Dragon Ball FighterZ

Dragon Ball FighterZ
Developer(s)	Arc System Works
Publisher(s)	Bandai Namco Entertainment
Director(s)	Junya Motomura
Producer(s)	Tomoko Hiroki
Programmer(s)	Takuro Kayumi
Artist(s)	Katsuki Mukai
Composer(s)	Toshiyuki Kishi Hiromi Mizutani Kenji Katoh Reno
Series	Dragon Ball
Engine	Unreal Engine 4
Platform(s)	Microsoft Windows PlayStation 4 Xbox One
Release	WW: January 26, 2018 JP: February 1, 2018
Genre(s)	Fighting
Mode(s)	Single-player, multiplayer

Dragon Ball FighterZ is a 2.5D fighting game developed by Arc System Works and published by Bandai Namco Entertainment. Based on the Dragon Ball franchise, it was released for the PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and Microsoft Windows in most regions in January 2018, and was released in Japan the following month.

Gameplay

The gameplay borrows concepts from several other fighting games, primarily the Marvel vs. Capcom series' control scheme and team mechanics. Players each select three characters to form a team. One character is controlled, and can be switched with one of the other characters at any time. Players can also call one of their other characters to perform an "Assist" move, allowing simultaneous attacks and combos with the entire team. All three of the opponent's characters must be defeated to win the game.

In addition to the unique moves of each character, players have several universal moves available. With the "Vanish Attack", the player can expend Ki to instantly teleport behind an opponent's character and strike them in the back. This has multiple uses, from bypassing enemy projectiles, to moving quickly around the stage, or extending a combo. The "Dragon Rush" move can break through an opponent's guard and if successful, offers a choice between an aerial combo or forcing the opponent to switch to a different character. The "Super Dash" flying attack will home in on the opponent's lead character and is able to pass through weaker projectiles. Players can also "Ki Charge" to manually increase their Ki gauge, similar to previous Dragon Ball fighting games.

The game also includes other features, such as "Come on Shenron!", that allows players to gather the Dragon Balls one by one as the fight progresses by special moves and combos. Once all seven are assembled by a player, Shenron appears to grant a wish, and allows players to choose one among the following benefits: increasing their fighter's strength, revive a fallen ally, recover a fighter's health or increase resistance to damage. Another feature is the "Dramatic Finish" mode, in which if some characters win the fight against specific enemies, special cutscenes are triggered related to events from the Dragon Ball series.

Dragon Ball FighterZ features a ranking system in both its arcade mode as well as in online multiplayer, where players increase their rank with subsequent wins.

Plot

Goku and his friends must fight a new battle against a revived Android 16 and an army of super androids designed to resemble and fight just like them led by the villainous Android 21. The story is split into three chapters: the Super Warriors Arc, the Super Villain Arc, and the Android 21 Arc, each of which follows the story from the perspectives of Goku, Frieza, and Android 18 respectively. In the timeline, the game takes place sometime between the "Future Trunks" and "Universe Survival" arcs of Dragon Ball Super.

Prior to the game, Android 21 was a normal human Earthling who eventually became an Android created by the Red Ribbon Army after her son became the model for Android 16. Once she awakens, she repairs Android 16 and uses the Namekian Dragon Balls to resurrect Frieza, Cell, Nappa, and the Ginyu Force. Due to having Majin Buu's cells implemented within her, she develops an uncontrollable hunger that will continue powering her the more she devours strong warriors that she turns into candy. She uses a wave machine to seal the powers and souls of all of Earth's warriors while making multiple clones of them to eat as well. Wanting to control the hungry monster within her, she and 16 develop a linking system originally created by Dr. Gero in which a human soul (the player) can possess the warriors individually and have them regain their strength over time through multiple battles. 16 transfers the human soul into Goku, Frieza, or Android 18 depending on what path the player chooses.

If the player chooses the Super Warriors Arc, the player possesses Goku and awakens next to Bulma, who wakes Goku up to deal with the Earth's current crisis. Clones of the other fighters and villains have been showing up and the other Z Warriors are nowhere to be seen. After confronting the resurrected 16, Beerus and Whis arrive to explain the soul's link to Goku. Goku and Bulma leave to try and find 16 and the other Z warriors to find out more about whats going on. After the player and Goku rescue Krillin, they battle Cell who appears to have knocked out 18 and endangered an unknown woman. The woman claims to be a Red Ribbon scientist and informs them that they need to find the base emitting the power-suppressing waves to restore their abilities. After bringing back a number of the other Z Fighters, they confront 16, where he explains that the Red Ribbon Army's current leader, Android 21, is behind everything. The scientist Goku and Krillin saved from Cell earlier arrives and reveals herself to be Android 21. She destroys 16 for his betrayal and knocks out Goku when he tries to follow her. The player then possesses Cell's body and battles the powerful 21 before returning to Goku's body again. After killing and devouring Nappa, the Ginyu Force, Cell, and Frieza, 21 decides to wait for Goku and his friends to get stronger as she believes they'll taste better if they're more powerful. When she's ready to fight them, Goku brings her and the other Z Fighters to the Sacred World of the Kai since Earth would be in danger from the fight. With their combined power, Goku and the Z Fighters obliterate Android 21. Whis (who came to speculate the fight with Beerus) expresses his disappointment of the unanswered questions with Android 21 and encourages the player to try seeking the answers elsewhere. This suggests that to Whis as well as the player's soul, each subsequent chapter is a continuation from the previous one, with the soul going back through time and influencing its own course to learn more of the story.

