Naruto Shippuden: Ultimate Ninja Storm 3

 PlayStation 3
User Score
7.8

Generally favorable reviews- based on 233 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 164 out of 233
  2. Mixed: 42 out of 233
  3. Negative: 27 out of 233
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  1. Metacriticfan4
    Mar 30, 2013
    2
    As a huge fan of the Naruto manga and anime I was very disappointed with this game. The developers have actually managed to make a worse game than NUNSG which came before it. The problems are many.
    1) A disappointing roster. CC2 continue their 'copy-paste' style and a huge part of the cast are literally the same as in both UNS2 and UNSG. Similarly the game lacks so many new and vital    As a huge fan of the Naruto manga and anime I was very disappointed with this game. The developers have actually managed to make a worse game than NUNSG which came before it. The problems are many.
    1) A disappointing roster. CC2 continue their 'copy-paste' style and a huge part of the cast are literally the same as in both UNS2 and UNSG. Similarly the game lacks so many new and vital characters.
    2) The online section of this game is the worst it has ever been. With massive frame rate problems and poor net-coding the online part of the game has terrible replay value. This is very bad considering that the bulk of your hours playing this game will mostly be online. Why? The offline has very little challenge and low replay value.
    3) The story mode was dull. It dragged out for what felt like an eternity and I feel like they spent to much of the budget making a very easy and unfulfilling story mode rather than a full innovative roster and a good online mode. 4) The DLC concept is a bad turn. CC2 have decided to give us DLC costumes rather than just putting them in the game like they should have been. I guess they follow the trend of wanting to make more money of their costumers. These costumes should have been in the 60 dollar game that we already paid for and it's in very bad taste to charge people for this.
    Overall CC2 have made their worst Naruto game as of yet, and they have lost at least one costumer.    … Expand
  2. Castian
    Apr 29, 2013
    1
    Zero improvement over the last games, cool ting is the story progression, but quirky and feels like playing the old games yet AGAIN.
    Online mode is Laggy as and the removal of several SUPERS is a thing to miss, still, PS2's Naruto games are vastly better.
  3. kostasimic13
    Jun 21, 2013
    6
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. The game is really disappointing. There is more storytelling then the gameplay itself. On top of that, the story in the game is totally different from the manga. They should have waited at least a few months for the anime to show the end of the 4th great ninja war. But NO, instead they remake the original story with there own. But, I agree that the battles and graphics are nice. All in all its a solid game for the fans who love the fighting part and don't care about the story at all.… Expand
  4. Garbouw_Deark
    Jan 19, 2014
    4
    Positives: Well, there were a lot of characters. Like, a lot. Really, for a fanfiction fan like me, this was like a dream come true. Also, there were a few epic moments in the story that made me just stop for a moment, and appreciate the epicness.

    Negatives: Well, the game REALLY seemed a bit rushed. I haven't played the other games in the series, nor can I be considered an    Positives: Well, there were a lot of characters. Like, a lot. Really, for a fanfiction fan like me, this was like a dream come true. Also, there were a few epic moments in the story that made me just stop for a moment, and appreciate the epicness.

    Negatives: Well, the game REALLY seemed a bit rushed. I haven't played the other games in the series, nor can I be considered an 'experienced' player, but some of the combat features and a few of the boss fights (I'm looking at you, final boss fight), REALLY seemed rushed and just thrown in last minute. The Open World bits were terrible, and the ending was worse than the **** games I've ever played.

    The item system only gives you a VERY slight edge, when using anything but health, chakra, or stat boosts. This along with the Hero and Legendary loadouts, while a little nice, were sorta confusing. Why couldn't there just be one loadout?

    The final boss fights were a HUGE problem as well. I won't give anything away, but I'll try to explain it. There is no health regen in the game, and the final boss fights don't let you use health items. Also, a flying enemy with a VERY small hitbox. Fun! Not.

    Also, quick-time events. Did I mention those? There's a lot of them.

