Dragon Ball Z: Budokai 2

"A step in the right direction."

Dragon Ball Z: Budokai 2 is the sequel to what has been proclaimed as the best Dragon Ball game ever. I’m not a huge fan of the animated series but I would be lying if I said that I was not impressed by last year’s game. Everything from the visually pleasing super moves, to the episode like story mode seemed just right. So you can understand why I would be excited about getting to play this game, and I must say it’s a pretty solid game.

PRESENTATION: The overall presentation of the game is fantastic. From the opening sequence you can tell that the designers put a lot of effort in trying to pull you into the Dragon Ball Z Universe. And I must say they did not waste their time. From the newly animated opening to the excellent theme song, it succeeds in drawing you into the game. The sound and music, though not extremely impressive on their own, do a great job in keeping you drawn into the game. I must say the best improvement was made in the in-game Graphics. Gone are the slightly Cell shaded graphics of Budokai one. Now the game sports fully cell shaded characters and backgrounds. For those who are not familiar with the term “Cell shading”, or “Cartoon Rendering”, it is used to give games a graphically cartoon-like quality. This game succeeds in doing this, as the in-game characters look nearly identical to their cartoon counterparts. The backgrounds have been given the same attention to details as the characters, as they mimic that of the series very well. The backgrounds are interactive, meaning that objects in the background can be destroyed, whether by a flying opponent or by a Super/Death Move. There is nothing more satisfying than sending your opponent flying with a Super Move and have him to slam into a mountain, knocking boulders and debris onto him. Speaking of Death Moves I must say that they really outdid themselves in this game. As if the first game didn’t already boast some visually excellent super moves. This installment enhances those with longer cut-scenes and more voice samples. (All of the voices are done by the voice actors from the cartoon series.) When you combine this with the already stunning graphics and the captivating audio, you have some of the most impressive imagery around.

STORY: The story mode is with out a doubt the most disappointing part of this game. Gone is the episode like story mode of the first Budokai, what we are left with is a mode void of any noticeable effort. The story mode consists of the whole Dragon Ball Z series, every chapter from the Saiyen/Frieza saga, through the Android/Cell sagas and ending with the Buu saga. Now you are probably asking yourself how I could be upset about the story mode if it consists of nearly every battle ever fought in the series. But it’s more so the presentation of it than the content. Instead of going through the mode like it was the Cartoon series itself, you are forced to play through it board game style. “Board Game Style” means that you are forced to move around this board with little DBZ pieces (One move per turn) fighting rival characters when you hop onto their space and searching for any of the seven dragon balls. (Collecting seven will allow you to have a wish granted by the mystical dragon, Shenron) now mind you I’m not an expert on this series, but I doubt they hopped around a map in the show. The fact I have to do this isn’t horrible, I mean yes it’s boring and tedious but you expect that from games. But when you have to play through this mode 29+ times to unlock everything? This is a mode that takes at least 40 minutes to complete mind you! I’m sorry but that is just unforgivable.

CONTROLS/GAMEPLAY: As far as the controls go, not much has changed. The game still boasts of the standard punch, kick, guard and Energy controls, with the ability to do super moves through combos. (EX: Punch, Punch, Punch, Kick, Energy) One thing that has changed is the ability to perform standard power moves outside of combos, such as a standard energy beam attack. The most noticeable changes consist of having to charge up your more powerful Super Moves. This is done by mashing on the buttons when the game says so. Completion or failure of this task will result in 1 of 3 outcomes: #1, If you succeed in filling the meter you will do maximum damage to your opponent. #2, Failure to do so will either have your move do minimal damage to your opponent, or #3, result in damaging or even killing your character. They put this in so that you would feel a sense of accomplishment for doing these moves. This satisfaction may appeal to some, but the strain of trying to fill up that bar may cause you to throw the controller down in frustration. This and the added character fusions are the biggest difference in game play. But unfortunately at times it still feels too much like playing the first Budokai.

FINAL THOUGHTS: This is a pretty solid game all around. It tried to build upon the formula which made Budokai so popular, and I feel that it succeeded at going in the right direction. It only had one real flaw, and sadly that flaw was huge. Dragon World (story mode) brings this game down to the point where it becomes a questionable purchase. Fans of the Dragon Ball Z series will fall in love with this game. Others will want to rent first and decide if this game is worth purchasing. Me, I think this game is ok which is why I believe it deserves a well earned…

8/10

Reviewer's Score: 8/10, Originally Posted: 01/20/04