Dragon Ball: Xenoverse 2 (Review)

I have to give a hand to Namco on this one. Even though I have not played a Dragon ball game since Budokai, this kept me more interested than the other ones I have played. The storyline is something that is unique where it still encompasses all of the Dragon Ball Z storylines we love and hold near and dear to our hearts, but it’s the fact that you get to jump in and be a part of it that is different. You get to make your own custom Dragon Ball character in one of five of the series’ main races (Saiyan, Namekian, Human, Frieza’s race, and Majin) and join the Time Patrol, a group of heroes who meet in Conton City and are devoted to preserving the Dragon Ball Z timeline. With the guidance of the Supreme Kai of Time, you travel across the expansive timeline of the anime and manga series, looking for events in the timeline that have been altered. The game has a nice campaign and also gives you the ability to play friends and people online. The fighting engine is not as deep as prior DBZ games, but it provides a solid and responsive feel to the controls. The button layout is not too complicated compared to other fighting games, but nonetheless, it allows for easy access to all normal and special attacks, as well as crucial dodging maneuvers when required. The game offers many quest lines that you can do at any point along with the campaign, and by completing those you can acquire special gear, consumable items, and combat skills. With your own Z warrior, you get your very own custom loadout, so you can develop a fighter that looks like you and fights how you like so that it feels fun and satisfying. The game has training to help with your progress as a fighter, and it is not too descriptive, so you could be stuck in a training lesson for a while mashing buttons trying to move on. The hub is nice and big, but the map sometimes does not working correctly and can take you somewhere you don’t need to go. Dragon Ball Xenoverse 2 is one of the best games to come from the much-loved franchise. It gives you a feel like you are part of the Z universe and captivates the world so nicely with stunning gameplay and vibrant colors. Though it has some small problems, I was still amazed at how much fun I was able to have even with a new look on a recycled storyline. I can tell that the people behind the game cared for the series every bit as much as I did as a huge fan growing up.

Clayton Carlisle