    The Open World? Yeah, you can sorta travel from place to place, but it's really slow, there are invisible walls EVERYWHERE. You literally are forced to walk down a narrow path.

    The Cutscenes. Kill me now. There are a lot of them, which is to be expected from an anime-based game, but more so than usual. Also, some are unskippable. And the ones that aren't you don't really want to miss that much. Combine this with long loading times for each switch from gameplay to cutscene, it really makes the game longer than it needs to be.

    The Voice Actors. Guess what? It's the English voice actors. You know, the ones that made Kakashi and Itachi sound alright, but made Naruto sound like a whiny brat (who, by the way, you'll be hearing a lot of). They really couldn't have just given the option of Japanese voice actors with subtitles?

    Finally, the ending. It wouldn't have been so bad if they had released the later parts quickly as cheap DLC, but no. The ending itself is terrible. It really is. I'm not even joking. They have this really awesome (sort of) series of quick time events that seem to lead up to an amazing finish, but then....ugh. You'll see. Or not.

    All in all, only the most die-hard of Naruto fans will enjoy this. And even then....I don't know. I only came for a playable Fuu.    … Expand
  5. FatedReality
    Apr 28, 2013
    3
    As a huge fan of Naruto I have read all the manga all the way up to the most recent chapter and played all the ultimate ninja games sense the early PS2 days. I can say this game is very disappointing. The story was quite lackluster and very restricted from previous games in the series. It seems to take different elements from the previous storm games. You navigate the world like you didAs a huge fan of Naruto I have read all the manga all the way up to the most recent chapter and played all the ultimate ninja games sense the early PS2 days. I can say this game is very disappointing. The story was quite lackluster and very restricted from previous games in the series. It seems to take different elements from the previous storm games. You navigate the world like you did in Storm 2 with limited roaming sequences, except they seem to be tacked on in this game and are short and usually very tedious. The other part of the story are the cut scenes and there are a lot. I usually don't mind theses cut scenes but some of them are extremely long and just tiring luckily you can skip these if you want. There are also the battles which are fun most of the time but there are some that seem to be tacked on to the story just to make it longer. The highlight to the story is defiantly the return of boss battles. They are extremely fun and look spectacular, like scenes straight out the anime.

    Perhaps the most important part of the storm games is the roster of characters. Even though Storm 3 has the largest roster of characters in a storm game to date don't be fooled most of theses characters are exactly the as they were in Storm 2. Same look, same combo and same Ultimate. I don't expect for them to drastically change every character but some characters that are important should have different ultimantes.

    Also oddly enough there are characters in the story that you fight that are clearly programmed but yet you cant play as them. This includes the seven ninja swordsman barring Zabuza and the Edo kages. The multiplayer is the same as generations, very fun and addicting to play but is often lagging and can get very frustrating. All in all this Naruto storm fails to make any changes to the series and is in need of a some character changes. I would not advice anyone to buy this game unless you are a die hard Naruto fan.    … Expand
  6. Andre23
    Mar 18, 2013
    5
    If you liked previous games from the franchize and are a fan of the anime/manga, then you should buy this game. Just dont be fooled by the gameplay trailer that shows the Edo Kages, Ginkaku, Kinkaku and the swordsmen of the mist. None of them are playable or unlocked. Also cyber connect said that there will be no downloable content for those. Only for cloths or other nonsense stuff thatIf you liked previous games from the franchize and are a fan of the anime/manga, then you should buy this game. Just dont be fooled by the gameplay trailer that shows the Edo Kages, Ginkaku, Kinkaku and the swordsmen of the mist. None of them are playable or unlocked. Also cyber connect said that there will be no downloable content for those. Only for cloths or other nonsense stuff that adds nothing to the gameplay.

    I would gladly throw away all the fantastic singleplayer in game cinematic battles for one extra jutsu for each character plus the mentioned characters above since that at the end of the day its all about a fighting game.

