One Punch Man: A Hero Nobody Knows is a fighting game built around a simple premise: you win with a single punch. That premise is the whole joke of the original manga, and the game tries to make it into a full combat system. The result is a game that understands its own absurdity but struggles to make that absurdity fun for more than a few matches.
The game comes from Spike Chunsoft, which developed it, and Bandai Namco Entertainment published it for PS4, PC and Xbox One on February 28, 2020. It is a hack-and-slash beat-’em-up with 3v3 battles, and it leans heavily on the source material’s sense of humor. The question the game asks is whether that humor translates into a satisfying way to spend an afternoon.
Trailer, via Bandai Namco Entertainment America.
The Setup
In One Punch Man: A Hero Nobody Knows, you pick a team of three heroes and fight against an opposing team. The catch is that Saitama, the main character, is nearly impossible to hurt. He takes no damage from enemy attacks, and he can defeat anyone with a single punch. But there is a cost: he shows up late to the match, so your other two characters need to hold the line until he arrives.
There is also a version of Saitama without those powers, called the Dream Version. This version plays more like a standard fighter, though the game does not explain exactly how he differs beyond that description.
The Characters
The roster draws from the manga’s cast of heroes, villains and oddities. Saitama himself is the centerpiece, but the game also includes Genos, Hellish Blizzard, Speed-o’-Sound Sonic, Mumen Rider and more. Each character has a distinct look and a distinct fighting style, and the game leans on the show’s visual identity to set them apart.
The presentation is solid, with character models that capture the show’s cartoonish energy. The game also borrows the show’s storytelling approach, mixing action with brief scenes of dialogue and narration. It is a competent adaptation of the source material’s visual language, even if the gameplay beneath it does not always live up to the ambition.
The Fighting
The core of One Punch Man: A Hero Nobody Knows is its hack-and-slash combat. Players move through waves of enemies, chaining combos and clearing screens. The controls are easy to grasp, and the game rewards players who learn the timing of its combo system.
But the simplicity of the combat is also the game’s weakness. There is little depth to the moves available to each character, and the game rarely forces players to think beyond basic button presses. The fights feel repetitive quickly, and the game’s difficulty curve does not offer much resistance once the player learns the rhythms of each stage.
The game also suffers from a lack of variety in its enemy designs. Most foes look similar and behave in similar ways, which makes the later stages feel like a repetition of earlier ones rather than a progression.
The Mode Structure
The game offers both single-player and multiplayer modes. In single-player, players progress through a campaign that tells the story of the show, with occasional missions that ask for specific character combinations. The campaign is brief, and it does not offer much replay value beyond the main story.
Multiplayer is where the game shows its best side. Players can team up online or locally to fight against each other in 3v3 battles. This mode gives the game some life, since the chaos of a three-on-three match is more engaging than the solo campaign’s scripted fights.
The multiplayer mode is also the place where Saitama’s late arrival mechanic becomes a genuine tactical choice. Players who pick Saitama need to plan around his absence, using their other two characters to hold the line until he finally shows up. That planning adds a layer of strategy that the solo campaign never attempts.
The Presentation
The game’s presentation is where it shines brightest. The visuals are bright and colorful, and the game captures the cartoonish energy of the show. The music matches the tone, and the sound design gives each hit a satisfying weight.
The game also includes a large number of characters to choose from, which means there is always someone new to try out. The sheer size of the roster gives the game a lasting draw, even if the individual characters themselves are not always deep.
The Weaknesses
The game’s biggest problem is its lack of depth. The combat system is shallow, and the game rarely pushes players to learn new skills or strategies. The difficulty curve is gentle, and the game does not punish players for playing cautiously.
The game also suffers from a lack of content. The campaign is short, and the multiplayer mode, while enjoyable, does not offer enough variation to keep players engaged for long periods. The game feels unfinished in places, with some systems that seem half-realized and others that feel underdeveloped.
The game’s reliance on the source material also means that players who have not followed the show may find themselves lost. The game assumes familiarity with the characters and their relationships, which can make the story difficult to follow for newcomers.
How It Compares
Here is how One Punch Man: A Hero Nobody Knows compares to other games in its genre:
| Game | Genre | Focus | Replay Value |
|---|---|---|---|
| One Punch Man: A Hero Nobody Knows | Hack-and-slash / Beat-’em-up | 3v3 battles, single punch mechanic | Low |
| Streets of Rage | Hack-and-slash | Beat-’em-up | Medium |
| Mortal Kombat | Fighting | Fighting | High |
Streets of Rage is a classic beat-’em-up that offers a deeper combat system and a stronger sense of progression. Mortal Kombat is a fighting game with a much larger roster and a greater focus on depth and skill. Both games offer more replay value than One Punch Man: A Hero Nobody Knows, which feels thin in comparison.
The Verdict
One Punch Man: A Hero Nobody Knows is a game that understands its own premise better than it executes it. The idea of a hero who wins with a single punch is funny, and the game captures that humor in its presentation. But the gameplay itself never quite lives up to the promise of that premise.
The game is at its best in multiplayer, where the chaos of a three-on-three match and the late arrival of Saitama add a layer of strategy. It is at its worst in the solo campaign, where the combat grows tedious and the story feels unfinished. The game is a mixed bag, and it is best enjoyed in small doses rather than as a full commitment.
Here is a ranking of the game’s strengths and weaknesses, in order of importance:
- Presentation — the visuals, music and character designs capture the show’s energy well.
- Multiplayer — the 3v3 battles offer a genuine reason to play with friends.
- Roster — the large number of characters gives the game lasting appeal.
- Combat — the hack-and-slash system is easy to grasp but lacks depth.
- Campaign — the story is short and offers little replay value.
- Content — the game feels unfinished in places, with systems that feel underdeveloped.
The game is not a failure, but it is not a standout either. It is a competent adaptation of a popular show with a premise that could have been turned into something special. Instead, it settles for being a decent, if forgettable, hack-and-slash game.
One Punch Man: A Hero Nobody Knows scores 5.3 out of 10.
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