than any traditional fighter, but the difference there is that, in Smash Bros.,you always know where every character is on the battlefield. This frantic free-for-all vibe has more in common with Super Smash Bros. Due to how the camera functions, you cannot see the entire arena (aside from a paltry radar), so there’s no way to see when you’re about to be blasted from across the stage before it’s too late. Right when you’re focusing your stamina on one fighter, a massive energy blast will come out of nowhere, wrecking your combo without any notice. While that’s a respectable inclusion in a one-on-one fight, Battle of Z’s massive fights simply do not function under these conditions. You can hone your attacks in on an enemy and focus all of your energy toward a single target.
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The combat uses a lock-on system, very similar to the Budokai Tenkaichi games on PS2 and Wii. As the first DBZ game to have this much of a focus on team play, this is certainly admirable, but practically every issue that Battle of Z has is related to this completely unneeded team mechanic. The four characters fight another team of four characters and the battle’s on. Every battle features more than a single fighter, with the most common team being that of four warriors. Its exciting martial arts theme mixed with an action-packed style of energy bursts and melee combos show a game that’s destined to revel in the over-the-top nature of the video game medium, but despite the series’ best efforts, it hasn’t reached as functional a level in gaming since 2004’s DBZ: Budokai 3.īattle of Z tries to mix up the DBZ fighting game formula by focusing on a team mechanic. It’s one of the pioneers of the shonen manga genre and one of the most iconic anime properties of all time. Along the way, he earns himself his trademark group of rivals and allies, like fellow Saiyan Vegeta, son Gohan, long-time friend Krillin and so on. This one scene from the anime illustrates everything that is wrong with the most recent DBZ video game, Battle of Z, a team-based fighter that ignores the exciting appeal of Dragon Ball Z, while also being one of the worst games to use the franchise in years.ĭragon Ball Z: Battle of Z follows the long-tread, Akira Toriyama-penned story of Son Goku, a Saiyan warrior who is out to protect Earth from aliens, androids and giant monsters. Vegeta wants to fight solo with no holds barred, all without having to worry about seeing Trunks and Goten hurt in the fight.
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He says to Vegeta “we’ll gang up on him.” Vegeta pauses before knocking both young boys unconscious and telling onlooker Piccolo to get himself and the boys to safety. Trunks encourages Vegeta not to go into the battle alone, and to instead let him and Goten help in the fight. Fans and newcomers alike will be able to enjoy this title and appreciate how the Dragon Ball Z universe is presented in the game.Īre you excited for a new Dragon Ball Z game? Let us know in the comments below.There’s a scene in the Dragon Ball Z anime where villain-turned-hero Vegeta is about to fight baddie Majin Buu, only to be stopped by his young son Trunks and his friend Goten. Dragon Ball Z Battle of Z takes this storied franchise to the next level with its intense brawler action, crisp HD graphics, and expanded gameplay capabilities. The Dragon Ball franchise has transcended its original manga and anime roots to truly become a cultural phenomenon. You can expect new cell-shaded graphics, expanded versus and co-op modes, which allow you to create teams of four characters to fight people across the world (allowing for up to eight characters on screen at once), boss battles, four different battle types, appearances from Special Force and Super Saiyan GOD, a variety of characters – Goku, Piccolo, Vegeta, more – and attacks such as Kamehameha, Special Beam Cannon, and Spirit Bomb.Ĭhris Gilbert, Senior Vice President of Sales and Marketing at Namco Bandai, talked a little about the game: