Naruto Shippuden: Ultimate Ninja Heroes 3 Game Review

Those who are hardcore Naruto fans and have followed the story, whether it be through the manga or anime are always on the lookout for a game that is accurate in both the storyline and aesthetics. Naruto Shippuden: Ultimate Ninja Heroes 3 is indeed a game for hardcore Naruto fans that are familiar with all aspects of the storyline. For those who are casual fans, have missed out on a couple episodes, or are just looking for a Ninja-role-playing-fighting game you may find yourself confused at times with the barrage of new characters that you meet throughout your journey and disappointed in the battle portion of the game.

Ultimate Ninja Heroes 3 was released exclusively for the PSP (PlayStation Portable) on May 11th in North America. This game is different from previous Naruto games in that the storyline was designed by CyberConnect2, a Japanese video game development studio that has worked on several other Naruto games. Master Road is the main mode of the game where you go through a series of missions with Naruto and even get to participate in some events in the actual Naruto Shippuden storyline such as rescuing Gaara after he is abducted. As you progress you unlock new attacks and boosts to improve your abilities. Ultimate Ninja Heroes 3 also features a new four-player battle system that can definitely be fun and over 50 unlockable characters as well as tons of other cool bonuses.

When I look for a Naruto game (or any anime based game) I'm always on the lookout for a game that has a story mode that is interesting and makes you want to play it (instead of resorting to free-for-all brawls) and a good battle system that does justice to the show and the attacks but also works well on whatever gaming platform you are using. The attacks and maps definitely are well done but the battle system itself is a bit lacking. At times the camera angles are strange and the lack of control over your character makes it frustrating and boring. You can perform a large number of attacks with a single button which can be a good thing and a bad thing. On the one hand, you don't have to worry about tons of different combinations but on the other if you are trying to do a particular move you can end up doing several other ones you didn't want to. After a while the missions become generic and you may begin to lose interest in the game although things may liven up now and again when you unlock a new character and you get to see their flashy signature move. The aesthetics are superb. Every map is detailed and beautifully designed and the skills are brilliant and dazzling. You'll also be able to unlock different music from the series and get to enjoy the authentic voice of characters from the series...although like most of the game it gets repetitive and old real quick.

Overall, Naruto Shippuden: Ultimate Ninja Heroes 3 is a decent game that stays true to the storyline and has dazzling visuals. If all you're looking for is eye-candy and flashy designs and attacks, then this game is for you. If you are looking for a more advanced and unique battle system and a lot of variety, then you may want to think twice before picking Ninja Heroes 3.

Naruto Shippuden: Ultimate Ninja Heroes 3 for the PSP runs around $39.99 online and at your local gaming store and is rated T for teen.

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