Naruto is most certainly one of the most popular anime IPs in existence, but Naruto Storm Connections is facing some criticism. The anime has been celebrated across the world for its characters, plot, and setting. When the latest Naruto video game, NARUTO X BORUTO Ultimate Ninja STORM CONNECTIONS, usually called Naruto Storm Connections, was announced, fans of the anime were visibly hyped for the same.
However, after the game’s release, some of its elements did not go down well with fans. One of these is the job done by the actors who lend their voices to the fighting game characters. Fans expressed their dislike and even suspected that AI was used to generate voiceovers for the title.
Recently, Bandai Namco has dismissed all of these suspicions but has admitted the apparent lack of quality in Naruto Storm Connections voiceovers. A patch improving upon the existing state of voiceovers in the game was confirmed to be in development. It will be released shortly.
Bandai Namco Reassures That No AI Was Involved in Voiceover Production in Naruto Storm Connections
The official confirmation was provided to IGN by a spokesperson from the Japanese video game publisher Bandai Namco. It was admitted that the voicework for the game could have been better, and regrets were expressed by the publisher for the experience not being as polished. The statement also dismissed the usage of AI in any way shape or form when it comes to the game’s voiceovers.
In addition, some dialogue that received some flak from the players and other vocal artists will be addressed in a fix that will arrive soon for Naruto Storm Connections. The official statement reads:
Regarding the reports about several voice over lines in Naruto X Boruto: Ultimate Ninja Storm Connections, Bandai Namco Entertainment can confirm that the lines in question were not AI generated, but the result of inconsistencies during the editing and mastering process.
Reassuring fans who were visibly upset with the same, the spokesperson went on and stated that:
We regret that this raised a concern with Naruto fans and the voice acting community. We are currently working to fix the voice lines in question, which will be patched in the near future.
All of this is good news, and it is not often that a video game title receives patches and fixes targeting areas like voiceovers. The fact that Bandai Namco listened to its fans and is trying to keep them engaged in the title is commendable.
Having mentioned that, it is also worth keeping in mind that all of this is only required because the title had voiceovers that were repulsive for the ears. Here is a snippet from the game for one to hear for oneself.
Notice how Naruto goes into a high pitch for unknown reasons, which makes the experience hilarious but rubs fans of the anime the wrong way. When such a sloppy job is done with the “editing and mastering process,” it is clear why one would think that AI was involved in the voiceovers.
Naruto Storm Connections also made the headlines recently as it offered the ability to let players avoid matchmaking against Xbox Series S console users. As bad as it sounds, it was done for a valid reason. Due to the Series S’s infrastructure being considerably less advanced as compared to other consoles in its generation, the game is locked at 30 fps on the console.
That is why, when Series X gamers meet Series S gamers in Naruto Storm Connections, they also have to adjust to the 30 fps cap imposed by the game. While the feature was purely optional, it does speak volumes about how the Series S’s limited capability as a console is starting to show. Also, it adds some weight to gamers’ arguments when they state that the budget console might be holding back the generation.
Naruto Storm Connections is out now for PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Nintendo Switch, Xbox Series X|S, and Xbox One.
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