Developer: Dimps

Publisher: Atari

Release Date: June 10, 2008

Systems: PS3 (reviewed), Xbox 360

ESRB Rating: T

Official Web site

0:00 In high school, I watched this iconic anime up through the Frieza Saga. Then, in college, I watched my roommate play a truly awful-looking fighting game based in the same universe. Have things gotten any better in the intervening years? Let's find out!

0:01 The Dragon Ball Z: Burst Limit preview screen plays this endearing, aggressively metal instrumental ballad in a 15-second loop. IT'S BURROWING INTO MY BRAIN!

0:02 After roughly a bazillion logos slowly scroll by, the same metal theme comes in, this time with a Japanese singer and close-ups of some of the major characters powering up in a sepia tone. Cut to the title over a desert planet, then back to scenes from the game. They've done a good job of making 3-D characters that look a lot like they are drawn anime characters. The art style is very strong.

0:03 If you're not familiar with "Dragon Ball Z," this random montage of characters fighting and glowing and exploding and such is going to be incredibly confusing. Then again, if you aren't familiar with "Dragon Ball Z," why in the world did you pick up this game?

0:04 I love the way "MAIN MENU" is displayed in huge red capital letters on the menu. EXTREME! The music has transitioned from metal ballad to bluesy jazz riff.

0:06 After tinkering with the menus, it's off to the Tutorial to "Learn fundamental battle moves." "Okay, let's begin, Gohan," says the tall, green, gruff-voiced Piccolo. "The Saiyans are gonna be here soon." Then he compliments Gohan on his outfit. Er ... OK.

0:08 "This is the health gauge. You'll win a battle by attacking the enemy until his health is completely gone." So this is going to be one of those pedantic, explain-every-little-thing tutorials, eh?

0:09 Wow ... the first tutorial ends with a five-second "CLEAR!" message, a loading screen for the menu, an autosave and then more loading for the next tutorial. Unbelievably bad design there.

0:12 "Delivering a series of attacks is called a Combination." It's also called mashing the triangle and square buttons a lot.

0:13 I do like the way the attacks seems to have some real impact behind them. Each connection is accompanied by a loud crack and a far-flying opponent. I'd expect nothing less from the DBZ universe.

0:16 Pushing block just as the opponent's attack is about to hit does a dodge. Reminds me of the show, where characters could throw fast punches for 15 minutes without landing a single blow sometimes.

0:18 Everyone has projectiles in the form of "Ki blasts." Blocking at the right time bounces them back at each other. Hooray for ping-pong!

0:19 Piccolo declares that I now know the basics. Suddenly, the noonday sun goes dark. "Shenron. Well, I guess Goku WILL be returning soon," says an ominous Piccolo. I am so confused...

0:20 Bald-headed Krillin and his annoyingly high voice are training me now. We're "visualizing" the terrain on Planet Namek for some reason. Oh, also, I can throw people.

0:22 Super Attacks are, um, super, but Ultimate Attacks are even more so, freezing the action temporarily for a big dramatic zoom before unleashing a powerful attack. Just like that, Krillin's training is over. "Gohan! Something with unbelievable power is coming! ... Hide, quick!" Wow, these are some cowardly defenders of the universe.

0:24 "Whew! The air is so much better outside!" says a glowing, yellow-haired Goku, who looks like he just flew in from St. Louis. "Yeah, that's true!" replies Gohan, Wow ... gripping...

0:25 With a full Ki gauge and a tap of R1, I become a glowing, yellow-haired Super Saiyan myself. It makes my attacks stronger but my defenses weaker. On the show, I'm pretty sure it did not weaken the Saiyan's defenses.

0:29 A perfectly timed block will warp me behind the opponent for an open-back attack. It's tough to time right, but seems devastating when pulled off.

0:33 The "Pursuit Attacks" don't seem to work for me. The tutorial tells me to tap R2 to dash after a knocked-about opponent, but I just stand there glowing instead. I can't move on to the next tutorial without completing this one. So I just give it up and get on with the game already.

