Dragon Ball XenoVerse 2 Overview (PS5)

Nonetheless being up to date and nonetheless being performed by loads of folks, Dragon Ball XenoVerse 2 is a primary instance of Dragon Ball’s seemingly everlasting attraction. The fighting-RPG is sort of eight years previous, and has simply been handed one more shot within the arm by way of this native PS5 port. It is even getting a model new, four-part DLC saga over the approaching months. The longevity is just unbelievable.

When you’re unfamiliar with the XenoVerse pitch, you primarily play as your personal customized Dragon Ball character, who fights to revive corrupted timelines in franchise canon. This acts as the right excuse to replay iconic battles from the supply materials, all whereas a time-travelling story unravels within the background.

It is a enjoyable premise that ties neatly into Dragon Ball’s tone, however a mixture of slowly-paced plot factors and a few awkward, barely animated cutscenes maintain the storytelling again. Whereas it’s cool to see how varied timelines might twist if left untreated, the overarching narrative is not actually the primary draw of XenoVerse 2.

Certainly, it is the character development that’ll hold most gamers invested. It is a grindy sport, as you stage up your hero, distribute ability factors, purchase new assaults, and get your arms on stat-boosting tools. Every mission comes with its personal set of loot drops, and so that you’re inspired to retry quests again and again to get the gear that you just need.

And that is just about the crux of XenoVerse 2. Even simply the bottom sport — with none of its many DLC packs included — is totally large. When you’re completely new, the sheer quantity of stuff could be overwhelming, however as soon as you have settled into the grind, you may most likely be grateful that there is a seemingly unending provide of missions and subsequent rewards.

The one drawback with XenoVerse 2, right here in 2024, is that its core gameplay has by no means really developed. Sure, an increasing number of methods to improve and customise your character have been added over time, however the precise fight feels primary and a contact too finicky by at present’s requirements. Wailing on CPU opponents time and again with the identical previous combos and tremendous strikes will get repetitive lots ahead of you may assume, and with a lot content material to chew by way of, diving into this title as a newcomer is usually a very tall order.

XenoVerse 2’s excellent longevity have to be praised, and it is nonetheless a enjoyable sport to discover, however it may be tough to suggest. Elements of this time-travelling journey have not aged properly in any respect, and though the sport’s spectacular scope does counterbalance numerous its flaws, you’ll want to know that the core gameplay loop is an almighty grind — now greater than ever earlier than.