Recently unveiled footage of the much-anticipated Hunter X Hunter: Nen X Impact by Bushiroad Games and Eighting indicates a modest roster size of 16 characters. The announcement of Hunter X Hunter: Nen X Impact earlier in 2024 generated immense excitement among fans eager to delve into a 2D fighting game inspired by the enduring manga series. The trailer unveiling assured players of the inclusion of beloved protagonists and antagonists in the game, presenting it as a tag team combatant, a signature feature of Eighting's previous projects.
Renowned for crafting numerous licensed anime fighting games in the mid-2000s, Eighting has collaborated on titles such as Bleach, Naruto, and Full Metal Alchemist. Fans may recognize Eighting for its acclaimed 2D tag-team crossover fighters like Tatsunoko vs. Capcom and Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3. Hunter X Hunter: Nen X Impact closely resembles the gameplay of Marvel vs. Capcom series and Dragon Ball FighterZ, adopting a 3v3 tag battle format. However, concerns arise from the revelation of a relatively small launch roster.
Ahead of EVO Japan 2024, CAG Osaka released early gameplay footage, offering a glimpse of the initial six characters in Nen X Impact's lineup, including Gon Freecs, Killua Zoldyck, and Kurapika, among others. Although the complete roster remains undisclosed, the preview of the character selection screen displayed a total of 16 slots, a number deemed limited by some standards for a fighting game.
Anticipated Launch Roster for Hunter X Hunter: Nen X Impact
The available character slots are currently occupied by the six revealed combatants for Nen X Impact, with Uvogin and Machi Komacine also securing spots following their announcement at EVO Japan 2024. This leaves room for only eight more fighters to be unveiled for the game's launch, prompting concerns that a smaller roster might not align with the expectations for a tag fighter or a Hunter X Hunter inspired brawler, where a vast array of familiar characters is often preferred. Speculations suggest that the condensed roster of Nen X Impact may focus primarily on prominent figures like Meruem from the Chimera Ant arc and members of the Phantom Troupe.
To put things into perspective, Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3 boasted 50 playable characters at launch, split evenly between Marvel and Capcom franchises. The 2017 release of Marvel vs. Capcom Infinite featured a roster of 36 characters, including six available through DLC. Similarly, Dragon Ball FighterZ started with 24 characters, expanding to 44 post-launch with DLC additions. While fans express reservations about the compact roster of Nen X Impact at its debut, final judgments may require more character reveals to address these concerns effectively.