Going against the grain of many show-to-game adaptations, Uzumaki Chronicles offers an all-new plotline, though it doesn't really start to show until about halfway through the game. The ultimate story arc involves an evil scheme by the wicked Orochimaru in which he is perfecting a deadly green mist that turns regular humans into undead warriors. He would, naturally, then use those zombies to take over the land, including Hidden Leaf Village. With his allies at his side, Naruto eventually is able to stumble across his secret lair and give him what for with power fists. There are other concurrent storylines, such as having to promote the oft-failing Emporium Karin store or having one of his ninja pals temporarily turn evil for a while. There were also additional characters in the game, but with some parts of the anime not having aired in North America at the time of its release, they were cut entirely to prevent spoilers and confusion.

Unlike most Naruto games, Uzumaki Chronicles also isn't a one-on-one fighter. Instead, the game is broken up into various missions, most of which you select directly from the Hokage's house, at which point you leave the village and venture through the world map until you get to where the mission takes place. The game is a 3D beat-'em-up in which you essentially pummel hordes of one-track-minded ninjas, most of whom are pretty predictable and senseless. Boss battles also take place from time to time and require more strategy to deliver their comeuppance. There is a mild element of platforming, but the flogging takes center stage. As you travel along the world map, random encounters also occur, whereby you are attacked by a group of vagabond combattants, so you'll have to take them out.

For certain missions, you will also be allowed to bring a partner or team with you. This can be comprised of fellow ninjas you meet during the game, and by pressing L2 during battle, you can briefly summon them, provided their energy meter has not reached zero. (As you fight as Naruto, their meters recharge over time.) Every character has their own special abilities, some being more useful than others. ChŌji, for example, can transform into a giant boulder or transform his arm into one much larger, made of stone. Neji can pull off an E. Honda with attacks of what seems like a thousand hand slaps. Shikamaru can possess people with his...weird dance of sorts. I have to recommend Neji most; he can deal some serious damage and get you out of a jam.

But nobody... but NOBODY... is cooler than Naruto. Not even that smarmy Kakashi sensei that shows up conveniently after you take care of all the dirty work is as awesome as Naruto. He can charge up and release clones of himself to fight foes. He can smash through beastly ninjas with a powerful Rasengan blast. If he deals enough damage (and his health is fairly low), his Kyuubi gauge will fill to the max, offering Naruto the chance to go all super saiyan in Nine-Tail form with temporarily unlimited stamina to throw whatever attacks he wants without fear of chakra depletion. And, should he feel the need to release it, he even has a Sexy Jutsu that turns him into a naked woman with clouds covering the important parts to lure and hypnotize male enemies. Naruto Uzumaki: half-man, half-woman, all ninja.

Jutsu Do It.

When you defeat someone, two types of orbs will "fall out" of them: chakra orbs (blue) and virtue orbs (yellow). Chakra orbs refill your special ability meter, while virtue acts as currency. That's right: forget dollars, yen, rubles, and whatnot. Real value in this world comes from virtue. Virtue can be spent on HP and stamina meter upgrades, as well as chips for your skill plate. Wh-whaaa? Skill plate? Whazzat? In a similar vein to skill grids in other games, you can place skill chips on a specially-shaped plate to give Naruto bonus abilities and stats, such as health, offensive/defensive upgrades, and new moves. It's a must for surviving this game.

Above all else, Naruto generally controls well, although sometimes his attacks annoying fly off in a different direction that I'd have wanted. We can chalk this up to being unable to cancel a combo after it's been entered. The game itself is moderately difficult, but if I could survive it, I'd say most players could as well. Not all of the game's content is equally enjoyable. Missions where you have to protect a cart from several waves of bandits can feel more like a chore than a joy. On the flipside, however, missions involving defeating ninjas and then throwing around flyers to advertise a local merchant are surprisingly satisfying.

The game's graphics are also enjoyable and very much reflect the visual style of the anime. Naruto has more than enough facial expressions and goofy pointing poses to assuage the fans. I'm not sure why he stands awkwardly so often, though. Occasionally, we're thrown into a FMV where Naruto and Friends are rendered in a slightly more realistic CGI style, and it's a bit off-putting. They actually remind me of the new CGI introduction Konami created for Ys: The Ark of Napishtim, also for PlayStation 2, with offbeat character modeling. And, as could be expected, the original voice cast from the anime is utilized, so there's continuity there. I had not heard Naruto speak until this game, and during the game, I was convinced that his voice was actually that of a middle-aged woman. I was not wrong. It's brash, brazen, and occasionally annoying.