Forget old school leveling up and distributing skill points - or don't forget them completely, but be prepared to add interesting new concepts to those basic ones. The eagerly awaited Dragon Ball Z: Kakarot brings innovations into the world of character progression, namely permanent skill improvements through eating that includes hunting and looking for recipes, as well as collecting orbs and growing your community to unlock exclusive new skills.
The game, set to launch on January 17th, will feature new ways to upgrade your character so you can own those fights like a boss. Aside from earning experience points and leveling up, you will be able to power up Goku and the rest in other ways as well. One of them is food: if you've watched the show - at all - you know that food is a major element of it, and there is very little Goku likes to do more than eat. You will be able to either eat the ingredients you find in the world or find a cook in a village to cook you a meal - or just head home and have Goku's wife Chi-Chi prepare a full-course meal. After all, nothing like a homemade dinner to pick you right up.
Another way to progress is through powering super attacks by collecting Z Orbs. The colors of the orbs will depend on the area you're in, and once you've found enough, you can either power up existing attacks or unlock new ones. Some of these skills require a visit to the training ground, where you can face both your past enemies and yourself.
The final feature introduced in the trailer is the Community Board. Making allies will give you their Soul Emblem, to be used to increase the power of one out of seven community boards which, in turn, unlocks more bonuses. Plus, if you're a fan of the franchise, you're in luck: you can use your knowledge to create links between characters, connecting those who are in good relations with each other, earning you Link Bonuses.
If this progress description is what finally sold you on the game, you still have time to pre-order it, which will bring you some neat perks: a sub-quest titled "A Competitive Party With Friends," early access to Bonyu's training, and a cooking item. Other, more expensive versions of the game will include even more goodies. Plus, remember you'll be able to fish with your Saiyan tail. What's not to love?