Metascore
74 out of 100

Mixed or average reviews - based on 31 Critics

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 18 out of 31
  2. Negative: 0 out of 31
  1. Oct 22, 2010
    90
    This is without a doubt one of the best licensed games ever. It is impressively faithful to the show, and you'll be amazed by the beautiful graphics and the awesome battles.
  2. 86
    Only the rather bland nature of some missions, ever present loading screens and the sometimes murky plot - at least for newcomers - stop Ultimate Ninja Storm 2 from being up there with the greats. As it is, the game is wonderful to look at, brilliant fun to play and is easily the best anime related title out there.
  3. Jan 2, 2011
    85
    The best Anime based Fighting game yet.
  4. Dec 22, 2010
    85
    Naruto Shippuden: Ultimate Ninja: Storm 2 is proof as to how far we have come when it comes to creating worlds of gaming. Even if you're not verse in the ways of the ninja, but still enjoy Japanese animation, this game will amaze you.
  5. Oct 21, 2010
    85
    Ultimate Ninja Storm 2 is a great upgrade of the previous game. It feels like you're playing an episode of the anime.
  6. Oct 21, 2010
    85
    Ultimate Ninja Storm 2 is without any doubt the best Naruto's game on the nextgen platforms. However its gameplay has several problems and this could be a reason why the people who don't know Naruto can't fully enjoy the game.
  7. Oct 25, 2010
    84
    Ultimate Nina Storm 2 is definitely an improvement for the series, faithfully utilizing its source material to create a fun, striking game. The online multiplayer is still a work in progress for the series, and while not all revisions are for the better, there's plenty of content stashed into the package to make it a worthwhile pick up.
  8. Oct 21, 2010
    84
    A good arcade fighter, with great graphics and simple but enjoyable controls: recommended to every Naruto fan.
  9. Dec 22, 2010
    83
    It surprised me by its visual quality, and how much fun I had with the combat.
  10. Oct 21, 2010
    83
    A real must buy for every fan of the saga, Ultimate Ninja Storm 2 flattens some flaws and delivers a great single player campaign and a funny multiplayer. Add impressive graphics and the deal is one you shouldn't miss if you love Naruto.
  11. Jan 5, 2011
    80
    Naruto Shippuden: Ultimate Ninja Storm 2 is the ultimate Naruto-game you can get at the moment. The line between anime and game disappears on a regular basis thanks to the atmosphere it delivers both during and outside of the storyline. The problem with lag and cumbersome setup of the online multiplayer are the only real faults in an almost flawless Naruto-experience.
  12. Jan 5, 2011
    80
    The combat is a blast, the single-player game is faithful to the source material, online matches are appreciated, and the game looks and sounds the part.
  13. Jan 3, 2011
    80
    CyberConnect2 has once again done a smash up job with this latest in the series of the boy with his very own "Ninja way" and has made broad strokes with their collective brush to merge 3D design and 2D art.
  14. Oct 21, 2010
    80
    Naruto Shippuden: Ultimate Ninja Storm 2 is a great upgrade of the previous game. New characters, new game mechanics, more variety, a brand new story mode and the online multiplayer are great addictions to a nice experience.
  15. Oct 21, 2010
    80
    One of the more gorgeous games I've seen in a long time. They've really captured the feeling of the cartoons, and playing the Adventure Mode -- at least in the less tedious portions -- feels like you're playing inside an episode of the anime.
  16. Oct 21, 2010
    80
    For fans of the anime, this is a must have game, and to be fair, the new RPG approach might appeal more as a fitting change making the game stand out against its predecessors.
  17. Oct 21, 2010
    80
    Naruto Shippuden: Ultimate Ninja Storm 2 is a sequel with few new features and a notorious technical stagnation. But the new features are remarkable, specially the multiplayer online combats, which boosts replayability.
  18. Oct 21, 2010
    80
    Naruto: Ultimate Ninja Storm 2 is a really good game that combines solid game mechanics with a beautiful cel shading graphic style. The accuracy of the plot, inspired to the 2nd saga of Naruto, is truly unique in a tie-in game. Unfortunately is also an impediment for those who are not familiar with Masashi Kishimoto's work.
