Naruto Uzumaki Chronicles (Review): "Filler Arc The Video Game" | Tome of Silver

Be the hero. Live the adventure. Hello everyone, and welcome to Chapter 30 of the Tome of Silver. The show where I randomly select a game from my collection, review it, and add it to an ever-growing ranking list.
The last time we looked at the Naruto series on this channel, we took a look at the first Naruto Ultimate Ninja Storm, a fun fighting game will some areas for improvement. In that video, I mentioned that the Naruto series had over 50 video games. When you have that many titles under your belt, your gonna get some winners and you’re gonna get some losers. The one we’re looking at today? It’s one of those losers. Prepare your ninja tools, beat down some thugs, and let’s turn the page to Naruto: Uzumaki Chronicles for the PlayStation 2.
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Timestamps
00:00 Introduction
00:43 Story & Presentation
06:20 Gameplay
11:52 Localization Changes and Removals
14:26 Conclusion & Ranking

[@tomeofsilver]

To anyone who has played the Japanese version, how was your experience? I'd be very curious to hear how it compares!

[@PikaLink91]

Personally I prefer original filler games over games that just retell the anime/manga, and despite this game's jank I thoroughly enjoyed it despite all the missing content that I only learned about much later.

[@tomeofsilver]

I can totally understand that. I remember the Kazekage Rescue arc being retold in games to the point of absurdity. That's why I wish they expanded on the Orochimaru plot in this game more than it did.

[@PikaLink91]

@@tomeofsilver I don't remember much of this game apart from it indeed coming up a bit short/lackluster by the end. I have the Japanese version so I will for sure play that one some day for comparison.

[@tomeofsilver]

Oh, that's cool that you have the Japanese version! I'm genuinely curious how it compares to the Western version, if the differences make for an overall better experience.

[@Altaccounttwo]

didn’t even realize you only had 100 subs, felt like a video from a big channel. Good Job, subbed.

[@tomeofsilver]

Thank you so much for saying that, it means a lot!

[@H-A-T-R-E-D]

Been playing this through emulation. It's still a great game

[@ShyKiller15]

As an og Naruto fan since 2006 I've played soo many titles but this will always remain my favorite Naruto game of all time. Spamming shadow clones and using the Uzumaki Barrage and Rasengan definitely made me feel like I was Naruto. I never found the combat repetitive at all. Uzumaki Chronicles 2 was definitely better but this game I brought it on day one and I put alot of hours into it.

[@Kirbyranitar]

The game looks like the movie, Polar Express with all these clay and CGI models. As a kid, I didn’t realize how far the original Japanese dub of the anime was ahead of the US in terms of how far it was in the story compared to when the show aired in the US hence why there was countless content removed from the game as well as renaming the Rasengan to “Power Strike” for the sake of avoiding spoilers. I mean, if the game is supposed to be a separate timeline from the original anime anyway, then what’s the deal with cutting content from AT LEAST the Tsunade Search arc?

[@loomynx]

At first I was so confused as to why this game had basically nothing in it, and then you touched on localization and removing things due to spoilers. That’s such a shame, I’m sure it could have been good had everything not been removed. It basically just turned into a shell of a game

[@tomeofsilver]

I would love to see what the general reception was for this game in Japan when it first released.

[@PikaLink91]

It's like how the snow ninja villains from Clash in the Land of Snow were removed playable characters in Ultimate Ninja 2 in the West. Personally I'm like f**k spoilers! You don't remove sh*t from my game!

[@derekfurst6233]

It's funny because they didn't give a shit about spoilers when the released the first Naruto anime in America. Naruto whipping out the rasengan months before the anime got that far

[@spaghettiking7312]

Not even a filler arc. It's a different timeline. Uzumaki Chronicles 2 could be considered filler, though. The Japanese version's story is also quite different, and has a lot more content. They changed and removed things overseas for the sake of avoiding spoilers, which led to things being worse for us down the line if you ask me.

[@tomeofsilver]

I completely agree. I would rather have gotten the Japanese content and get spoiled than what we ended up getting here.

[@paulamaguire674]

Great review. I love the way you call it as you see it or should I say play it.🎉

[@TheManManoel]

I never played chronicles 1 but i used to love the second one as a kid

[@tomeofsilver]

From what I remember when I last played 2, it was a massive step up in quality compared to the first. The amount of playable characters was a huge plus too!

[@TheManManoel]

@@tomeofsilver Yeah i just hated how you basically had to beat the game twice to unlock sasuke :/

[@uncle_ben_rices_nephew]

I actually liked the 3d models. I recently found a Naruto figure line by Rocket Toys that reminded me of this game. The figures to me have a blend of the anime art style and realism.

