If you’ve been following anime lately, you’ll find that My Hero Academia is one of the most popular anime shows on television today. Written and illustrated by Kohei Korikoshi, the manga turned anime has become a wild sensation amongst the anime community, with the entire fandom, from cosplayers to artists, celebrating the show. My Hero Academia, which is set within a world filled with superheroes containing various powers. The show has become so popular that even Stack Up Dot Org’s own founder, Captain Stephen Machuga, has binged the entire series.
The show parodies and embraces the styles and tropes of western comic book culture, with plenty of nods to both Marvel Comics and Detective Comics. Most importantly, it is the story of a young boy, wishing to be a hero, and when told he cannot, he does it anyway. This setup has led to My Hero’s One Justice, a new fighting game from Bandai Namco. With a unique perspective of arena combat and set within the exciting universe of My Hero Academia, My Hero One’s Justice is a unique and refreshing take on the genre.
In the world of My Hero Academia, most of the world’s population has inherited a “Quirk.” These Quirks grant ordinary humans newfound superpowers, which wildly ranges depending on genetics. Super Strength, elemental powers, super-strength, and so on. The cause of these Quirks and where they came from is unknown, but they have transformed the entirety of society.
As law enforcement has vowed not to use Quirks to dispense justice, this has lead to a sharp rise in vigilantism, and the heroes with Quirks are left to promote peace and order against those who choose to use their Quirks for evil and wrongdoing. With 80% having acquired Quarks, there are those that have not. for Sora, life has been very difficult, being bullied and picked on for not having a Quark. However, nothing stops him from being a hero and doing what it takes to become one.
My Hero One’s Justice is a 3D arena fighting game, where players will fight in a large area, similar to JS Stars and the upcoming Jump Force. Players will maneuver around this arena in an attempt to defeat their opponent. As they fight, they will be able to destroy the environment around them, and even utilize it for combat advantage. The key to fighting is to use the open space to evade and successively strike your opponent in rapid succession. Each character in my Hero’s One Justice is completely different from Izuku to All-Might to Katsuki and Shouto. Each hero handles differently form attacks to movement. No character feels nerfed or underpowered in any way, making each hero suitable depending on the playstyle of the player.
Being a 3D arena brawler, My Hero One’s Justice does take getting sued to, as the maneuverability around the environment is just as important as landing blows on your opponent. Fortunately, the main story mode, which offers a telling of events of the world of My Hero Academia, show the players the ropes in how to move, fight, and utilize their character to the fullest. This is important, as the fighting will become quick, fierce, and fluid. One of the most important features of the fighting system involves two attack modes: Super Attack and Pro Ultra.
As players fight, the Ultra gauge beneath their health bar builds. When they reach a certain threshold, they may initiate a super attack, a unique and devastating attack that is s specific to their characters. Building these attacks and knowing when to use them is critical to victory. However, only the most skilled fighters will be able to use the Plus Ultra attack, a mammoth, stage-clearing attack that will essentially annihilate your opponents. These attacks are difficult as the player needs to be in close range and time the attack correctly. However, if the attack is successfully connected, the Plus Ultra Attacks are an absolute joy to watch! All Mights’ Plus Ultra attack, in particular, sends the players flying into Earth orbit after a flurry of several hundred punches. it’s a sight to behold.
Overall, My Hero One Justices‘ combat and gameplay are fine-tuned and exceptional. The game is an absolute blast to play and getting to learn the different fighting styles to each character is rewarding. The gameplay is further compounded by the sharp soundtrack and incredibly polished visuals, which give the sensation of the manga coming to life. My only gripe with the game is the character roster, which feels rather limited considering the scope of the manga and anime, along with the number of stages. I feel My Hero One’s Justice could have benefitted from a stronger roster of characters and perhaps individual campaigns for each. However, the various game modes, which include a story mode, online versus, local versus, and a mission mode, make up for the relatively small roster by giving players an abundance of gameplay options
My Hero One’s Justice is great for fans of the anime and manga, and a nice distraction for other players, especially if they are looking for something different in a crowded genre. Its presentation is filled with enthusiasm and passion and its gameplay is exciting, being accessible and intense for all different types of players. My Hero One’s Justice is a game that is representative of its protagonist. No matter how overwhelming the world is around him, it is persistent to find its place in the fighting world.