Shinobi Story Online

by Mugen234
Shinobi Story Online
Shinobi Story Online, regarded as one of the best Naruto Rp games on Byond is now back in action. Get ready to create your own Shinobi story as your destiny awaits.
ID:96714
 
Keywords: naruto, review
Hello. This review will mark the first of many reviews (hopefully to come) and my personal first of a game on BYOND. Enjoy the read.

Out of the many roleplaying games on BYOND, a select few stand out as the defining figures. I believe Mugen234's Shinobi Story Online would at least make the ranks of the Roleplay Elite here on BYOND.

Gameplay:

Shinobi Story follows suit with most role-playing games on BYOND. The game revolves around the Naruto Universe, taking place long before the events of the series take place. You can run about, and make your way up the ninja ranks, as one would expect from a role-playing game. The game is extremely slow-pace, in order to allow player driven (or more uncommon staff created) events to take place. This could range from a number of Missing-nin attacking a village to a full fledged demon ravaging the countryside. The events allow for players to really get involved with the game on another level than sandbox style gameplay. However, this slow-place style of gameplay gives the game a smaller audience, and a high learning curve to overcome. The game is difficult to grasp at first, although attempts have been made at guides on the forums-- most are not outstanding and don't give you the full run about of the game. The staff team is fair, albeit there is slight drama amongst them and it often spills out onto the world chat. They often respond to your pleas, and create fun story driven events for players to experience.



The Hospital Top Floor.


As far as combat goes, Shinobi Story Online uses more than one style of role-play fighting, which the community lovingly calls "verbing" and "pure-RP". These are exactly what they sound like. "Verbing" is writing a attack warning along with the use of your generic attack, or such and such jutsu to kill the opponent. It is not the most creative way of dealing with these types of scenarios, as from my point of view the combat system is terribly unbalanced. On the other hand, most players use the latter style of fighting. This would consist of writing full roleplay fights, with little to no use of the verbs, beyond visual effects. The game could have encompassed a larger array of ways to handle combat. Some role-playing games favor rolling a die, and this seems to be non-existent here. The game is however, reminiscent of the source it was based upon an older Finale source albeit is heavily modified to suit the Naruto player base. I don't believe this really plays a part in how great the game play be (especially in role-playing games).

Score: 7

Presentation

Perhaps the first thing you notice when you log into Shinobi Story Online, is the bright atmosphere. At least, this was the main reason I stuck around in the first place. The pixel art is very vibrant and inviting. It also doesn't clash, and fit nicely into place throughout the map. They are also remarkably well-done, most of which look as though they had been professionally made.



Konohagakure Academy


The game utilizes a relatively nicely made interface, however it doesn't seem like a large amount of effort was put into making it. The color of the text on most of the labels can strain your eyes, and there is not a lot of functionality in how it was created. However it does look much nicer than the default interface, and it gives the game experience a much nicer feeling. Another let down is that the game does not incorporate the use of sounds or music. This may or may not be to leave the sounds to the player's imagination, but nevertheless-- it would have been nice to see some form of music somewhere around the game. The map presentation of the game is also well done, although some villages seem very small in contrast to others, and there are a few burps here and there. It still remains that feeling that you really are in a big world.

Score: 6

Originality

Shinobi Story Online follows suit with most of the role-playing games on BYOND as it stands. It takes elements from other popular games, but I would imagine this is the community's influence on the game itself. It has it's own original content as far as player interaction though, with players being able to own shops through roleplay, and even player economics. For example, the Hokage of the Hidden Leaf village would be given 40,000 Yen to last him the entire game. The money would be tossed around to shops, missions and other places of expense. The village would then imply taxes on all the business in order to gain revenue. It's a very good way of handling how the whole game plays out, and I enjoy it very much.



The local Konoha Ramen Shop.


There are many other factors which influence it's originality, such as the need to maintain your character by consistently attending your Academy classes when you are an Academy Student; or even interacting with your squad as a Genin. The limits as far as originality could expand to encompass many things, and is limited only by your imagination.

Score: 7


Overall

Overall, I believe this game excels in the category it is in. It meets and even surpasses the benchmark of it's category, bringing many original ideas to BYOND and influencing other games around it. Although it's background and the many times it has shifted hands, it maintains it's quality of gameplay and I believe will continue to do so for a while to come. A must try for any roleplayers on BYOND. I definitely recommend you try this one.

Overall Score: 7
Meh. I guess. The admin community is crap though. I wouldn't play it but I do agree with some of the things you said, and though it has the sprites from the GBA game itself. It lacks the feeling of Naruto. Its something I can't quite put my finger on.
Illegible pictures are illegible (unless clicked on)
EnigmaticGallivanter wrote:
Illegible pictures are illegible (unless clicked on)

I have no idea what is causing this. If I could fix it, I would. Sorry.
Nice review.
"They are also remarkably well-done, most of which look as though they had been professionally made."

But they were professionally made. Those turfs were stolen from the retail GBA games. Also, the base + overlays all clash with the professionally made art.
I like the depth of the review. Nice work!
Nice review for a game with such talent
Originality: 7/10? n_n

The code was mostly taken from Dragonball Finale Retro, the turfs were taken from the GBA games or ripped from other BYOND games, the base icons and overlays were ripped from Final Fight and the jutsu were ripped from other artists, games on BYOND and the GBA games.

Also there is no actual economic system it's all done by the admins in secret.
What a retarded review. Kaliba is right, it's taken from Dragonball Finale Retro - a leaked version of the last source of that game. The base icons were indeed ripped from Final Fight and the others from that Naruto RPG game. If this gets a 7/10 originality then I don't know what's good at all...

Besides, the game is run by a bunch of power hungry old Finale players. Hence it's one of those clique innovated take over games.
LMAO. Wow. The original owner of the game telling us what it really is. Kudos to you Kaliba.
Also I lol'd at the economic feature. As Kaliba said. No such thing exists. :p the current managers of the game know little to nothing about programming or pixel art. Its just a game being hosted seeing as its been in 2.1 for the past year :
I was thinking this was a g0od review till what Kaliba said rofl. Anyway well done.