[@ZekromZero]

I remember the commercial was this game was so cool.

[@hirobhya]

I enjoyed this and the sequel.

[@tomeofsilver]

I'm glad! It's been a little while since I've played 2, but I remember it being a considerable improvement and I actually really enjoyed it

[@DarkEclipse23]

@@tomeofsilverthe co-op and vs feature were great. And the more playable characters. 🙃

[@PikaLink91]

14:20 Considering the game's age and time of release, your complaints here feel very nitpicky, like the whole save thing in an era where we hadn't been spoiled by constant auto-save.

[@tomeofsilver]

The lack of an autosave isn't the issue. If the power went out and I hadn't saved in a while, causing me to lose progress, that's 100% on me. My issue is the fact that it boots you to the last save. Even in this era, many Action/Adventure games at least made use of a checkpoint system instead of just booting you to the title screen. The game could load you back in at a checkpoint or even just kick you back to the Leaf Village and make you have to walk back to where you were.

[@mateocortanage]

Looks like it's rough being a ninja

[@M.Ghilas]

I didn't play this one but I played the 2 game and I enjoyed it.

[@Nick2quickOfficial]

Personally, I had to put the game down during the underground railroad section. It was too hard and I could never escape in time. The ome day I saw the big ass guide for the game in Toys R Us and I bought it. It told me where to to go and afterwards I finished the game. I would replay it a lot. The CGI cutscenes were all I looked forward too, I thought there was more to be unlocked similar to Sasuke's with his curse mark but no :(

[@vonthom2827]

Personally I really enjoyed this game it's a childhood classic... Uzumaki Chronicles 2 to me they did it way better in that game to this day I wish it was on PS3 or PS4 remastered or if they did a Naruto Shippuden version of The Chronicles

[@tomeofsilver]

I absolutely agree that 2 took a lot of what worked here and just made it better. I have a lot of positive memories of Chronicles 2.

[@reiayanami7539]

Finished this game months ago and man most of stuff in this game are either kinda fun to straight up awful lol It baffles me that the shop use trading items instead using in-game currency or virtue Also you ain't got the air dash chip? It make platforming much more bearable and it's a really good chip if for extending combos or got ganged up by bandits and camera

[@tomeofsilver]

To be honest, I didn't know there was an air dash chip, I must have missed it or just not noticed it in my inventory. I'm still of the opinion that the air dash should be part of Naruto's base moveset, not an optional chip, when it's necessary for some platforming sections. Still would have been super helpful to have known about, haha.

[@MrswissrollUzumakiBelieveIt]

uh... did you not use the air dash skill chip?

[@tomeofsilver]

No I did not. Didn't even know there was one.

[@erzahhh]

You should check out uzumaki chronicles 2. Imo it's better than the first one

[@tomeofsilver]

I've played 2 a few years ago, and I remember having a great time with it! It was a huge improvement from 1 in almost every way.

[@Kirongpaleng]

review ultimate ninja 🙏

[@tomeofsilver]

The Ultimate Ninja series is definitely in the cards for a future video!

[@daltonmilburn2772]

I think sometimes we forget these games were made In a time that was meant for kids to play them, not grown up kids.

[@tomeofsilver]

Uzumaki Chronicles is Rated T for Teens. It's specifically meant for an older audience.

[@daltonmilburn2772]

@tomeofsilver I'm just saying, I played this game when I was a kid and absolutely loved it! (Because I was a kid) I didn't have any expectations back then. Your review though makes this game sound like it's total trash when you are probably right now older than the teenager age.

[@tomeofsilver]

While I get what you're saying, I still think that something being made for a younger audience with less expectations doesn't make it exempt from criticism, and personally, I found Uzumaki Chronicles has a lot of issues that are difficult to ignore. That said, if you love this game, that's fine too!

[@williamwhite1036]

I can't believe I used to think this game was good

[@tomeofsilver]

I can't say I blame you. Personally, when I was a kid, I didn't have a real keen eye for quality. I was just happy to have a video game in front of me, haha

[@ENNEN420]

Say what you will, but this game is still more enjoyable than actually watching the filler.

[@slammerfive9515]

this game seems like it could be made by a teenager in blender in a month.

[@lexnoil]

I regret playing this game when it was new.

[@tomeofsilver]

You have my condolences, friend. I was lucky enough to pick it up secondhand for $10. Still felt ripped off, haha

[@lexnoil]

@@tomeofsilver thanks, i got it full price when Gamestop was cool to go to. And i got it new in shrink-wrap. That's how new it was when it first dropped over here in the west.

[@alexapex4836]

The rasengan was first hinted in this game isn’t that wild

[@matygoo1644]

Definitely a mixed bag game. I enjoyed playing it, Never revisited it