Naruto Online is a game I have fond memories of. Reviewing this game now in 2022 though, reminds me of just why I wanted to stop. I started playing the game around the time I started college back when I was still new to MMORPGs. The genre of games never really interested me, I preferred playing single player games for story rather than team-based games. But I had an interest in the anime and I wanted to try an officially backed Bandai Namco Entertainment game.
Account Creation
Making an account for the game was easy. I simply entered an email and provided a password. Upon creating the account I was taken to a server list from multiple regions of the world. When I joined, there were about 239 servers although that has expanded with several server merges taking place. Some details I noticed on the page was that each server didn’t list the ping level or player count. In fact, there were only six things a player could see about a server. Players could only see servers that are recommended for a player to join, the region of the server, the state or city the server is in, the server’s name, and whether the server is hot or closed.
Player Character Selection
Moving on from the server, upon choosing a server the in-game browser client will then load the game and its assets. These are items such as character files, environments, menus, scripts, and various other images and animations which make up the game. Doing so will then take a player to one of the most important choices of the game. Which of the five character models would be used as their in-game avatar.
Each model came with their own set of abilities which modified gameplay according to the element they use. The elements those characters use are fire, wind, water, and lightning. In the game this modifies the gameplay of the player character significantly. For example, the fire wielder uses damaging abilities with an area of effect that inflict a burn status effect. This means that their player characters will focus on inflicting damage over time effects on multiple enemies.
Compared to the Lightning wielder the gameplay is night and day. The Lightning characters focuses on paralyzing foes and single target damage. This means gameplay for them is focused on taking out high value targets. Each player avatar had variations on their gameplay but overall, each is an equally viable method of play. Players are able to change their avatar but they cannot do so until level 60.
That can be a problem for players that dislike their starting element. Forcing a player to continue playing a style of gameplay they dislike is highly discouraging. It leaves players in a tight spot as by that point their teams revolve around their character choice and abilities and leveled quite far. Meaning that changing avatars can be a potential detriment to the player which is frustrating.
Introductory gameplay
After selecting a character, the game will then officially begin. Starting with a tutorial prompt which leads the player into a conversation with the leader of the village. The player character lives in said village although there was no actual mention of it prior anywhere. The Hokage, village leader’s title, congratulates you on officially becoming a ninja for the village. He then tells you to bring yourself to the registration classroom as it will close soon.
That is a terrible introduction for the player as they are dropped into the game world with no explanation. They are just prompted to click on an objective marker on the right-hand side of the screen with no explanation. The Hokage then gives you stuff for talking to him as your congratulated on becoming a ninja. Why is that a thing in game now? Why not after the player plays through at least final exam day to go over the basics of the game? That would make more narrative sense and allow the player to ease into the game world and setting. It is just strange.
Also, one other issue of note. The translation of the game is not the best. While the game itself can get the general message across there are issues that are noticeable. Such as ninja registration classroom instead of office or desk. One glaring translation issue that I have personally noticed is the use of cultivation every instance where training would apply. While that isn’t noticeable at the start, it does become apparent when the game prompts the player to level up to proceed with the story. When I first started playing, I found it odd. I still went with it to get through the introduction as I was familiar with the setting. I was just more interested in getting past the opening parts of the game. Although, I did have issues with the translation grammar at the time.
Quest Tutorial
Continuing onto the registration “classroom” will start a cutscene after a conversation with the Hokage where he will give you a quest to hunt down his grandson. This just turned out to be an abridged version of the second episode of the Naruto anime. Which is unfortunately how the story elements in the game are going to go as far as overall terms of rehashing the plot. While later updates to the game did add more to the game and cutscenes, the problem is the game is just rehashing the plot just with the avatar around for the story bits.
I can certainly understand considering Naruto is an anime following the title characters journey into becoming Hokage so the decision to go this route with the story is not jarring. It is however lazy, although it can at least allow someone to get an idea of how the story goes for those who wanted to jump ahead in the manga or show but did not want to go through several seasons of straight filler for the latter.
Combat Details
After catching up to the grandson the games first fight goes off. Combat in-game is done in a two dimensional plain with Animated character models in a three-by-three grid on both the enemy and player sides. Characters on the player side are placed into a formation prior to combat starting. Each section of the grid has different stat boosts depending on the tactic equipped whether row by row or column by column to differentiate.
When combat starts Chakra, the combination of physical and spiritual energy, is gathered in units of twenty times the number of turns, maxing out at one hundred units of chakra. Using Chakra, a character can use a special or unique jutsu, or ability whose effect differs depending on the character or ability equipped. For the player character, they can learn new abilities when they level up and equip them prior to starting a combat or story instance.
For the first combat, players start with their player character and Naruto facing off against three kids. Two of which weren’t even introduced in the story of the anime or manga until later on. Regardless, combat starts and one of the first things players will notice is that combat is settled without player input beyond the use of activated abilities. For reference, the abilities at play in this fight are the one the player character can use and Naruto’s shadow clone jutsu which creates a clone of Naruto to fight with and function as another frontline unit.
For my character starting out, I chose the Lightning Element character, I had the Lightning Sealing Slash equipped by default. That ability causes lightning damage and the acupuncture status effect to a target. Turn order is based on a character’s initiative stat and turns progress with the all the player units going first then the enemy all go. This repeats until one side is defeated.
On using a jutsu a cooldown for it starts, meaning a set number of turns need to pass before the ability can be used again. In addition to all this, characters all have auto attacks which inflict conditions onto their opponents which can activate chase skills. Chase skills are one turn attacks which can also inflict a condition which can then be chased by another character. The strategy of combat is through ensuring that your chase skills are activated causing long strings of combos which can obliterate your opponents while trying to keep your units alive long enough to win. It’s actually a really nice aspect to the game that rewards careful attention to team building and formation placement which can let players feel amazing as their plans comes together in a fight. It is a nice dopamine blast which encourages the player to continue with the game longer.
