I’m going to preface this review by saying that I’m not a fan of Dragonball Z. We have a super-fan on staff, and he insisted that I review this one, precisely because I’m not a fan and the perspective might be valuable to readers. It’s not that I’m unfamiliar with the seriers. Akira Toriyama is brilliant and I’m a fan of both the original source material (the first Dragonball cartoon) and his work on the peerless Dragon Quest series. But there’s it’s the fights. I love anime but when you’re watching Dragonball Z, the fights can take episodes to resolve and I just get bored. I love the overall storyline but I just never managed to get past it. Because of that, this is my first real experience with the story arcs of Dragonball Z and (spoiler alert) it’s a good one!
Dragonball Z: Kakarot (we’ll just shorten that to DBZ for the rest of this review) was originally released last January for PC, PS4, and Xbox One. The Switch was notably excluded from this release, and now Bandai Namco is making up for that by releasing the game and all its DLC in one huge package entitled Dragonball Z + A New Power Awakens Set for $60. Now, I had no idea quite how huge this game was until I started playing it, but if you’re a DBZ fan, it follows most of the show, starting with the Saiyan Saga and moving on to the Frieza Saga, the Android Saga, and the Majin Buu Saga, all characters I only had tangential awareness of. Also included are the Trunks DLC and both Power Awakens DLCs. The Trunks DLC is a neat addition, showing a whole new perspective on the series following the destruction of the world (DBZ may be a touch dramatic) and Trunks and Gohan’s attempts to save what’s left.
Regardless, this is a huge game, clocking in at well over 40 hours to beat and probably around 50 when you add in all the DLC and side stories and other stuff (not to mention crushing defeats). Why is it so big? It’s because this is an action/RPG, and definitely not just a simple fighting game. Starting out at the beginning of the series, you take control of Goku, the strongest fighter in the world as he teaches his son to fish, picks apples, and wanders about happily chatting to everyone. Goku’s child-like wonder at the world around him is incredibly compelling and the entire game looks remarkably like the cartoon, even on the Switch. You can jump, run incredibly fast, fly around, and collect Z orbs to use for upgrades. Eventually, you’ll unlock towns and side missions which revisit characters from throughout the show as well. Of course, wandering about is all well and good, but eventually a vicious alien known as a Saiyan shows up and fights Goku and company. Turns out Goku is also a Saiyan and so is his son! That’s when things really being in earnest. DBZ is chock full of combat and combat is not like what you might expect!
In DBZ, battles drop to a fight screen much like an RPG. And like an RPG, you can select attacks and items from sub-menus which are mapped to controller face buttons. That’s where the similarities end though, because DBZ is entirely real-time combat. You can dash at the enemy (everyone can pretty much fly…just accept it) puchn their lights out, slam them into the ground and through hills and walls and blistering speed, and fire bursts of focused Ki energy at your opponents. It’s a fast-paced melee which requires strategic blocking and considerable use of last second dodges. In short, it’s a button mashing chaotic mess that’s gloriously entertaining and surprisingly cinematic! While the plot is the main vehicle in DBZ, combat is probably the second biggest and it’s well-thought out and enjoyable.
Boss fights are suitably challenging for the most part, but they occasionally drag on, especially if you haven’t got anything to soak up the damage with. There’s a point where the difficulty ratchets up pretty fast though. Starting with your fight with Raditz you’ll realize that bosses can be significantly tougher than in the rest of the game and those protracted battles mirror the ones in the anime (those ones I didn’t like, remember?). Fortunately, they’re still a lot of fun here and as you move on through Vegeta and into the Frieza Saga you’ll encounter a couple more challenging fights as well. This pattern keeps up throughout the game with intermittent vicious challenges. There are even some hidden ultra powerful bosses in the game, but you’ll have to be a master of the combat system or way more dedicated than me to find them! Fortunately, you can prep for these battles by fulfilling side quests, gaining community coins of various DBZ characters, and buying a ton of healing potions! The game doesn’t hold you by the hand by any means, so if you think you can just bulldoze your way through all those boss fights, think again. You’ve gotta prep, you’ve gotta learn the combat system inside and out, and you have to NOT HIT THE WRONG BUTTONS RIGHT WHEN YOUR ENEMY IS ABOUT TO EXECUTE A SUPER MOVE! Gah!
