What I've Been Playing Vol. 40

 Naruto: Ultimate Ninja Storm (PS4)

A surprisingly good time, believe it!

 I started watching Naruto recently and as I was nearing the end of it, I decided to check-out Naruto: Ultimate Ninja Storm, which caught my interest years ago. It's a fighting game that has you selecting characters from the show and fight it out, either against the AI or another player. The game covers the main arcs of the anime with you reliving grand moments like the climatic Naruto vs Sasuke fight. It's not newcomer-friendly as the exposition is light, meaning that you'll need to watch the anime first to better appreciate the game's world. 

 It was a solid game and I enjoyed the recreation of the Leaf Village as you get to freely roam in it and helping the villagers by doing optional missions. Each character like Naruto, Sasuke, and Kakashi had a distinctive fighting style and their finishers were flashy and entertaining. Naruto's shadow clone jutsu and Lee's Leaf Hurricane were always fun to watch. The camera was annoying during free roam mode (as expected from most anime games), but the game has a lot of charm to it if you're a fan. 

 The cel-shaded visuals have helped Ultimate Ninja Storm age well considering it released back in 2008 for the PS3. The remaster polishes up character models and UI though the backgrounds definitely look flat. The game also features English and Japanese voiceworks, so fans of either can better enjoy the game. Overall, I enjoyed my time with Naruto:Ultimate Ninja Storm and I can't wait to play the other games when I get to Naruto: Shippuden.

Sonic Colors: Ultimate (PS4)

Explore a world full of color.

 Sonic Colors was the second game in the "Boost" era of 3D Sonic games that was released back in 2010 for the Nintendo Wii. Sonic and Tails are back on another adventure, this time in an amusement park in space built by Dr. Eggman. Sonic Colors put the emphasis back on speed with colorful new stages and abilities such as the wisps, which allow Sonic to zip through enemies or dig around levels to look for secrets. 

 The gameplay is relatively solid with great level designs. Starlight Carnival and Sweet Mountain were my favorites and an absolute joy to play. My biggest gripe with Colors was how the platforming sections stopped the momentum and slowed things down occasionally, which clashes with the faced-paced segments. The story was a decent one with cheesy dialogue and it's great seeing Sonic and Tails thwarting Eggman's plans as usual.

 Colors gets the HD treatment with updated models and textures over the Wii original and they look all right. The frame rate is boosted to 60 and runs smoothly over the original as well. That said, it's a not a perfect remaster as navigating the menus was a laggy experience and cut-scenes didn't get remastered, thus clashing with the gameplay segments. All in all, Ultimate is a fairly solid option for those looking to play Sonic Colors but if you still have the original laying around, I'd recommend playing that instead.

Shin Megami Tensei IV: Apocalypse (3DS)

Another apocalypse to survive in.

 The follow up to the 3DS hit Shin Megami Tensei IV, Shin Megami Tensei IV: Apocalypse follows a new story taking place during the former game's neutral ending-- where you play as demon hunter Nanashi as he must survive in an apocalyptic Tokyo city overrun by demons and gangs. Joining him are a band of demon hunters with varying personalities like the cheery Asahi, cool-headed Nozomi, enigmatic demon Dagda, and returning characters from IV like main character Flynn. The story was a good one with unexpected twists and developed characters by the end of it.

 Apocalypse is a turn-based RPG where you controlling Nanashi and three together demons in your party. The signature "Press Turn" system of the SMT series is here and by exploiting an enemy's weakness, you get an extra turn. Conversely, if the enemy exploits your weakness, they get an extra turn, thus requiring strategic play. The game itself is hard with boss fights that can wipe your party of you don't take the time to buff/debuff and exploit their weaknesses, so it's a fun time if you're looking for a more challenging RPG. 

 As for the visuals, they're fine on the 3DS despite the backgrounds looking bland. The character and demon designs were great, however, and are the presentation's strong point. The voice acting was good though it's the soundtrack that exceeds expectations with many memorable tracks that fit the setting. All in all, Shin Megami Tensei IV: Apocalypse was a fun and challenging game that fans of the series will enjoy.