A Dragon Ball fighting game has not generated this much buzz in a long time. Developed by Arc System Works, Dragon Ball FighterZ looks just like the TV show, as everything from the visuals, animations and sound effects is in perfect sync with the anime. It cannot be overstated how big an effect this has on the player. This is Dragon Ball fully realised in video game form.
Dragon Ball FighterZ is a 3v3 tag game, which means you must defeat all three opponents before claiming victory. Just like other games in the genre, you can swap at will, use assist attacks, unleash two special moves at the same time while also restoring the HP of backup fighters.
The fighting system is extremely easy to understand without lacking in depth. It’s accessible and friendly to newcomers, but gives you enough tools to dominate opponents should you master them. All characters have an auto combo, which lets you pull off seemingly complex moves by spamming a button.
The combination of art style, stunning visual effects, animations and characters shouting their special moves is a home run. Everything is perfectly matched to the source material and fans will appreciate the effort it must have taken to get the game running in this state.
It comes with a lengthy story mode, featuring a brand new tale which revolves around Android 21. Clones of the strongest fighters are wreaking havoc and our heroes have seemingly lost their powers. You play as an unnamed soul, who can link with several characters, giving them the ability to face these clones. The story is told via 3D cutscenes, which can be a hit or a miss. At times it feels like you’re just watching the next episode in the series, but for most of the game, the animations, facial expressions, writing and voice acting are all decent at best.
It is divided into three arcs and plays out on a board. Your objective is to move towards the boss of that particular board, defeat him and advance to the next map. You can take part an assortment of fights along the way, while rescuing other characters and adding them to your party. Depending upon the party composition, you can watch unique cutscenes and character interactions. Generally, it is a good idea to put clones against each other or characters that have a special relationship in the TV series.
Dragon Ball FighterZ is a must own for fans of the series, but it is also a solid and accessible fighting game for others. The story mode isn’t as refined as the rest of the game, but the combat is extremely satisfying to both watch and play.
