Dragon Ball Z: Burst Limit

"Not a bad start for DBZ on the next-gen systems"

So this is it! Welcome to my review of DragonBall Z Burst Limit for the Playstation 3. This had become one of the most anticipated DBZ games in quite some time. While it has stirred up quite a bit of controversy, whether it is good or bad remains to be seen. Let's continue, shall we?

Graphics: 10/10

I'll start with the basics. The graphics of this game are superb. Actually, that's not the right word for the graphics. You must see them for yourself. There has never before been better cell shading. The lighting, the colors, everything looks absolutely amazing. The DBZ characters have never looked this good. This is expected though, since it is on the next generation of systems. When you first play this game, your jaw will drop at the amazing visuals from the moment you see the intro start. Still don't believe me? Play the game and see for yourself. If you're not amazed by these graphics, than nothing will.

Gameplay: 10/10

This is not Budokai Tenkaichi. No longer will you fight with the camera behind your back. This game reverts to the old style of DBZ fighting with the camera panned to the side, showing both fighters like Street Fighter. The aim of this game is to defeat your opponent in one on one combat. You can do this by punching, kicking, or blasting them with high powered energy attacks. Defensive tactics, of course, include blocking, dodging, strafing, and teleporting away from your opponent's attacks. Melded together, this game hold quite a bit of depth in it's fighting engine.

Also, there is a thing called Drama Pieces included in the fighting. This is easily the most controvertial part of the game. During combat, small cutscenes may occur, from partners coming to aid you, to your character being angry and charging up. Many people hate these cutscenes. I'll admit, they can get quite annoying when you play the same fight over and over in story mode. However, if you don't like them, you can easily play without them in duel mode. It's as simple as that.

There is also story mode to keep you busy. The Saiyan to the Cell saga is all there is to the story mode. There are a few what if story lines, but that would be a spoiler to tell you about them. The story mode isn't very good. Most cutscenes are played out over and over again with the same movements, but with different models performing them. Story mode gets very repetitive, very quickly. However, if you play a fighting game for the story mode, you aren't playing it for the right reason.

There is also Survival mode. You are pitted against 100 fighters, and you will fight until you lose. I've never seen what happens when you defeat all 100, so you should try it yourself. There are various other modes that should help you get more gameplay out of this. There's plenty to do outside of Online mode.

Audio: 8/10

This one is tricky. I am particularly fond of the sounds that are made when your fist collides with your opponent's face. The sounds of blasts and the fighting itself are pleasing to the ears. The music on the other hand, is only decent. I don't even notice most of the time in the heated battles I have had. The music isn't too loud when you fight, and never seems to grab your attention. Overall, it's slightly above average.

Online

This is the bread and butter of the game. People can face off against each other from all over the world in head to head combat. Who will be the best? Go Online and fight someone from another country to prove you're the best! The only problem is that the Online suffers from lag when you play someone from a long ways away. This encourages people to only fight someone who lives near them. When you fight against someone in close proximity, the battles become as smooth as silk. Online is what keeps this game alive for many people.

Replay Value

There is plenty to keep you coming back ot this game. There is Online play against an unlimited amount of challengers. Drama Pieces can take a long time to unlock. Survival, Time Attack and other modes can take up your time. One of my personal favorites, is taking the Drama Pieces and using them to create my own stories in duel mode.

Rent or Buy?

That all depends on how much you like DBZ. If you are a huge fan, I say you simply must buy this game. If you are not a fan, and are interested in this game's fighting engine, give it a rent and see what you think. You might be surprised at how much fun you will have.

Reviewer's Score: 8/10, Originally Posted: 06/16/08

Game Release: Dragon Ball Z: Burst Limit (US, 06/10/08)