The cover for the game
Naruto Shippūden: Ultimate Ninja Storm 2 (ＮＡＲＵＴＯ－ナルト－ 疾風伝ナルティメットストーム2, Naruto Shippūden: Narutimate Sutomu 2) is the sequel to Naruto: Ultimate Ninja Storm. It is slated to be released in Japan in the fall of 2010 for the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360. It will be released in Europe and US sometime between September and October of 2010.
Gameplay
The gameplay retains many of the elements from the previous game. The game will feature 18 interactive and destrucible stages and more than 40 playable characters. Each character can also gain new combos and jutsus by activating the Awakening Mode. As the story progresses, players will unlock new Jutsu and Ultimate Jutsu for certain characters. Lars Alexandersson, a character designed by Masashi Kishimoto for Tekken 6, is also playable. Support characters will be returning. There is a new feature, named “Drive Gage”, in the game. Depending on the Drive Gage, players will be able to unleash devastating team jutsus with the support characters. The jutsu clashes from the prequel also makes their return.
Free roaming also makes a return. The game will feature a 1:1 recreation of the Hidden Leaf Village. In addition to the Leaf Village, players will be able to roam outside the village, raging from forests to deserts, and also the Hidden Sand Village. Boss battles will be returning, with quick-time events and cutscenes. Boss battles are divided into 2 or more parts, depending on the boss fight. For example, the Naruto vs. Kakashi boss fight (which is held at the Training Field contains 2 parts: one of them is normal fighting; in the other part, after Sakura smashes her fist into the ground, the scene is changed into a new stage with water and rocks; in this part of the battle, Kakashi attacks with long-range jutsu that the player must avoid. Boss battles include Naruto vs. Kakashi, Sakura vs Sasori, Sasuke vs. Itachi and Jiraiya vs. Pain.
New to the Ultimate Ninja series are also the aerial battles, where players will be able to fight in the air, such as Gaara vs. Deidara. Players can access multiple online features; quick matches have opponents chosen at random, ranked matches with leaderboards, match customization, as well as the availability to host matches.
Story
According to the CyberConnect 2 CEO, Hiroshi Matsuyama, the story will begin from the very first Naruto Shippuden episode to episodes that will be broadcasting this summer in Japan, a content of 3 years of anime broadcasting. The game features a deep three-part story from the point of view of Naruto, Sasuke and Jiraiya.
Confirmed Playable Characters
- Naruto Uzumaki (Four Tails Mode; Sage Mode)
- Sasuke Uchiha (Mangekyō Sharingan)
- Kakashi Hatake
- Sakura Haruno
- Chiyo
- Sasori (With Third Kazekage; True Form)
- Gaara
- Deidara
- Hidan (Jashin Ritual Mode)
- Kakuzu (Four Hearts Mode)
- Asuma Sarutobi
- Shikamaru Nara
- Animal Path
- Preta Path
- Human Path
- Naraka Path
- Asura Path
- Deva Path
- Jiraiya (Sage Mode)
- Kiba Inuzuka
- Yamato
- Orochimaru
- Itachi Uchiha (Mangekyō Sharingan; Susanoo)
- Suigetsu Hōzuki
- Karin
- Jūgo
- Sai
- Tsunade
- Lars Alexandersson