Dragonball Xenoverse 2 PS4 Review
Summary: Dragonball Xenoverse 2 is another title strictly for fans or those who want to find out what all the fuss is about
2.8
Punched Audio
I am hugely conflicted about this title as I personally did not enjoy it in the slightest. There was little in the way of graphics upgrades and the audio was utterly underwhelming. Indeed the only part of the game which I personally found to have merit was the fact that the animation style stayed true to what you would be used to in the cartoon series. However now that I’ve slightly led you astray, Dragonball Xenoverse 2 (DBX2) has a ton of innovation and depth that will delight fans of the long running series.
The backstory is that you are patrollers, who have to protect time. This story fills a three dimensional space and concepts that flesh out the world of DBZ along with the ability to take an unknown character within the universe, and build it up to the point of strength and power. This is similar to those that we have come to know and care about in the anime but then adds a great deal to just how the story is carried out, whilst still providing a viable gaming world to play in. Add to that you are able to go back in time and change pivotal moments in DBZ lore that fans will froth over. The additions of these moments are a very healthy way of bringing the game in as a relevant part of the continuity of the story.
Are there parts of this game that are off putting? Yes there certainly are and I am positive for a non-fan of the series you will simply not enjoy this game. There’s just too much that is required for you to have prior knowledge of, and it is far too obvious that you need to already love DBZ to get much out of it.
Now for those of you who do love the world of DBZ… Xenoverse 2 is an utter treat.
It is a massive game that will suck you into the gameworld with a huge amount of play time and plenty of opportunity to really sink your teeth into the title. The main focus outside the story is the combat which is actually surprisingly easy to pick up. During the training stage of the title you will be shown how to do simple combos, but later in the game there are more complex moves that will utterly unleash the potential of your character and the powers they possess. Fighting in a 3D space is well represented and does not feel as though it is forced. I would have loved a bit more feedback in the controller, as the massive moves you can do don’t come through which would have helped with immersion factor.
The camera in the game can be a bit of an unwieldy beast as it strains to keep up with the frantic action. Twists and turns, especially in aerial combat can leave you feeling as though you are falling behind in the game during the fights, but the actual flying is satisfying and pretty easy to control also. Another addition that would have helped would have been controller feedback when landing, as you can sometimes hover just above the ground convinced that you are actually on it.
The RPG element of the title is well worked out. You can change up your abilities, and also figure out tactics to use your powers better in combat to make the most of takedowns, using the strengths of your enemies against themselves. Ki is the lifeforce of the title, and you really need to figure out how to spend it sensibly along with the use of stamina. You can also develop your character by taking on other figures in the DBZ universe by engaging in random conflicts as you make your away around the city. You can also go on quests either in the single player game or get some help online which I found really neat.
Audio is a let down on this game. There are times that you will be digging what you hear, but with the shocking dubbing done making you feel like you are watching an old days Kung Fu flick, it really appears as though the sound was the last thing they were thinking of when making this game. It was pretty unforgivable in my opinion with sound playing such a massive part of any experience in gaming. It was actually the main piece of the overall title which kept dragging me back to reality. This could have been done considerably better.
Speaking of quests, a thing that I found annoying was the fact that quests are not marked so you have to backtrack on occasion to go back to areas that you need to revisit. With the depth of the game, this is annoying but forgivable.
Final Thoughts?
Is this a title worth getting? I’d say yes most definitely if you are a fan. If you are not then you certainly will need to make sure that you are ready for a massive game where you will not have any idea who most of the characters are. Having said that the entire title is pretty well rounded off, and the character development is interesting enough to keep you playing, but not so hard it will put you off.
Key Features
- Relive the Dragon Ball story by time traveling and changing historic moments in the Dragon Ball universe
- Next-gen visuals bring the Dragon Ball anime experience to life
- New characters and boss fights
- Brand new hub city 7X the size of the original game with 300 players online at the same time
- More in depth character creation system
- Updates and post launch support for up to one year
Game Details
Primary Format – Games – Playstation 4
Game Genre – Fighting
Rating – PG
Consumer Advice – Mild fantasy violence and coarse language, online interactivity
Game Developer – Dimps
Game Publisher – Bandai Namco Games
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