My Hero One's Justice (PlayStation 4) Review

Like most fighters, the main menu offers up a number of different modes to cater for each type of player out there. There's a local match mode, a training mode, and an online mode for those who want to just dive straight into the bottom-kicking, whether it be with friends on the couch, friends around the world, or just the CPU.

There's a Story mode for fans of the source material who want to re-experience the series. Just a little warning for those out there who have heard the hype surrounding this series and think this may be a decent jumping in point, it isn't. The story is fairly well represented here, playing out with animated art from the chapters like a motion comic, along with animated backgrounds like stylised manga screen-tones. It's obviously pretty low budget compared to some of the anime adaptations out there but it looks decent, especially when mixed in with 3D models recreating key moments. However, the story picks up fairly far into the real story and then jumps back and forth. Some of the major events are covered but it leaves an awful lot out.

The story begins with chapter 45 from the original manga, when Gran Torino first appears. The story then plays out through the Hero Killer Stain arc, some of the Final Exams arc, then the Forest Training Arc, and the Hideout Raid arc - covering a considerable amount, up to chapter 91 and episode 50 of the anime. Then it continues - switching from the hero's perspective to the villain's, and then the story replays each of the arcs that have just been completed from the villain's point of view. Playing as Stain against various heroes and villains both, then as various League of Villain members, all the way up to playing All for One against All Might in a series of battles. Then, in a strange decision, the story continues by returning to the U.A. Sports festival arc… Why it didn't just start here is baffling.

Each mission has three rewards to collect, one for winning, one for getting an S rank, and one for a varied win condition, usually kept secret until it's met. These rewards come in the form of customisation items, different colour scheme items, or key parts of certain heroes' outfits. There is a wealth of these to collect in the next mode, too: mission mode.

Mission is a set of six maps made up of numerous missions. A party is selected from the unlocked roster and has to progress through each mission. Health does not recover between the missions and it requires careful balancing and utilisation of teams, along with using the items that are rewarded during the mission. These items can give stat boosts, recover health, or provide various other bonuses. There is a decent amount of replay value here, not just with all the customisation parts there are to unlock, but there's also the fact that the characters used gain experience and level up here and, in doing so, even more customisation parts are unlocked and, finally, this is the best place to gather up the game's currency. That currency is used for - that's right - yet more customisation parts!

These parts, then, basically are costume elements from each of the characters but in various different colours and designs. They can be mixed and matched and equipped to any character. Deku can be kitted out with Bakugo's gauntlets, All Might can try out Uraraka's helmet; there are limits as to how much can be equipped, with only one item from each category or area, but this still can add up to a ton of weird equipment all stacked up on one character, making for some truly weird and wonderful creations. It is possible to kit out Tomura Shiragaki with an All Might colour scheme, equipped with Froppy goggles, Eraserhead goggles atop his face hand, and pink fur scarf, for example.

The cast of characters available includes all of the fan favourites from Class 1-A, along with plenty of villains. Thankfully, there is no Minoru other than a customisation item that sees him hanging off the leg. Although, equally, there are a few characters absent that would have been welcome - the cast of the spin of Vigilantes, plus more teachers and heroes. Thankfully, these will likely come via DLC, as Shoot Style Deku is arriving in a day one patch that also adds an arcade mode to the game, while the number two hero, Endeavour, is arriving as a pre-order bonus.

This is a fighting game, though, so down to the heart of the content: the combat. When it comes to gameplay, anyone who has played this type of title knows what to expect. It's very reminiscent of the old Naruto fighters. The combat is simple enough for anyone not just to pick up and play, but to be able to win. There are two attacks on the face buttons, along with a "Quirk" attack or special move. Then there are the expected ultimate attacks, which play out huge animations should they land. These are powered by a special bar that is filled by landing attacks, taking damage, and building combos. There are three levels to this bar and three separate ultimate attacks for each character, using up 1, 2, or all 3 bars. These are well designed and really show off the quirks of each character; it's utterly satisfying to land, watching as the screen explodes in colour as PLUS ULTRA fills the centre.

The combat isn't particularly complex; it's easy enough to tear through the game by button mashing and doing little to truly master any of the characters, and often it's just down to who can dash around more and land blows from behind. There's a system of quick attacks, counter-attacks, and unblockable attacks that feel like they could build more into the game, but it's mostly more manic mashing.