Mobile games based on beloved anime franchises are a dime a dozen these days, which is why it's always surprising when a genuine jewel of a title like One-Punch Man: World is on the horizon. Publisher Crunchyroll Games invited Screen Rant to preview the newest anime brawler at this year's San Diego Comic-Con. In the thirty-minute demo played, One-Punch Man: World already showed some serious promise.

Releasing this year on IOS, Android, and PC, One-Punch Man: World is an anime beat-em-up that sees players take control of the franchise's eclectic cast to fight larger-than-life villains. After the middling reception to 2020's One-Punch Man: A Hero Nobody Knows, it'd be understandable many would have trepidations about the prospect of future games. Fortunately, One-Punch Man World gives players more than enough reason to be excited, as the new game captures much of what makes the franchise so popular.

One-Punch Man: World's Gameplay is Simple and Satisfying

Combat is central in One-Punch Man: World. Players can join up to three friends to control one of the series' heroes, as they face off in circular arenas against hordes of bad guys or one singular boss. Using three central abilities in combination with a super move, players attack and dodge in a way that will feel more than familiar to anyone who's played a mobile brawler. As simple as the combat is though, where World really makes its mark is with its large roster of characters.

Sporting an impressive cast, each of One-Punch Man: World's heroes comes with unique abilities and gameplay hooks. Though it's difficult to say without having played every character, World does a good job of making each of the series' heroes feel different to play. Even different variations of the same hero were distinct from each other in the preview. As an example, the preview offered two versions of Genos. One was a close-ranged fighter whose attacks could deal extra damage if players time subsequent button presses correctly while the other Genos was a long-ranged fighter who proved invaluable against flying enemies.

One-Punch Man: World Carries the Series' Soul

Beyond the character-based combat, the preview suggests that a great deal of the game's appeal will be in exploring iconic locations from the series. While the graphical limitations of a mobile game keep Z-City from truly popping, World's environments are infused with the chill feel of city life that is so essential to One-Punch Man. It's possible to pick up side quests from NPCs, buy food items that restore health, and even go to an arcade with playable mini-games. Not a lot of Z-City was displayed in the preview, but what was shown was cozy in a way that fit One-Punch Man quite well.

One-Punch Man: World Lovingly Recreates the Anime's Most Iconic Scenes

Part of what made One-Punch Man's anime explode in popularity was the incredible quality of its animation., which means World had a lot to live up to. Luckily, One-Punch Man: World does its source material justice. The cut scenes, quick time events, and super moves all carry the epic weight of One-Punch Man's fights. Just as critically, the game also nails One-Punch Man's trademark humor.

With all that being said, One-Punch Man: World is undoubtedly a game for those familiar with the source material more than anything else. Nothing shown in the preview is revolutionary, and there are plenty of other anime brawlers available on mobile and PC that offer a similar experience. Still, none of that is to diminish how much love for One-Punch Man has been poured into this game. Fans of One-Punch Man owe it to themselves to at least give the game a try when it releases later this year, as One-Punch Man: World is more than worthy of One-Punch Man's storied legacy.

One-Punch Man: World releases on Windows, IOS, and Android later in 2023. Screen Rant attended a preview event for the purpose of this article.