Naruto X Boruto: Ultimate Ninja Storm Connections Preview: An Arena Fighter For A New Generation

gamespot.com:

Even though it feels like Ultimate Ninja Storm games have been coming out in droves, it's been seven years since the last proper one. In that time, the torch has been passed from Boruto's dad to Boruto himself, with the anime and manga carrying that legacy. Folks have been gradually warming up to Boruto as the anime has ramped up, but Boruto is also about ushering in a new generation of fans. That's where Naruto X Boruto: Ultimate Ninja Storm Connections comes in, picking up right where the 3D arena fighting series left off.

This new entry is a sort of «greatest hits» for the Ultimate Ninja Storm games that coincides with the 20th anniversary of the Naruto anime. It features an expansive roster of over 130 characters throughout Naruto's history and the two story modes that fuse what's old and new in the franchise. As I got hands on with this latest entry at Summer Game Fest, it brought a strong sense of familiarity while channeling that same energy I'd expect from a fast and flashy pick-up-and-play arena-style fighter--now, for a new era.

Mechanically, Naruto X Boruto plays similarly to the previous games in the series with two players facing off in a 3D arena using basic attacks, combos, substitute dodges, and a variety of wild Jutsus. It's also a tag-fighter, with each player having a team of three characters who they can swap to during the fight. While this system lets you mix and match your favorite characters for different team compositions, what you really want to do is set yourself up for Combination Ultimate Jutsus. These were in Ultimate Ninja Storm 4, but now with a roster of characters from Boruto, we can execute a whole new variety of them. For example, I had Boruto and Kawaki attack in unison, with Kawaki