Character Acquisition
Moving on from the story aspect, the is the question of how can characters be acquired? While a handful are given as story rewards, especially in the first few quests and story instances, the grand majority are obtained through the recruit page at the bottom right-hand corner of the screen. The page that opens is the dreaded Gacha. For reference, Gacha is a term for the style of character collection games where characters are obtained via rolling the random number generator of the banner. Usually, the player pays a formal currency, in this game’s case this is the seal scroll, in order to spin the wheel and see if they can get lucky.
Unfortunately, this is the part of the game where real world money can be used to purchase more spins on the wheel to give an apt metaphor. Seal scrolls can be obtained a handful of ways. First as a reward for daily check ins, thus furthering a habit of logging onto the game to get stuff. Second, by spending coupons which are also earned for the same and as chapter clear rewards. Third, scrolls can be earned by combining seal scroll fragments, one scroll for every ten fragments. Finally scrolls can be obtained by spending money to buy the game’s premium currency called the ingot.
Pricing for the currency varies depending on the amount a player wishes to purchase with the most, five thousand ingots, being purchased for $99.99. In addition to the 5,000 ingots, players will receive 150 ingots for free. In the in-game shop seal scrolls can be purchased for 125 coupons or ingots per seal. If the player spent the ingots on nothing but seal scrolls, then they can purchase 41 scrolls which can give at least four 10 rolls on the gacha banners. If this is starting to sound like gambling, don’t be worried because it is gambling. Unfortunately, there is no way to see the rates on obtaining characters on the banners, although it will show the player what they can possibly obtain outside of the general pool available for each banner. I never spent money on the game as that amount is painful for a wallet.
Monetization
Speaking of the monetization, it’s terrible. In the shop pricing for products never goes about 125 or 150 for most products. That is fine, players spending coupons and ingots for small gains is vastly preferable to the rebate specials. Rebate specials are found in the Hot Topics Menu which holds all special events.
The above image is arguably the worst of the monetization. The Infinite Tsukuyomi Special Rebate where recharging, paying, for ingots will get you claimable rewards. For three hundred dollars a person can ten crafty ninja boxes, which allow players to get guaranteed unit shards. As a reference, gather enough unit shards and a character can be recruited. For six hundred dollars players can get twenty-five more crafty ninja boxes and fifteen Tsukuyomi Battle Pack 2. Which gives one chosen item in its content list. Next one up gives forty-five crafty ninja shards. In addition the Super Ninja Optional Pack 7 is also given which gives more guaranteed unit shards. The pattern continues for each tier in the special rebate.
While players can feel free to ignore the rebate, the main issue comes from the fact that each character shard that can be obtained from each box is both new and meta defining in competitive play. Meaning that players can pay to win fights. Of course, characters need to be leveled through giving them copious amounts of food items which is capped by the player level but still it is ridiculous.
Monetization cost
Not even going into the money sunk into the rebate as 130,000 ingots is about $26,000. Spending a quarter of $100,000 to obtain meta defining characters as a guarantee instead of going through the gacha. That is a major problem with the game as it encourages spending addictions.
This horrified and disgusted me. Units of five thousand ingots for everyone hundred dollars spent will let players see bars on the screen seem part of the way filled. That will make some want to fill them up as it doesn’t seem so much there. I mean third of the way filled, half or the way filled, more than halfway filled, it does not matter. Some people like completion, it is why some people go hunting achievements in games or try and unlock every ending. They want to see all a game has and unfortunately that can have some real consequences when introduced to something like this.
On top of that, there are players who have issues trying to not spend money. An addiction to shopping and this would set that off something fierce. Gambling addicts would want to roll on the gacha as well which earns more revenue for the company.
Multiplayer
One final note I want to touch on before giving my final thoughts is the multiplayer of the game. For the Arena and the Ranked Battle system. I found the Arena annoying to go through. To give a reference, players build a team of ninja and use them against other players to win prizes and rewards. The arena fights place both teams at the maximum level and has the AI fight it out. In some ways I can appreciate the overall goal of the arena is to give a fair fight. It encourages careful team building and rewards players for it.
For me though, I tended to avoid the arena. I saw some success and some failure. I just didn’t consider the game mode satisfying as people just used meta teams for solid victories. The Ranked Battle game mode is the competitive solo play where players climb ranks to receive rewards. Early on I used to enjoy this game mode as the fights were massive fights which pitted three sets of your ninjas against three sets enemy ninja. It was always interesting to see what combinations of characters can face down an enemy set up and what squads not using a Player character can work.
Unfortunately, the Ranked Battle has some insurmountable challenges with players at endgame content sitting in the top spots.
Final Thoughts
For me, rebate specials like the Tsukuyomi Special Rebate killed my interest in the game. I remember each week there was a guild fight for competitive rewards. In-game currency that was used to power players and guilds up. It felt like a way to rewards cooperation and teamwork and activity, but the monetization kicked in. Matches were one-sided for my guild and the opposing guilds because of the ingots. It is rough being free to play and I am sure it dragged on for the other members as eventually one by one they just stopped playing. I am pretty much the only one left in the guild being somewhat active and honestly, it’s just lonely. The guild chat is dead. The world chat is just the same where the only thing going off are just the system messages. The game feels empty and that is a problem.
Overall, while Naruto Online has it’s positive points, the game just feels too much of a pay to win game for me to enjoy. It just hurts to think about because I spent years playing this game and leveling through content. Eventually I just had enough of trying to long on to a dead guild. I’ll still check on the game. Part of me just wants to have my guild back. The other part just can’t stand seeing the Ingot symbol staring at me when playing the game. I give this game a 2 out of 5.