"Marked improvements, but not enough."

Highlights - Polished graphics; enhanced game play; newer dynamic that does make this game a fresh experience. An excellent purchase for those that have put off the first Shin Budokai.

Lowlights - Doesn't make enough of an effort to break new ground from its predecessor.

General Introduction:
It's a popular conception that PSP fans have generally found certain franchise titles to be nothing more than, as the old cliche goes, “Watered down ports of their console counter-parts!” This could be true for the first part in the Dragon Ball Z Shin Budokai series for the PSP. I mean, it played great, and it looked fine, but from the perspective of a gamer who's owned all the PS2 titles, it was a stone's throw shy of being a bad joke. I personally enjoyed the game, because I got to relish it on the PSP, but regardless, it was bland and certainly not what the Budokai series had groomed me into expecting - you didn't even have environmental damage.

Regardless of these short comings, the game did earn itself a well deserved rating from IGN and Gamespot, and gave some of us hope on what could be expected from the PSP. So did the prophecy come true with the release of Shin Budokai Another Road? Well, it really depends on what you were expecting.

Controls:
Has the actual controlling evolved? No, not really. Then again, why fix something that isn't broken. One of Shin Budokai's redeeming features was its very easy control scheme, which would suck in anyone looking for a quick battle without the frustrations of odd combos and finger numbing diagonals. The essential combat controls remain the same, and rightfully so, because especially on the PSP, keeping certain things simple works; you don't want to mash your fingers right through that portable console now, do you?

Rating: 8 out of 10.

Graphics:
The graphics may appear the same at mild sight, but we all remember how Shin Budokai's cell shading was criticised as being mildly clunky when the game came out. Shin Budokai: Another Road does indeed iron out those mild issues and glitches in the visuals of the game. Sure, the game hasn't really moved to another level, graphically, but it looks good, and the past issues have been ironed out, so no complaints! It looks just as good as the original, with mild improvements.

Rating: 8 out of 10.

Sound:
Yeah, the complaints about “Take this! Take this!” They're valid, worry you not. Most of the lines are dull, boring and repetitive beyond measure. Apparently, the duller, nigh-muted adlibs of Shin Budokai might actually be considered a relief next to Trunks' annoying “Take this!” slips from the anticipated sequel.

Rating: 6 out of 10.

Game Mechanics:
Now this is where all of us get a curve ball. You can drop the whole, “Oh it's the same old, same old!” mantras, because it's entirely new game. You're not just one this simple, linear dragon road, of fighting different enemies. You have something far more complex, and rich.

- You have actual missions.
You don't just battle foes; you have entire scenarios with multiple foes, and a pseudo world map to explore in order to get to them. Budokai 3 fans might find some pleasure in this feature, while new players might find it a tad bit distracting. None the less, it is a largely positive addition.

- You have character management; team swapping and customising; don‘t let the latter exaggerate your imagination.

For your missions, you actually get to select from your team of characters, rather than the computer determining who you'll fight in the story mode. Better yet, you also get to relive another prominent feature of the home console Budokai series - character modification. You get to modify your characters, and their move sets with cards and card-slots--a visually alternate form of the slot system/capsules from the Budokai games--tailoring each character to your needs. This is certainly a redemption coming!

- You have strategy elements - oh yes, you better believe this one!
This feature is actually part of the mission factor, but deserves to be lauded in its own capacity. You see, unlike Budokai 3, there's a strategy element on the map. You get to road the map in that RPG-esque mode, and you see your enemies, attacking certain cities. You have objectives for these missions, like making sure you get to the enemies within a given time, because now, cities have a life bar, and this makes for a strategy element, because you'll have missions with multiple enemies attacking multiple cities, and some of them returning to attack certain cities until you completely destroy them. This feature can make the game miles more challenging, and sometimes, even a tad bit annoying!

- You even have mild hints of gambling! (Sort of!)
Well, this is more of a play on words, as you get rewards for winning duels in the story mode. Unlike the older game, it isn't just Zenies and power levels - you actually win skill cards at the end of your missions. The catch: You get to chose from a selection of unturned cards! So really, you could be getting anything from a very useful skill, to yet another generic card that you already have a dozen of, not counting the ones equipped to all of your characters. It isn't a bad feature, but nothing that dazzling. On the other hand, it is new, and that is just yet another breath of new life into something that most were assuming to be, “Same old, same old!”

Rating: 8 out of 10.

Story:
A new, and fresh plot is indeed offered, much like the original Shin Budokai. However, they could've taken more ambitious risks, which they didn't. Regardless, it will still please Dragon Ball Fans.

Rating: 6 out of 10.

One of its commercial gimmicks revolved around the notion of a “New and alternate plot!” Yes, this is true, the game does have a dandy new plot, but so did the old one. As a matter of fact, the Shin Budokai series was distinct only by virtue of having distinct plots. The first game was based on upon a ‘what if' plot arc around the movies. This one deals with a ‘what if' scenario, based around Trunks. So was it really that well imagined? Perhaps it was it, but as a Dragonball fan, I wasn't that much into the idea, because Trunks meets his new plight in the alternate dimension, and must head back to the normal timeline and bring back his friends and foes to make his world right. Really, it's hardly that much of a twist or curve ball for most Dragon Ball fans. If this is supposed to appeal to the hardcore Dragon Ball Audience, then it's really not offering them anything that they haven't already imagined while watching the series. If this is supposed to appeal to an entirely audience, then there's too many background references that would lose the interest of most players, because most of them are only discernable by Dragonball Fans. So really, the plot is distinct, for what it technically accomplishes, but it's no award winner by any margin.

My criticisms:
The roster was sparse! Seriously, Shin Budokai's roster was nearly as good/big as Another Road's, so I don't see how that's a good feature to flaunt.

Considering that this is supposed to be a game revolving around Trunks in his own timeline, one would expect the protagonist to shine with certain accomplishments which either went unnoticed in the series, or didn't take place at all - CHALLENGE THE FANS WITH SOMETHING NEW! No, we get a very generic, same old Trunks. He hones a single transformation. He is thwarted into a somewhat predictable plot. Unfortunately, this was one of the primary selling points of the game, and its potential to outshine its console counterparts, which is why I am picking away at this aspect of the game. Needless to say, the plot itself, and the reflecting roster did disappoint me, greatly! No new transformations, or the hardcore look that Trunks honed in the series from his post time chamber moments - I thought this game would give the Trunks fans something worthwhile, but this will remain a subject of debate.

Some might argue that these are the constrictions of a hand-held, but such an argument is utter nonsense. We know the PSP can pull off a larger DBZ game, because they're not really that large to begin with! This was just a cliché plot, executed with a polished-up finish. Its only redemption came in the form of a broader set of game mechanics and features, which really offer the game a substantial amount of grace-points and merit! But that's about it. All in all, it does a good job, and it is an improvement over its predecessor, but that doesn't detract from my criticisms of this game.

Overall Rating: 7 out of 10.

For those that don't own the original: It's a great opportunity to get a hold of an improved version.

For those that found the original to be dull: It's mild improvement, which screams, “Rent before you buy.”

For those that were spellbound by the first: An excellent addition to their Dragon Ball montage!

Reviewer's Score: 7/10, Originally Posted: 04/23/07