Dragon Ball Z: Budokai

"Dragon! Dragon! Rock The Dragon!"

Welcome to my first review. I'd like to say that I am not a huge Dragon Ball Z fan. When this came out for Play Station2, expectations were high, but the game was a huge let-down. I didn't have a Play Station 2, so I was excited to hear it would be redone for the Gamecube console. When I picked this off the shelve at Gamestop, my expectations weren't too high by reading reviews for the PS2. This game is excellent and exceeded my expectations. The creators retuned the game, changed the graphics and it was done terrifically!

Graphics: 9/10
The graphics on this are just like the cartoon. It feels like you are actually playing the cartoon. The movements aren't jumpy. The color is great and so is everything else.

Sound: 10/10
The sound is very good. From the sounds of Ki Blasts to the voices of Goku, they sound extremely similar to the cartoon. The voices are the same as the show and it is odd how it can seem that you're actually playing it when its like playing a cartoon. You could get lost in this game.

Story- 8/10
The Story is fairly short. It can be beaten in about 1 hour. The cut-scenes are excellent in the story though. The game follows the show and has many lines cut right out of the shows. The game's story mode is very easy.

Gameplay- 9/10
This game is fun even after beating the story mode. There are Capsules to buy, Dragonballs to wish on, and Friends to fight. This game is great and it allows you to create your own fighter by giving certain characters certain capsules. There is also the World Tournament and The Legend of Hercule to beat afterwards. This game is good for multiplaying action also

Replayability- 8/10
The replayability is very good also. Some ''levels'' I enjoy playing over and over again. This game could give someone hours and hours of play.

Rent or Buy-
I suggest buying it even if you aren't a Dragon Ball Z fan. If you're into other, more in-depth fighting games, then I wouldn't suggest this as much as, shall I say, Soul Caliber II. This is still an excellent fighting game though.

Final Thoughts-
This game greatly exceeded my expectations. I hope this review will help you realize how great a game Dragon Ball Z: Budokai can be. If you're still not sure about buying, check the message boards or other people's reviews.

Reviewer's Score: 9/10, Originally Posted: 12/13/03