Dragon Ball Z Kakarot Open World Gameplay

Dragon Ball is one of the classic Japanese franchises that never lost its fame. The franchise is no stranger to video games as proven by many of its previous games. There were many video games of the franchise but none of them were focused on an open-world RPG experience. Many of us were craving such a Dagon Ball game and we finally got one. Dragon Ball Z Kakarot open-world gameplay is the game that not only offers the traditional Dragon Ball experience but the open world and RPG experience as well. It is not an exceptional game but rather a good game. There are both good and bad aspects of the game making it a mediocre game. However, it is a good Dragon Ball game making it ideal for Dragon Ball fans.

Some Dragon Ball fans might not be that into the game because it covers the plot of Dragon Ball Z part of the story. It offers a great retelling of the Dragon Ball Z story along with extra elements. The gameplay feels more like an Anime than a video game. Story-wise, the game is great but animations of characters in cut scenes are not so good. Dragon Ball Z Kakarot’s open-world gameplay offers a good balance between an RPG and Arena game. Let’s dwell deeper into the gameplay review of Dragon Ball Z Kakarot.

Dragon Ball z Kakarot Open World Gameplay Story Offers a Good Retelling of Dragon Ball Saga

The game tells the story through modern graphics and mechanics while keeping the core identity similar to the source content. It covers all the story of the Dragon Ball Z series and stops where Dragon Ball Super starts. The story might not be interesting for all the Dragon Ball fans who have watched the story in anime. It offers a good retelling to fans of the franchise with some minor left-outs. For all the new players, Dragon Ball Z Kakarot offers a good introduction to the franchise. I am not saying that it can be an alternative to the anime but the game still offers a good amount of info.

Not only, has it highlighted the plot of the series but also the introduction and development of the characters. The game offers great insight into the story of NPCs too. The game has done a good job at character building because it focuses on both NPCs and Playable characters. Goku is the central character of the game but you will still get a chance to play as other characters.

The game is 40 hours long which provides a big amount of content. If you also count in all the side quests then the gameplay of the game could be even more. You can also build relationships with characters by giving your companions gifts. Building relationships will level up your companions. Like other RPGs, Dragon Ball Kakarot gives you a chance to get food and cook it. Cooking food before a fight will buff your abilities to some extent. The game is trying to combine RPG elements with the story-driven narrative.

Dragon Ball Z Kakarot Fails at RPG Mechanics

Dragon Ball Z Kakarot is a good game but it fails at open-world RPG mechanics. Don’t get me wrong, the world-building of the game is amazing but all the RPG mechanics are boring. There are so many dialogues that will keep on repeating. Even in the intense situation, you can hear the repeatable dialogues making it a retarded experience. There is just a lack of variation in dialogues of the game. Exploration and RPG elements are not in integration with each other.

Dragon Ball Z Kakarot open-world gameplay offers lots of side quests. Many of these quests are identical, making it a repeatable experience. Most of these quests don’t even offer much gameplay aside from collection stuff. There are only a few good side quests in the game. You will also encounter some random enemies but enemy variation is extremely low. There are also some dramatic effects in the cut scenes and gameplay. The overall quality of cut scenes animation and voice is not good at all.

Combat of Dragon Ball Z Kakarot is Similar to other Dragon Ball Games

Combat of the game is good and it retains the identity of Dragon Ball arena games that we all love. There are fast-paced moves that make combat fun. There are also huge explosions and powerful attacks of the Dragon Ball franchise that can throw enemies far off. You can battle while flying or on the ground. During combat, environmental destruction is evident which makes combat all the more fun. There is not much attack variety in the game but it still offers a decent combat experience. You can use combos alone or with your companions to make your attacks more damaging.

Boss battles seem more like anime than video games. Combat will be interrupted by dialogues and cut scenes. Mian quests are interesting because it offers a fun way to enjoy both the story and combat. Aside from the main battles, you will also have a chance to fight random enemies. Like other RPGs, random enemies can spawn during your exploration. The random enemy verity is quite limited in the game and does not offer good rewards. As I said earlier, the game does a terrible job of using the RPG elements.

The one thing that I like most about this game is the freedom of Combat. You can play to your heart content and where you see fit. You can fight in the sky, on land or on any surface you want. The inclusion of environmental damage makes combat all the more fun. You can choose different fighting styles that offer different combat. It can be defensive, offensive or balanced.

The Combination of Arena Fighter and Open-world is Unique

The animation and sound effects of combat are in complete sync with the game. Dragon Ball Z Kakarot open-world gameplay provides arena-style fighting in an open world environment. CyberConnect2 has done a good job of connecting two different types of games. The big battles in the game are fun but sometimes it can be harsh. You might want to scale down the difficulty once you proceed enough in the game. Keep an eye on the Ki meter during the game because it serves as the origin of power in the game just like the anime.

In the game, you can collect orbs to upgrade your characters. Collecting orbs is not that fun because it just takes too much time without offering interesting content. I mean all the quests that provide these orbs are extremely repetitive. You will need these orbs to make your character powerful so that you can fight stronger enemies. Even if you collect orbs through exploration then it will still be a retarded experience. As I said earlier, exploration and RPG elements of Dragon Ball Z Kakarot open-world gameplay are not that good. The game does a good job of remaking Dragon Ball world but fails at RPG elements.

Is it Your Type of Game?

Dragon Ball Z Kakarot is a good Dragon Ball game but overall it is just a normal game. It offers good character building and saga of the Dragon Ball universe. The game also explores the lore of the world along with the detailed world-building. Flying mechanics of the game are not that good but it does the job given the general status of the game. I mean flight mechanics are not as good as Anthem but rather ok.

There is filler like anime which helps in character building of the game. You will have a chance to experience the game through multiple characters but most of the time you will be playing with Goku. The animation and performance of characters are not good in cut scenes. The voice acting is also not that good. Dragon Ball Z Kakarot is not an excellent game but it is a good Dragon Ball game.

If you are a fan of Dragon Ball then this is defiantly the game for you. In case you want to try out a Dragon Ball game and want to know the story then it is still the game for you. If you are looking for an arena fighter and open world then it is still the game for you. However, if you are expecting Dragon Ball game with good RPG mechanics then you are in for a disappointment. This might also not be the game for players who are looking for an exceptional fighting game with good flight machines. In short, Dragon Ball Z Kakarot is the game for all Dragon Ball and Arena fighting game enthusiasts.