Living Out My 8 year old Weeaboo Dream in DragonBall Z: Xenoverse 2 (full+review)

 

Character Creation:

Before we can begin our fanboying over Dragonball, we have to do what every super fan does, we have to create an Original Character. for simplicity, i took my created character i made from when i was 10. a simple Sayajin named Nites, a character whose backstory and lore would rival Chris Chan in the phrase "OC do not steal". the creation system itself is a pretty easy and straight forward one, letting you choose pick your in-universe race, your height, weight and body, and muscular structure, once everything has been picked and settled, you're now ready for the world of Dragonball Z: Xenoverse 2. I also went ahead and put the sagas in order so its not just a rambling mess of fanboying.

Sayajin Saga:

The Xenoverse series of games is a perfect fit for any Dragon Ball fan. In Xenoverse 2, you get to create and customize your own unique character, then embark on various adventures while interacting with familiar faces from the beloved anime. However, Xenoverse 2 takes things in an intriguing direction. This game allows you to become part of the Time Patrol, who work to repair and preserve the timeline. The story is wonderfully self-referential and celebratory of the franchise's history, providing a fantastic atmosphere for your original character to train with the series' well-known figures. Such as Goku, Vegeta, Android 18 and so forth.

The narrative of the game can be considered its strong suit, as you get to immerse yourself in the world of Dragon Ball Z as your own custom character. You begin your journey as a member of the Time Patrol, who must venture through various points in the chronology, helping out the show's beloved protagonists to ensure that the canon events unfold as they should. Your adventures begin long before the introduction of Goku as you accompany Bardock in his struggle against Frieza, only to be suddenly transported to the distant future, where you catch a glimpse of the battle between Ultra Instinct Goku and Golden Frieza.

The story builds up quite dynamically, as it shifts from a distant past to an even further future, before taking us to the present timeline. Here, we play as our custom character, who is tasked with joining the Time Patrol by the Kai of Time, but is unexpectedly called upon by the Elder Kai to assist in completing time missions, which require us to travel to specific points in the chronology to ensure canon events occur accordingly. Here, we are partnered with various known heroes from the Dragon Ball Z universe in order to accomplish these important missions, creating a unique experience for the player.

During the Saiyan saga of the game, you will need to face Turles, who frequently interferes in your fight against Vegeta in the original storyline. However, in a unique turn of events, a mysterious hero will join the fray and help you out. After this encounter, Turles manages to escape, triggering a quest to track him down. During the search, you must continue to follow the Saiyan saga and assist Goku in his fight against Vegeta and Nappa. These events lead to some unexpected changes in the story, including Goku using Kaioken to defeat Vegeta while you confront Nappa, instead of Goku using it against Nappa before battling

The tides of the battle have turned, as Vegeta and Nappa have been infused with dark energy and morphed into a stronger version of The Great Ape. The Great Ape boss fight is an intense ordeal, made even more challenging by the opponents' newly acquired super armor. Despite the tough battle, however, the outcome remains the same as in the canonical storyline, as Yajirobe slices Vegeta's tail off, bringing an end to the battle. Back on Time Patrol HQ, Trunks and the mysterious hero meet with us to express their praises, commending our efforts and confirming the canonical outcome.

As Trunks provides some exposition, he explains that Time Patrol is currently understaffed, which has led to the Elder Kai seeking out individuals to assist with their mission of correcting disrupted timelines. We also learn about how evil doers are now invading from their proper points in the timeline and interfering with established canon, causing major problems. Cut to a scene of Turlis, Lord Slug, and the masked Saiyan, along with a mysterious duo, wreaking havoc in the city. After a brief bout, the five have a disagreement, with Lord Slug feeling used and the mysterious female providing the group with the Fruit of the Tree of Might.

The culmination of the first chapter, the Saiyan Saga, is a truly intense and engaging experience. Not satisfied with just ending it at Vegeta entering his escape pod and heading to Namek, they added extra scenes showcasing the power and capabilities of the villains and a glimpse of the expanded rogues gallery. With the added hero roster, the game has effectively expanded the world and possibilities, providing a more comprehensive overview of this compelling universe.

