Dragon Ball: Sparking! Zero Review

As a long-time Dragon Ball fan and avid gamer, I must say that Dragon Ball: Sparking Zero seems to be a dream come true for many of us who have been yearning for a game that truly captures the essence of Budokai Tenkaichi. The personalization options, extensive modes, and faithful recreation of the series’ spirit are all elements that resonate with me deeply.

In many aspects, no game seems more intertwined with its history than Dragon Ball: Sparking! Zero. This newly released game, developed by Bandai Namco and Spike Chunsoft, has sparked global excitement among Dragon Ball fans, as it serves as the continuation of the famous Dragon Ball Z: Budokai Tenkaichi series, albeit under its Japanese title “Sparking!“. This game has stepped into the shoes of a gaming icon to claim its succession and, though at times it stretches beyond its capabilities, it has managed to meet many of its ambitious objectives.

After Budokai Tenkaichi 3, the popularity of arena fighters seemed to decrease, and many were skeptical about Spike Chunsoft’s ability to recreate their masterpiece in Budokai Tenkaichi 4. However, the final product appears to be a faithful recreation of the original. The game boasts stylish characters, smooth animations, detailed modes, and lightning-fast gameplay. It’s hard to believe that Sparking Zero is from the same studio that produced Jump Force, which serves as a cautionary tale. Regardless of how they achieved it, it’s heartening to see Spike Chunsoft honor the love fans have for Budokai Tenkaichi, making Sparking Zero easy to enjoy despite its flaws.

Dragon Ball: Sparking Zero Looks Like Dragon Ball Should

The first thing worth admiring is Dragon Ball: Sparking! Zero’s presentation, which is firing on all cylinders. While Sparking Zero‘s looks fall short of Dragon Ball FighterZ, it’s hard to fault a negative visual comparison to an Arc System Works title, even if that did a better job at uniting Dragon Ball’s history of art styles under one cohesive look. As soon as players get past Sparking Zero’s opening, they will be wowed by a fantastic main menu that unfolds like a comedy episode set late in Dragon Ball Super. Merely moving through the menus and seeing what different options result in is already delightful, and it’s just a prelude to the gameplay.

Dragon Ball: Ignition! Zero

As a dedicated Dragon Ball gaming enthusiast, I can’t help but reminisce about the timeless charm of Budokai Tenkaichi 3, a gem that graced the later stages of the PS2 era. Its captivating art style and meticulous attention to detail kept it at the pinnacle of Dragon Ball game conversions for its age, even amidst fierce competition.

Sparking Zero Feels As Good As It Looks

Mastering the appearance of a Shonen Jump arena fighter is crucial, whereas the gameplay often takes a backseat. Fortunately, Spike Chunsoft meticulously analyzed Budokai Tenkaichi 3 and fan opinions, resulting in a product surpassing all expectations. Dragon Ball: Sparking! Zero now sets the bar for simulated Dragon Ball Z battles, boasting swift characters dashing across expansive landscapes with just a button press. Despite combat appearing straightforward, it conceals layers of complexity that dedicated players have spent years deciphering. The main problem encountered in Sparking Zero’s battles is the camera moving erratically or clipping through terrain, though some level of this is inevitable.

In the game Dragon Ball: Sparking Zero, players who are familiar with Budokai Tenkaichi will find the mechanics similar, particularly for those choosing the traditional control setup. The characters maintain a common foundation, showing differences in their attacks, movements, transformations, and super moves. There are additional categories like strength, speed, giant, and Android that introduce more diversity among the 182 fighters. However, having a grasp of the system as a whole is more crucial than mastering individual character skills. While the defensive features, especially Perception and Vanish, may prove elusive even for skilled players, the fighting system represents an advanced evolution from Budokai Tenkaichi.

Competition In Dragon Ball: Sparking Zero Takes Many Forms

To address the topic at hand, the game Budokai Tenkaichi 3 has established a strong competitive community over time, and Bandai Namco responded by integrating online multiplayer into Sparking Zero. However, it’s worth noting that rollback netcode, now common in fighting games, is not implemented in Sparking Zero. Nevertheless, initial tests show that a stable gaming experience can be achieved, though it relies on factors such as using a wired connection and appropriate matchmaking filters. In Ranked matches, teams based on points participate, and team gameplay has noticeably improved compared to Budokai Tenkaichi. As Burter was a top-tier character in BT3, the emerging meta in Sparking Zero could potentially make point designations more of a challenge, but they are intriguing nonetheless.

In both arranged and personal gaming sessions, multiplayer for “Sparking Zero” will primarily be conducted online. Unfortunately, offline split-screen mode is only available within the Hyperbolic Time Chamber, which limits the game’s immersive environments. Fortunately, modifying the game should be simple for PC players, although this doesn’t help console users much. It’s odd that one of the most beloved features from the “DBZ: BT” series was added at the last minute due to fan demand, which is unfortunately the game’s largest flaw in attracting Dragon Ball fans, even though it’s a significant improvement overall.

Is Dragon Ball: Sparking Zero Too Little, Too Late?

Although Sparking Zero’s Episode Battle story mode isn’t terrible, it falls short in several aspects. In contrast to Dragon Ball Z and Super, Episode Battle presents the stories from eight key characters’ perspectives, but with fewer unexpected events than one might anticipate from a successor to the Budokai Tenkaichi series. Interspersed within Sparking Zero’s story are richly crafted “What If” scenarios, awarded as rewards for completing challenging side objectives on standard difficulty; however, it’s debatable whether they surpass those found in Budokai Tenkaichi 2 and 3. The majority of Episode Battle, unfortunately, is more akin to a slideshow, so players seeking the most enjoyment will need to put in some effort through grinding.