    Dammit I just wish I could play with the old kages! So disapointed!    … Expand
  7. Abstractpurpose
    Mar 10, 2013
    4
    this game is amazing looking with a very cinematic story mode and a well made roster of characters. so why the mediocre review score? I have a very good reason actually. The series like the dragon ball game series has been known to be overly simple. Smashing 1 button is how to combo is unacceptable. I understand there not trying to make this a die hard fighting game but it IS a game basedthis game is amazing looking with a very cinematic story mode and a well made roster of characters. so why the mediocre review score? I have a very good reason actually. The series like the dragon ball game series has been known to be overly simple. Smashing 1 button is how to combo is unacceptable. I understand there not trying to make this a die hard fighting game but it IS a game based off a series about ninja hand to hand combat and inteligent use of special moves which meens there should be more to the fighting mechanics than there are now and this many ga,mes into the series its a bad sign that they havent done anything to make it better yet.

    My next big issue goes for huge fans of the show as well. having only 2 jutsu per character when replicating a show where some use 10 or more even steals the fun of feeling like your reliving battles. Why not allow for a button that when pressed allows you to toggle anywhere up to 5? some could be character specific and others can be picked from a list like in some of the older naruto games. Theres nothing worse than watching the show being amped up about playing and finding that there is no inteligent way to use jutsu. There all for damage but i sometimes want to use a mist jutsu to temporarily blind and enemy or one of itachis genjutsu to have them attacking a fake enemy for a second or so. something ANYTHING to make it feel like the series. This game while very good looking is so simple and so badly lacking in the combat and jutsu use that the show is based on that it gets boring and becomes a backshelf game far to quickly. a little work on combo use and some smart jutsu that arent all just dmg based (and of course more than just 2 per character) and this game will be one you can play on and off all year vs a month or 2 before your done.    … Expand
  8. Soul3cho
    Mar 5, 2013
    10
    Quite simply the greatest naruto experience to date. From the refined gameplay to the beautiful graphics this game never fails to capture your attention. If you are a fan of anime or even fighting games this is a must buy
  9. Uzzie
    Mar 6, 2013
    8
    Its really average. They have nice graphics, improved battle system, and a okay but totally off from the real anime/manga storyline. Now the bad is no edo-kages/others (I really wanted to play as the Edo-2nd Mizukage) slow travelling(It takes forever to do things, a sprinting option would be cool), and many characters still have the same moveset from generations. Like many others areIts really average. They have nice graphics, improved battle system, and a okay but totally off from the real anime/manga storyline. Now the bad is no edo-kages/others (I really wanted to play as the Edo-2nd Mizukage) slow travelling(It takes forever to do things, a sprinting option would be cool), and many characters still have the same moveset from generations. Like many others are saying, If you are a hardcore-naruto fan you should buy it. If not, you could buy a better game. But if a DLC for new characters are added, it would be a 8.5 in my opinion. Also this is coming from a naruto fan whose been following the series for awhile now.… Expand
  10. xRealityxLapsex
    Mar 13, 2013
    3
    This game only confirms to me that CyberConnect2 truly no longer cares about the fighter aspect of this game, and are willing to throw out any piece of crap into the marketplace with Naruto in the title, just to make money. While I did enjoy the story aspect of the game, with it's beautiful visuals and representation, this game is still a fighter at it's core, and unfortunately it's aThis game only confirms to me that CyberConnect2 truly no longer cares about the fighter aspect of this game, and are willing to throw out any piece of crap into the marketplace with Naruto in the title, just to make money. While I did enjoy the story aspect of the game, with it's beautiful visuals and representation, this game is still a fighter at it's core, and unfortunately it's a very bad one at that. You still have your boring, one-dimensional, repetitive one button mashable combos which apparently got even nerfed further in Storm 3 by CC2 removing a combo string (In older Storm games, there were 4 different strings: Neutral, Left/Right, Up, and Down. In Storm 3 Neutral and Left/Right pull off the same combo string.) This goes to show that CC2 is apparently too lazy to do a simple copypaste job, of which the game ultimately already is. The dreaded substitution, or KnJing gauge also makes a return in Storm 3, which shows CC2 would rather listen to whiny casuals and simplify the game beyond it's already simplistic, yet repetitive nature, instead of expanding the game to draw in a wider audience of players. The Storm series for some reason, seems to become more and more repetitive with each new release in the series, instead of adding change and new fighting mechanics to breathe new life into it. I understand that CC2 wants to cater to a younger audience to have them properly enjoy the Naruto series and have something easy to get into, but if you're going to do that, don't release this game as a fighter. Maybe an action/adventure type, but definitely not a fighter. And if CC2 wants this to be a better fighting game so that it caters to a larger audience and potentially make a bigger profit on this title, then they should follow an example from MvC3 and Blazblue and create a Simple Mode and a Normal Mode. The simple mode being what the gameplay is now currently, and the normal mode expanding on different combo strings and button inputs, multiple