  19. Jan 31, 2011
    70
    But those looking for a mix of good multi-tiered fighting that's finally available online with some elements of an action-adventure (although nowhere near as engaging as the fighting aspect) that also provides long, fan-appealing anime cut-scenes that weave together another Naruto tale should be satisfied with the second installment of this particular Naruto-based franchise.
  20. Jan 15, 2011
    70
    A nice fighting game with great graphics, but the adventure mode is just horrible.
  21. Dec 22, 2010
    70
    The game is at its best with a friend, perhaps someone turned off by the long-term learning required by more complex fighting games.
  22. Oct 26, 2010
    70
    A flair for the dramatic elevates Ultimate Ninja Storm 2 above its shallow combat.
  23. Oct 26, 2010
    70
    Naruto Shippuden: Ultimate Ninja Storm 2 is a cool game but the weak campaign mode tends to ruin a lot. It could be better if they improved more of the mistakes that were made in the first Ultimate Ninja Storm. The only mode is the best improvement that you will find.
  24. Oct 25, 2010
    70
    The combat can be slightly uninvolving at times, and the exploration side of proceedings serves little more than to connect one battle to the next, but the experience as a whole is surprisingly enjoyable.
  25. Oct 21, 2010
    70
    Quotation forthcoming.
  26. Oct 21, 2010
    70
    There will be few fans of Naruto that will find much to gripe about in this game. Its story is huge and detailed, the epic battles with the incredible quick time events will dazzle gamers regardless of their opinion of Naruto and anime in general, and the online fights have hidden depth, but those irritating load screens and the mundane aspects of Story Mode put a large pinch on the glories found within each battle.
  27. Dec 25, 2010
    62
    While Ninja Storm 2 may look and sound exactly like Naruto, the boy ninja's boundless energy is sadly lacking. [Issue#231, p.90]
  28. Oct 25, 2010
    60
    The cel-shading is pretty and the fights sometimes spectacular, but it gets old quick.
  29. 60
    Would make a better movie than a game.
  30. Dec 22, 2010
    58
    The story is full of incredible stupid clichιs, the dialogue dubbing is just horrifying, and there's not much that made me feel quite so embarrassed as my boss and a coworker walking in on my playing Naruto, in the middle of one of the titular character's strange and tangential rants.
  31. Of the three Naruto games on Xbox 360, this definitely gets the bronze. [Issue#98, p.89]
User Score

Generally favorable reviews- based on 15 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 4 out of 5
  2. Negative: 0 out of 5
  1. Very very fun with a lot of senseless violence, I love it! It is also quite cheap now that the new naruto game has been released, just ebay it and get the classics one. So so addicting. Full Review »
  2. 10
    Naruto Shippuden: Ultimate Ninja Storm 2 Naruto Shippuden: ultimate ninja storm 2 is the best fighting game I have played it is my favourite Naruto game it has a range of characters like Naruto who is the main character in the anime program he has a nine tailed fox put in him by his dad the fourth hokage Minato who has the power of time his weapons have the power to teleport the wielder when held. The characters in the game are Kakashi Hatake, Sakura Haruno, Might Guy, Tenten , Rock Lee, Neji HyÅ«ga, Asuma Sarutobi, Ino Yamanaka, Shikamaru Nara, Chōji Akimichi, Hinata HyÅ«ga, Shino Aburame, Kiba Inuzuka, Tsunade, Jiraiya, Gaara, Temari, Kankurō, Itachi Uchiha, Kisame Hoshigaki, Sasuke Uchiha, Orochimaru, Kabuto Yakushi, Sai, Yamato, Chiyo, Deidara, Sasori, Hidan, Kakuzu, Pain, Konan, Tobi, Suigetsu Hōzuki, Karin, JÅ«go, Killer B, Lars Alexandersson my favorite character is minato Naruto dad. My favorite jutsu is his ultimate resengan. The game is easy to play and has a range of jutsus that control the elevates and objects around them like Gaara can control the sand and Deidara can control jutsu clay all characters have a different range from close to a cross the map like deidara is a far ranged character minato is a close range character. There are 3 groups in the game the hidden villages, the akatsuki and orochimaru team the hidden leaf village is my favorite village because the four hokage is my favorite character. Each village has a different name for them like hokage, kazakage, mizukage, raikage, tsuchkage. Full Review »
  3. 8
