The first big game of 2020, nay, of the decade, is here via Dragon Ball Z: Kakarot. Like most licensed based anime games, there are things that make it the ultimate experience for Dragon Ball Z fans, but it unfortunately doesn't go that extra mile to make it a compelling video game on a grand scale like 2018's Dragon Ball FighterZ.
This is all to say there are things that are amazing and praiseworthy while there are other things about it that are truly horrific, which dampens the experience. It’s been about a week since launch so it’s time to air some dirty laundry. In no particular order, here are the five best and five worst things about Dragon Ball Z: Kakarot.
10 Best: Fan Service
The one thing this game gets right from the start is giving the fans an experience that is unlike anything before. Well, at least in terms of the presentation. From the very moment that "Cha-La Head-Cha-La" starts playing to the very end credits, CyberConnect2 meticulously went through all of the anime to give fans small little moments that pay off. So on some level this is going to make the hardcore enthusiasts explode. Keeping in the moment where Raditz obliterates that farmer is another fine example.
9 Worst: Same Old, Same Old
That said, it's also like everything that came before it. Specifically it is rehashing the same plot from Dragon Ball Z's Saiyan arc and goes all the way to Buu. Though, there are new side activities in-between the main events that flesh out the bigger world.
There are some issues with that though, which will be expanded upon later. The point is while this show is a classic, these events have been repeated numerous times over. This is the best implementation so far, but there are only so many times one can see Goku turn into a Super Saiyan before falling asleep.
8 Best: Flashy Fighting
One of the aforementioned best aspects that gives this game some much needed flavor are the fights. Moving around, punching, and throwing blasts feels like the best 3D version of Dragon Ball Z ever. Though, not as good as Dragon Ball FighterZ because no one comes close to crafting a 2D fighting game better than Arc System Works, but again, that's a different playing field. Playing through random encounters, or story battles will be a treat for the eyes.
7 Worst: Empty World
Fighting is great, but unfortunately the game takes a long time to get to these epic battles thanks to the "RPG mechanics" which are barely there. In-between each storied boss battle, like fighting off Vegeta, are small open-world areas filled with pretty much nothing. There are towns, side quests, and orbs to collect while flying, but all of these things feel like filler. The kind of filler that the Kai version of Dragon Ball Z got rid of for a reason.
6 Best: Art Style
Yes, to give Dragon Ball FighterZ some more love, that game looks better as a 2D game compared this. However, this game is also a looker. Despite some small inconsistencies in character models, like Raditz's hair clipping through his body, the game looks great. It is thanks to the anime inspired cel-shading that the fights look so good. Making a 3D version like last year's horrendous Jump Force would have been a poor mistake.
5 Worst: Load Times
One of the most annoying aspects that makes everything else feel more painful are the load times. Again, the world is pretty empty and yet it takes a long time to load each new area. It even takes time to get around the sub-menus like the skill tree and Community Board.
What? The world loading can be forgiven, but menu loading taking more than a second in 2020 on six year old hardware is ridiculous.
4 Best: Limited Characters
This may not gel well with other gamers, but the limitations on playable characters is seen as a positive here. CyberConnect2 was able to focus on perfecting the fighting styles of Goku along with side characters like his son and Piccolo. Goku is definitely the star of this show. His friends, like Krillin and Tien, are best served as support characters. It works well and doesn't feel like a jumbled mess.
3 Worst: Boring Side Quests
As mentioned earlier, there are side quests. All of which are pretty short and while it is recommend to do them all in order to gain valuable EXP to level up quickly before each new fight, that doesn't make them any less boring.
Sure, seeing original Dragon Ball characters years later like Android 8 and Nam is the exact kind of fan service that is appreciated here, it is unfortunate then that every quest is pretty much the same without adding further details to these beloved characters.
2 Best: Sound Design
The side quests are so boring that it is recommended to mute the game during these in-between activities. The repetitive dialogue is incredibly annoying. Shut up about that bridge Goku! However, make sure to pop in some headphones during every story moment to experience the true force of this game. The music, voice acting, in either language, and sound effects are top notch. This, combined with the anime art style, really make this game sing. Who knew that getting something as simple as a flash dodge sound effect right would make a difference?
1 Worst: Glitchy
This game isn't as buggy as something like Fallout 76, but every single issue was like a nail in the coffin. They add up. In the first area with Gohan following Goku, the game wouldn't have him follow and when he did, he got stuck in objects. Cool. Escort missions are the best when NPCs get stuck on rocks. Other examples include missing sound effects and button prompts either not appearing, or not working right like not being able to dismount the Flying Nimbus. At least these can be patched.