Through out the whole first chapter i was smiling ear to ear, i felt like i was reliving the escapism i used to do as a kid. I remember me and my brother John would rent anime vhs tapes together and sometimes they would be DragonBall Z movies, or wed watch them on toonami together, and id just sit and pretend that i was in the fight alongside the z-fighters. And in elementary school, my bestfriend Steven was also a huge Dragonball nerd, so wed talk about ocs, and whos oc was stronger (his was but mine as more awesome in casde you were curious.) and I felt happy to have this experience relived. 

Frieza Saga:

Now that we’ve finished the sayajin saga, we head to Namek. We find ourselves in the middle of the fight between krillin and gohan vs dedoria and Zarbon. Our interference causes a shift in the plot as lord slug to attack. The winds of Namek are laced with evil as we continue our quest to keep the timeline together when the wicked Namekians Lord tries to strike you down but you’re thankfully saved by Trunks. Another part of the timeline is saved but others are in danger as you continue your quest in the Namek saga. Meanwhile, Vegeta and Dedoria face off in battle, with Dedoria's powerful aura attracting unwanted attention and potentially altering the very timeline we're trying to preserve. When we return to headquarters, we get a glimpse of the mysterious Lord Slug and Turlis, revealing just how deep this new threat runs. Which is just a quick rundown in case you didn't watch tree of might or lord slug. 

We’re pulled back to Patrol hq once again, the segment isn't long, but it gives us a bit of background on the Kai of Time and her pet owl.  Informed that its eggs can create new timelines. But enough about the bird. its time to save the timeline. There’s work to be done as we dig further into the timeline to see how far messed up slug made it. Some of the most horrific changes have been made. The thing of nightmares like what if Instead of Goku, Ginyu took control of Vegeta's body. And even worse, Turlis aiding Ginyu and his force by providing them a fruit from the tree of night.  And even worse. Ginyu takes control of trunks body.

The whole situation leaves trunks embarrassed as he reveals that while he was on the search for Towa, Ginyu surprised him and took his body. giving him the element of surprise against the fight with Goku. but now the timeline is completely altered because it was supposed to be Ginyu vs Goku as Ginyu forced himself to swap bodies taking control of Goku. but he much like I must solider on in our fight to save the timeline as Trunks, Goku, and i must team up to defeat the evil Jeice and captain Ginyu, 

Defeating Captain Ginyu as Trunks isn't a difficult task; in fact, it might be too easy. And of course, that was the plan all along, as Turlis grabs Goku from behind and allows Ginyu to swap their bodies, allowing Trunks to emerge victorious and setting the timeline back on its canonical course. As the fight unfolds exactly as it did, Ginyu attempts to swap bodies with me, only to have his plans foiled when Goku tosses a frog between them, preventing Ginyu from completing the swap. In the end, everything is set upright once again, restoring a bit of the proper timeline.

but the timeline isn't fully fixed yet as there's still much of the Frieza Saga left to fix, as were pulled out of the past and back to the future as we have to discuss trunk's folly as well as what i as the protagonist must do to reach higher up in the ranks as a patrolman. Throughout the plot we learn quickly the two mystery villains' names are Mira and Towa, two powerful monsters who have tried to disrupt the timeline before. Trunks laments his folly with Towa, as he and the hero of the city chase after him letting us be the patrolman the city needs but not the one it deserves.

