I have to
admit that my appreciation for all things Dragon Ball Z is more centered on the manga and anime that inspired the numerous games that have brought Goku and his
friends to many a console. As a fan, I found it hard to really enjoy the Dragon
Ball Z fighting games that have been released and hoped that someday a game
worthy of the series will find itself in my possession. Well, fellow Dragon Ball
Z fans, that day has finally come with the release of Dragon Ball Z: Attack of
the Saiyans for the Nintendo DS.
Surprisingly, Attack of the Saiyans is not a fighting game but a role-playing
game in the traditional classic RPG style. It recounts one of the series’ first
sagas – the Vegeta Saga – as Goku and his friends come under attack of a
powerful foe named Vegeta who is what is known as a Saiyan. Along with his
friends Krillin, Tien, Yamcha and his young son named Gohan, Goku discovers the
power of the Saiyans and comes to know a most startling truth about himself. Yes,
we’ve seen this story arc before in past games but there are actually some
surprises this time along and I must say that the retelling makes this game the
best starting point for those who have always wanted to get into the Dragon Ball
Z series.
Played as a
traditional role-playing game with a heavy dose of Dragon Ball Z lore elements,
you’ll have a healthy party of recognizable characters and as you go along you
will even change your party to include the likes of Gohan and even Piccolo. Like
the anime and manga, each character brings their own individual ability to the
party so expect Goku to bust out his Kamehameha or Gohan to use his Masenko.
You’ll even be able to use some of these abilities while exploring such the
times when you need to clear rubble or a breakable wall.
There’s
actually a big world to explore with towns and even dungeons. You’ll be
traveling via a world map to different locations that the story will take you
through and that includes entering different areas that trigger an event or have
you exploring dungeons. You can even stop into a town for supplies by going to
shops and making use of the money you earn by defeating enemies.
Speaking of
battles, the game handles it in the same old school fashion as classic RPG fare
but with the only difference being that the party uses Dragon Ball Z-styled
attacks. The battles are a tad easier than most role-playing games as well,
although there are foes – like Vegeta – that will have you glad there are
reasonably placed save points throughout the area as well as plenty of health
items. You can also pull off combos as well as unleash Ultimate and Super Skills
for the more powerful enemies you’ll go up against … especially in the World
Martial Arts Tournament chapter.
The good
news is that the game is quite lengthy and has contains various little surprises
that hardcore fans will definitely appreciate. The game also keeps things short
but sweet so you won’t get lost in the several dungeons you encounter in the
game and there are even interested scripted events that keep the flow of the
game moving nicely. Combat might be a bit too easy to the experience RPG fan but
that might not be so bad for the younger crowd.
Visually
speaking, Attack of the Saiyans looks colorful, is nicely detailed and makes the
character on the map recognizable to fans. There are great cut scenes with
wonderful character art true to the anime and manga and the visual effects –
while dated – work wonderfully enough. There’s also a decent soundtrack that
does repeat itself but you won’t mind it one bit. I also enjoyed the sound
effects that make up for the lack of voice acting. We would have loved some
sound clips in the game but this isn’t so bad.
Dragon Ball
Z: Attack of the Saiyans is, by far, one of the best role-playing games to make
good use of the Dragon Ball Z label. It might not be a revolutionary
role-playing game but it certainly has all the right elements to make this a
game that Dragon Ball Z fans new or old will definitely enjoy. You will
certainly not want to miss this one even if it isn’t a Dragon Ball Z fighting
game.
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Gameplay: 7.0
A retelling of
the original Vegeta Saga with branching extra storylines, the game’s chapters
are actually of decent length and paced perfectly enough to keep younger gamers
from being bored. The battles have been simplified and that’s not such a bad
thing seeing as each character brings his own skills to the adventure.
Graphics: 7.5
While the
graphics are far from spectacular, the game’s visuals do look rather nice and
actually very detailed when it comes to the environments and the character
models. The cut scenes and visual effects also look really good.
Sound:
7.0
The game’s music
offers a nice variety of instrumental tunes and you won’t mind it if you hear
them again at some point in the game. There’s no voice acting in the game but
you will like the light sound effects.
Difficulty: Medium
There are many
difficult battles in the game even early on so you will most definitely make
good use of your health items and your most powerful moves but there is nothing
here that will have even the most casual RPG enthusiasts to worry. The younger
crowd might find the game challenging enough.
Concept: 7.0
Dragon Ball Z
fans will certainly like the retelling of the Vegeta Saga and new chapters that
make the story feel even more complete. There are plenty of characters,
including many familiar faces and there are various locales to visit.
Overall: 7.0
Making the
transition from the traditional fighting game of past Dragon Ball Z games to a
role-playing game on the DS, Attack of the Saiyans is a worthwhile attempt that
actually works. If anything, this game serves as the perfect introduction to the
Dragon Ball Z universe so those who always wanted to jump on the Goku bandwagon
will find a lot to like about this game.