special attack jutsus, the removal of the substitution gauge and actually requiring precise timing and skill in order to successfully KnJ, as well as expanding what support/assist characters can do. The sad thing about this game is that I'm a GameStop employee and it's only been one week since this game was launched, and already there have been multiple copies of this game traded back in. All of them said that the story was great, but once you finish the story there is absolutely no reason to keep the game, nor is the fighter aspect decent enough to merit keeping the game. If CC2 wants to not lose out on potential customers, they need to consider not only the younger, casual gamers, but also the more enthusiastic gamers that enjoy fighters, and add in new elements to the mechanics in order to revive this game from the droll, one dimensional gameplay that is slowly dragging this game 6 feet under. But as long as CC2's mindset is set on the younger Naruto fans, don't expect it to happen. Such a shame.… Expand
  11. ricmag93
    Mar 6, 2013
    10
    Very quickly. The game has remained faithful to the gameplay promised and so far much appreciated, the battle system is certainly the highlight of NUNS. The boss battles are spectacular as expected giving the player an unforgettable actions typical of the series. As far as spectacle can not be criticized at all, in fact it is one of the best games of the genre for both versatility and fun.Very quickly. The game has remained faithful to the gameplay promised and so far much appreciated, the battle system is certainly the highlight of NUNS. The boss battles are spectacular as expected giving the player an unforgettable actions typical of the series. As far as spectacle can not be criticized at all, in fact it is one of the best games of the genre for both versatility and fun. The story continues from the events following the saga of Pain lasting until the fourth ninja war. The exploration is certainly not the strong point of the game but excellent side dish to make during the story. I also believe enough property to a phase musou to vary the gameplay. There are no substantial changes from Ultimate Ninja Storm 2 but the game proves to be valid, however, consists of a high technical level, improved animations and more. The roster of characters is in my opinion the only real flaw of the game, I would have expected something significantly different, such as the presence of the 4 kage and the 7 swordsmen, I hope it will soon add as DLC. As I said before, the strong point of UNS3 is the battle system accompanied by a compelling story that captures the players carrying them in the world of ninja. This is a title not only appreciated by fans of Naruto but also from other players, I highly recommend it.… Expand
  12. Hyuugaraul
    Mar 17, 2013
    0
    This game sucks! Is a bad copy past from naruto generations, with 10 new characters and a history mode that destroys the original Naruto`s story. The edo kages are all designed but are not playable. The swordsmen with exception of Zabuza are not playable to. If you didn`t play storm 1, buy storm 1, but not this game. If you had already played every ps3 naruto`s games stay with generation,This game sucks! Is a bad copy past from naruto generations, with 10 new characters and a history mode that destroys the original Naruto`s story. The edo kages are all designed but are not playable. The swordsmen with exception of Zabuza are not playable to. If you didn`t play storm 1, buy storm 1, but not this game. If you had already played every ps3 naruto`s games stay with generation, but please, don`t spend your money with this.… Expand
  13. nerwus
    Apr 28, 2014
    8
    First of all I have never seen a single episode of Naruto anime or manga , if there is one (yeah I know , I don't care ) . I got it only cause I like fighting games and it was really cheep from where I bought it , and I have to say that this game is really good ! Animation of characters is just beautiful . Game is really fast paced and you have to learn a lot to master it but each fightFirst of all I have never seen a single episode of Naruto anime or manga , if there is one (yeah I know , I don't care ) . I got it only cause I like fighting games and it was really cheep from where I bought it , and I have to say that this game is really good ! Animation of characters is just beautiful . Game is really fast paced and you have to learn a lot to master it but each fight just looks spectacular . It's really hard to go back to slow Street Fighter after that heh . Story mode is like one big movie . Good game… Expand
  14. mose14
    Nov 30, 2013
    5
    Naruto Shippuden: Ultimate Ninja Storm 3 is fourth entry in the Ultimate Ninja series. If you are not familiar with the game series or even the anime series I would suggest to pass on this game. The story starts off right where the last left off and continues the story of Naruto. You will be completely lost if you do not know who characters are and what they do. The game play has notNaruto Shippuden: Ultimate Ninja Storm 3 is fourth entry in the Ultimate Ninja series. If you are not familiar with the game series or even the anime series I would suggest to pass on this game. The story starts off right where the last left off and continues the story of Naruto. You will be completely lost if you do not know who characters are and what they do. The game play has not changed much from the previous game. The fighting is still flashy but simple when you delve deeper into the game. During the story mode you will be watching a lot of cutscenes and fighting 4 or 5 times in each chapter. But the sections in between the fighting and cutscenes are tact on and feel unnecessary. The multiplayer is runs well and seems to have a decent community. In the end Naruto Shippuden: Ultimate Ninja Storm 3 is a great game for Naruto fans but if you are not familiar with the with these characters, I would stay away.… Expand
  15. TheLtColonel
    Aug 15, 2013
    8
    I love Naruto, its my absolute Favorite Manga/Anime.

