In the world of video games, there are currently two types of fighting games, clearly aimed at different audiences. We have fighting games focused on technical aspects, where the mechanics and mastering the game are important. We also have fighting games focused on storytelling, where the emphasis is on telling a story, usually from a manga or anime, faithfully replicating the combat from the original medium. And because they have two very different audiences, this gap has never been closed.
This gap doesn’t seem to be closing either with the announcement that Bushiroad, together with Eighting studio, is making a new fighting game for Hunter x Hunter. The legendary manga and anime by Yoshihiro Togashi, whose first manga, Yu Yu Hakusho, has just received a great live-action adaptation on Netflix.
We say that it will not be the one to close this gap because, in fact, the title has been announced with a single premise “it is a full-scale fighting game”. And that has started a war between supporters of one type of game and the other.
Those who defend the mechanistic side of fighting games hope that it will be a game in the style of Dragon Ball Fighterz. Those who defend the narrative side of fighting games hope that it will be a game in the style of Naruto Ninja Storm. Which one is more likely? Well, Eighting is famous for recently developing the not very popular DNF Duel, but also for developing Naruto Shippuden: Dragon Blade Chronicles and Naruto: Clash of Ninja Revolution. In other words, anything can be expected from this game.
To know more, we will have to wait, at least, until the Bushiroad New Year Presentation 2024, which will be held on January 6th. Although what we do know for sure is that Bushiroad is a producer that usually handles tight budgets, so, until we know more, the best advice we can give you is to moderate your expectations about the game, whatever class it may be.
