Naruto: Ultimate Ninja Heroes 2: The Phantom Fortress Review for the PlayStation Portable (PSP)

Naruto: Ultimate Ninja Heroes 2: The Phantom Fortress box art

System: PSP	Review Rating Legend
Dev: CyberConnect2	1.0 - 1.9 = Avoid	4.0 - 4.4 = Great
Pub: Namco Bandai	2.0 - 2.4 = Poor	4.5 - 4.9 = Must Buy
Release: June 24, 2008	2.5 - 2.9 = Average	5.0 = The Best
Players: 1-2	3.0 - 3.4 = Fair
ESRB Rating: Teen	3.5 - 3.9 = Good

In addition to these two modes, there is also multiplayer, which allows you to play with another person via local wireless connection. This is a pretty cool feature, but I was really hoping there would be some type of online features included this time around.

Naruto: Ultimate Ninja Heroes 2: The Phantom Fortress screenshot

Controls and graphics in this title are essentially on-par with the previous Naruto: Ultimate Ninja Heroes title. The visuals, once again, sport the series' trademark cel-shaded style and have beautiful character animation as well as detailed battle stages. Controls are almost identical to the first Ultimate Ninja Heroes and are essentially a pared-down version of the console Ultimate Ninja titles. You'll use the circle button to attack, the triangle button for chakra attacks, the square button for long-range shuriken/item attacks, and the directional buttons will generally determine the type and magnitude of these attacks.

Sound in this title is very good and features some excellent and thorough voiceovers from both the English and Japanese voice actors. All dialogue is spoken, and it is great to have a handheld title that doesn't have such a heavy reliance on scrolling text for dialogue delivery. The music that accompanies the gameplay is very spunky and samples some of the tunes heard in the series. It is very nice to listen to, and if you really enjoy it, you can unlock all the songs in the bonus mode and listen to them whenever you want.

Although Naruto: Ultimate Ninja Heroes 2: The Phantom Fortress is a really fun title to play, those who played the first Ultimate Ninja Heroes might feel the gameplay is starting to get a little stale, as this title doesn't really expand upon the gameplay in the same way as its console cousins have, and veteran players will probably be a little let down by how similar this title feels to its predecessor. Nevertheless, it is still quite fun and newcomers will get some definite enjoyment from this one. However, I would advise series veterans to check out a friend's copy or rent this one first. Even though everyone enjoys stability, Naruto has always been the number one ninja at surprising people, and it would be a shame to see that quality disappear.

By Amanda L. Kondolojy
CCC Freelance Writer

RATING OUT OF 5

RATING DESCRIPTION

4.0

Graphics
Graphics maintain the Ultimate Ninja look on the PSP and feature fluid animations and the now standard cel-shading.

3.5

Control
Controls remain largely the same as all the other Ultimate Ninja titles and are fairly easy to pick up for newcomers.

4.1

Music / Sound FX / Voice Acting
Both English and Japanese voiceovers sound great, and the music is full of energy.

3.7

Play Value
The game is great by itself and shines as a brilliant example of the Naruto Ultimate Ninja series. But, if you are a fan who plays every iteration of the series, then you might be disappointed by this title's lack of new content.

3.9

Overall Rating - Good
Not an average. See Rating legend above for a final score breakdown.

Game Features:

Discover a massive, brand new storyline: Interactively experience an extensive, compelling storyline created exclusively for the game.

Explore the Phantom Fortress full of new gameplay: Explore over 100 different floors of the Phantom Castle full of dramatic events, full-blown battles, exciting quiz, and mini-games.

Control over 20 characters with unique special techniques and brand new jutsu! Battle the best in the world of Naruto with over 20 characters equipped with brand new jutsu and animations on 12 unique stages.

Battle your foes wirelessly with a single UMD! Engage in six types of intense two-player battles in different team combinations such as 1 Vs.1, 1 Vs. 2, 1 Vs. 3, 2 Vs. 2, 2 Vs. 3, 3 Vs. 3 wirelessly via ad-hoc connection. Game sharing is also available!

Power-up your favorite character! Choose your favorite characters and power them up to give yourself an edge in battle!