Dragon Ball Xenoverse 2 Reviews
Dragon Ball Xenoverse 2 is among the best games to emerge from this beloved franchise.
Dragon Ball Xenoverse 2 does a decent job of capturing the spirit of the anime series, even if its component parts don’t quite gel all of the time. There’s a huge amount of content available to players, and you can spend hours battling and levelling up in the attractive world of the Super Saiyans, even if repetition does eventually begin to set in. Fans will be well served by the alternative take on scenes they know and love, though players of the original Xenoverse may well have a strong sense of déjà vu about the whole venture.
Fans of Dragon Ball can now play on the go with this good porting of Xenoverse 2.
Review in Italian | Read full review
Smoother combat and great multiplayer options make Xenoverse 2 worth a play for fans of the series.
In the end, Dragon Ball Xenoverse 2 ends up in an odd way. The combat, mechanics, and visuals are definitely better than its predecessor, as is Conton City and its myriad of quests.
Dragon Ball Xenoverse 2 is the ultimate fan experience. The game magically manages to retain the anime's epic feel, and faithfully recreates the fast-paced combat using surprisingly intricate fighting and character-development systems. If you’re a Dragon Ball fan, Xenoverse 2 is an awesome game.
With all of the side missions, skills to unlock, items to craft, hilarious side quests such as the milk delivery quests, Parallel Quests with co-op capability, offline and online matches, and not to mention the main missions, there is more than enough for players to sink their teeth into. It will feel padded to some, especially those who played the first game. Dimps undoubtedly forced in the RPG-grinding to lengthen the game and separate it from the Budokai games, which does it make more unique, and at the same time, a bit annoying for a title that is, at its core, a member of the fighting genre. Those who never picked up the first title will easily jump into Xenoverse 2 with amazement and wonder and love every minute of it. Those who already played the first game will appreciate the solid online mechanics, but won’t find much motivation in going through a main storyline that they’ve already done time and time again.
Dragon Ball: Xenoverse 2 builds on the foundation of the solid original, including its fusion (ha) of fighting and RPG elements while also adding a bigger hub and even more characters to its deep roster. The game can be a repetitive grind at times and the combat system can be a bit too simple for hardcore fighting-game purists. At the same time, the game’s RPG-style progression and social aspects continue the fresh take on the Dragon Ball formula that its predecessor started, which remains a nice change of pace for the series. Admittedly, the game won’t be for everybody but if you’re an avid Dragon Ball fan, feel free to add one point to my final score.
Dragon Ball Xenoverse 2 for Nintendo Switch is a totally serviceable port of the original game released on PS4/Xbox One/PC. Even if the game's visuals take a hit on Nintendo's console, the fact that you can now take Xenoverse 2 everywhere with you is a big plus. If you have the Switch, like Dragon Ball Z and missed Xenoverse 2's original release, you could do a lot worse than to give the game a shot.
Review in French | Read full review
The Switch version of the game doesn't really add much more to the Dragon Ball Xenoverse 2 experience that you wouldn't find on the original iteration of the game. There is some bonus content nestled deep in the Story mission that intrepid fans are going to really enjoy (access to the previous game's Story missions might make this an instant sale to some Dragon Ball nuts), but overall this version of the game performs worse and looks worse than the original releases.
DragonBall Xenoverse 2 is a game that is made for fans of the series. From the deep cuts in the lore, to the character customization options allowing players to create any DBZ character they would want, Xenoverse 2 offers fans the DBZ experience they have been wanting for years.
An exemplary slice of fan service once again, Dragon Ball Xenoverse 2 also succeeds in being a rewarding game that even non-DBZ fans will find enjoyable. Obviously, fans will lap up every last bit, even if the combat does persist in being a bit of a button-mashing exercise. That aside, DBX 2 is a marked improvement over its predecessor.
Ben received a physical copy of Dragon Ball Xenoverse 2 from Bandai Namco for review.
Coming to the end with my final thoughts on Dragon Ball Xenoverse 2. Dimps has created a sequel to Xenoverse that doesn’t quite feel like a massive advancement in the series, but there is no doubt that this is a larger and more improved experience.
Dragon Ball Xenoverse 2 for the Switch offers its own set of unique features, only available for the Nintendo Switch in order to make up for its lacking power.
Dragon Ball: Xenoverse 2 is the most ambitious and enjoyable Dragon Ball game to date, but it still has a way to go. The combat could be smoother and the loading screens leave a terrible impression. That being said, for hardcore Dragon Ball fans, this is a must-play filled with plenty of elements perfectly aimed at that sector. There's also an absolute ton to do here that will keep anyone busy for a long time to come and, as if that wasn't enough, Bandai Namco has already announced six months' worth of DLC, containing characters and stories from the recent (and superb) Dragon Ball Super. Look forward to getting hands-on with Goku Black and maybe even Super Saiyan Rose…
Dragon Ball: Xenoverse 2 is a pleasing improvement over the original. There are some welcome character additions, such as Turles and Zarbon, which flesh out some previously missing content, but it is a story, despite being set two years after the first game, that remains largely the same. However, the additions of some alternative battle conditions, such as having to search and protect the Dragon Balls, prevents every fight devolving into the same pattern. The PC version alleviates some issues with regards to the loading times, but then introduces others in the form of the sparse online community. Dragon Ball: Xenoverse 2 is a good fighter, but could do with some further training to become the elite warrior it should be.
While Dragon Ball Xenoverse 2 may be a better game than the original, it is by no means excellent. The story seems like an uninspired rehash, and the minimal roster changes makes it feel like a director's cut instead of a true sequel. On the PC in particular, the online community is practically extinct, and the game's semi-frequent crashes disappoint. If you're willing to put up with all that, you'll be treated to a game that feels like what the original should have been, and the fighting system is chaotic and fun. Provided this one does well, here's hoping that another sequel manages to get everything right.
Here’s the thing: if you like Dragon Ball Z, you are going to like this game. If you liked Dragon Ball Xenoverse, you are going to like Dragon Ball Xenoverse 2. The game can’t convert people who don’t like the Dragon Ball universe, but if you like it, this game is for you.
Fans of the original Xenoverse game were treated to the best DBZ experience in a long time, and while Dragon Ball: Xenoverse 2 is not a perfect game, the development team deserves kudos for understanding what worked well in the first game and building off of it.