    I've been playing the Ninja Storm series since Storm 2 and have loved every minute of it. It takes the Anime and Manga and turns it into something you can control and fight for yourself as your favorite Naruto Characters. However, this game seems to have taken the cake for the best Ninja Storm game out there. The story is amazing    I love Naruto, its my absolute Favorite Manga/Anime.

    I've been playing the Ninja Storm series since Storm 2 and have loved every minute of it. It takes the Anime and Manga and turns it into something you can control and fight for yourself as your favorite Naruto Characters. However, this game seems to have taken the cake for the best Ninja Storm game out there. The story is amazing compared to Ninja Storm 2's. Better in depth and very movie like.

    The new dodge system from Gen has also been kept, making dodging more strategic in keeping yourself alive. Ninjutsu casting time has been lowered to prevent as much spam online from the other games, and the new ults are amazing.

    With an Anime game, comes flaws. This is the first Ninja Storm game to not be as close to the Manga and Anime as the others. The ending, actually, is the only part that stands off from the rest. In my own opinion, this was the worst part of the game was the crappy ending that was not like the manga's ending. They should have left the ending off as a "To Be Continued" ending instead of what was given seeing how the war did not end after that battle.

    The only other real problem with this game is that, on current gen consoles, console lag can cause you to mess up or even end up dead. Susano' and water tends to lag the 360 and PS3 so bad you're not sure whats happening. This is said to be fixed with the upcoming Full Burst update, however.

    So if you're looking for an awesome, epic game to play Online or Off, for Story or Free battle. Then this game is for you. You do need to ignore the ending, as it is nothing like how it should be. But the characters we all know and love are waiting to be pitted against others from this epic series. This game is the only reason I own an XboX, as I am a PC gamer.

