➤ Does Saiyan anger still strike? 🎮

Version tested: Xbox 360

Dragon Ball, evidently, has - of its kind - the characteristics of an immortal classic. It is to be imagined that not even Akira Toriyama, when in the early 80s he began drawing the tables of this strange reinterpretation of the ancient "Journey to the West", expected to lay the foundations for an unstoppable success that, from Japan, would have infected in the space of a couple of decades all over the world, totaling best-seller numbers.

The scope of the commercial phenomenon extends like a tide from manga to anime, passing through action figures to obviously video games. This is certainly not the right place to analyze the reasons for such a global success, however in some cases the suspicion arises that the simple over-exposure pushed with rather continuous vehemence by Shueisha / Toei / Bandai has somehow triggered a mechanism of self-feeding of consent towards the brand, beyond the intrinsic value that the pages of Toriyama - especially in the adolescent or pre-adolescent phase - certainly possess. According to Wikipedia (the resource of the lazy editor), there are as many as 67 Dragon Ball-inspired video games released on multiple platforms over the span of about 25 years of the brand's history, most of which belong to the fighting genre. In light of these numbers, it is not easy to avoid labeling the arrival of a new exponent of the genre, based on the same series, as a mere commercial operation, however, we can identify elements that justify the recursive persistence of Dragon Ball's piacchiaduro. It is a sort of genre in its own right, which can count on a continuous generational turnover of its audience and which is therefore re-proposed at different times and on different platforms, evolving together with the same video game medium. Less justifiable, however, is the annual release of new chapters without changes that substantially evolve the gaming experience, which transfers this Raging Blast 2, with all its complex fighting ambitions, into the muffled world. self-referential of products specifically dedicated to Dragon Ball fans.

A galaxy of fighting

What must certainly be acknowledged to Spike, the development team of this one Dragon Ball: Raging Blast 2, is the effort made to fill the game with content. The roster of selectable fighters has further increased and now has around 90 usable characters, each with a vast number of characteristic attacks and special abilities that determine a frightening amount of moves, although they are all quite similar in terms of effects and mechanics of use. To the amount of characters and related transformations must be added the customization possibilities that can be carried out on each individual fighter with the application of additional objects and abilities to be conquered and expanded by carrying on the "story mode", which is more extensive than ever. For each character it is in fact possible to follow its own "narrative" path, obviously marked by progressive fights and also characterized by crossroads that open the doors to unprecedented alternative scenarios compared to the traditional story of the series. The problem is that in all this narrative there is very little, beyond a few lines without a real logical connection exchanged by the fighters at the beginning of each match, therefore the interest in continuing relies above all on the desire to collect as many as many bonuses as possible from clash to clash and from this point of view the game certainly does not prove to be a park: among unlockable characters, alternative costumes, characteristics and secret abilities to conquer, a true Dragon Ball fan will surely find bread for his teeth. In short, the typical drama of the clashes present in the comic / anime is almost completely lost but you gain in possible combinations of characters and parallel digressions, but it is difficult not to regret some interlude skits with an epic flavor. At the end of each fight we find ourselves on a sort of grid that we can "navigate" by moving to the main nodes, corresponding to as many clashes. Each of these fights therefore presents a particular scene and is characterized by specific rules that the fight must obey, such as certain time limits, variable quantities of enemies or various types of handicaps imposed on the player.

The eternal clashes

The fighting structure is derived from that of the first Raging Blast, which offers different types of attack distributed on the various keys of the controller, with the right analog stick dedicated to the use of special skills. The combat system has been expanded and deepened compared to the first chapter, making it more complex to master but thus inserting a considerable number of attacks, defensive maneuvers and special powers that come to cover the totality of the repertoires for each individual character. We therefore find ourselves with classic attacks, combos, holds, attacks with aura (at a distance) and special abilities to be carried out by consuming the aura, rechargeable at the press of a button with the typical "flaming" animation, as well as having the ability to fly with at the push of a button. The correspondence and substantial equivalence of many attacks by the different characters helps to reinforce the feeling that there is not a big difference between one fighter and another, beyond the obvious graphic and animation distinctions and it considerably flattens the element. strategic and differentiating that such a quantity of characters could bring to the game structure.

Here too, therefore, the attempt to make the combat system more complex to cross over into the territory of classic fighting games is only partially achieved, while the iron will to experiment with all the typical moves of the favorite characters remains a fundamental element to get serious. 'operates between key combinations. It is not so much the strategic depth of the fight that requires such a quantity of moves, but rather the usual collectible spirit of a licensed manga product. Not that there is anything wrong with that, but it's a matter of perspective: if you expect the perfect balance between different characters that fit together like in a Street Fighter, so to speak, we're off track. Here the generous filling of fighters and moves responds to the need to create the definitive videogame simulation of the Dragon Ball universe, something in itself however commendable and largely achieved. Too bad that beyond the thrill of interpreting the various characters of the series, reproduced with great detail and characteristic moves, the fun given by the mechanism of the clashes - here somewhat simplified - tends to disappear.

Xbox 360 achievements

There are 50 achievements for 1000 total gamerpoints in the game. Given the fragmented structure in many game options, the complete collection passes through the commitment in each of these, trying to achieve particular results within all the various sections. The work of collecting the achievements is therefore long and certainly not easy, but for a true Dragon Ball fan it could be within reach.

It's over nine thousand

The abundance of characters and moves corresponds to an equally wide choice between game modes, including single and multiplayer. In addition to the aforementioned "galaxy" mode in single we can try our hand in the tutorial, in progressive clashes within levels to be completed, in the various typical tournaments of the series (Tenkaichi, the game of Cell) both in single and multiplayer and obviously launch into online challenges, among other options. Spike was certainly not limited in terms of game solutions, thus guaranteeing a large amount of hours distributed over rather different play experiences, albeit all based on the same type of gameplay.

Even from a technical point of view, the evolutions compared to the first Raging Blast have been there, albeit less evident than in the content area. One of the most publicized novelties is the possibility of interacting with the surrounding settings, essentially destroying them. As per the Dragon Ball tradition, in fact, the fights do not take place within limited arenas but in decidedly vast environments (which reflect the topical settings of the series) in which it is possible to move freely on the ground, in the air and even underwater. In correspondence with significant elements of the scenario and particularly powerful attacks, it is possible to see the effect of these on the surrounding environment, with decidedly spectacular results among crumbling mountains, collapsing buildings and chasms that open onto the ground, for example. The solution adopted to frame the fight is connected to the possibility of freely wandering around the playing areas and to the simultaneous need to keep the eye on the opponent, which also in this chapter, as in the previous one, generally proves rather uncomfortable and in certain really annoying cases. In fact, the camera placed behind the protagonist often places the opponent in a blind spot or fails to follow the sudden changes of position and direction with the necessary speed, with obvious negative implications on the usability of the game. On the other hand, the work carried out on the modeling of the various fighters is excellent, which thanks to a skilful use of cel-shading are practically identical to the animated counterparts of the cartoon, both in appearance and proportions and in terms of animation.

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Raging Blast 2 is a good exponent of Dragon Ball merchandising but it is not a great fighting game in an absolute sense. The amount of content inserted by Spike in this title is appreciable, which translates into as many hours of play for those who are serious about it, but even in this case there is no detachment from the concept of a video game suitable almost exclusively for the most passionate fans of the series signed Akira Toriyama, for which this title actually represents an excellent monetary investment in relation to its longevity. All the others will hardly be able to overcome the chaotic feeling of the fighting and the impression of being in front of a myriad of different "skins" for a single playable character.