Anime-style 3D fighting game mixing light RPG progression with deep character creation and explosive visuals
Anime-style 3D fighting game mixing light RPG progression with deep character creation and explosive visuals
Pros
- Great character creation system and unique character is a nice break from the over used main characters
- RPG elements are a little odd, but a nice addition to a fighting game
Cons
- Lack of deep combat system
- Cheesy voice acting
The most recent video game made for the popular Anime series.
Dragon Ball Z has been around for decades and has spawned dozens of spin off series, games and other pop culture media. Dragon Ball Xenoverse is the most recent in a long line of games designed for the franchise. Primarily a fighting game, Dragon Ball Xenoverse allows players to create their own character and battle for supremacy against some well known opponents in one of the fully 3D battlegrounds that the game has available. Locations include the fictional Toki-Toki City as well as many other famous locations within the Dragon Ball universe. Players are able to explore the world to a limited degree and the game plays, in this way, more like an RPG than a straight up fighting game.
Game play
Unfortunately for a series that is mostly focused on fighting, this fighting game seems to focus more on RPG style leveling up than actually creating epic encounters. Fights are simple matters of mashing buttons until the opponent is defeated and, while you do get access to the franchise's trademark world leveling powers, there isn't a lot of finesse in using them. The real meat and potatoes of the game is in creating a unique character,playing through the story and leveling up their power to be able to tackle more powerful opponents. New powers are unlocked and there is a decent system for building out and customizing the abilities of your character. It's just using them that is a little lack luster.
Presentation
Dragon Ball Z: Xenoverse is what you'd expect from a Dragon Ball game, which is what most fans want. Fully animated cut scenes in anime style will tell the story between managing your character and fights. The voice acting is comical and what you might expect from a translated game, but by this point fans of the series should be used to that. Characters and fights are fully 3D and the models are pretty detailed, right down to the expressions they make when struck or striking. Effects for large attacks are suitably big and explosive, making for some decent on screen eye candy. All in all the game looks fine and aside from the silly voice acting presents well enough.
Pros
- Great character creation system and unique character is a nice break from the over used main characters
- RPG elements are a little odd, but a nice addition to a fighting game
Cons
- Lack of deep combat system
- Cheesy voice acting
Pros
- 30 Characters to choose from
- Rich sound effects
- MUGEN graphics engine
Cons
- Combat not as good as classics like Street Fighter or Tekken
When you cross Manga animation with action-packed martial arts, you get a super cool game like Dragon Ball Z. A classic arcade-style fighting game, Dragon Ball Z uses the retro MUGEN graphics engine, and that appeals to anyone who loved classic games like Double Dragon or Street Fighter. Once you hit the Dragon Ball Z start menu, you will be given several modes to choose from. If you select Arcade, that means that you will match up in 1 vs 1 combat. Choose VS mode and that means that you will fight against your friend. Team VS means that you will team up against a team of your friends.
In Team Arcade, you will play against both the computer and Team Co-op, which means that you can stomp the computer in a tag team match up. There are options that let you configure things like the time limit, the difficulty, the sound features, and the controls as well. The cool thing about Dragon Ball Z is how you can play up to 30 different characters like:
- Maijin Buu
- Future Trunks
- Normal Trunks
- Chibi Trunks
- Gohan
- Goku
As a beginner, you may want to go straight to training mode because it lets you practice the special moves that will range from "Fist of Death" to simple karate chops. Anyone who ever played on the old Atari games will remember the special moves that involved a snap of the joystick. In addition, you can customize your own Dragon Ball Z character, but that will be limited to name and color changes.
For the most part, Dragon Ball Z works off the basis of what is called Battle Points. That means that the more you beat up your opponents, the more you win the matches. The points will let you access the "Skill Tree." When you enter into the screen, you can give your character new moves and you also collect the dragon balls. After you have collected all seven, it lets you summon the "Dragon of Shenron," known as the master of storms. Shenron will grant you one wish, and that ranges from learning new moves to designing new characters. Because of the MUGEN graphics engine, the gameplay remains classic arcade style, and the sound in Dragon Ball Z is quite excellent. You have rich sound effects like punches, retro kicks, and fireball throws.
The one negative of Dragon Ball Z is how the combat feels somewhat limited when compared with other classics like Tekken or Street Fighter. Nevertheless, for a download size of 30 MB, most gamers will get their fill. While the game developers do claim that Dragon Ball Z will work on all platforms of the Windows, some gamers have reported that anything higher than Windows 98 will start to give you problems.
Pros
- 30 Characters to choose from
- Rich sound effects
- MUGEN graphics engine
Cons
- Combat not as good as classics like Street Fighter or Tekken
