Naruto Shippuden: Ultimate Ninja Storm 3

I would happily recommend this game to fighting fans, mainly because of the depth of the game. Though it isn't as complex as most fighters, there is a lot of content to keep most people satisfied. There may be some flaws, but nothing ruins the overall package.

The game is another valuable step for the franchise into the right direction, whereas one thing is crystal clear: Contrary to last year's 'Generations' this entry is less accessible for newbies, fortunately providing this "What happened so far..." section. Thanks to its stunningly presented Story mode Ultimate Ninja Storm 3 is not just a simple beat 'em up, in my opinion, it's the best Naruto game currently on the market and a must-have for every Naruto fan out there.

Naruto Shippuden: Ultimate Ninja Storm 3 is a worthy fighter to check out whether or not you're a fan of the Naruto manga.

After the weak ‘Generations’ Naruto returns to top form. It has its share of flaws, but nonetheless this is the best Naruto adventure yet.

Even if the difficulty skews toward the easy side, Naruto Shippuden: Ultimate Ninja Storm 3 speeds up combat with more responsive controls, and the visual spectacle of it all is more stunning than ever.

A very solid, visually amazing and interesting new entry in the Ultimate Ninja Storm franchise. A must have for Naruto fans.

The best Naruto game yet. [Issue#230, p.77]

CyberConnect2 has listened to fans' feedback for Naruto Shippuden Ultimate Ninja Storm 3, and it was the right decision. The mistakes of Generations are behind now and we're offered a really good Story mode, even if you'll be only watching your screen most of the time. With a huge choice of characters and a still very efficient gameplay, Ultimate Ninja Storm 3 is obviously the very best episode.

Maybe it's not the ultimate Naruto game, but it's pretty close. There are some issues that prevent it from becoming really outstanding, but it's absolutely recommended for any fan of the adventures of the popular ninja.

Represents the perfect opportunity to relive the most important moments in the last arc of the saga. This title tries to bring back some of the past virtues that were nowhere to be found in Naruto Ultimate Ninja Storm Generations, like the adventuring component. On the other hand, the battle system strikes us as maybe too simplistic and restrictive, more so given the trajectory of Masashi Kishimoto's work within the realm of videogames.

Delivers a visually exciting experience. [May 2013, p.107]

For the Naruto faithful this game is as good as it gets, and compared to some of the dreck that other anime studios have pushed into the gaming world fans can do a lot worse.

While the game isn't a genuine sea change from its predecessors, it stays true to the franchise's foundations, and makes up for any lack of innovation with the grand, beautiful spectacle that is its hallmark.

Simply put, Naruto Shippuden: Ultimate Ninja Storm 3 is the best Naruto game yet. Whilst the length of the cutscenes may put some off, the presentation, story and fighting is top notch and the game is heartily recommend to all Naruto fans. Yes, it has some niggles, but the positives more than outweigh the negatives.

Ultimate Ninja Storm 3 leads the story to the point Kishimoto's cartoon arrived, adding small tweaks here and there and innovations to the technical side. The spectacular nature of the clashes is increasingly taken to extremes. Too bad for a little choice of brand new playable characters.

Its impressive Adventure mode stays true to the anime and creates an experience typically not found in a fighting game. Its enhanced combat system, coupled with its large roster of characters, makes for fun offline and online matches that will keep you exploring the ins and outs of each character.

Sadly, whoever picks this up will find something to dislike, from an over-reliance on cutscenes to watered down fights, or the fact that smaller details are only found in the anime. What we have here is a title that is trying to be the best Naruto game ever made, but is held back due to not knowing what kind of game it wants to be; this is made even more frustrating by the fact that it comes so close.

The addition of the Ultimate Decisions tries to alleviate that issue but falls a little bit short. Thankfully the story, characters, and visual effects are all top notch and help to hide some of the flaws in the game.

If you’re a fan of either the anime or manga then you owe it to yourself to pick this up. And even if you’re not a Naruto super fan, I think you’ll be surprised by how much fun this game has to offer.

Naruto is a beloved ninja, in Ultimate Ninja Storm 3 he has a great story to tell. Fans have found the best game in the Shippuden series, but really this chapter has some unforgivable mistakes. New ideas and classic setbacks, all together in a beautiful cel shading.

While some elements, like the story and the boss fights, will definitely appeal to fans of the franchise, major step backs, like the low difficulty, the poor pacing due to the overload of cut-scenes and the uninteresting side quests keep Ultimate Ninja Storm 3 from being the next big hit by CyberConnect2.

Unfortunately Ninja Storm 3 doesn’t really do anything to distinguish itself from its predecessors utilising the ‘bigger is better’ formula, and while novel in the short term, the huge character list isn’t enough to hide the glaring simplicity of its combat. [April 2013, p77]

The latest Naruto game doesn't surprise: it adds more characters and features, as is usually the case with this ongoing franchise. You get an interesting storyline and gameplay which is instantly recognizable. Great for the fans, but we did notice the excruciatingly long loading times, slightly obsolete graphics and an unhealthy amount of button bashing. The game's fun, but it could (and should) have been better.

There is no doubt that this is the best game of Naruto that you can buy, even though there are some flaws to be considered.

Naruto fans should take notice, but others can safely pass this one up.

With less innovation that promised Naruto Shippuden: Ultimate Ninja Storm 3 is a game only for Naruto fans.

Naruto Shippuden: Ultimate Ninja Storm 3 feels like a major step back for the series. The story itself is fantastic, the method in which it is told is just lacking. There is overall a lack of innovation from previous installations and is a bit stagnant at this point in time.

Anyone who has watched more than one episode of Naruto, Bleach or any of the Dragon Balls, knows that the pre-fight exposition/tea party can drag on for quite a while. So prepare to sit through some pretty lengthy and non-interactive cutscenes. [April 2013, p.84]

Unfortunately, that’s all the game is: a wonderful single-player experience for die-hard Naruto fans. It falls short in multiplayer depth, but this isn’t anything new for the franchise.

This is an installment for the fans that love everything Naruto – others will have a hard time sticking this one out. For the average gamer, not enough is offered in a manner that would keep their interest.