By Jeffrey Harris
Bandai Namco Games is set to release Dragon Ball Xenoverse 2 on October 25, 2016. The last game marked a great new chapter for the Dragon Ball franchise in terms of getting great games based on the hit series, which was originally created in manga form by Akira Toriyama. In fact, the whole Dragon Ball franchise seems to be enjoying a nice renaissance as of late. It started with the new Dragon Ball Z anime movie, Battle of Gods, and then continued last year with Resurrection F, followed by the new series Dragon Ball Super. Fans have come along way since the live-action abomination that was Dragon Ball Evolution in 2009. With that in mind, it’s great to see the Dragon Ball franchise thriving in the game realm as well, and Xenoverse 2 very much looks like an entry that will match if not surpass its predecessor.
Xenoverse was a great and intuitive game for the Dragon Ball franchise. It had tons of cool features and innovations, and Xenoverse 2 very much looks like it will build on the foundation that was created by Xenoverse. For starters, the MMO aspects that were a part of Xenoverse are back in Xenoverse 2, but they’ve been dialed up to 11. There’s a much bigger sandbox to play around in this time with the revamped hub world of Conton City. It’s even bigger than the hub city in the last game. Not to mention, it features a roster of characters from every corner of the Dragon Ball universe. Including the DLC and bonus characters, Xenoverse 2 boasts a roster featuring characters from Dragon Ball Super, Dragon Ball Z and the movies. That means even more obscure, one-off characters such as Turles, Lord Slug and Janemba will get showcased here. Goku Black will be playable, which is a great addition, since he’s one of the best new villains the franchise has produced.
The greatest innovation is probably a feature allowing Xenoverse owners to transfer the data of their created Time Patroller hero to Xenoverse 2. While so far, the indication is mainly that this type of data transfer is mainly superficial, it’s a unique feature more games with later installments should consider trying. It means that the success and enjoyment a player had in one game matters in the next. The impact players’ heroes made in Xenoverse will continue to reverberate in the world of Xenoverse 2. That’s pretty special.
Additionally, the Xenoverse 2 developers have done well in acknowledging player feedback from the previous installment in making improvements. This comes in the form of a much-improved in-game camera system. Also, it can be seen in new variations for the versus gameplay mode such as Endless. This is a unique fight mode where players get to fight without a battler timer and just fight each other until the best fighter wins. Xenoverse 2 players now have the option to compete in No-Level Matches. This match type allows players to compete against one another on a more level playing field without any unique stats. Additionally, the new Parallel Quests, which have players revisiting key events in the history of the Dragon Ball Universe, serve to add greater overall depth to Xenoverse 2. The Parallel quests are objective based with specific conditions, so it seems to be a fun way to re-experience some of the major moments of Dragon Ball History with some variation. That could definitely add a little spice and variety to pre-existing Dragon Ball stories.
Overall, the sequel looks to be a must-own addition for any Dragon Ball fan’s collection, with tons of new goodies and features to get excited about. Dragon Ball Xenoverse 2 hits the shelves on October 25. The game will be available for Xbox One, PlayStation 4 and Windows PC. Multiple editions for the game, including the Collector’s Edition, are still available to purchase at the game’s official website.
