Dragon Ball Z: Budokai Tenkaichi 2

"An innovative fighter that captures the DBZ series perfectly."

I've been watching DB/DBZ/GT for a long while, and it's one of the animes that I enjoy...alot. I was never really ecstatic, though, when any DBZ game came out, and that's because I have the first Playstation2 one (Budokai) and that game never really kept my interest. My friend, however, bought this game close to the time it came out. He had alot of fun with it, and playing it at his house, I realized it was a great game. I saw how much different it is from older DBZ games, and that's a good thing. ^_^

GAMEPLAY---10/10

This is where the game shines. The main action is a 3D-staged arena where the fighting takes place, much like the predecessing game, Tenkiachi 1. This sort of fighting is something I had never experienced before, I was used to playing fighting games that follow he basic 2D stage style, much like Virtua Fighter, etc.(not that I an flaming any of them....^_^)

On DBZ: BT2, a giant arena awaits the raging fists of your characters...and the arena is free for you to explore. Zoom around with your opponent exploding buildings and firing ki blasts at one another, or lock in close combat and beat the living crap out of the other with fierce combo moves and charge-smacks, and those teleportation combos that everyone has always loved ^_^ Oh, and don't forget the one attack with the bicycle kick.... *_*

Of course, there's more game modes than just one. There's story mode, which is incredibly long for a fighting game (probably took me 50 hours on the middle difficulty) and it captures the entire DBZ anime/manga very well, down to every little detail and fight. There's also an arcade-type mode, where you challenge opponents in order, and earn points for the mode. There's tournament for money, and also good old fashioned dueling (now with tag teaming) where you fight either a friend or the computer with up to five people (at a time? no, you wish ^_^) There's also training and an encyclopedia, if you need to brush up on your knowledge.

Oh, and, did I mention....120 characters(including transformations) Thats alot to choose from ^_^ All of which that you can equip items to in order to make them stronger. Items are bought at the item shop with money that you earn in story mode and tournament, and are equiped to characters. As you fight, they gain exp points, and your characters power up. Many characters are unlocked by 'fusing' together items you got in story mode, but you start out with some, and some are unlocked in story mode itself.

GRAPHICS---9/10

Animations of attacks and blasts are beautiful, characters are beautiful....all animated in an anime-ish cartoony style, which I think is alright....but I guess it fits the show nicely. Menus are nice and detailed...and the stages are huge and detailed, including water, exploding pillars, etc. I don't really like the blue barrier thing that marks the boundary outside a level(if you hit it, it's like a wall), but I guess it helps you out if you don't know where the stage boundaries are.

SOUND---9/10

Sounds of attacks, blasts, etc. are perfect and fitting for their attack. Character voice acting is nicely done (voice actors from the show) although sometimes in scenes there's too much of a break between lines(yes, even when I press X) so it seems less like a conversation and more like voice acting.

Music is terrific, I've heard many musics that I really enjoy during this game, most battle themes are nice, and the theme when you are picking your characters sounds cool as well. Sound fx in menus etc. are fitting, and there is voice acting in menus which...umm...normally doesn't happen.

CONTROL---8/10

Many attacks are easy to fire off (once you learn how to do them, that is). It's difficult to learn how to do specific moves, however, since you may see your opponent do a move, and you want to perform it, but do not know what it is called. This results in mashing random buttons(which may result in "how the hell did I do that?") or firing off every move on your move list in training, which, as you would imagine, would be boring.

I also sometimes perform a move(which I know how to do and have done before) and it won't work! I usually get aggravated because usually my opponent can fire off a combo since my move just failed, but generally the next time I can get the move off. Im not sure if this is a strict move timing window..or what...but it sure gets on my nerves sometimes.

OVERALL---9/10

This fighting game developed a way different, and definately more fun, system of fighting than any other mainstream fighter, and is worth your time(alot of it) and your money. Rent or buy? I'd say buy, since you can't really get too far in the game with a rent, and because this game is worth the 40$ it is worth right now. This is a great fighting game and you will be glad that you played it!

Reviewer's Score: 9/10, Originally Posted: 01/02/07