Continuing our journey through the Namek saga, we must fight against Dark Energy Frieza in order to protect Dende as the Kai of Time research how to defeat the evil duo of Towa and Mira. This battle will be a difficult one, as we follow in Nail on his desperate Death March to keep Dende safe. As the fight progresses, we also learn that Turlis and Lord Slug have obtained the Dragon Balls, which could spell trouble for our efforts to restore the canonical timeline. As we delve deeper into the story, we learn that Turlis has indeed gained possession of the Dragon Balls and intends to double-cross Mira and Towa, a plan that is sure to anger Lord Slug as he had similar intentions. Taking advantage of their infighting, we manage to tip the scales in our favor and emerge victorious.The epic battle between Turlis and Lord Slug proved to be a formidable challenge, with Mira and Towa's power amplifying the duo, making them seem unstoppable. Just when all seemed lost, a surprising assist arrived from the shadows when Trunks entered the scene, leveling the odds in our favor. Trunks, Goku and I continue to stand up to the galactic tyrant. A with a powerful Ki-blast from we were able to vanquish Turlis and Lord Slug, but the challenges had only just begun. With the need to maintain canonical events, we must now prepare for one of our most significant tests yet - facing off against the almighty Lord Frieza himself.

The battle with Frieza is tough as he’s powered with the dark energy from Towa and Mira. Everyone is bartered and beaten as we keep frieza away but it’s not enough. But as it happened in the story a hero arrived as Goku comes help. Goku and I do our best to defeat Frieza but the tyrant is stronger. The battle continues as it happened in the canon events, as we stall for time to let Goku charge his spirit bomb. The spirit bomb is sent to Frieza , but it's still not enough. Frieza smirks as the canon events happen again. as we watch Frieza slaughter Piccolo and Krillin.  Angered by this event, Goku looks at Frieza as his energy explodes and Goku becomes The Legendary Super Sayajin

Our relentless attack on Frieza continued, undeterred by the powerful Death Ball he unleashed upon planet Namek. However, things take a turn for the worse when Cooler arrives on the scene, Cooler's addition to the fight confueses everyone at Time Patrol. But non the less we must continue to battle. As the fierce duo relentlessly attack and transform to their final forms, unleashing everything they have against us. In the midst of the intense battle, the Kais summon the mighty Porunga, the dragon of Namek, providing us with a much needed distraction that allows us to deliver the final blows against Cooler and Frieza, saving the planet and restoring the canonical timeline.

(Side note: now that we beat Frieza and cooler, we have access to them as instructors. And can join the Frieza force. Now that we learn from the fall of Frieza's galactic empire)

This chapter possesses an ideal balance of drama, humor, action, and suspense. Despite being a retelling of the Frieza Saga, the original content introduced by the Time Patrol enhances the story, leaving me with a sense of nostalgia while also providing new twists and turns. When my OC stood beside Goku as he unleashed the Spirit Bomb, I felt the same excitement that I had when I was a child. A touching and enjoyable experience that kept me beaming from ear to ear. Though we toppled the galactic empire, the story isn't over yet, as there's still much to do and timelines to save as much like Goku have to fight for the future and every living being as we stop the Android attack as we enter the cell saga.

Android/Cell saga:

The cell saga skips past the androids destroying the city and straight to cell as he absorbs the androids at the same time. As he transforms into perfect cell, the familiar dark aura engulfs him too, this revelation terrified trunks because he had to do it one at a time; staring with 17 then 18. Trunks details to the elder kai how the events went. Saying that cell saw what vegeta did and wanted to perfext himself further as a taunt. But now that doesn’t happen Implying that now that he’s implies that because the absorbing them was so soon. That there might not be a cell games. 

Elder Kai advises Trunks that due to his increasing strength, the mere presence of his power may spark Cell to initiate the Cell Games. Desiring a future and Gohan's survival, Trunks sends us back in time to before the absorption of Android 17. Upon arriving, we witness 17 shrouded by the recognizable Dark Purple Aura of Evil that Cell exudes in his larval form. Battling 17 and attempting to avoid being absorbed, the android quickly tires of failing to defeat Goku and taunts Cell, leading to his ultimate absorption. With the restoration of the canonical timeline accomplished for now, the question rises: for how long will it remain as it

