Dragon Ball Z: Budokai

"A super game for DBZ fans, and worth a look from other gamers too!"

Dragon Ball Z games have certainly earned a reputation for underachieving. Apparently, most game developers have had a difficult time capturing the fast-paced action which is typical of the anime in a video game. The U.S. market for these games has been even more deprived. After missing the excellent Hyper Dimension on the SNES and the solid Legends for the Playstation and Shin Butouden for the Saturn, U.S. DB fans were stuck with the atrocity known as Final Bout. Budokai is the latest game in the series and also received a wider release due to DBZ's growing fan base in America. How does this next-gen DBZ game stack up? It's not going to erase anyone's memories of Hyper Dimension, but it is an excellent game for any DBZ fan.

Graphics:
Let's get this out of the way: Budokai's graphics cannot even touch those of fighters like Virtua Fighter 4 or Tekken 4. However, they were not created to do so. The graphics were meant to capture the feel of the anime, and they do this well, even in 3D. The characters animate smoothly, and the cutscenes, which have been redone using in-game graphics, look outstanding. The backgrounds look great but aren't really outstanding, but after all, these guys are usually fighting in a desolate wasteland anyway. Overall, this is as true to DBZ as a 3D game has gotten yet.

Score: 8/10

Sound:
This is a very difficult category for me to review. I am an unabashed subbie. I love the Japanese DBZ and loathe the horrendous Funi dub. However, I have tried to review this area fairly. For me, being a sub fan, the sounds are adequate. I can't help but listen to them and think about how much better the Japanese voices and music, but surprisingly, I have found it doesn't bother me as much as I feared it would. Of course, I'm usually focused on the battle, anyway. Dubbies will be in heaven, as the voices and music are very faithful to the American dub.

Score: For subbies: 6/10, For dubbies: 9/10

Gameplay:
VF4 this is not, but I am very glad about that! If you are looking for a deep fighter, you need to look somewhere else. The developers set out to recreate the feel of the anime, and they did a wonderful job here. The controls are very tight and responsive, and the moves are simple to perform. In order to add moves to your repertoire, you must equip capsules, which can be obtained throughout the game. For example, one of Goku's capsules is the Kamehameha. Depending on the fighter you are using, they can also go Super Saiya-jin during a fight. There are several modes of play here, including Story, Tournament, Duel, and Practice, among others. The load times were oft-criticized in the period leading up to the release of this game, but to be honest, I haven't really noticed any problems with them. The load times are manageable; you just have to be a little patient. Basically, DBZ fans are going to be in heaven as they use a total of 23 characters to kick some butt! Additionally, there are secret modes and other unlockables here, making for added replay value. This is one of the most fun DBZ games ever created and stays very true to the series.

Score: 10/10

Story:
Story mode does a great job recreating all the twists and turns of the fabulous anime. Although I have an issue with using the dub voices, I am still pleased the developers were able to stay as true to the story line as possible. In fact, not knowing the story can hurt you at points in the game. Budokai has a great story mode. The only way someone could do better would be with an RPG.

Score: 9/10

Overall impressions:
As a diehard DBZ fan, I was pleased to see the release of this game in America. This is the first non-handheld DBZ game we've seen here since Final Bout, and it more than erases that dark stain from the soul of every true DBZ fan. The only problem that someone would have with this game is that it is too oriented to the DBZ fan. A casual gamer would probably not be too pleased with the game, which can be a problem. Of course, DBZ fans are going to be the main ones purchasing this anyway, so I don't see a big problem there. Also, there has been some griping from my fellow gamers that the fighting engine needs to be deeper, but I don't think that is a problem, either. The game takes a little time to adjust to, but once you do, you'll have a blast! Simply put, this is a super fun game that every DBZ fan needs in their game library. Others should give it a rent first, but I think this game is cool enough to make some fans out of casual gamers.

Overall score (not an average): 9/10

Reviewer's Score: 9/10, Originally Posted: 12/05/02, Updated 12/05/02