Unlike Storm 4, you cannot spam substitution. You have a bar that recharges slowly. Press R right before an attack lands.
Storm 2 covers the beginning of Naruto Shippuden up to the Pain arc. It is divided into chapters.
If you are acquiring the NSP or ISO to play today, you might be surprised by the gameplay depth. naruto ninja storm 2 nsp new
Newer Storm games (Storm 4 and Connections) are often criticized for favoring "Fan Service" over balance—packing rosters with 100+ characters, many of whom play identically, and relying heavily on "Ultimate Jutsu" cinematics that interrupt the flow of battle.
Storm 2, by contrast, is tighter. The roster is smaller (around 40+ characters), but every fighter feels distinct. The gameplay loop focuses on chakra management, ninja movement (shunshin), and substitution jutsu timing. Unlike Storm 4 , you cannot spam substitution
For those looking at the NSP/XCI scene or running the game via RPCS3 (PS3 emulator):
Unlike its predecessor, Storm 2 introduced the "Awakening" mechanic, allowing characters to transform mid-battle (e.g., Naruto turning into a mini-Kurama, or Sasuke unleashing Level 2 Curse Mark). The new NSP version retains all these mechanics perfectly on the Switch hardware. Boss Battles: The game features massive cinematic boss
New players often lose because they waste their substitutions (teleports).