There is never a shortage of fighting games that come out in the market and are active with gamers. However, if you're specifically looking for anime-style fighting games, you'll still find plenty of new stuff being added every year. With 2022 there are a few games we hope to see released this year, but those who are just looking to try something new and can find a bit of fun right now can return to other titles that have already been released. In this list, we highlight some games that are releasing this year or are still solid entries to try today.
#7 Project L – Next TBA release
Riot Games has been known for years primarily for its hit MOBA title, League of Legends. The game was such a hit that years after its initial market launch in 2022, fans still tune in regularly today. However, after so many years of maintaining and developing League of Legends, it was clear that Riot Games wanted to try other genres using its established character roster. For example, we had Valorant in 2022, a competitive FPS that blended the hero element of something like Overwatch with the highly skilled shooter of Counter-Strike.
Now another project that is currently in the works but does not yet have a release date is simply titled Project L. We don't have a ton of information about this game yet, but we do know that the developers are making it a fighting game. You'll have a list of League of Legends champions to choose from and each will likely have the unique abilities they're already known for in the original MOBA title. It remains to be seen how it will stand up to other fighting games and we're not entirely sure if this game will find its way to market this year. Either way, this is a game to keep your eyes peeled for in case Riot Games decides to start releasing the title in some type of capacity, whether through early access. or simply in beta form.
#6 Guilty Gear Strive - Coming June 11, 2022
Another game on our list that has yet to be released is Guilty Gear Strive. It is a fighting game developed by Arc System Works and it will be the seventh main installment in the Guilty Gear series. We're going to have a continuation of the Guilty Gear Xrd title, so you'll see a focus around Sol Badguy, but more interestingly for this game you'll find that the developers have chosen to do some reworkings. There was a push to pop new mechanics and tweak some of the gameplay to hopefully attract more newcomers to the franchise.
One of the new things you'll find in Guilty Gear Strive is the ability to complete different stages, which is quite common in many other fighting games. When you hit combos at certain areas of the map, you can jump into a cutscene where you'll be thrown into another background level. Originally, this game was supposed to hit the market in 2022, but with the pandemic, it was pushed back to 2022. Currently, we are expected to receive this game on June 11, 2022, for PC, PS4, and PS5 platforms .
# 5 Kill la Kill IF
Kill la Kill was a fairly popular anime series that released in 2022 and spanned a year with multiple episodes and OVAs while originally starting out as a manga. Being such a popular IP, it wasn't much of a surprise that we were getting a video game episode at some point. Kill la Kill: IF was released in 2022 as a fighting title that places the games through the anime storyline, albeit with some slight changes. That said, it's a game you won't want to play until you've finished the anime series, because it's quick to start messing things up. Since it's a light retelling of events, especially since it came out a few years after the release of the anime series, it's a game made for already fans of the popular IP.
Throughout the main campaign, players control Satsuki Kiryuin as you fight against a variety of different characters. Speaking of battles, it's a bit of a paperweight as you can pull off combos quite easily. This game also comes with a gameplay mechanic known as Bloody Valor where you can get a bit of a buff in battle by going through a scissors-style mini-game. Chances are, if you're a fan of the series, you might have jumped into this game before, but if you haven't and are looking for something new, we recommend checking out the anime Kill la Kill and try out this fighting title.
# 4 My Hero One’s Justice 2
My Hero Academia is a popular manga and anime series, so again, it's no surprise that we also received video games for IP. The latest installment in the video game franchise in this series is My Hero One's Justice 2, which was released in 2022, so it's still a new game for fans to dive into. If you enjoyed the previous installment in this series, you'll probably find this game just as fun. He is an arena fighter whose fight is easy to grasp.
Likewise, you will find many different characters to choose from during your battles, each with their unique abilities. As you might expect, the storyline is a bit of a recap of certain seasons of the anime series, as you play it you'll get unlockables like costumes. However, the main focus players will likely spend their time with is online or local competitive matches. Again, much like Kill la Kill: IF, it's a game probably best played if you've followed the series or manga before.
#3 BlazBlue: Cross Tag Battle
The BlazBlue franchise is quite an old franchise and it has a massive fanbase so each new installment is usually accompanied by a large number of fans who quickly jump on the latest game. Currently one of the latest installments of Blazblue is BlazBlue: Cross Tag Battle which features 2v2 battles. Similar to this game setup, players can login with their additional fighters to continue the match when needed. However, when a character has exhausted their HP, you automatically switch between characters.
BlazBlue: Cross Tag Battle was developed by Arc System Works and released in 2022 where you get crosses from a few different IPs so you're not specifically dealing with BlazBlue only characters. Instead, you'll find characters from Persona 4 Arena, Under Night In-Birth, RWBY, Arcana Heart, Senran Kagura, and finally Akatsuki Blitzkampf. Storywise is what you'd expect, universes collide and now characters fight each other in hopes of getting home safely. The gameplay is also quite newcomer friendly, but that said, there are still plenty of movesets and mechanics to master as you progress through different battles.
# 2 One Piece: Guerriers pirates 4
One Piece is the very popular anime series that has been around for quite a while now and the fanbase is still growing. Here, the game recaps the storyline of the campaign as you fight your way through tough battles, whether it's a multitude of enemies in a barrage attack or boss battles. . If you haven't played the previous games, you'll find that this is a similar game to Dynasty Warriors, where there's lots of flashy animations and cutscenes over stills to help make advance the scenario.
That said, it's hard to capture everything from One Piece in this fifteen-hour campaign, so it's going to miss several arcs along the way. When you've completed the single-player campaign, you'll find online PvP game modes here so you can have a few competitive game matches with other franchise fans or friends.
# 1 Dragon Ball FighterZ
Dragon Ball Z video game titles never fail and one of the most recent releases that fans have joined for competitive matches is Dragon Ball FighterZ. It is another title that has been developed by Arc System Works that has made a name for itself when it comes to the video game fighting genre. You have a story telling where you follow a recently revived Android 16 and his army of androids who are clones of iconic fighters from the franchise.
It's overall a very solid 2.5D fighting game experience. It can be easy for newcomers to complete, but is also a solid challenge for those looking to master their skills. It may not be the franchise's last installment in video games, but you'll still find an active community spending time going through different online matches.
