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Video Games  - Dragonball Z Budokai

Hi, Tapion here! Sit back and relax, because you're about to get a descriptive and informative review of the very first DBZ video game for the PlayStation 2 platform.

INFO:
Rating: "T" for "Teen"; animated blood, violence
Console: Sony Playstation 2
Software Licensed By: Infogrames
Copyrighted By: FUNimation Productions, Ltd.
Release Date: December 4, 2002

RATING:
Graphics: 6.2
Sound: 8.8
Control: 7.3
Game-play: 8.4
OVERALL: 7.3

I want to start off by saying that "Budokai" is a game that should be given a chance by all gamers, including non-DBZ fans. It's a great DBZ game, but in the fighting genre itself, it lags behind. The graphics are...so, so...but they are still the best Dragon Ball Z has seen to date. I guess I'm just trying to say that "Budokai" isn't a real showcase of the PS2's true capabilities.

Anyway, the sound is pretty good, and the music is totally different from the series! But the soundtrack itself is still pretty awesome. The voices are faithful to the show. And it even has an instrumental version of "Chala-Head-Chala" to please all the hardcore fans of the old Japanese version of the series.

The controls are pretty easy to remember. But during a series of punches, kicks, and chi blasts, the controls seem to "hang". The special attacks are fun, but almost too easy!

The story mode is what really deserves credit. You start off fighting Raditz, and end up with Gohan against Cell. There's also a Tournament Mode, in which you fight to advance through three difficulty levels. You are eventually rewarded with some Zeni, and 2 bonus characters: Mr. Satan and Saiyaman.

Overall this game is fun. But "fun" is pretty much all that describes it. It doesn't have an in-depth storyline, nor does it have a 70 piece orchestrated soundtrack. And, well, no...it's not painstakingly designed with the latest technology. But when you think about it...neither does the show.