    However, this Winter it will be making its way to PC and Steam for the first time!    … Expand
  16. Natty_gains_bra
    Nov 15, 2013
    9
    I think this is a great game captures the characters well looks great has one of the highest skill ceilings of any fighting game Ive played for sure and Im still not bored of the online matches.
  17. Krizuwe
    Nov 20, 2013
    8
    Estaba muy estusiasmado con este juego pero, ha sido un poco decepcionante, pasarte el juego no sobrepasa las 10 horas, el modo aventura no es tan absorvente como en la segunda entrega, la verdad deja mucho que desear. No haber puesto personajes jugables que salen en el modo historia y encima poner muchos personajes repetidos para ``engordar´´ la lista de luchadores es lamentable. PodriaEstaba muy estusiasmado con este juego pero, ha sido un poco decepcionante, pasarte el juego no sobrepasa las 10 horas, el modo aventura no es tan absorvente como en la segunda entrega, la verdad deja mucho que desear. No haber puesto personajes jugables que salen en el modo historia y encima poner muchos personajes repetidos para ``engordar´´ la lista de luchadores es lamentable. Podria haber llegado lejos...pero apenas innova respecto al 2 o al Generations. Lo recomiendo, si, pero, no esperes gran cosa, es mejor que la segunda entrega y el Generations, pero te dejara con un sabor agridulce, como que le falta algo.… Expand
  18. JMJT1998
    Apr 10, 2014
    9
    This is without any doubt the best naruto game out there , for a lot of reasons . not only the story is great even though is not entirelyy based on the manga and anime but also the gameplay and the character selection is very big !!
  19. GR_BR
    Jun 24, 2014
    10
    This game is AWESOME for NARUTO Fans! This game is for fans. But who aren't fan, will like this game too, but won't be like the fans of NARUTO!!!!!!!
  20. Sasukah
    Mar 7, 2015
    10
    A bit of a disclaimer, buy a pack of tissue because this game will touch your heart. Naruto Shippuden: Ultimate Ninja Storm 3 is the best 3D fighting game to date. Everything from Storm 2 just was upgraded hell of a lot! The story mode in this game is **** amazing! However it does skip quite a lot of canonical information from the original show so don't make this game your only source forA bit of a disclaimer, buy a pack of tissue because this game will touch your heart. Naruto Shippuden: Ultimate Ninja Storm 3 is the best 3D fighting game to date. Everything from Storm 2 just was upgraded hell of a lot! The story mode in this game is **** amazing! However it does skip quite a lot of canonical information from the original show so don't make this game your only source for Naruto Shippden. With that aside, the story aspects along the narration and the fighting makes this mode perfect, not close to perfect, perfect! Also the soundtrack for this game are just... wow. If you can buy the soundtrack alone you will be in a treat. The versus mode itself got a serious upgrade! Its so fun and competitive that is could be an e-sport game. Kinda extreme but you will see for yourself. And the online mode is fixed and enjoyable from the last game. Beside the crappy servers Namco Bandai provides, it's a fun made for you or your friends to play head to head with each other or with other players around the world. Overall, your missing out if you don't own this!… Expand
  21. sporting1986
    Mar 8, 2013
    6
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. This game tottaly sucks, no Edo Kages,no Gin and Kin, so they only care about the main characters like naruto and sasuke, for example Konan and juugo who realy need some updates like new ultimate and new awakenning dont get nothing!! So they copy and paste, it is exaclty like generations and storm 2, it lacks inovation in gameplay and the story its not like the manga. So dont you get fooled by the good comentaries about this game because for someone who follows this franchise since storm 1 i can say in my humble opinion this game TOTALLY SUCKS. Dont waist money in something like this, so if they invest poorly in the game they shall get no money from us… Expand
  22. TheModelMartel
    Mar 5, 2013
    10
    the greatest naruto experience to date. From the refined gameplay to the beautiful graphics this game never fails to capture your attention. If you are a fan of anime or even fighting games this is a must buy
  23. bluclaudino
    Mar 5, 2013
    2
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Totally unworthy for the "Naruto" Manga: few character, few stage, same characters "copy-pasted" from Storm2 with not even a modify, story mode totally wrong.. as a Fan of the Manga i'm really disappointed.… Expand
  24. G0ddeity
    Mar 9, 2013
    10
    The game is a breath of fresh air for those who have skipped playing naruto ninja storm generations.Even if you have played all the previous installments in the series, you will still enjoy the addition of new characters and fighting features in this game which make the fighting more intense and diversifying. The story mode has a long lasting appeal that would make players want toThe game is a breath of fresh air for those who have skipped playing naruto ninja storm generations.Even if you have played all the previous installments in the series, you will still enjoy the addition of new characters and fighting features in this game which make the fighting more intense and diversifying. The story mode has a long lasting appeal that would make players want to experience it over and over. The graphics of this game is the best one out of all the naruto games that have been made so far which makes the fights more realistic and stay true to the anime. I am a fan of the naruto series and I believe this game portrays the manga/anime very well.… Expand
  25. Gonoru
    Mar 6, 2013
    0
    I agree with this: This game sucks, cc2 and namco bandai only copy and paste, besides that only important characters get updates, no edo kages nothing realy new its only stuff that was already there, no update on the characters that realy need it like konan or juugo, the story its not like the anime or the manga they just changed it, we have been deceived by namco bandai and cc2. They areI agree with this: This game sucks, cc2 and namco bandai only copy and paste, besides that only important characters get updates, no edo kages nothing realy new its only stuff that was already there, no update on the characters that realy need it like konan or juugo, the story its not like the anime or the manga they just changed it, we have been deceived by namco bandai and cc2. They are very lazy and only think about the money, well think again we fans are not stupid… Expand
  26. Bleikzer
    Mar 10, 2013
    8
    Ultimate Ninja Storm 3 is a great game, but misses many important moments in history with simple battles, excessive dialogues and few Quick Time Events with spectacular scenes. Chapter 1 and Chapter Final are impressive and memorable, and help a lot to the game's rating. Multiplayer is very addictive and there are many unlockable items throughout the game. If you're a fan of Naruto is a must buy.
  27. TheUnHolyDarkth
    Mar 11, 2013
    7
    Im a huge Naruto fan. I've been following up the entire Naruto Storm franchise from top to bottom. Playing every game (Storm 1, Storm 2, Storm Generations) was a blast as it offered fresh new experiences and gave me such a joy that i was very anticipated for Storm 3. Usually when you hear the number 3, it sounds like the big number... The grand number of the franchise.

