© Bird Studios/Shueisha, Toei Animation ©Bandai Namco Entertainment inc. 2024
After years of waiting, the time has finally come: The popular video game series “Dragon Ball: Budokai Tenkaichi” is getting a new part. The expectations are high, but have they been met? We took a closer look at the game.
As soon as the game starts, we are drawn directly into the action-packed combat. The tutorial explains the basic controls, and the beginning seems promising. But it quickly becomes apparent that the game is not as easy as it seems – more on that later. In the single player mode we have two options to choose from: the episodic battles and the custom battle mode.
Experience a new perspective on “Dragon Ball”
In episodic battles, players can relive the classic adventures of the most famous heroes and villains from the “Dragon Ball” universe. We fight our way through various storylines that pick up the stories of characters such as Son Goku, Vegeta, Piccolo, Son Gohan, Freeza and Goku Black. Although not all events from “Dragon Ball Z” or “Dragon Ball Super” are retold, the most important highlights are included. One point of criticism, however, is the somewhat loveless production: instead of gripping cutscenes, there are mainly still images and only very short cinematic scenes, which makes it difficult to immerse yourself in the story.
![Sparking! Zero [Xbox Series X]](https://www.animenachrichten.de/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/Dragon-Ball-Sparking-Zero-AnimeNachrichten-Review-Test-1-1024x576.png "Sparking! Zero [Xbox Series X]")
© Bird Studios/Shueisha, Toei Animation ©Bandai Namco Entertainment inc. 2024
There is also room for improvement in the fights themselves. Additional menus and functions are missing. After completing one battle, you’re thrown straight into the next one without being told clearly what the objectives are (some battles just require you to survive). There is also no option to replay the battle immediately. The structure of the menu feels confusing as you sometimes feel like you’ve missed something when you see the battles of other storylines. “Quality of Life” improvements are necessary here, even if this only slightly affects the fun of the game.
The “What if…” scenarios that form the heart of the episode battles are particularly exciting. At certain points, players have the opportunity to rewrite history and experience alternative courses of action. For example, what if Son Goku hadn’t fought Raditz with Piccolo, but with Krillin? These scenarios offer a fresh “Dragon Ball” experience and provide variety. There’s plenty of scope here, even if the presentation still leaves a lot to be desired.
Another highlight is the custom battle mode. Here players can create their own story battles and share them with the world. Always wanted to know how a fight between Cell and Baby Vegeta would end? In this mode you can spin your own story and find out. To get a first impression, there are pre-built bonus fights that offer new perspectives on the “Dragon Ball” universe.
© Bird Studios/Shueisha, Toei Animation ©Bandai Namco Entertainment inc. 2024
Gameplay: More spectacular than a fusion
A fighting game depends on its gameplay, so let’s take a closer look. The tutorial already makes it clear what functions the individual buttons have: We can hit, use Ki attacks, block or charge our Ki. Sounds like a simple button masher? Not at all. The first enemies in the story episodes show that even the smallest mistakes are punished mercilessly. The combat system is very intuitive, but requires one thing above all: practice. The controls may seem easy at first, but it takes time to really master the subtleties like counters, melee combos and special attacks. The learning curve is steep, so it’s worth using the practice menu again and again. After a few hours, however, you notice significant progress and the initial frustration gives way to a more fluid playing experience.
© Bird Studios/Shueisha, Toei Animation ©Bandai Namco Entertainment inc. 2024
One problem with the game, however, is the balance of the fights. The characters are not equally strong both offline and online. Sure, a plant man can’t keep up with Broly, but meta characters quickly emerge, especially online, which means that the focus is often only on winning and not on having fun.
Graphics and sound: The Genkidama of the game series
Graphically, the game sets new standards in its genre. Thanks to Unreal Engine 5, it feels like you are part of the “Dragon Ball” universe. Not only the fights, but also the surroundings contribute to the impressive production. The maps change depending on the combat situation: clouds darken when you use ultimate attacks, and entire buildings collapse when you throw enemies against walls. Although it can seem overwhelming at first, the immersion increases enormously over time.
However, there are deductions when it comes to music. Unfortunately, the basic version lacks the epic soundtracks from the anime, which are only available via paid DLC. That’s a shame, because the well-known pieces of music would have intensified the atmosphere even further. When it comes to voice output, you can choose between the Japanese and English versions. There is no German dubbing, but at least there are German subtitles.
© Bird Studios/Shueisha, Toei Animation ©Bandai Namco Entertainment inc. 2024
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