Which has a worse track record, Dragon Ball Z or Gundam?
A while ago Infogrames locked up the Dragon Ball Z license, and while its popularity is destined to bring them great fortune, it is also destined to bring them poor games. Just like how everyone snatches up even the worst of wrestling video games, fans of the animated series can’t help but consume the latest Dragonball Z games. Seriously, one of the worst 3D fighters had a DBZ name slapped on it and was frequently found selling on EBay for more than $100. Well, recently two new DBZ games were released on the Gameboy Advance, and as sure as I am that they will appeal to diehard fans, they are just average games at best.
Dragon Ball Z: Legacy of Goku is an action RPG that follows the exploits of the Saiyan hero Goku through his many stories told in the animated series. I admit that I’m not a huge fan of the show, but I have caught a few episodes here and there and have seen the better part of the Saiyan Saga. One thing that really stands out in DBZ: LoG is the accuracy of the events through which you must guide Goku. Right away you’ll be introduced to your son Gohan and friends like Krillin. You’ll meet King Kai and travel down the snake road (twice).
Unfortunately, following the story is the only reason to compel one to continue playing the game. Under the covers lies a below average action RPG engine. Conventional to an action RPG, all the battles and story driven sequences are handled on the same screen. The beginning of a laundry list of defects is the fact that Goku can only move in four directions. I knew from the start that I was in for trouble. Attacks are two-fold. Goku can use physical and energy attacks. In the beginning, only one energy attack is available but two more can be earned. Along with earning the other two energy attacks, Goku’s level will also increase with experience. The difficulty curve is pretty steep considering how weak your character is in the beginning.
Fighting is the absolute worst. With low stats at the start of the game, generic wolves in the forest easily outmatch you. They are stronger and faster, and your physical punch is worthless unless you want to trade damage for damage (this holds true for the entire game unless you use your second energy attack which freezes enemies). So, what the battle engine boils down to is playing keep away while poking enemies with energy blasts until they die. Fighting enemies at higher levels sometimes takes minutes of chipping until they finally give way. This is further frustrated by the robotic four-way run capabilities, which makes it difficult to run away and aim.
The graphics look good for the GBA. I personally have never seen the DBZ cast in an RPG-like setting, and I felt it was well done. The locations are easily recognizable from the show as are the characters that inhabit them. The character portraits when speaking could use more work, but that’s just a nitpick. There isn’t much in the way of special effects or dazzling sights since there are no real “spells” in this RPG (and that term is used loosely anyway). Bonus points go out to the swell fully animated opening to the game even if it was highly compressed.
The sounds on the other hand don’t give off the right vibes for recreating the atmosphere of the show. The music was just background noise and the sound effects are standard bleeps and bloops from the NES era. This game can easily be played with the volume turned all the way down.
Dragon Ball Z: LoG is really more of an adventure game with a story than a full on action RPG. There is not much in the way of item management, equipment management, or skill advancement, which only serves to further disappoint. If it weren’t for the engaging story that Dragonball Z tells (and is faithfully reproduced here), I would have chucked this game after the first ten minutes. Instead, I found it mildly addictive to play a semi-active role in guiding Goku through the DBZ sagas. It’s a shame that a little more effort couldn’t have been put in the gameplay aspect, and even a bigger shame that the DBZ curse lives on.