    So naturally,    Im a huge Naruto fan. I've been following up the entire Naruto Storm franchise from top to bottom. Playing every game (Storm 1, Storm 2, Storm Generations) was a blast as it offered fresh new experiences and gave me such a joy that i was very anticipated for Storm 3. Usually when you hear the number 3, it sounds like the big number... The grand number of the franchise.

    So naturally, Naruto Ultimate Ninja Storm 3 was supposed to be the biggest and most awesome Naruto Storm experience for both loyal Naruto fans and Naruto Storm fans... But for someone who played them all... For me, This wasn't really the case...

    From the get-go, every Naruto Ninja Storm fan clearly says it right from the bottom of their heart that it literally feels like the same game and most of the content is reused. This is in a matter of fact true. Only 25% of the roster feels new and the stage roster has been cut massively in comparison to Storm Generations. Characters brought back have no modifications to them. Characters and costumes that are refined and new to the franchise however have actually been modified. Stage choices were really questionable. A perfect example is how there's two of the same stages (Hidden Leaf Village) but the only difference is that one of them has boxes in it. Another example is how the great ninja war Battlefield and the site of Planetary Devastation look practically the same. Some New/Old stages have been given a Ring-out modification. You cannot toggle it on/off and it's a forced mechanic in 4-5 stages. The substitution system and the awakening system has been improved but not really as to calling it an entirely brand new experience because only some can instant awaken. It does however set up a new element to the game and i think those that are very competitive with the game will enjoy that improvement in particular.

