STAFF REVIEW of Dragon Ball Xenoverse 2 (Xbox One)


Monday, November 21, 2016.
by John Elliott

Dragon Ball Xenoverse 2 Box art Dragon Ball is the first anime that I remember watching at an early age on YTV here in Canada. Over the years I've watched my fair share, but I never actually took the time to play one of the video games. Though the trend of taking intellectual property from other mediums and putting them into a video game has not had the best track record of creating successful games in the past, I was hopeful and optimistic that Dragon Ball could make the transition. Having cultivated a love for both the series and the artistic style created by Akira Toriyama, I was rooting for this title.

Fans will be familiar with some of the aspects of the story right from the get go, but being a newcomer doesn't dampen the experience. The role you take in the game is that of a member of the Time Patrol. These individuals go through the time line of the Dragon Ball Universe correcting points in time that, if changed, would have severe consequences on the overall timeline. The introduction to the game is a lot like the Dragon Ball show, with several episodes building up the tension between the characters to the point where everything explodes and the final battle takes place.


When the battle does finally happen you come in as the Time Patrol and start kicking some butt. It was surprising how easy the controls were to pick up, allowing you to execute some insane combos as well as some iconic moves, from the large cast of Dragon Ball characters. Once you get through the first battle you will get into more of the guts of the game where some basic RPG elements come into play.

There is a bit of hand holding at the beginning that helps to walk you through some of the basics of combat, along with your mission to keep the timeline secure. At the center of it all is the Time Nest and within is a small city called Conton City. This is where the Time Patrol can get access to items, clothing, training, and side quests, and also also acts as a hub to gain entry to online battles. The first thing I noticed about the Time Nest was the annoying music that permeates throughout the area. This music grated me so much I wanted to jump into battles just to get away from it at every chance. As you progress through your journey you will be able to acquire customization items for your character and other fun things to occupy a budding Time Patroller in Conton City. Also available in the city are parallel quests, which are side missions set in an alternative timeline from the main story mission. This adds a whole lot of replay value with a total of 100 parallel quests to finish in either co-op or online.


In terms of character creation, there are limited options on offer here when compared to in-depth RPGs. You can select either a male or female gender from Human, Saiyan, Namekian, Majin, and the Frieza race. There are additional customizations available for these characters, but they mostly range from slight alterations in a predefined set of attributes and features. You learn your arsenal of moves as you move through the story and you'll meet trainers that will teach you moves that you can assign to your character. You may also run into trainers along your journey like Yamcha and Krillin who teach you some of their more well known moves from the television series.

The gameplay usually revolves around fights where you team up with other players online or have AI controlled characters join. Considering how chaotic and over the top some of the Dragon Ball Z battles unfold, we definitely get the same feeling of how zany the battles can get. Ultimately, the best part of these battles is using moves and super moves that you learn from trainers in Conton City. The more you level up the better moves you get access to. Landing these moves, especially the ones from your favourite characters, can give you a sense of elation and accomplishment at the same time. However, you just can't go off hammering these moves back to back as there is a stamina and KI meter to hold you back and it charges back up over time. It does charge up pretty quickly so you have to throw in a few button mashing combos to pull off the big move to pass the time.


Take some button mashing combat, flashy looking special moves, an art style that closely resembles the anime, and fight scenes that are beautifully animated, and you have the ingredients for Dragon Ball Xenoverse 2. The game manages to immerse you fully into the world of Dragon Ball and builds upon the formula of the first Dragon Ball Xenoverse all while addressing its previous shortcomings. It might not be a perfect game for everyone, but it is a definitely a delight for Dragon Ball fans as they get to experience their favorite moments from the show in game form.




Overall: 8.5 / 10
Gameplay: 8.0 / 10
Visuals: 9.0 / 10
Sound: 8.5 / 10

Comments

Site Statistics

Registered Members: 81,170
Forum Posts: 725,969
Xbox One Titles: 6,502
Xbox 360 Titles: 1,086
Xbox 360 Kinect Titles: 95
Xbox 360 Arcade Titles: 586
Original Xbox Titles: 987
Staff Reviews: 2,612
Member Reviews: 10,339
News Articles: 16,557
Screenshots: 39,558
Xbox 360 Achievements: 45,112
Xbox 360 Faceplates: 2,016
Cheat Codes: 1,706

Latest News

Bulwark: Evolution Out Now on Consoles

Bulwark: Evolution Out Now on ConsolesThis major free update, which has already been successfully launched on Steam, brings a new layer of depth, strategy, and innovative gameplay mechanics to the immersive world of Bulwark: Falconeer Chronicles.


Thrustmaster Unveils T.Flight Hotas One

Thrustmaster Unveils T.Flight Hotas OneThrustmaster’s best-seller is back with a new look featuring the official license of Microsoft Flight Simulator. This complete, precise and easy-to-use hands- on throttle and stick (HOTAS) is the ideal companion for Microsoft Flight Sim 2024







See News Archives

Community Forum Activity

KeyWe Giveaway!
Post by Variation-XBA
0 Replies, 28574 Views

2021: XBA is still here
Post by shrew king
40 Replies, 275777 Views

Watch Dogs: Legion
Post by Nato King
0 Replies, 128873 Views

Xbox Series X or S
Post by Nato King
5 Replies, 147190 Views

Spellbreak Grand Magus Pack (3) and Starter Pack (7) Giveaway!
Post by Variation-XBA
0 Replies, 133482 Views

I pay $ 1000! I search the Element 54 Canadian launch Team signaturen Faceplate
Post by Smill
0 Replies, 157604 Views

Xbox one no signal
Post by debrartin
0 Replies, 146577 Views

do you remember?
Post by SnoochyBoochy
3 Replies, 220433 Views

i haz xbox
Post by SnoochyBoochy
0 Replies, 177337 Views

Claiming the first thread of 2020
Post by Kraft
7 Replies, 269040 Views

Important! I pay $ 1000! I search the Sweden launch and the Element 54 Faceplate
Post by Smill
3 Replies, 151915 Views

Squad Up
Post by samslophead
0 Replies, 261924 Views

TERA Skinned Xbox One X Giveaway!
Post by Variation-XBA
0 Replies, 181383 Views

Starfield Release expectations?
Post by DJ tx
4 Replies, 314470 Views

Issue with Xbox live on Xbox home
Post by rcmpayne
0 Replies, 169951 Views

© 2000-2024 XboxAddict.com - All rights reserved. All trademarks are properties of their respective owners.
Xbox is a registered trademark of Microsoft. XboxAddict.com is not affiliated with Microsoft.

Made in Canada
Site Design by Cameron Graphics