My Hero One's Justice 2

If you're a fan of the anime series or the first game, this sequel mostly improves on an already deep and challenging 3D fighter. My Hero One's Justice 2 isn't perfect, mind you, but it's a thrilling brawler with a lot of meat on the bone. For those who haven't watched the show or played the games: Fighters have superpowers called Quirks, which they unleash during the frenetic combat. But unlike in other fighting games, the character you're playing as truly feels unique here, as you'll need to exploit that fighter's strengths (and the weaknesses of your enemies) to win rounds. You'll use basic and special attacks, and chained offensive moves and combos, and you'll need to be quick on defensive maneuvers, including the new (and welcome) dodge mechanic. Sure, action's rooted in a rock-paper-scissors mechanic, but it's the variety in the 40-odd players -- about twice as many as the original game had -- and the mastering of countering moves to stave off a beating that keep things fresh. Also new: the ability to use teammate abilities instead of just your main character's. You'll fight to build up your Plus Ultra meter and defeat enemies before they can drain your gauges.

But as in the original game, the over-the-shoulder perspective can make it difficult to view the battlefield. Projectiles can also be hard to see and avoid, and there are some ill-timed camera pans that are out of your control. There's also some oddities, like using objects in the environment to avoid contact from projectiles, yet your character still takes damage in cover. The story campaign and mission modes are fun, as is the local multiplayer, and the new arcade mode is a good way to practice against the smart computer-controlled opponents. But there are some connection and speed issues during online matches, and the multiplayer lobby is a little convoluted. Issues aside, My Hero One's Justice 2 has a lot of depth and variety (in characters and modes) and is very faithful to the anime and manga it's based on.