Following our latest expedition, we arrive at the Patrol HQ to discuss the findings. The Kai of Time expresses concern regarding the lack of appearances from Towa and Mira, and their potential threat remains as a looming danger. Not fazed, Trunks moves to downplay the severity of the situation. However, it appears that Mira is back on the scene and ready to take over the Cell Games event. With time now of the essence, we must return to the Cell Games once more to counteract Mira's plans and protect the canonical timeline. of Mira is looming over the cell games as he's now In in full control over whats happening, he doesnt need to control the events with his parther's magic but with his powerful aura as we have to stop him from changing the results of the cell games by existing in it

Mira's battle proves to be a significant challenge as we strive to prevent him from interfering with the Cell Games. After a long-drawn-out struggle, we finally manage to bring Mira to the ropes, but Towa's sudden involvement halts our progress. To prevent a potential predestination paradox from occurring, Trunks is forced to vacate the battlefield, leaving the future of our timeline in his hands.

As we strive to save the timeline, Trunks departs to tackle a new threat. Cell unleashes his Cell Jr. spawn, which we are now tasked with stopping. Empowered by Towa and Mira's Dark Energy, the spawn mimic their father Cell, creating a formidable challenge for our team. The Cell Games are briefly glossed over, as the focus shifts to Android 16 imparting a critical lesson to Gohan, telling him that fighting for justice is more important that fighting for yourself. that fighting for a just cause is what saves the world. We manage to stop Cell and his children, but a sinister group waits in the shadows: the brutal Metal Coolers and his army of robotic Metal Coolers pour through the rift, ready to wreak havoc on our world.

The canon as we know it has been thrown out for a far darker more sinister plot. As we fend off the metal coolers we have choice but to ensure the safety of the timeline, as we enter the portal coolers army of coolers opened and step into the plot of coolers revenge. The coolers keep coming off waves of him seemingly endless fighting. But trunks lands in to assist telling us and cooler that he has a plan. And at some point in time he rigged the big Geti star to explode.

After an grueling and destructive battle against the onslaught of Metal Coolers, our victory is finally sealed as the planet and the enemy detonate, permanently ending the madness. Reverting to the canonical timeline, we arrive at the climax of the Cell Saga, as Cell is still buoyed by Towa's magic and Gohan stands off against him. With the power of Goku and the Father-Son Kamehameha, Gohan successfully vanquishes Cell, restoring the timeline and settling the canon plot once and for all.The celebration in HQ commences as we triumphantly return from the battlefield and recount our victory over the deadly Metal Coolers. However, among the joyful festivities, the crew offers a few good-natured jests at Trunks' expense, a fun way to lighten up the mood. Our attention now turns to a fresh challenge: continuing our quest to eliminate Towa and Mira while keeping the timeline in its correct position. With a new saga starting, the buu saga is finally upon us, bringing with it unprecedented dangers and exciting adventures.

However, I’m a little upset that we skipped to the cell part of the saga, the androids are a very fun and chaotic duo with a lot of fun you can have like if Towas magic engulfed 18 before Krillin destroyed the detonator. Or even could do the history of trunks story but with an engulfed androids. The parallel quests do some stuff with the androids, but it’s just defeat them and alike. Nothing story wise. There’s a lot to work with but they didn’t and it’s a little disappointing but it’s still an intense fun story. However, the ending to the chapter is the closest thing we get to it, while it’s not the main timeline, we do get something similar as we see trunks sulking in the time vault, lamenting over the timeline he couldn’t save, the world he couldn’t save, the future destroyed by the androids as we enter the timeline and world of history of trunks. 

so, lets queue those Linkin Park Dragonball Z amvs as we finish the chapter as we fix the history of Trunks. Trunks's past is rife with anguish, especially when he recalls the desolate future where the androids have conquered and left behind only sadness and pain. In this bleak future, not even Goku, the mightiest of fighters, managed to withstand the onslaught. The pressure now falls upon Gohan's young shoulders to carry on the legacy of heroism and to preserve the cherished virtue of never giving up. It's his turn now, he will have to learn what it means to be a hero. 

