The PSP Takes On Naruto in NARUTO Shippuden: Legends: Akatsuki Rising
A Naruto Game the PSP WIll Love
Video games often take the license from a popular cartoon show and hope for the best. PSP gamers expect more when Naruto is going to appear on their video screen - and they get it. It’s a better than animation experience as you and Naruto show what being a Ninja is all about.
Here Comes Naruto
For those who don’t know, Naruto is a very popular animation character from our friends in Japan. He’s a Ninja, but one with a secret - he’s the container of the demon fox within him. Of course there are some perks to having power - like being able to create shadow clones - but most of what he deals with are friends a’plenty. But that also includes a headband full of enemies too. In this adventure, he’ll be journeying through lush, anime-inspired 3D landscapes where fights are often just a moment away.
That is not to say that everything can get settled in a story mission through a well placed fist, though. You have to use some smarts too, as you work your way through the Gaar Retrieval story arc taken from the lore of Naruto. After all, finding the hidden Skill scrolls in the Scenario Mode side missions will take more than just wishful thinking or the abilities you’ve been honing in the Original mode where battles are the key to pretty much everything. And while a sense of humor and comedy is part of the anime (Japanese term for what we would call a cartoon), what can happen to you if you’re not prepared to fight isn’t all that funny!
Characters are Welcome
Specifics for your character are massive - customization is the order of the day to decide on strengths and powers to fuel his abilities and determination. Depending upon what you can do, and what your opponent can do, the battle strategy will change every time. This is helped by a large cast of 15+ characters, including some new and hidden ones that have yet to be discovered.
Getting down to the nitty gritty, expect to practice your moves and button punches - combinations make for more powerful attacks and you can bet every person you go up against will be doing them.
PSP Gives Its All
What makes this all fun comes from first the way the PSP portrays the animated characters and landscapes: they’re colorful and realistic, yet true to their animated nature. A lot of attention has also been put into the speed with which the game unfolds - highlighted by the blasts of light and energy signaling powerful attacks and their repercussions - so don’t try crying that it was the lag time that kept you from defeating that particularly nasty foe. Sorry, but you just weren’t quick enough or good enough.
And while video games are often accused of promoting solitary play, the addition of a 2-player wireless cooperation mode is kind of nifty. What it lets you do is hook up with a friend who also has the game and work the action tag-team style. Or forget about camaraderie and take him on directly in a head to head battle instead.
Master the Spinning Disc
The UMD disc that the game plays off of doesn’t slow things down while accessing - although I do wonder if a pure download to memory (as is the case with the PSPGo) would make any difference. For sure I wouldn’t have to be worrying that all the twisting and turning that I’m doing while playing Naruto is messing up the UMD drive. But frankly I don’t want to do more thinking than necessary and let muscle memory work the buttons so that I can keep up with what’s going on (i.e., not get my behind kicked).
And nobody better complain because I’m taking a lot of breaks to - ahem - recharge my self for the next exciting round (or find some way to avoid wimping out again like what happened in the last fight scene)
So what it all comes down to is this: You like Naruto? You like to fight? Get both here. Enjoy.
This post is part of the series: Naruto Guide
A collection of articles about Naruto.