Speaking of those community badges, there’s a lot of background stuff going on in Dragonball Z Kakarot. As you meet characters from the show, you’ll also gain their community badges. Those come with points and can be installed in a variety of pre-set slots in the Community menu. Linking them together provides a number of useful bonuses to gameplay and as you play through the game, those characters level up as well, giving you more and more power. Ignore the side quests and you get less Community tokens. Don’t fight enough? Your levels will be low and you’ll struggle. DBZ rewards dedicated players by unlocking more abilities and making gameplay that much more engaging. It’s a fantastic system and one that really manages to suck you into the DBZ world. By the time you get as far as the Android Saga, you’ll have a serious rhythm built up and the whole experience feels like playing through an anime, which of course is exactly what you are doing. Few games have ever managed to capture the spirit of a franchise as well as Dragonball Z Kakarot though, with the jaded arrogance of Vegeta, the angry stoic charm of Piccolo, the growth and development of Gohan and Trunks all showing a mature and complex story that’s supplemented with a flexible combat and exploration system.
It’s honestly hard to detail the sheer amount of thought that has gone into this game. The detail level is astounding with every character making an appearance,voiceovers everywhere, cinematic fight scenes that looked ripped from the anime, and a whole lot of feels. Music is excellent and the sound effects in DBZ are nothing short of spectacular. There are optional super-powered crimson enemies and conquering them (assuming you have the time to level up properly) unlocks even more content eventually. It’s a wild ride for everyone. I say for everyone because I started playing DragonBall Z Kakarot and my 5 year old son came downstairs while I was playing. The game immediately captivated him and while he’s not quite ready to play, he literally watched for several hours (multiple sittings) and was really interested in the series immediately. That’s one of the things that sets DBZ apart from other franchise games. This is an all-ages sort of game with something for everyone. There are fun and flashy attacks and jokes for five year olds and there’s also a deeper plot about brotherhood, belonging, & family, aliens, a dire threat to humanity, and a host of other bits of nuance contained in one game.
On top of all that, don’t forget the DLC additions! Bandai Namco was kind enough to provide the Ultimate Edition of Dragonball Z Kakarot for review and there are actually three version available. The regular edition of the game includes the two A New Power Awakens DLCs. Additionally, if you spring for the Deluxe Edition at $75, you receive the Trunks – The Warrior of Hope DLC as well as the other items documented in the image below and a new cooking item. Shell out for the Ultimate Edition for $85, and you also get 11 additional music tracks and the Tao Pai Pai Pillar to fly about on and toss around. To be fair, I didn’t get far into A New Power Awakens as it’s simply a ridiculous amount of content but the general consensus out there is that the New Power Awakens DLCs are decent and mostly just add new Saiyan power levels, a bit more story, and some fun new moves. The Trunks DLC on the other hand is a bit more robust and can be played as a stand-alone, taking place in a future where Gohan and Trunks are the last hope of the earth. It’s a noticeable departure from the rest of the game in terms of tone but it’s a fun addition to have! In terms of bang for your buck it’s hard to say if that extra $25 goes far enough, but for some fans it will absolutely be worthwhile. For newcomers to the series, the regular game is more than sufficient though and if you want to add on the Trunks DLC with the deluxe edition, it’s definitely worthwhile!
DragonBall Z Kakarot is a spectacular game with a wide range of play options and versatility. Part RPG, part detailed combat game, and all wrapped up in a fun and fast-paced episodic storyline, it’s hard not to love this game. As a person with little to no experience with the series, the storyline, characters, and plot twists were compelling and entertaining and the writing is absolutely top notch. Add in the incredible visuals and you’ve got one spectacular game! Some players may struggle with the combat mechanics, especially in some boss fights where strategic blocking and patience are the keys to victory, but even those challenges can be overcome with a bit of practice and planning. For $60 (or up to $85 depending on your DLC preferences) you’re getting an entire action RPG and basically an entire anime series, all rolled into one. To have art by Akira Toriyama on top of that is the icing on the cake. Dragonball Z Kakarot also runs quite smoothly on the Switch and though the visuals could look crisper and the load times between sections could be a little shorter, the trade-off in portability is more than worthwhile. If you’re looking for a game that’ll keep you entertained; something with a high fun factor, relatively kid-friendly, and just plain good, look no further. Dragonball Z Kakarot + A New Power Awakens is the game for you!
This review was based on a digital copy of Dragonball Z Kakarot + A New Power Awakens Set Ultimate Edition provided by the publisher. It was played on a Nintendo Switch in both docked and undocked modes and was utterly excellent in both. Dragonball Z Kakarot is also available on PS4, Xbox One, and PC on Steam. The DLC is not included with other versions and must be purchased separately.
