Hokage's Room

After reading and watching all the interviews, I'm gonna give you the point this time. You're right on the fact that in order to not get our hopes too high we must wait for the official characters' roster, because it could turn into such a mess if people get *ed. Although, I have to correct a few of the infos you've gathered... based on what I've read on Strategy Informer's Interview with Hiroshi, there will be over 40 characters available in the game which will be all playable in the online too.

As for Saruto's source... I guess he got it from there... it's another interview made by Buzz Focus...

Naruto Shippuden Ultimate Ninja Storm 2 Interview

 

Last Modified Jul 19, 2010, 12:32:39 AM

That does prove my statement but i originally got it from Saiyanisland.com

 

"A press release by Namco Bandai reveals players will be able to experience the story mode from the eyes of three different characters – Naruto, Sasuke, and Jiraiya!  

NAMCO BANDAI Games America Inc., today announced that Lars Alexandersson, of TEKKEN 6 fame, will appear in NARUTO™ SHIPPUDEN: Ultimate Ninja STORM 2 for the Xbox 360? video game and entertainment system from Microsoft and the PlayStation?3 computer entertainment system. As an unlockable guest character, Lars brings his explosive signature moves to the game’s versus mode which will add new depth and dimension to the overall experience. He will also appear in his TEKKEN 6 costume designed by NARUTO creator Masashi Kishimoto. Based on the popular NARUTO SHIPPUDEN animated series from VIZ Media LLC, the game delivers a brand new online mode, a first for the Ultimate Ninja series, as well as an improved support character system and gripping storyline. NARUTO SHIPPUDEN: Ultimate Ninja STORM 2 is scheduled to be released throughout North America this fall.

NARUTO SHIPPUDEN: Ultimate Ninja STORM 2 faithfully recreates the anime series and envelops players into the mythical world of ninja with new expansive environments, missions, battle systems and gameplay modes. While there are two sides to every story, NARUTO SHIPPUDEN: Ultimate Ninja STORM 2 has three. Encompassing the NARUTO SHIPPUDEN story arc, the game has a deep three-part story mode that have players living different as well as daring ninja lives through the eyes of Naruto, Sasuke and Jiraya.

With more than 40 characters to choose from, engaging in bigger and more epic cinematic boss battles has never been this explosive. The game will also deliver a new and improved Support Character system which allows players to link jutsus for wild ninja punishment and awards compatibility bonuses according to the strategic selection of ally recruits. To provide a true ultimate experience, NARUTO SHIPPUDEN: Ultimate Ninja STORM 2 will also offer various online features where players can sharpen their skills or flex their fighting muscle to defeat rival ninja from around the world.

NARUTO SHIPPUDEN: Ultimate Ninja STORM 2 is developed by CyberConnect2 and will be available this fall. For more information on the game, please visit www.namcobandaigames.com or www.hokagesroom.com. The NARUTO SHIPPUDEN animated series is currently airing on Disney XD (rated TV-PG). For more information and to view free streaming episodes of NARUTO (rated T for Teens) and the uncut NARUTO SHIPPUDEN (rated T+ for Older Teens), please visit www.naruto.com."

Posted Jul 19, 2010, 12:55:46 AM

Thanks for the source.

With regard to the "over" 40 character business, don't you think it's possible that 40 would be playable and then more than those 40 are support only? What about Lars?  Would you want Lars to take up one of the slots of those 40?  I'd just as soon expect them to make Lars the 41st playable character - qualifying for the "over 40" as you mentioned.

Regardless, I've been searching even more for the last few hours and all I can find are forum postings about people that say that Cyber Connect 2 has announced no more support only characters - but not a single person can show where that announcement was.  I've found some people posting their disagreement toward support-only characters - others posting later on that CC2 announced that all of the characters would be playable... But there again, no sources.  Just rumors.

I used to correct Naruto articles on wikipedia when people would post rumors without sources, and I got really fed up with it when a bureaucrat  warned me about it.  Fine, if Wikipedia staff is okay with uncited sources being added in at random which lead people to believe things that aren't true I want no part of it.  Instead, I'll just make sure the communities I serve do stay rumor-free and I'll enjoy it.

Posted Jul 19, 2010, 02:10:29 AM

HEY GUYS!!! New scan!!!!: http://viploader.net/pic/src/viploader1197910.jpg Konan is playable in VS MODE *does a happy dance*

Posted Jul 19, 2010, 04:04:39 AM

Nice scan! Well that unofficially confirms Konan, Tenten, Neji, Guy, Kisame, and Choji as playable and Lee as a support! Yes I've been waiting for Team Guy!!

Posted Jul 19, 2010, 07:50:38 AM

First, it is possible that only 40 would be playable and the rest would be support only with Lars being the 41st character, qualifying for the over 40 characters. That's at least what I thought until now...

Again, I've been trying to look everywhere for older (past) infos that could help me with the "Over 40 characters" and the "no more Support-only" aspects of the game. From what I've gathered, there's might be a chance that the characters' roster may range from 42-50 characters. Why am I thinking this? because knowing that the first Storm had 25 characters (+10 which were support-only, but in total, only 23 may make their return in UNS 2's characters' roster and in Shippuden form only [No PTS!]), it was written in the first (...I've seen so far!!) Official scan of Shonen Jump America. : "There will be over 40 characters! That's twice as many as before.[...] Each character can now go into Awakening mode to increase their power when their health is low." and here's another one saying that Akatsuki members are playable (they didn't say that all Akatsuki members are playable though). Why would they say "twice" if there are only 40~41 characters? Btw, they didn't say "almost twice as many" but "twice as many", which would means that there would be at least 2X the number of playable characters  in UNS 2 compared to its predecessor. I hope those scans helped a little bit with "Over 40 characters" aspect... what do you think TigerC10? Is it plausible that the roster may range between 42 and 50 characters with these infos? or do we need more official announcements regarding the official characters' list? or can we assume that some of these, not all of them, are to make the roster of Ultimate Ninja Storm 2?

UNS 1's characters that have high chances to come back in UNS 2

• Naruto Uzumaki 
• Sasuke Uchiha
• Sakura Haruno
• Kakashi Hatake
• Rock Lee
• Neji Hyūga
• Tenten
• Might Guy
• Shikamaru Nara
• Chōji Akimichi
• Ino Yamanaka
• Kiba Inuzuka
• Shino Aburame
• Hinata Hyūga
• Gaara
• Kankurō
• Temari
• Orochimaru
• Jiraiya
• Tsunade
• Itachi Uchiha
• Kisame Hoshigaki ( Due to latest scan... Kisame FTW!!)
• Kabuto Yakushi

Posted Jul 19, 2010, 02:20:06 PM

Why so pessimistic about the character possibilities Tiger?

Posted Jul 19, 2010, 06:34:34 PM

I bet that every character from the first Storm, excluding Kimimaro and The Third Hokage (not counting the support-only characters), is going to be in Storm 2. I can't know this for sure, but I really think they're putting all of them in :D

Last Modified Jul 21, 2010, 04:45:04 AM

Actually I think this time some of the characters that were support only will be playable, like Asuma :)

Posted Jul 19, 2010, 07:44:55 PM

Well, I guess those new scans that were just posted kinda makes it seem like the fight between Team Kakashi and Sasuke could possibly be a boss battle? That's just me hoping....

Posted Jul 19, 2010, 08:51:27 PM