History Of Trunks:

As we have so many times before we enter mid battle, as androids 17 and 18 are wrecking havoc even taunting adult gohan about the fact he’s alone before they part with gohan a gift, a dark energy enduced Android 16. Android 16 alone is a threat to this timeline but him being assisted by towa and Mira is a problem, we quickly assist gohan in his quest to dismantle Android 16, but as we land the finishing blow a familiar spectre returns, Mira joins the fight, he’s stronger than last time as he takes gohan and i on. As we do the altered timeline becomes more altered as we fight Mira.

As Mira's taunts continue, Trunks grows increasingly furious. In a breaking of the Time Patrol's rules, he eventually leaps back to his original timeline and assists Gohan in battling the ruthless foe. After Mira retreats, Gohan acknowledges the presence of a time-defying warrior, remarking on Trunks's legacy of greatness. However, Trunks has no choice but to halt his efforts and return to HQ, his sadness overwhelming. As Gohan begins the final march to his doom, Trunks grieves for the fallen hero. A brother, a mentor, Gohan will always be the spirit of virtue in a wasteland, Gohan will always be his bright in the darkness, and that will always fuel him to keep the timeline, and the world safe. 

However, the pain, the trauma, the nightmares are still going to be revisited as we learn Android 16 is still in the timeline destroying everything looking for his new target, not goku, but trunks. As we quickly aid trunks a second warrior comes to stop us, perfect cell. It seems we’re at the complete end of the cell saga proper as travel back to the main timeline and catch trunks rewatching the events of gohans death. Over and over again 

It’s a somber scene and reminds me of the comic series heroes in crisis from dc, where lagoon boy relives his death over and over again, a bitter and destructive form of coping. It’s a sad parallel but one that can’t to mind, that some wounds never closed our, and it doesn’t matter how much bandages you put on; nor how much self care you use, it’ll always be there; reminding us that not every victory is a. Defeating of victory, but an experience that never goes away, that even heroes; the champions of good we see them as, have dark moments too. 

I know it's just pulling at straws, but trunks' character resonates with me. As a person whose trauma exists, especially as a man were not told to deal with them. so, a lot of men do something to reopen that wound, like read old emails, look at old photos, or even just wonder what could have been. We like to pretend that we could just change things if we had a time machine, but we can't, we know we can't, but we pretend that we can. Trunks... he's a man pulled from time, a man with a lot of traumas to deal with, and the show or manga never really delve into it, mainly because the only time after the androids we see future trunks is a different timeline or a different person entirely. but im really glad that Xenoverse is delving deep into Trunks the man and were seeing how he works as a man and not just a cool sword dude that exists for beefcake for the ladies. I felt my cheshire smile fade a bit, and I felt seen, seen by a piece of fiction that exists to be entertainment. And its a bittersweet pill to swallow. 

But enough of that serious talk.. let’s fight the pink manbaby!

Buu Saga:

Before we can lay the smackdown on Big, Pink and evil, we need a quick detour occurs as the supreme kai of time informs us that her owl, Tokitoki, has laid an egg. Our lovable pink Kai states that its eggs are capable of creating an entirely new timeline. The kai of time wants to celebrate this remarkable occasion, much to Trunks's dismay. However, this joy is quickly curtailed as we discover that Towa, Mira, and the mysterious masked Saiyan have amassed a formidable force, including Janemba and Brolly 

While Towa is happy in her conquest, but Mira is angry that he sees himself weak, mentioning that I, as well as the masked sayajin are stronger than him. Towa snaps mira out of his funk stating that it’s time to enact their planned conquest, the scene ends with us cutting into the buu saga proper as we see the fight between goku and majin vegeta. In the canon timeline this is where vegeta knocks goku out and gives his speech right before trying and failing to kill majin buu, but the timeline has been greatly altered when the legendary super sayajin, the devil himself, Brolly appears. He’s enraged at the sight of goku and it’s up to us to stop him and help vegeta on his quest for redemption and glory. 

