2016 ended up being a great year for fans of anime games thanks to releases such as Attack on Titan, Digimon Story: Cyber Sleuth, Dragon Ball Xenoverse 2 and Naruto Shippuden: Ultimate Ninja Storm 4. 2017 is also looking quite stellar as well. Below, you can find our list of the best anime games that have been announced to be coming out over the next year.
7. Naruto Shippuden: Ultimate Ninja Storm 4 Road to Boruto
The last of the Naruto Shippuden: Ultimate Ninja Storm installments is Road to Boruto. The expansion adds a new chapter that stars Boruto, the son of Naruto. In addition to the New Hidden Leaf Village setting, there will also be new playable charters such as Boruto, Sarada, Hokage Naruto and Wandering Shinobi Sasuke. Not to mention that the physical release also comes bundled with Naruto Shippuden: Ultimate Ninja Storm 4 in addition to all the DLC from the fourth mainline game. Road to Boruto is a can’t miss for Naruto fans.
Naruto Shippuden: Ultimate Ninja Storm 4 Road to Boruto launches on the 3rd of February. Preorder the physical version with this link on Amazon.
6. Fate/EXTELLA: The Umbral Star
This action combat game, which is similar to the Musou titles, features characters from various Fate universes, including Fate/EXTRA, Fate/stay night, Fate/Apocrypha and Fate/Grand Order. Not to mention that it includes a brand new story, penned by series creator Nasu Kinoko, told from multiple perspectives. That there are also side stories to play through as well, making The Umbral Star quite essential for fans.
Fate/EXTELLA: The Umbral Star comes out on the 17th of January. The Marvelous-published game can be reserved here.
5. Berserk and the Band of the Hawk
One of the best manga of all time, Berserk, got a resurgence in popularity recently thanks to the success of The Golden Age Arc film trilogy as well as a new anime series. Berserk and the Band of the Hawk is another Musou-type of game where you fight against hordes of creepy demons and other opposition. Along with being able to play the aforementioned Golden Age Arc as well as The Hawk of the Millennium Arc as Guts, there are other playable characters. If you are a fan of the intense action the manga and/or anime is known for, then you should keep an eye on the upcoming title.
Berserk and the Band of the Hawk, which is coming out on the 21st of February, is available for reservation via this page.
4. Digimon World: Next Order
After the success of Digimon Story: Cyber Sleuth, Bandai Namco is bringing over the next installment of the franchise to North America. Digimon World: Next Order harkens more to the classic games as the main objective is to raise your digital monsters. Your companions will automatically fight for themselves in battle although you can issue commands. So, if you are looking for a gaming experience that is more attuned to the anime when compared to Cyber Sleuth, then you should check out Next Order.
Digimon World: Next Order, which is releasing on the 31st of January, can be purchased via this link.
3. Danganronpa V3: Killing Harmony
While the multimedia trilogy of Danganronpa ended with the Danganronpa 3: The End of Hope’s Peak High School anime, Spike Chunsoft is already hard at work with another new game for the franchise. V3: Killing Harmony takes place with an entirely new set of characters and plot line. With that said, the unique murder investigations and class trials still remain. Thus, veterans of the series will get a fresh start while newcomers can jump right in without having to play the previous games.
Danganronpa V3: Killing Harmony is expected to come out sometime in 2017. You can preorder V3 here. Furthermore, NIS America is also releasing the first two games in the series, as well as the spin-off title, for the PS4 in the same year as well. You can check out those titles with the following links: Danganronpa Another Episode: Ultra Depair Girls and Danganronpa 1-2 Reload.
2. Gravity Rush 2
One of the more unique games of recent years is Gravity Rush as players traverse huge environments by changing the gravity around them. Gravity Rush 2 appears to be bigger and better than the first in every way. In addition to increasing the size and scope of the world, the sequel also adds various styles that will change the way you move and attack. If that wasn’t enough, Sony even teamed up with Studio Khara to release an anime short to connect the first game to the second. If you are looking for something unique, then you can’t do no wrong with the upcoming sequel (just make sure you play the first game and watch the anime first).
January 24th is the official launch date for Gravity Rush 2. The PlayStation 4 exclusive is available for preorder with this page.
1. Persona 5
Persona 3 and Persona 4 became so popular that anime adaptations were made. While expectations are sky high for Persona 5, early impressions from the Japanese version indicate that the long awaited sequel is actually surpassing them. The fifth mainline installment adds a new stealth element to exploring dungeons. You can also now negotiate with the enemy during battle in order to convince them to join your team of Personas. Along with other additions, Persona 5 is shaping up to be one of the best titles of the new year. It seems like Atlus and Sega themselves are already quite confident as they released Persona 5 The Animation: The Day Breakers before the Japanese launch.
The North American release of Persona 5 is slated to arrive on the 4th of April. You can preorder the videogame with this link.
As you can see above, there are plenty of new releases to be excited about in 2017 for fans of anime and games.