that icky "remembering how to do moves" stuff. So no, it's not exactly a complex and nuanced experience, but it looks hyperactive and super-intense, which is probably the most important part.
And it is. The demo's a relatively small download and features a single boss battle, with Naruto and Sakura up against Kakashi, just like the first few episodes from the anime. Yeah, this game's got boss battles. And partially scripted ones at that, with each new "phase" punctuated by a fun little quick time event. In fact, the fights themselves play out even more insanely than in the show itself.
If you've got a Japanese PlayStation Network or Xbox Live account, you can download the demo now via the PSN store and XBL Marketplace. Or not. You could just check out the video for a look at the fight itself. It's dubbed in English, but the full game should ship with both language tracks.
Expect the game to have 40+ characters (including a Tekken refugee), three story modes (covering 150 or so episodes from the series), and support for online play (finally). It should release in both Japan and North America sometime in October.
Contest:
6:00 AM on 07.31.2010
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I love storm 1, still play it! And this looks even better and shipuuden! Hope they fix the terrible story mode tho! Storm came with Japanese voices on disc with subs, this better do the same! Even the demo let you change it to Japanese. Can't wait!
Yeah the fillers sucked. Naruto's animation has always been inconsistent and isn't exactly the best out there. But they always have that 1 or 2 episode where the animation is top notch. Which seems to be sort of a worthy payoff/climax to an arc. Those episodes alone make it worthwhile. Also, One Piece deserves a game like this. Bleach already has Treasure behind it so I really want a team that can make a One Piece game that's on that same level as a Treasure and CyberConnect2 game.
What we really need is a Gurren Lagann rail shooter, Sin and Punishment style.
I am intrigued. Never understood the point of making things hard to do- takes you one more step away from thinking it and performing it.
I myself have never been to fond of Tekken/Street Fighter fighting games. Sure they do look awesome when other pro players play the game, but I don't want to be learning so many damn combos.
This game is easy to learn, harder to master. You can make awesome moves with very little work, and the battles look spectacular every time. That was some of the fun I had with the first game.
I didn't expect much out of this, seems i was wrong.
But I will say this - should you pick up a fighting game and stick with it, you will find a local multiplayer experience like no other. Nothing brings friends together for life like beating each other senseless.
Rant accomplished.
Wasn't a fan of the original Naruto series, but have been known to watch Shippuden from time to time. The story is quite good, but overly stretched out at times. The 360 games have been phenomenal, though, and the first UNStorm was fantastic on PS3. I'm looking forward to this.
Now, if I can get a full-on, current-gen sequel to the DBZ Budokai Tenkaichi series, I'd be a happy man.
i'd love to see a DBZ game with this quality, fighting on a planetary scale. It'd be awesome.
I haven't played all 10,000 subsequent iterations, but this one looks sweet. Thanks Josh.
Damn auto correct
Truth be told, I'd like to play two types of DBZ games:
1.) ...like Power Stone, just on a massive scale, and...
2.) ...like Virtual-ON, just on a massive scale.
I believe either choice would indeed rock.
Also, the DBZ games released in the US need to stop fucking about with their "selection" of music. Original Japanese themes or STFU, GTFO, OKBUHBYE. Please.
Although, that's not how they actually steal the bells in the story. They threaten Kakashi by spoiling the ending to his favorite book series. Kakashi closes his ears and eyes and they steal the bells.
My friend got that first demo and a few of us had a blast playing against each other. Its true that its not exactly a serious hardcore fighter, but its fun to play and watch, at least worth downloading the demo.
English voices still sound odd, though.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rJuSKE6vpac
It's just another dragon ball Z game.
Yeah, I would say go for it. The single player has plenty of missions to complete, plus a little more if you include DLC. Plus, you can play Vs. Mode against the AI if no one you know would join you. Heck, if the game had online, I'd join you.
Here's why:
Imagine that you are playing through the campaign of Street Fighter (it doesn't matter which one). As you, the 'you' inside Ryu, tear through each opponent with devastating combos, the stage changes. You rock makoto's firm body with a low weak kick and crisply use the stun damage to deliver a roundhouse to her jaw, watching her body crumple as she flies through the plate glass window of a nearby store front.
She struggles to her knees, but something else happens...you know, storyline.
If we really wanted story from our favorite fighters, you wouldn't have to wait for cutscenes to pump you up; you would be pumped throughout the vs. CPU campaign. It would be the warm gooey center to your brutal beatdown.
Cyberconnect merely marries the concepts, aside from the 'press x not to repeat this cinematic' sequences.
Awesome.
SMD because if you wasn't illiterate you would notice that I said ignore that comment. And Check you vision because this is obviously a naruto game.
The only problem with renting games is that the rental shop I go to seems to be lacking in diversity. Ex. - I would have rented Just Cause 2 but it wasn't available. Likewise for Naruto. Though thanks for confirming that I should in fact buy it - I probably wouldn't have otherwise.