The narrative of Sparking! Zero seems to have some significant flaws stemming from its comparison with BT3 within the Dragon Ball series. Many aspects of Sparking Zero are surpassed by other Dragon Ball games, several of which continue to receive updates. For instance, Dragon Ball FighterZ excels in presentation and gameplay, while Kakarot provides an accurate portrayal of Dragon Ball Z’s sagas, and Xenoverse 2 supports various “What If” scenarios along with its MMO elements. Even the nickname for Budokai Tenkaichi 4 is disputed by a dedicated BT3 mod. As a result, Sparking Zero might be more controversial than fans anticipate, not solely due to its own strengths but also because of its relationship with other games in the series.

Dragon Ball: Sparking Zero Goes Further Beyond A Regular Arena Fighter

It’s fortunate that Sparking Zero possesses unique advantages over its peers, and the most notable of these is its Custom Battles feature. These are short, narrative-driven scenarios constructed from custom cutscenes and battles. Although it might seem insignificant, a playable fan fiction creator is an enormous asset for fandoms as dedicated as that of Dragon Ball. A simplified version of the editor is accessible, allowing users to modify other players’ scenarios, and even clear developer-made Bonus Battles. Thanks to a diverse range of trigger conditions and effects, combat feels consistent with the storyline, making it likely that this mode will become a favorite among some players once they’ve exhausted Sparking Zero‘s content.

Mastering the art of using Edit Mode efficiently can prove more challenging than it initially appears. It’s advisable to begin with its basic, straightforward editing option.

In Custom Battle, the issue lies with its text entry system, which employs pre-written phrases where specific names can be swapped in occasionally. This translation sometimes feels awkward, reminiscent of FromSoftware’s online messages, yet retaining their unique charm and adaptability. However, the abundance of these pre-written phrases is the main challenge. The organization of these lines is so disordered that mastering the system will require countless hours, and finding the right ones always takes too much time. Custom Battle remains a compelling reason to purchase Sparking Zero, with potential for improvement over time. Yet it’s unfortunate that such an impressive feature has been hindered by excess ambition.

Everything Sparking Zero Does Is In Service Of The Player

The key feature that sets Sparking Zero apart lies in its seamless integration. In every combat encounter, players are rewarded with a combination of resources such as Zeni for shopping, experience to expand the shop, character development, steps towards grand rewards from Zen-Oh’s Orders and Whis’s Stamp Book, and additional unlockables contingent on game mode. Furthermore, there are three sets of Dragon Balls linked to distinct Eternal Dragons, granting further benefits through wishes. The advancement in the game is steady, satisfying, and lacks significant spaces for DLC expansion, resembling Budokai Tenkaichi flawlessly.

There are several compelling motivations for desiring all of the unlockables, as numerous aspects let players customize their gaming experience. Some costumes and visual items have an unbalanced distribution among characters, but adjustable capsules that boost stats and new emote voice lines are accessible to everyone, and can be utilized across other game modes like Episode Battle. Furthermore, unique behaviors for AI opponents can be acquired from the shop, offering intriguing possibilities in CPU vs. CPU matches or simply ensuring certain characters exhibit expected behavior, such as Vegeta continuously firing Ki Blasts.

Is Dragon Ball: Sparking Zero The Answer To Fans’ Wishes?

As a gamer myself, I can’t emphasize enough how crucial personalization is in games like “Sparking Zero,” and it shows in its vast array of customizable options. For PC gamers rocking slightly older hardware, fear not! The game runs smoothly even on such systems. Controls can be re-mapped to suit your preferred playstyle anywhere, making it a breeze for beginners to enjoy “Sparking Zero.” Moreover, the game boasts extensive accessibility features to cater to newcomers.

Episode Battle determines AI strength on a per-fight basis, though universally lowering its difficulty is an option. However, doing so will also disable “What If” secrets.

Several modes remain to explore, showcasing how thoroughly Sparking Zero addresses its issue of uneven quality through a wealth of content. Following standard Training is Battle Training, seamlessly morphing into a sparring match between Gohan and Piccolo that demonstrates the game’s various mechanics. Tournaments are back with an expanded array of choices such as custom rules, Tournament of Power flight restrictions, ring-outs, online multiplayer connectivity, and more. Lastly, the Gallery features several intriguing elements, but the standout is Chi-Chi’s Encyclopedia character commentary returning from Budokai Tenkaichi 3, now accompanied by Bulma and Videl. It’s clear that Dragon Ball: Sparking Zero offers a comprehensive Dragon Ball experience.

Dragon Ball: Ignition! Zero may not be an absolute follow-up masterpiece to Budokai Tenkaichi 3, but it manages to rekindle the same essence. The hard work put into it is evident even in the places where Ignition Zero falters, and focusing on core gameplay, visuals, and advancement has proven beneficial. Custom Battles and a respectable online mode contribute to its unique identity, differentiating itself from its PS2 predecessors as well as more streamlined modern Dragon Ball titles. In the end, Dragon Ball: Ignition! Zero honors the legacy of late Akira Toriyama and his team, which should help attract its intended audience.

On October 11, 2024, the game titled “Dragon Ball: Sparking! Zero” will be available for purchase on PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X|S. For the purpose of this review, Game Rant was given a Steam code.

2024-10-07 17:05