Dragon Ball Z: Budokai Tenkaichi 2

"Kamehameha!!!"

About two years ago, I picked up the original Dragon Ball graphic novels. I got really into the story, but I ran out of money to buy the graphic novels, got a girlfriend and didn't have time for it anymore. When I saw this game at my video store, I decided to give it a try, even though some of my friends have warned me about past Dragon Ball Z games. After ten minutes of playing, I realized what a great game Budokai Tenkaichi 2 is.

One of the greatest parts of this Dragon Ball Z game is the fact that it's packed with a ton of features. The feature that is probably going to be thought about the most when people decide whether or not to pick this game up is the story mode, or Dragon Adventure.

In Dragon Adventure you start at the beginning of the Dragon Ball Z show. The game also details all of the movies along the way. However, this is where some annoyances come in. One storyline will say one thing, but then you'll unlock another saga, which will bring a character back that was dead. This is because the developers obviously didn't know where to put the movies in on the game, so they basically just put the movie storylines in the general area that they should be inserted. This can confuse some people not used to the story…however, there is a feature in the game that works as an encyclopedia so people not familiar with Dragon Ball Z can brush up with some quick reading. Dragon Adventure is very lengthy, so if you bought this game expecting it to last a while, you're in luck.

Another feature, and one of the obvious ones, is a two-player versus mode. This mode also includes a “tag-team match” where you and a friend can join in against computers. A disappointment with this, however, is that only one fighter can be in at a time. The chaos of Dragon Ball Z would've been off the charts if both characters could've duked it out simultaneously.

A tournament mode is also in the game where you fight fighter-after-fighter Mortal Kombat style. This is a welcoming feature to any fan of any fighting game.

Cell-shaded graphics greet the player in this game, which isn't a disappointment as it keeps its cartoon-look.

One major problem I have with this game is the difficulty setting. You get three choices 1, 2 or 3. The first level of difficulty is so easy that it's pathetic. The 2nd level of difficulty is actually very difficult, and the third level is even harder. Because of this, the game never really maintains a medium or catches much of a stride.

I'm not really a fan of fighting games, but this has definitely shifted my opinion. Anybody who loves anime and anybody who loves fighting games should definitely pick up Dragon Ball Z: Budokai Tenkaichi 2.

Reviewer's Score: 8/10, Originally Posted: 12/18/06