The look of the game is a nice fit because this is based upon an anime and a manga. The game is cel-shaded which we all know and love as the cartoonish colored-in look. This style is perfect for the game as it looks like it was taken directly from the anime. It is also aided by the animations and the music.
Multiplayer modes are standard for fighting games. In local there is single battle and team battle. Single battle is one-on-one while team lets the players choose up to five different characters to face off. Additionally, there is a power battle mode which limits the teams to a certain power level that can be changed by the player. This helps prevents powered characters going up against characters of a lower power level.
Online multiplayer is separated into three different modes. First, is standard battle where the fights are with normal characters. The second mode is a freestyle battle that has enhanced characters going up against each other. Finally, there is world tournament mode, where players can invite each other into a multi-round tournament.
An issue with the Dragon Ball franchise is its method to attract people who are not fans of the game or the series in general. As the series is more than 10 years old this can be a problem --people who are playing Dragon Ball games are Dragon Ball fans, thus there is no real attempt to bring other people into the game. For a newcomer the full roster of characters can be overwhelming, especially since there is no real explaining who these characters are or how they relate to the overall story. New players are also more likely to become bored by the very similar play-styles shared between every character.
Overall, the game is fun and a nice addition to the Dragon Ball franchise. There is a lot to keep people busy and players are able to fight in the epic battles that they remember from the television series and some battles that they wish to see. However, the lack of ability to get new players into the game and the fact that each character basically fights the same way are a major drawback.
Dragon Ball: Raging Blast 2 is rated T (Teen) by the ESRB for Cartoon Violence, Mild Blood, Mild Language, Mild Suggestive Themes. This game can also be found on: PS3 and Xbox 360.
Article comments