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Step into Goku’s shoes and relive his early years in this exciting RPG title

Step into Goku’s shoes and relive his early years in this exciting RPG title

Vote: (40 votes)

Program license: Paid

Developer: CyberConnect2 Co., Ltd.

Works under: Windows

Vote:

Program license

(40 votes)

Paid

Developer

CyberConnect2 Co., Ltd.

Works under:

Windows

Pros

  • Follows the major story line
  • Free roaming combat and exploration
  • Fantastic graphics that mimic the anime

Cons

  • Side quests are monotonous
  • Relatively small roster of playable characters
  • Minimal character customization

Dragon Ball Z: Kakarot is an action RPG where you get to experience the action and excitement of this classic anime. Throughout the game you are able to play as iconic characters like Goku, Gohan and Vegeta. The story line encompasses nearly every battle and scene from the original anime, with some small exceptions, and the battle system is unique and always keeps you on your toes.

Story

Unlike many other Dragon Ball Z, or DBZ, games that either tell only part of the anime's story or follow a derivative plot, DBZ: Kakarot follows the original anime's plot from beginning to end. You'll start as a young Goku battling his evil brother Raditz and end in a desperate battle against Kid Buu.

There are some scenes missing here and there, but the vast majority of the story is left intact. Whether you're a casual fan or you've loved DBZ since it first aired, you have to appreciate their dedication to detail and cramming as much as possible into this game.

Action RPG

This game qualifies as an action RPG, but in true DBZ style it leans much more heavily on action than RPG elements. Combat is done in a free movement environment and the controls are simple, but timing is key to unlocking your character's true potential. You have buttons dedicated to standard attacks, ki blasts and transformations like going Super Saiyan.

The key to combat, aside from dealing as much damage as possible with your powerful strikes and blasts, is to follow your enemy's lead. Defend or escape whenever they attack and continue dealing damage until they're defeated. It's easy to master and will provide hours of fun.

There are RPG elements here like leveling up, gaining stats and a skill tree, but the characters aren't very customizable. For example, the skill tree unlocks ki blasts famous to DBZ or passive boosts. Most of the skills can only be unlocked once certain story events have occurred and they just make your character stronger. You'll get a feeling of progression, but you can't break your character or make them specialized for one specific thing.

Playable Characters

There are technically nine playable characters in DBZ: Kakarot, but three of those are Gohan are different ages. You mostly control main characters, so anyone who likes side characters like Yamcha, Tien or Krillin might be disappointed. The full roster includes: Goku, Gohan, Piccolo, Vegeta, Vegito, Future Trucks and Gotenks.

Other characters appear during the story and you can battle every minor and major villain who appeared in DBZ, but these are the only playable characters. If you liked the main characters, then this should be fine. If you were rooting for the side characters and wanted to have Krillin get revenge on Cell or have Freiza stamp out that pesky monkey, then you might be disappointed.

Exploration and Side Quests

There is are several open worlds for you to explore. You can explore Namek, the large city of Earth and even King Kai's planet. There are even different costumes like Vegeta's popular Badman pink shirt. You can explore the areas on foot or even fly around and see everything from a bird's eye view.

You can even find side quests that are fun at first, but they can get monotonous. Most of these are fetch quests or beating up minions that are terrorizing a town. The minions are usually the same Frieza underlings or Red Ribbon robots over and over again. Most of the rewards are cooking ingredients that can be used to boost your stats.

Cutscenes

Most modern DBZ games have been designed in a way that mimics the anime is a way no other game franchise has been able to pull off. Dragon Ball Z: Kakarot is no exception. It looks like you're watching the show. All of the cutscenes look great, but there is one problem.

Many of your biggest attacks include short cutscene that lasts several seconds. This is great the first time, but it gets tedious after seeing the same attack a dozen times.

Pros

  • Follows the major story line
  • Free roaming combat and exploration
  • Fantastic graphics that mimic the anime

Cons

  • Side quests are monotonous
  • Relatively small roster of playable characters
  • Minimal character customization