Dragon Ball FighterZ Game Review

Reviewed by Max C. on Feb 05, 2017

Rating:

Dragon Ball FighterZ brings the visuals of the anime onto consoles but how does it play? Read on at Kidzworld to see our review of the new game.

By: Max Cannon

Though the last episode of Dragon Ball Z was released way back in 1996 we're still getting remakes, movies, and video games galore. Dragon Ball FighterZ brings that frenetic energy that made the series so beloved into a game that tops every DBZ fighter that has come before it. After putting in a ton of time through each of the game's modes I can confidently say that this is the best Dragon Ball Z game ever released and an awesomely balanced fighter in general.

Nailing the Look

For those unaware of the source material, Dragon Ball Z is an influential anime from the 80's and 90's with a cast of superpowered fighters that yell, fight, and blast energy at one another. This setup is perfect for gaming but most games have had a difficult time capturing the speed and spirit of the show. Perfectly nailing the look of the anime is what immediately puts this game in a league of its own and voice acting by both the English and Japanese voice actors will keep any fan engaged. The flashy colors, taunts, and attacks fit each character so well that you'd think the original DBZ team was behind this development themselves. Fans of the show can also find easter eggs by pairing specific fighters, attacks, and locations from the show as a way of recreating beloved moments, like Gohan taking down Cell with the help of his dad.

DRAGON BALL FighterZ - E3 2017 Trailer | XB1, PS4, PC

While the atmosphere is excellent, it's a little disappointing that the story is so weak. A collection of clones have swarmed the planet, as a clear excuse for pairing up an assortment of enemies to fight, and it looks like the new character, Android 21, is behind the madness as she increases her power by consuming other warriors. The new character, who is essentially a female mix or Cell and Majin Buu, is a well-designed character but the story surrounding her is mostly uninteresting -- here's hoping we'll get a better story in a possible sequel.

Goku vs Goku makes sense in terms of the mostly underwhelming story.Courtesy of Bandai Namco

Grade A Gameplay

Whether you're a pro or a veteran fighter, you'll be able to have a good time playing Dragon Ball FighterZ. Combos are simple enough that a button masher can make some real progress in the arcade or story mode while learning a new trick to help them find success in an online fight. Mashing square on the Dualshock 4 will setup a simple combo that a pro could easily add on to. In a true "Rock, Paper, Scissors" philosophy, every move has an exploitable strength and weakness. Most attacks can be blocked with a crouch and back button held down but not a dragon rush, but the time it takes to execute a dragon rush opens you up for an attack. The game is constantly demanding that you think on your feet to understand the mechanics of the game.

Gohan takes some power from Goku to unleash an energy blast.Courtesy of Bandai Namco

While the gameplay is phenomenal, the whole thing is packaged with some pretty lackluster menus and annoying music. The story mode is slowed down by an annoying, and unnecessary map, and the main menu separates players by lobbies in a way that initially feels confusing. For example, setting up an arena fight felt impossible in the first few days because of the hoops you need to jump through to get things moving. It's a slight annoyance because the meat of the game is so awesome but with so much time spent in the character controlled lobbies it's hard not to wish there was something simpler and smarter.

Every frame of this game is gorgeous and true to its source material.Courtesy of Bandai Namco

Final Thoughts

While the story is mediocre and the lobbies are confusing, the actual gameplay is so impressive that I have no problem calling this the greatest Dragon Ball game ever made. Some slight changes to future entries could possibly see this series growing into the gold standard of fighting games but for now the fighting is so astounding that I'm ready to look past the small mistakes.