KA… ME… HA… ME…
[dropcap size=small]D[/dropcap]ragon Ball XenoVerse has been the most anticipated Dragon Ball Z game in quite some time. This was the first Dragon Ball game, that I can recall, with enough hype for GameStop to do a midnight release. I was shocked when I received the automated phone call, prompting me to pick up my copy at 12:00am.
After many stale entries in the series, playing through the story game-after-game, XenoVerse feels fresh and exciting. The game’s focal point is the addition of two mysterious “time lords” who are messing with the Dragon Ball Z timeline as we know it.
Without throwing too much plot at you, Trunks uses Shenron to summon a warrior who is capable of helping him restore the timeline. The story follows the events of Dragon Ball Z, but some of the fights have been altered. For example: Ginyu changes bodies with your created character as opposed to Goku, enabling you to fight, as Ginyu, alongside Krillin and Gohan. Some of the story alterations are unpredictable, and it leaves a sense of wonder as you progress.
As expected, the game looks great. XenoVerse is one of, if not the, best looking Dragon Ball Z game to-date. The cel-shaded graphics give a real anime feel to the gameplay. The characters’ colors pop from the expansive, open terrains. Some of the voice acting is cringe-worthy, but it’s expected with English dubbed anime. Fights look, and feel, like they were pulled straight from the show.
While the actual control scheme lacks deep customization, the player has the opportunity to switch in hundreds of signature and custom attacks. XenoVerse is rich with character customization, allowing for a number of possibilities. There are parallel quests available, in addition to the main story, that can be done online friends, or solo.
The fights vary, but can sometimes become stale. For example, you may be asked to defeat 20 enemies in Frieza’s ship, but these enemies may be the same three, or four, recurring characters. The fights are challenging, so there’s a lot more to it than button mashing. This may be, partially, due to the unreliable AI.
This may come as no surprise, but I often have to redo a fight because Krillin can’t manage to stay alive. With that being said, you may have to do some grinding to surpass some parts of the main story. Just a heads up, Nappa is a bald b—- at low levels. Also, the camera. In confined spaces, you’ll want to smash your controller with Super Saiyan rage due to annoying camera perspectives. I’ve spent 75% of some battles starting at a wall. Moving on.
“Wow, Krillin, you’re still alive!”
Toki Toki City is the main hub to access everything from the main story, to shops and quests. It’s a nice touch but it feels a bit lackluster in content. However, online, alone, is worth it just to gather a group of friends and do the Ginyu Force emotes. You can use Toki Toki to join up with friends, or strangers, to battle, hang or complete quests for new gear and loot. You can play ranked battles to fight for spots on the leaderboard or you can jump into friendly 3v3s.
There’s certainly something for everyone. Multiple character slots allow for a nice amount of re-playability with other races. Does the game live up to the hype? Mostly. If you enjoy Dragon Ball Z, I recommend it. If you’re not too familiar with Dragon Ball Z, it’s a fun game, but the story might be a bit confusing.
Did you pick up the game? You can leave us your rating and opinion below.
Dragon Ball XenoVerse, published by Namco-Bandai and developed by Dimps, is now available for PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, Xbox 360, Xbox One and Windows.
