The Naruto Storm franchise, a long-running mainstay in the gaming industry for well over a decade, is rekindling the OG source’s so-called Will of Fire with a brand-new entry after a seven-year hiatus with Naruto x Boruto: Ultimate Ninja Storm Connections.
Set to sweep fans off their feet with a fresh story arc, revamped gameplay mechanics, and an impressive roster of over 130 characters – the most expansive in its 15-year journey – the game promises a leap into the next generation of video games. However, with great power comes great responsibility, or in this case, with advanced technology comes certain dilemmas.
For gaming aficionados who’ve made the jump to the Xbox Series X or PlayStation 5, Ultimate Ninja Storm Connections offers a tempting lure: 60 FPS gameplay. This seamless, high-definition experience takes players into the heart of one of the biggest names in Japanese animation with an unparalleled level of clarity and smoothness. But there’s a caveat: this immersive experience comes with its set of conditions.
Bandai Namco, the brains behind this Naruto masterpiece, has ensured that the latest consoles, Xbox Series X and PS5, can bask in the glory of 60 FPS at a jaw-dropping 4K resolution. This marks a significant jump from the previous Naruto game to achieve 60FPS on consoles, which was back in 2008. The dedication to such high-quality performance proves a game developers’ commitment to harnessing the power of the current generation of consoles.
Yet, the game throws a curveball when paired with older-generation systems and the budget-friendly Xbox Series S. But, while the PS5 and Xbox Series X may be the proud standard bearers of 60 FPS, older systems like the PS4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, and surprisingly, even the Xbox Series S, only support the game at 30 FPS. This discrepancy leads to a peculiar problem: online matchups between different console generations would force the game to drop to the lower FPS, diminishing the overall experience.
To address this, Bandai Namco has implemented a controversial yet strategic feature. Players on Xbox Series X or PS5 can now choose to block online matchups with users on older systems. Thus, ensuring their gaming experience remains at a consistent 60 FPS. This option, while beneficial for those on the latest consoles, poses a potential division in the gaming community. On one side, you have players yearning for optimal performance and on the other, a larger pool of gamers on the older systems.
The choice to block or not becomes a trade-off between performance and versatility. Do you, as a gamer, prioritize a smoother gameplay experience, or do you value the vast array of competitors from different console generations?
TLDR; PS5 and Xbox Series X owners can be like the citizens of Konohagure and Sunagakure when they shunned Naruto and Gaara as kids, but except, in this case, the older consoles, and even the budget-friendly sibling of the Xbox Series X, don’t have hidden latent power inside them – they’re just plain weaker.
Furthermore, this decision has once again shone a spotlight on Microsoft’s hardware conundrum with the Xbox Series S. Despite its more affordable price tag, the Series S’s limitations in comparison to its more powerful sibling, the Series X, have been a cause for concern. Recent game debacles, such as the one with Baldur’s Gate 3, have only intensified these concerns, raising questions about the future of gaming on the Series S.
With Larian Studios and Microsoft agreeing to drop split-screen co-op on the Xbox Series S, Naruto x Boruto: Ultimate Ninja Storm Connections joins Baldur’s Gate 3 as the first two games to break the performance parity requirement that was supposed to be maintained between the Xbox Series S and X.
At the end of the day, Ultimate Ninja Storm Connections remains an exciting offering in the gaming landscape. Beyond the technical intricacies, the game is a treasure trove of narrative content.
With antagonistic versions of familiar characters, such as Naruto, waiting in the wings and an original storyline waiting to unfold, the game promises a rich tapestry of intrigue and action.
Its arrival on November 17 too comes as perfect timing with Boruto: Two Blue Vortex Manga already multiple chapters deep by then.
Speaking of anime, Eiichiro Oda’s masterpiece, One Piece, is getting a live-action adaptation on Netflix on August 31 and it appears that its quality is up to Oda’s standards.
