Hunter x Hunter: Nen x Impact Is A Clear Winner As An Anime Fighter

Summary Nen x Impact is the first Hunter x Hunter fighting game, faithfully representing the strategic battles and Nen power system.

Developed by Eighting, the 3v3 fighter allows players to control iconic characters like Gon, Killua, and Hisoka.

Gameplay is strategic with an easy-to-understand interface, faithful character representations, and impressive super moves.

Hunter x Hunter: Nen x Impact is the franchise's first foray into the exciting world of anime fighters, and based on a demo at Anime Expo 2024, fans eagerly awaiting the game will be pleased with the end result. Yoshihiro Togashi's Hunter x Hunter is famous for its incredibly strategic battles centered around the concept of Nen. Hailed as one of anime and manga's best power systems ever, Nen will finally be in the hands of players with the upcoming release of Nen x Impact.

Developed by Eighting and set to release sometime later in 2024, Nen x Impact brings the iconic characters from Hunter x Hunter to the world of fighting games. Nen x Impact is a 3v3 fighter where players take control of iconic characters from the franchise in heated battles that aim to replicate the deep strategy and mind games the series is known for.

At Anime Expo 2024, Screen Rant sat down with Nen x Impact publisher Bushiroad for a demo of the game. Though it remains to be seen what state the game will be in at launch, the short preview provided was more than enough to prove that Nen x Impact has the bones of a solid fighter.

Nen x Impact Has Everything It Needs To Be A Great 3v3 Fighter

The Mechanics Are Fun And The Game Feel Is Satisfying

Mechanically, Hunter x Hunter: Nen x Impact plays similarly to popular 3v3 fighting games like the Marvel Vs. Capcom franchise. Players choose a team of three Hunter x Hunter characters, with one active character and the other two ready to either be called in for an assist or a switch out. The demo featured 8 playable characters, focussed mostly on either hunters or members of the Phantom Troupe. In addition to the four main characters of Gon, Killua, Leorio, and Kurapika, the demo also gave players access to Chairman Netero, Hisoka, Uvogin, and Bisky Krueger.

In addition to the characters present at the demo, Phantom Troupe members Machi, Feitan, and Chrollo have also been officially confirmed as playable characters.

Given the confirmed characters and the fact that the game's character select screen suggests a 16-character lineup at launch, it appears as though the game's story will take fans at least through the Greed Island arc. Though the game's final roster remains to be seen, if there are only 16 characters at launch, that may be the biggest point against the game. Hunter x Hunter certainly has a large cast with a unique set of abilities, so it's easy to see how some fans would be disappointed if the roster in the base game were 16.

In terms of casual fans, Nen x Impact should be mostly understandable if a little overwhelming. Traditional fighting game inputs for special moves that are found in franchises like Street Fighter and Mortal Kombat are not present in Nen x Impact, as the game instead favors a Smash Bros-like directional input. When combined with multiple attack buttons, Nen x Impact gives players a ton of options in terms of how they approach each fight. If there's one downside to all this, it's that the controls have a learning curve. It's hardly insurmountable, but it is noticeable when starting out.

Nen x Impact Gives Hunter x Hunter Fans Exactly What They Want

The Presentation And Characters All Feel Straight Out Of The Anime & Manga

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Presentation-wise, Hunter x Hunter: Nen x Impact faithfully recreates the look of Madhouse's 2011 anime adaptation of the manga. While some fans have criticized the game's look in trailers, the game looks strong in person. Special care and attention was clearly put into the super moves in particular, leading to some real spectacle that didn't fail to impress during the short demo. Gon's Jajaken, Netero's 100-Type Guanyin Bodhisattva, and Kurapika's chain attacks all look like they're straight out of the anime.

Fighting games, more so than most other game genres, are built on characters, and that's what truly shined through in the Nen x Impact demo. The look of each character is solid and, of the characters sampled, each one had a playstyle that should please fans. Kurapika's ruthlessness, Killua's speed, and Hisoka's brutality are all recreated in a way that is consistently satisfying.

Hunter x Hunter is truly a masterpiece, and though Nen x Impact isn't as groundbreaking as its source material, it's still a fun time that is more than just fan service. There's enough meat there for serious fighting game fans to dig into, and though the veritable cornucopia may be a lot for new players, Nen x Impact is still a ton of fun when just bashing buttons. Fans can look for Eightings' Hunter x Hunter: Nen x Impact when it releases later in 2024.