Why I Likely Won’t Play Crystal Of Atlan’s One-Punch Man Crossover Again

As many of you are already aware, Crystal of Atlan has just initiated its first crossover event featuring characters from One-Punch Man. This is sure to excite some players, and I’m genuinely happy for them. However, my enthusiasm is somewhat muted.

The thing is, entering one of the hubs and witnessing multiple Saitamas running about feels odd. It’s true that everyone starts out with similar characters—something I find frustrating in MMOs where there’s constant player interaction—but as you customize your avatar over time, I was ready to tolerate it and enjoy the narrative. And, I have to admit, the story was engaging for the most part.

Yet, with this event, it feels overwhelming. To be honest, I often overlook crossovers in narrative-driven games. In primarily single-player experiences, it’s relatively easy to do so. For instance, I’ve never utilized Aloy in Genshin Impact, even though she was available for free. I might explore the Fate/stay Night event in Honkai: Star Rail because it appears they’ve crafted a narrative to weave those characters into the game world. However, in both scenarios, I would only encounter each character once, as it’s a solo game.

On the other hand, crossovers in MOBAs don’t bother me nearly as much, likely because the focus isn’t on the story, and encountering the same character multiple times in a match is quite normal. You don’t feel like you’re embodying a character on a personal journey. So it’s just how things are.

Nevertheless, for this current event, I think I’ll sit it out. I might return later when the novelty wears off for everyone else. But given all the new games on the horizon, there’s a strong chance I’ll be invested in something else by then.