

However, one small addition to cutscenes takes it above and beyond. However, I won’t fault UNS4 for one small let down.

Oftentimes, they’re extremely pixelated, regardless of whether the console is docked or in handheld mode. In fact, the only graphical issue I had with this game were shadows. I'm referring to the other half, which is full of beautiful, distinct animation that dutifully recreates the animated aesthetics and quirks of the show. That’s not what I'm talking about when I say “brilliant cutscenes” though. Half of the time, it’s simple character models with text bubbles above their heads where you press A to make them say their next line. When you’re not tossing Rasengan’s or charging Chidori’s at enemies, the game has two different kinds of filler. What I’ve failed to mention so far are the brilliant cutscenes in Ultimate Ninja Storm 4 Road to Boruto. In all of these fights, the game blends storytelling and combat seamlessly, making it one of the most cohesive story experiences in an anime-based title. The final battles against Kaguya and Naruto and Sasuke’s last fight are all fever-pitched moments, the latter of which changes your character on the fly to show the duo’s years-long rivalry. That being said, so many of the regular fights still stand out. Each slow, hefty blow has weight behind it, especially compared to your regular person-to-person combat. For instance, battling Madara Uchiha’s Susanoo with Naruto’s Ten Tails is classic kaiju excitement. Each battle is fever-pitched, and some are so distinct and unique that they stand out from the rest of the game. Delivery of the show’s story is given truly special care. If you’ve played a UNS game before, you should know what to expect at this point. Ultimate Ninja Storm 4 Road to Boruto solves that issue by focusing solely on the final chapter of Naruto Shippuden and the first arc of Boruto: Naruto Next Generations. Anime games sometimes find themselves tripping over plot points and story beats, especially when based on massive shonen. One of the staples of every UNS game has been their depiction of the show’s massive, sprawling story. "This version of UNS4 is the way to play it if you haven’t already."