    This review contains spoilers, click full review link to view. Right, I think it’s safe to say that the gaming community is a big fan of Naruto as he’s a twelve year old ninja, loud, immature and he has no friends. I know, because I received about twenty Xbox messages questioning my sexuality but I pulled through as always and now you have the opportunity to read this review. What a treat. I know that there are a very select few that might be interested in the single-player part of the game and you’ll be in for a pleasant surprise. The game also features an online mode for those that always want more bang for their buck. Read on and I’ll get on to both of those modes in detail. Well, let’s start off with the presentation. The menu screen is beyond classy; it’s a work of art on its own. The graphics are some of the best I’ve seen in my experience with video games and the sound is just as good. One thing that really got on my nerves was how cheesy the English voice-cast sounded, which drove me to change the language to Japanese. Even though the game characters sounded a lot more unique and realistic, I wouldn’t understand what the hell they were saying if I didn’t have the subtitles on. To defeat your opponent you can use close-combat, ninjutsu or shuriken. As easy as that sounds, it can be surprisingly difficult to defeat somebody who has full mastery of the chakra system. If you charge your chakra enough you can increase the strength of your shuriken, sprint towards your opponent and use various forms of ninjutsu. You also have the ability to use the awakening mode, a last resort that you can use if you’ve lost most of your health. Every character has a different version, with some being more significant than others such as Itachi’s susano or Naruto’s various beast modes. When I say significant, I really do mean significant as I was trounced 10-1 by a mere child, that one win happening at 9-0 when I told him no awakening modes. You also have the option to have a simple one-on-one fight or choose the team option which allows you to pop side-characters in and out mid-battle. They really add a bit of depth to the gameplay and I can see why CG2 have given you the option to play both modes separately. I can’t see myself attempting an ultimate jutsu without the aid of my assist characters any time soon. If they weren’t there to be my shield, I’d be left wide open to the enemies ultimate jutsu or god knows what. The 23 maps are all pretty varied, ranging from all corners of your single-player adventure and all look like a ninja would fight in them, which is good because this game is all ninjas. Although there are a total of 42 characters with different special moves and sorts, my favourite character has to be Rock Lee. He has no special powers whatsoever; he can’t use ninjutsu or genjutsu and must rely solely on physical strength. The team at CyberConnect 2 have also implemented a title and emblem feature similar to that of Street Fighter IV and Call of Duty. You unlock the titles by doing various deeds on and offline such as spending a million RYO total or playing as a certain character 30 times and you unlock most of the emblems in the trading card shop. The titles are mostly serious but there are a few golden ones such as bushy brows, the idiot, the no.1 knuckle head etc. The emblems are split into two categories, the majority of them being regular and the other being limited edition. There's also a ranking system that proves you're only as good as your last game. For every win you receive, you earn 200-400 battle points and if you lose, then you’ll lose 100-200 and all the battle points go towards your total rank. You have the ability to search players by connection and all sorts which is also a nice touch. A nice but useless feature is that after every match, the game records the enemies’ player card showing their stats, title and emblem. The story revolves around Naruto – the twelve year old loner and Sasuke, his first friend. The story also includes the ever-changing Team 7, a ninja squad that you got familiar with during the course of the first game. Although the third member Sakura has been in the team longer than Sasuke, this is a male dominant world and she doesn’t really do anything after the first two chapters. Not that I’m saying that’s a bad thing, she’s like a weak Rock Lee and lacks the charisma and charm that he has. To read the rest of the review, please visit http://www.sanctuary4gamers.com/content.php/1365-Naruto-Storm-2-A-Review-by-an-Inactive-Member. Full Review »