NARUTO SHIPPUDEN: Ultimate Ninja STORM 4 ROAD TO BORUTO is an action fighting game that brings together the complete Ultimate Ninja Storm 4 experience along with its expansions on Xbox One and Xbox Series consoles. It centers on fast-paced 3D arena battles drawn from the Naruto series, where players control teams of ninjas in direct confrontations that emphasize timing, positioning, and special techniques.
Gameplay
The core combat revolves around switching between a team of three fighters during matches. Each character brings distinct moves, including basic attacks, combos, and powerful jutsu that consume chakra. Players can call in assists from teammates to extend pressure or create openings. Battles incorporate environmental interactions and quick-time events during key moments, particularly in story sequences. The system rewards precise inputs for chaining attacks while managing defensive options like substitutions and counters. New additions in the Road to Boruto content introduce characters such as Boruto, Sarada, Mitsuki, and a variant of Sasuke, expanding the available movesets and team compositions.
Exploration elements appear in certain modes through a version of the Hidden Leaf Village. Players navigate streets and areas to locate objectives, interact with non-playable characters, and complete tasks that tie into narrative progression. These sections blend light platforming with combat encounters, providing breaks from pure fighting while advancing character-specific stories.
Game Modes
Several distinct modes structure the experience. Story Mode follows the events of the Fourth Shinobi World War through a series of linear chapters filled with cutscenes, standard fights, and larger boss encounters. Optional side chapters highlight supporting characters from earlier points in the series.
Adventure Mode shifts to an open exploration format set after the main conflict. It features multiple storylines playable as Naruto, Shikamaru, or Gaara, each involving quests across different locations. Side activities include recreating past battles and gathering rewards through repeated challenges.
The Road to Boruto expansion adds its own focused narrative centered on the next generation of ninjas. This includes a dedicated story segment with battles drawn from Boruto-related events, set primarily in an updated Hidden Leaf Village. Free Battle allows offline matches with options for versus, survival, tournament brackets, league play, and practice sessions. Online Battle supports ranked and unranked matches for up to eight participants in certain formats. A Collection area lets players review and unlock visual extras such as images and cards earned through play.
Story and Content
The full package covers the conclusion of the Shippuden storyline before transitioning into Boruto-era events. New settings emphasize the rebuilt Hidden Leaf Village as a hub for both combat and light adventure tasks. Additional playable fighters and scenarios extend the roster beyond the base game, incorporating pre-order bonuses and season pass material into one edition. Challenge and collection features encourage repeated playthroughs by tracking progress across modes and offering incremental rewards.
Is It Worth Playing?
This title suits players who enjoy anime-inspired fighting games with deep character rosters and narrative-driven content. The combat remains responsive and layered enough for extended sessions, while the combined story modes deliver a broad overview of key events across multiple arcs. Local two-player support and online options provide variety for both solo and group play. Reception highlights the refined fighting mechanics and volume of included material, though some note occasional performance dips in larger exploration areas on certain hardware. For those invested in the Naruto universe or seeking a complete fighting package with post-war and next-generation stories, the game delivers consistent value through its verified modes and systems. Newer players benefit from the all-in-one structure that avoids needing separate purchases for expansions.
