Dragon Ball Z: Kakarot

Outside of some technical hiccups and some boring fetch quests, Dragon Ball Z: Kakarot's colorful presentation and over-the-top battles should appeal to hardcore fans and baby-faced newcomers alike.

Dragon Ball Z: Kakarot has its faults, and it certainly won’t appeal to anyone who isn’t already a DBZ fan, but if you fall into the niche that this title is aiming for, you will be very pleased. This is one of the most fun interpretations of the DBZ plotline that I have played in a very long time, and in my opinion it well outshines its brothers in the same franchise.

Dragon Ball Z: Kakarot is the game that every fan has dreamed of. Live the best experience of this anime like never before.

Dragon Ball Z: Kakarot manages to become the best exponent to revive Akira Toriyama's history in the videogame industry.

DBZ: Kakarot has taken some interesting steps to move on from the Xenoverse games, but only some of them have paid off. While it’d great to follow Goku’s arc through the Z saga’s, the fact remains that this is far from the first time we’ve done so. The graphics, music, voice acting and cut scenes all look great though, and take some of the sting out of the repetition. The RPG elements are laid on quite deep, though the “open world” is hardly as open as first impressions suggest, with proper progression – both in the world and for your characters – locked off until you get to certain beats in the story.

Dragon Ball Z: Kakarot may not have the deepest combat mechanics but there's no denying just how exciting it is to play. From its jaw-dropping action to its top-notch presentation, this is one epic RPG that fans and newcomers alike can easily enjoy.

This game feels just like you’re playing through the anime series at a more rapid pace. Besides Dragonball Fighter Z, it’s the first game I’ve seen to capture the feel of the series so very well and with a good bit of quality. Dragonball Z: Kakarot is a great companion piece to the old DBZ series. Whether you’re new to the series, are watching it right now or have seen it back in the past (like me) then there is something here to enjoy for you. Fans will get the most of the game, but newcomers will get introduced to the series rather well.

Dragon Ball Z: Kakarot is an easily lovable game, and fans of the DBZ franchise would do well to check it out to experience the epic saga once again, just this time in all new light.

While we've seen the story of Goku and the Z Warriors before, Dragon Ball Z: Kakarot offers enough detail and fun gameplay to warrant a purchase.

With Dragon Ball Z: Kakarot you can simply enjoy an epic story from start to finish, while engaging in action RPG gameplay that's both rewarding and exciting despite its shortcomings.

While some of it feels a little dated and the side missions don’t diverge as much as they could, the overall package is a deeply engrossing fresh way to experience an old staple for any Dragon Ball Z fan.

Dragon Ball Z: Kakarot nails the structure and features of a perfect anime-based action RPG, but it lacks in content and execution, with too many uninteresting side quests and underdeveloped features. It still remains a great Dragon Ball experience allowing us to live Goku's and friends adventures better than before though, so fans of the anime won't be let down.

My only gripe is that for how much this game wants to be seen like an RPG it never really does anything of interest with it. If the world is going to be big, fill it with quests. Fill it with more side activities. Even if the main focus is combat, give me a reason to explore the world more than just Dragon Ball flashbacks and collectibles I am required to have to upgrade skills. I think the Yakuza games and more importantly the Fist of the North Star game from the Yakuza team shows that the game can still have heavy emphasis on combat and still be a role playing game. Kakarot unfortunately just doesn’t hit that mark.

The studio shows a clear love for the source material and a devotion to creating the most faithful adaptation, however the experience is marred by too many poorly executed parts. Ardent fans will, of course, be able to overlook the game’s disappointments to appreciate the story and combat – this is the most impressive way to experience the DBZ saga, after all. As an action game, this would be fine, but as an RPG it hasn’t quite scratched that itch just yet. [Issue#187, p.77]

A theoretical Dragon Ball Z: Kakarot 2 could be a masterpiece if it had more complex combat, and more varied enemy and quest types. Yet, while Dragon Ball Z: Kakarot isn't in its final form, it's still making good use of its potential. The cut-scenes are the most visually stunning version of Goku's saga I've seen. The Sub Stories give the franchise's bit players a chance to shine. There are even crazy deep references that even longtime fans might miss. It's clear the developers love Dragon Ball as much as we do. Next time, Bandai Namco, just let them put some of that love into the progression and fighting mechanics.

Dragon Ball Z: Kakarot's modern, semi-open approach to telling the saga of DBZ--despite some minor issues--is a good one. Zooming around the environments and seeing the world up close is a blast, and it's great being able to interact with so many fun DBZ characters and see stories that usually get passed over for game adaptations. And even though combat can be a bit lacking, when the big battles happen, they feel suitably epic and engaging. If you're looking for an enjoyable way to see the life and times of adult Goku through a new perspective, Dragon Ball Z: Kakarot will grant your wish.

The action is solid and better than plenty of past Dragon Ball video game adventures, but the wholesome fan service is the real offering here. There isn’t enough of that, but what you do get is a great reminder of why Dragon Ball is still here.

When Dragon Ball Z: Kakarot is at its best, it’s incredible. The big moments of each saga are brought to life impeccably with beautiful visuals and effects – but more than that, Kakarot also shows love to the smaller, more character driven moments that made fans fall in love with the anime in the first place. As a result, Kakarot is a wonderful way to revisit the story of Dragon Ball Z, whether you’re a fan or looking to jump in for the first time. However, while it’s backed by extremely solid combat, it also comes with major drawbacks like poorly implemented RPG mechanics, a general lack of polish, and some disappointingly shallow and repetitive sidequests.

Dragon Ball Z: Kakarot is a good fighting game that needs more polish.

It's always great to relive some of the most important moments of the best Dragon Ball series. However, its mechanics and depth as RPG do not fit in this context. We will feel that we have wasted a lot of hours artificially, but at least its combat does know how to reflect the spectacularity and magnitude expected.

In itself, nothing is really bad and if we do even find some excellent things, many elements are unfortunately average. However, we will experience a lot of pleasure in reliving all of the iconic face-to-face saga especially as the clashes are dynamic and based on an instinctive playability.

While it may remind you of your fond memories of the anime, Dragon Ball Z: Kakarot is a drag that fails to entertain for its duration. Its repetitious gameplay, odd systems, and abridged storytelling lack the heart the anime had. If you’re a big fan of Dragon Ball Z, you might have some fun with Dragon Ball Z: Kakarot. But if you’ve never experienced the Z Fighters’ epic adventures, there are better action RPGs out there to play.

While DBZ:K is a great way to relive the original series with enjoyable combat and dead-on aesthetics, it’s saddled with an open world two generations behind that detracts from the promise it shows.

The world here is littered with side missions out in the wild, and most of them amount to uninspired fetch quests.