I am going to disclose this right away. I was sent this game by TOMY, the company that made the game. I was involved in a conference call in regards to this game and the other Naruto game that came out for the Wii (review for that one coming soon). So, in the interest of honesty and integrity, I will tell you right now that this is an unbiased and truthful review. With some issues coming up in the past (**coughKaneandLynchcough**), I just want to remain square with you. Now, with that aside, let us delve deep into the world of Ninjas!
Naruto: Path Of The Ninja 2is a localized version of a Japanese DS game that features a completely original storyline. Three unknown ninja devastate a village in search of a sacred relic that will allow them to raise a monster called a “Soul Beast” and use it to decimate the world and bring the survivors to their collective knees. Not terribly original, but it is something new for Naruto fans. While the village is being destroyed, the granddaughter of the village elder escapes to the Hidden Leaf Village to get help. Enter Naruto and friends. The ninja descend on the ruined village and get into a fight, which starts a quest of awesome magnitude. Naruto and his gang are tasked with recovering five mirrors that can be used to seal the awful beast away and stop the trio's insidious plan.
The game is pretty standard fare as far as RPGs go. Kill enemies, level up, defeat bosses, grind for more levels, buy more powerful equipment, lather, rinse, and repeat. I expected this much, but it turns out that the game is a good deal deeper than I had anticipated. The game not only has the characters from the original game, but it also has almost thirty other characters that can be used during the course of the game. It is not just random battles, though. Different ninja can be changed in or out at any time in the game, each with their own level and equipment. Not only that, but each ninja can be assigned as a “Squad Leader”. This new feature can apply certain effects to the party like regenerating health while walking around on the overhead map, gaining more money from battles, or gaining more attack power while dropping in defense. These different buffs can totally change the way your party works, and can either help or, as I found out, hinder your progress.
Yet another feature is the online battle capability. Now, I likes me some battles online, and an online RPG sounded just awesome to whet my whistle. However, when I got online, I faced a rude awakening at the hands of players using characters that were not available until the end of the game. Needless to say, I was destroyed pretty damn quickly. It seems a little unbalanced as far as everything else goes, but when you are playing on the limited level settings, it is pretty damn fun. You can also trade characters and Ninja Tags with someone you know who has the game on the Wireless Mode. It does add a bit of fun and a tad bit of strategy into the mix, though.
Overall, I dug this game, and thought it was pretty damn cool. Now, I'm sure you're wondering why this review is so tardy. Well, I like to review things when, and only, I have exhausted everything in the game. The fact that I took so long should give heart to RPG and Naruto fans. The game itself is pretty standard length for an RPG, but the secrets, hidden characters, and numerous collectibles will keep you busy through the New Year. This year, remember a plucky ninja and his friends when it comes time to pony up some dough for some post-holiday goodies.
