Release Date: June 10th, 2008 Publisher: (US, Canada) Atari, (Japan, Europe) Namco Bandai Developer: Dimps

As I sit down to review the newest installment of the DBZ fighting series, it occurs to me just how big of an impact the casual market has had on the video game world. I bring this up having played the previous installments and have found that in comparison, Burst Limit’s controls and gameplay have been…not dumbed-down…not streamlined…simplified. That’s the one. This is one of those make-or-break moments in a series where some of the old faithful might feel slighted as the game becomes more approachable to the average gamer. I suppose for the hardcore it’s like your mother forcing you to let your kid sister into you and your buddy’s tree fort.

Oooh, nice analogy. I am currently patting myself on the back for that one. Go me.

Anyways.

I’ll say right off the bat that the DBZ games always do an excellent job of recreating the look of the anime and Burst Limit is no different. The detail on the character models and backgrounds are sharp and accurate (I’ve always found the 3D interpretations of 2D characters to be creepy and unsettling but hey – whatever).

However the best aspect has always and will always be the special moves you use throughout the game. The next gen power flexes some surprising graphical muscle here. All those long, drawn out sentences that lead to galaxy-shattering uber moves will have your eyes as large as dinner plates as you attempt to take it all in – especially when you get into the transformations further down the storyline. Saiyan to Super-Saiyan still being my favorite.

Now as stated before, the gameplay is where things get sticky depending which camp your with. Newcomers will enjoy the fairly simple combos and ease of special moves – the aforementioned are only slightly more complicated than throwing a punch. For anyone having trouble with the timing (the only real challenge in the game), there is a tutorial section outside the Z-Chronicles and versus mode. Like most fighting games each character has the-same-but-different set of initial moves so once the tutorial gets you there the game is your oyster.

Hardcore fans of the series will most likely be irked by the above. But no shock there, yeah?

There are some aspects of Burst Limit that everyone can appreciate, though. The addition of the ‘Drama Piece’ being the most notable. A drama piece is a quick cutscene that can be triggered in combat. This cutscene can do things such as restore some health, call up the aid of a partner, or increase certain attributes. A couple plays through the one-player mode can unlock all the Drama Pieces, transformations, attacks and partners the game has to offer. Then you can equip them how you please to help form your own personal style of fighting throughout the game – very cool. That and the camera angles used during these pieces really immerse players into the game – making it feel closer to its anime counterpart – and I love that.

Then there are the things you’ve always loved about the series: a storyline that spans three sagas (Saiyan, Frieza and Cell), the twenty-one playable characters (even those cheeky little Saibamen) and the tight controls. As long as these are in place no one can fell all that alienated. As always the versus matches and online play are the real reasons for a purchase (the online leaderboards grade your performance during ranked matches and save the info to better match you in the future which is kinda neat). So either grab a friend or go out and make one because even though there are about 50 or so battles in the one player mode it won’t be enough to sustain you for too long.

So that’s pretty much it. Love it or hate it this is the new direction for the series. I can’t really say whether or not it was a good decision to alter the core mechanics as they have. I suppose only time will tell. So welcome all ye newbies to the fold and for the existing fans remember: just because your little sister is in the fort doesn’t mean you can’t toss a wad of gum in her hair.

God I rock.

Overall: 7.5 out of 10

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