    What felt disappointing the most to me is the campaign (And a Non-Canon ending for Naruto fans which feels like a slap to the face). I'm not here to entirely bash on the game but when you break it down to the main core of the game: It didn't gave me a brand new Ninja Storm experience i was quite expecting and i was kind of disappointed. Though, i will honestly mention what i like and what i didn't like about it and the rest is up for you to decide as always. Now i am going to say that the boss battle parts are very exciting and enjoyable... However, that isn't enough to really hold the campaign and entirely call it "satisfactory". Most of the time, you'll be facing dialogue-based cutscenes and walking sections over and over again. It first displays a cutscene then you have a section where you can walk around freely. When you get to the destination, it triggers another cutscene. It repeats constantly slapped in with random normal battles and some boss battles like previous Storm games and it doesn't feel much like a brand new experience to the Storm Franchise. The new Hack and Slash sections don't last very long and are very short. There's only like four parts in the game where it's all hack and slash and that's about it.

    The ultimate decision system had no impact on the main story but it only slightly modified the battle depending on which path you selected. Regardless of whether you pick Hero or Legend, you'll find out that it's not really all that difficult until the few last missions of the game. Also, the tool sets are very restrictive and you can't mix and match together. You'll be selecting a legends tool set or a hero tool set every time before a match begins. The hero tool set because all the healing/chakra recovery potions are only in the hero tool set so unless you're macho enough to try being a legend the entire game, you'll pretty much stick to the hero set for it's benefits.

    The new characters are a welcome addition with about some that you won't like as much. It still follows the traditional Ryo-unlockables system so it's okay. The Jinchuriki and Butterfly Choji are very fun to play with and are probably the best additions to the game. Being able to play the tailed beasts for the first time made me very happy. Though... There was no trace of the one tailed beast that the young Gaara had or the Naruto Tailed beast mode it promised. (Hopefully, the DLC can fix that).

    To wrap the review nicely, those who owned all the Naruto Storm games or some of it are going to be somewhat displeased with lack of innovation this game has. Those who are new to the Storm franchise or those who are huge fan of the Naruto franchise: This is a Naruto game i guarantee you'll have alot of fun with. It's just really hard to give it a 10/10 because while i'm a really huge fan of the Naruto Storm games: This one didn't really give me a WOW factor. I really felt like it's more of the same.

    Storm 3 is a game that brings in newcomers easily but leaves old storm players with a same game and a topping of fanboyish content to try and win them back over. The potential was washed off    … Expand
  28. J-Kill-Smith14
    Sep 28, 2013
    9
    I love using Part 1 Rock Lee but I would love it even more if they put Drunk Lee in for a alternate for Part 1 and older Rock Lee like they did for Part 1 Sasuke and if they put in Possessed Gaara in for a alternate also.
  29. mewkid1234
    Nov 7, 2013
    10
    Great game all in all..I love it. The characters are stupendous and at it's best. The gameplay and story are magnificent. They even allow you to go back a few Ninja Storms. The controls are at it's best and the attacks are amazing. Great game, Bandai...keep doing what you're doing.
  30. Darkautumn
    Mar 16, 2013
    10
    THE MOST AMAZING GAME
    Just finished the game and its about 15-20 hours long, feels like you are playing a 20 hour anime session. The gameplay is varied and combat is very good, and the story is very emotional and very well-crafted.
    A big upgrade to the single player from all the past games!
    Definitely worth the purchase for me
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Awards & Rankings

53
#53 Best PS3 Game of 2013
36
#36 Most Discussed PS3 Game of 2013
42
#42 Most Shared PS3 Game of 2013

Critic Reviews

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Metascore
77

Generally favorable reviews - based on 32 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 20 out of 32
  2. Mixed: 12 out of 32
  3. Negative: 0 out of 32
  1. Playstation Official Magazine UK
    Apr 23, 2013
    80
    Delivers a visually exciting experience. [May 2013, p.107]
  2. Play UK
    Apr 23, 2013
    85
    The best Naruto game yet. [Issue#230, p.77]
  3. Official PlayStation Magazine Benelux
    Apr 22, 2013
    67
    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]
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