0:34 On to "Z Chronicles: A battle mode packed full of Dragon Ball Z Action and Drama." Drama! The selectable difficulties are Very Easy, Easy and Normal. There are three more that are locked. I choose Normal, because I'm assuming this game is tuned for 8-year-olds.

0:36 "Where is your pride?" asks Raditz. "You are Saiyan!" Goku responds with some clunky dialogue about belonging on Earth. Did I really think this was cool in high school?

0:38 As always with fighting games, I start by seeing how well I can do by just jamming on one attack button. This strategy works beautifully against Raditz ... I even get off some cinematic, camera-panning combos during the fight. If this is Normal, I'd hate to see Very Easy.

0:39 I grab Raditz in a full nelson and Piccolo puts a hole through both of us with his Special Beam Cannon, just like in the show. OK, that part was and still is cool. The fight finishes with a big list of "Drama Scenes" that I didn't pull off. I earned an "A" ranking and 11 stars, unlocking four new chapters and some characters to the strains of some ridiculous speed guitar.

0:41 On to Chapter 2, "Piccolo's Trump Card." Is it the Ace of Spades? No, it's Piccolo fighting Raditz this time. Quote of the moment: "What ... his power..." That ... is not ... a complete thought!

0:43 Mashing triangle is still working wonders. I somehow get off a Special Beam Cannon "Drama Piece," which Raditz dodges. "It could have taken me out if it hit," says Mr. Exposition. When we come back, we've got an "opponent difficulty change" and some modifications to his fatigue and such. Whatevs.

0:45 For no reason I can discern, Goku just came in and helped with a single, one-punch attack. Er, thanks?

0:46 K.O.! I have to admit my opponent did slightly better this time. Still, the AI seems to be holding back. There were a few times where he got behind me and just stood there, waiting for me to turn around and attack him again. Even when he blocks, I do some damage. After the game shows the EXACT SAME CUT SCENE from Chapter 1, I earn a B rating and eight stars.

0:48 Time to fight "Saibamen: Enemies From the Soil." These are annoying little green guys that go "gee gee gee" all the time. I get to play as three-eyed Tien, though, which is awesome. In a cut scene, he hits a Saibaman in the stomach, then says "OK, whenever you're ready." That ... seems to be the wrong order.

0:50 As each Saibaman's life meter gets depleted, he's replaced with a different Saibaman. Big whoop ... they all seem equally hopeless against my three-triangle combo.

0:52 I'm done beating up on the Saibamen, when Vegeta comes in and blows one of them up. "What ... he's a monster!" says the holier-than-thou Tien. I earned only a C this time, and five stars. The opponents are definitely, slowly getting better.

0:54 Ooh boy, more Saibamen in Chapter 4! This time I get to fight as Yamcha. Quote of the moment: "Your game is over." If only...

0:56 The Saibamen are holding their own. Then I somehow activate the "Yamcha goes all out" Drama Piece. "Darn it ... I can't afford to play around! Time to get serious!" His attack and defense and recovery time go up. Niiiice. Wish I knew how I did it.


0:57 KO! The Saibaman looks so cute, splayed out on the ground with his tongue sticking out. Then he jumps up and grabs Yamcha in a bear hug, taking him out with a kamikaze attack. This would be very dramatic, if I didn't know it was coming from watching the show ... A "B" ranking and eight stars this time. Is it getting easier again?

0:59 "Chapter 5: The Power of Rage" pits muscle-bound Saiyan of Nappa against Tien. Quote of the moment, from Tien: "D-- DARN YOU!" It just doesn't sound right without the "Damn!"

1:02 The battle is close at the end, but I'm still 5-0 with nothing but the triangle button. A dramatic cut scene shows Tien falling over after unleashing a final, desperate attack. Another "C" ranking.

Would I play this game for more than an hour? No.


Why? If I really wanted to watch "Dragon Ball Z" again, I'd buy the DVDs and save myself the hassle of pushing triangle over and over.

This column is based on a retail copy of the game rented from GameFly.


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