Dragon Ball Xenoverse 2: Deluxe Edition
Overview -
2015's 'Dragon Ball Xenoverse' was a triumphant return to form for Namco Bandai's 'Dragon Ball' adaptations. The games had been largely hit-or-miss since 2004's 'Dragon Ball Z: Budokai 3,' but 'Xenoverse' featured enjoyable combat and an MMO-style hub world that players could explore before going on missions. Now one year later, developer Dimps looks to expand upon this solid foundation in 'Dragon Ball Xenoverse 2.'
'Dragon Ball Xenoverse 2 Deluxe Edition' includes the game and the Season Pass. That means players will get all four DLC packs as they are released, which will include new characters, quests, masters to train under, stages, and various customization options (accessories, skills and costumes). Characters confirmed to be DLC include Goku Black, Future Trunks, Cabe and Frost from 'Dragon Ball Super.'
Video Review
'Dragon Ball Xenoverse 2' isn't a graphical showpiece by any means, but it sports a great style that really makes it look like the anime. Locations such as the Kame House are faithfully recreated, and while they are cool to explore, the title is really impressive during battles. Each action sequence is filled with characters flying around, and constant beams of energy being unleashed. The screen can get incredibly busy, but it looks how a 'Dragon Ball Z' fight should.
There are also some really nice animated cutscenes that tell key moments in the story. These segments look great, but there are only a few during the game, as most of the story is told through 3D characters talking instead. While I definitely wish there were more animation to watch, I'm at least glad that some scenes got the special treatment.
Audio Review
'Dragon Ball Xenoverse 2' features the North American voice actors that fans are familiar with such as Christopher Sabat and Sean Schemmel. They all do a great job, but sadly the audio mixing is really poor here as the dialogue comes out too hot and starts to clip. Thankfully, simply adjusting the audio volume in the game's menu fixed this issue, but it's pretty baffling that it was there in the first place. Otherwise the audio is well-done, as the music and sound effects will be familiar to any fans of the series.
Final Thoughts
'Dragon Ball Xenoverse 2' is the best game based upon Akira Toryiama's legendary series in quite some time. The combat feels more fluid and responsive than its predecessor, and it's packed with enough content to keep players busy for dozens of hours. A fun, if cliché, story mode acts as the cherry on top of what is an enjoyable action game with legs.