Analysis Dragon Ball Z Kakarot (PC PS4 Xbox One)

The Dragon Ball brand has left behind an impressive legacy of video games. The format has been experimented on more than one occasion, but the fighting formula has always been the hallmark of the games. Now, Bandai Namco turns the tortilla around and introduces us nothing less than Dragon Ball Z Kakarot, an RPG starring our favorite Dragon Ball Z characters.

Experience, feel and live the anime

Let's dedicate a few paragraphs to talk about the story. It has rarely happened to me in the industry, but this It's one of those games where you already know what you're going to find (referring to the story) before even playing it. I am from the select group of young people who enjoyed Dragon Ball Z in his day, and who remembers with great affection all the sagas that made up the anime. Dragon Ball Z points directly to that profile, and does not try to hide it.

This is not a game to discover the story of Dragon Ball Z, it is a game to relive it. The cinematics that found us as soon as the game starts are an exact tracing of the anime, but now times have changed. We went from seeing Goku struggling to distinguish the pixels on a 4: 3 TV to see him totally transformed thanks to the graphics of the video game. It feels like something new, but also like something you've seen before, and that you keep a lot of love.

In Dragon Ball Z: Kakarot, in addition to the story, we have new interactions with the characters in the saga. Through the secondary missions and events of the world we will see how certain characters interact in unpublished ways. An example of this could be a mission where Ten-si Han trains with Vegeta, which does not happen in the anime. Also, remember that behind the game is the great Akira Toriyama, who has even designed a new character of the Space Warriors.

A blow to the RPG genre

Let's talk clearly. We have already seen the history of DBZ through the Budokai … What makes this game special? Without a doubt, the format. Bandai Namco has risked a lot in developing a genre where the Dragon Ball saga doesn't have much experience. I would never think that I would be doing side missions, leveling up or unlocking skills in an attribute tree in a DBZ game; but here you have me.

The format is surprisingly well taken, but as expected, it is a mistake to make the typical mistakes of an RPG. The secondary missions are reduced to the errands of always. They are rather an excuse to shop around the scenes and collect road resources, orbs … etc. They do not contribute to creating new stories or character arcs, since that is reserved exclusively for the main thread of the story. Still, high schools are a perfect excuse to explore the world.

And speaking of the world … DBZ: Kakarot is not an open world game, but it camouflages well. The game puts at our disposal giant sands where we can collect resources, do side missions or relax and eat a good steak in the fire. The areas are incredibly well designed considering that the speed at which we move in the game is amazing. They may sin of being empty at some points, but it's something you sacrifice if you give the player such speed of movement.

The stage is full of different types of orbs that will improve our character's abilities. These orbs can be achieved by flying, destroying parts of the stage or killing enemies, and They are a very important resource in the game. With them we will learn or improve our attacks, except for some techniques that can only be learned through training.

From exploration … To combat!

In the game there are two "modalities" that have their own control paddle. On the one hand there is the exploration, where our abilities are limited to the jump, flight and launch of Ki waves. The control in this aspect can be made heavy at the beginning, especially the flight. Flying in this game feels like swimming in another type of RPG; functional control but … not quite accurate. I can't stop imagining a game like this with Anthem's flight control, and I drool. Still, you will quickly get acquainted with the control and I doubt you have a problem.

When we run into an enemy in our adventure, the game changes to combat mode. Now, we are facing a kind of "Arena Fighter" that looks much more like what we have experienced in the Budokai or Xenoverse videogame saga. Even so, the combat is simple but dynamic, which favors creativity and rewards ability if we manage to dodge at the right time. Also, being an RPG, if you want a challenge, you can always throw yourself into a fight with rivals that are much higher than you.

summarizing

Dragon Ball Z: Kakarot is a game for Dragon Ball fans. They made it clear with the announcement trailer and I have it clearer having played it. If you like the saga, do not hesitate, because you will enjoy it. If it is your first experience with Dragon Ball, I recommend that you take a look at videos about the gameplay and format, because it will be what mainly manages to catch you. As RPG has its failures and as a fighting game it could sin of simple, but the hybrid mixture of both is what makes it shine. You will get so much into the game that you will end up raising your arms when Goku loads the Genki Ball, fiance.