In the Super Villain Arc, 16 implants the player's soul within Frieza after the tyrant was resurrected, much to Frieza's ire. On Earth, Frieza recruits the resurrected Nappa, Ginyu Force, and Cell into his team as they battle the clones and eventually confront the true culprit: Android 21. After 21 forces the villains to battle and defeat Android 18, Goku and Krillin arrive and she acts as an innocent bystander to pit the heroes and villains against each other. The player prevents Frieza from killing Goku and the villains explain the situation to the heroes. Goku suggests that the two sides team up to stop 21 and the villains reluctantly agree primarily so they could sever their link with the player and regain their original power. Over time, the villains aid Goku in rescuing the Z Fighters to get more help in combating 21. 21 eventually discovers 16's betrayal and sends him to lose to the warriors before she kills him and leaves while waiting for them to gain more power. Frieza suggests to the group that they strengthen their link with the player to gain back more of their power. They also defeat more clones as they're the source of 21's power and will eventually lead her to them. After killing the final clone, they defeat Android 21 and use Bulma's machine to help Goku, Frieza, and Cell obliterate her for good. Following her destruction, everyone has their powers restored and Frieza expels the player from his body before the heroes and villains start fighting each other again.

In the Android 21 arc, 16 kidnaps Android 18 and implants the player's soul in 18. He and Android 21 explain the link to 18 and the player and request their help in combating the clones created by the Red Ribbon Army. Android 17 (who was also in the building after getting kidnapped by 16 for a failed link test) joins them to fight the clones. Over time, 21 becomes increasingly unstable after each battle, with 16 calming her down and refusing to explain her condition to 17 and 18 every time she nearly loses control. When Krillin finds the androids, 21 forces 18 and the player to fight Krillin and nearly kills him before the player links with 21 and discovers two beings within the android's body. 16 takes 17 and 18 to a lab and explains to them that the cells that created Android 21 may be going berserk and that his restoration and the use of the link system were done to stop her from going mad. The androids are eventually confronted by Cell, who's regained most of his original power as he's been able to suppress the artificial soul inside of him. 21 transforms into her true self to protect the androids, but succumbs to the hunger again. She kills 16 in her rage, causing her good and evil personalities to split into two separate beings. Evil 21 devours Cell and the control to the power suppressor to drastically increase her power while ensuring the other warriors still have their powers lowered. Goku and Krillin arrive (having observed all the events from Kami's lookout) to rescue the androids and recruit them to combat Evil 21. After training and getting stronger, the Z-Fighters battle Evil 21 for the last time on the Sacred World of the Kai. Once the fighters discover Evil 21's extraordinary regenerative capabilities, Goku prepares a spirit bomb while Good 21 holds off her evil self. When Evil 21 starts resisting the Spirit Bomb, Good 21 pushes her into it, sacrificing the both of them in the process. Goku then plans to talk to King Yemma to request reincarnating 21 and to return to Earth to help the player get back into their original body.

Development

On June 9, 2017, a Japanese press release dated for June 12 prematurely revealed information about the game and two screenshots before its official announcement. The press release was eventually removed from Bandai Namco's website.

On June 11, 2017, the game was revealed at Microsoft's E3 press conference. A closed beta for the Xbox One and PlayStation 4 versions was also confirmed. Bandai Namco said there is a possibility the game could come to the Nintendo Switch if enough fans request it. Dragon Ball creator Akira Toriyama designed a new female character named Android 21 for the game.

The game is also the last Dragon Ball media to feature the voice acting of Hiromi Tsuru, who voiced the character of Bulma, before she unexpectedly passed away on November 16, 2017.

Release

Players who preordered Dragon Ball FighterZ on console received early access to the game's open beta test period, as well as early unlocks for the SSGSS Goku and SSGSS Vegeta characters and an additional in-game stamp pack. Two digital bundles have been announced: The "FighterZ Edition" includes the game and the FighterZ Pass, which includes eight additional downloadable characters. The "Ultimate Edition" includes all content from the FighterZ Edition, as well as a Commentator Voice Pack and additional music from the anime series which can be played during battle. A physical collector's edition for the game is also available, which includes a steelbook case, three art boards, and a 7" statue of Goku. As of between January 18—19 2018, the beta was announced as free access for those players who didn't get to pre-order the game earlier.

Reception

Reception

Aggregate score

Aggregator	Score
Metacritic	(PS4) 88/100 (XONE) 86/100

Review scores

Publication	Score
Destructoid	8.5/10
Electronic Gaming Monthly	9/10
Famitsu	36/40
Game Informer	9.25/10
GameSpot	9/10
IGN	8.5/10

After its announcement, Dragon Ball FighterZ was met with great enthusiasm from fans of fighting games and the source material alike, with many saying it has the potential to be the next big competitive fighting game. The game gained praise regarding its art design and animation being faithful to the source material, as well as its fighting mechanics. A playable demo was available at the Evolution Championship Series 2017, where pros were able to get their hands on the title for a small tournament; many of the pros praised the game highly, regarding its versatility when it comes to play styles as well as being enjoyable.

The game received universal acclaim from critics, citing the art style, combat system, cast of playable characters, and story mode as positives. Several called it the best Dragon Ball game, and one of the best fighting games in years.

Sales

On January 31 of 2018, it was announced that Dragon Ball FighterZ reached 2 million in sales. In addition, it has become the fastest video game adaptation of the Dragon Ball franchise to reach that milestone doing so in less than a week.

External links

• Official website