Having put a stop to Broly's chaos, we get to see Vegeta's emotional farewell to Goten and Trunks. With a quick embrace, he knocks them both unconscious. Then, Vegeta transforms back into his true self, a family man and a loyal friend. Filled with regret and sorrow, he gives Majin Buu and himself a swift and painless death via Final Explosion. We cut back to the time patrol hq to find trunks watching the scroll after we fixed the timeline.. The pain in Trunks' heart is palpable as he watches his father die a hero after watching gohan.. his friend and hero die, knowing that he is powerless to stop it. That its a canon event and it has to happen. It's heartbreaking to see him go through this again, to see the aftermath of a tragedy that he couldn't prevent. but time is of the essence, (heh). 

Without a moment to pause for mourning because we didnt get to fix the timeline completely and Buu survived final explosion, which happened in the correct timeline, but something is off. But, we must take on Buu's rampage immediately. We quickly learn why the timeline isnt fixed, he's been granted new power to him by Mira and Towa, and he's proving to be a dangerous force to be reckoned with. We split into 2 groups. Trunks goes after Mira, we correct the timeline by fighting Buu. We act swiftly, re-entering the past during the fight against Super Buu and Gotenks and Piccolo in the time chamber.  It much like in the canon timeline is a quick fight however. As the plot progresses, we continue to the epic battle between Gohan and Super Buu, skipping to when they clash. Despite the fanbase calling Gohan weak in this arch.. He's pretty powerful. 

The fight with Super buu goes as planned, Gohan and I lay into him, but the timeline has been altered too dramatically as we're hit with a heavy blow. Brolly has been brought into the timeline, not only is he a powerful threat on his own, hes been enhanced by Mira and Towa, increasing his power level to newer heights. I wont lie, the fight with Brolly was extremely hard, but we powered through, clashing and smashing into the hulking super sayajin. But Brolly might be the devil, but were a devil buster as we defeat him. But were not done fixing this timeline yet, as were dragged quite literally into hell. Dragonball has a few different layers of hell. one with flowing Lava and demonic strong men tell you to be nice to eachother, and a third hell. one where everything is a floating colorful rock thing. i originally called it purgatory in my review of Fusion reborn. 

Speaking of Fusion Reborn. Were met with Mira and Towa's last resort of movie characters as Jinemba attacks. after we dodge his attack, we look to see Trunks laying on the ground injured. as we fight against the fiendish fusion, were given an unlikely aid. Vegeta fresh from the judgement line after his final explosion attacks Jinemba, shooting him with a gigantic ki blast vanishing Jinemba into dust, the buu saga timeline now completely secure and unaltered we disapear before vegeta can thank us for helping him making him believe he was seeing things.  

As the Buu Saga plays out, I can't help but feel like a kid again, playing with action figures with my best friend. The absence of angst and sadness from the Android/Cell Saga makes for a much more pleasurable experience. Everything from the original story makes sense, and the added moments feel fun and exciting. It's like I'm smashing my action figures together and reliving the glory days of my childhood. But the saga isn't over yet. There's still one more issue to address - the future. We need to learn from the events of the past and use that knowledge to tackle the challenges ahead. Speaking of Challenges, without movie villains to mess with the timeline, whats Mira and Towa's next big scheme? Easy, super charge Buu a third time, this time its Kid Buu.

As we re-enter the Buu Arch's timeline we see a scene of Goku gathering Energy for his spirit bomb, a technique that has worked 0 times, but with it being the only move he has left, and our only option to defeat Buu once and for all. the fight with buu is 0 thrills as buu throws out his best moves, its up to me. the ghost of vegeta and mr. satan to slow him down. during the fight, Mr. Satan and Vegeta call out to every single living being in the world, asking, pleeding the citizens of earth to give goku their energy as we lay into buu. and thats when it happens. the scene that will book end the arch. everyone on the planet earth gives goku their energy, millions if not billions of lives on earth go into one attack. and Goku does it. he throws his Spirit Bomb at Buu, ending Kid buu's terror on earth once and for all. 

With the timeline successfully fixed, the kai of time urges us to return to headquarters, but Trunks calls out to us with an urgent message. He's found Mira and Towa's right-hand man, the Masked Saiyan, who's right behind us. We quickly give chase, but he jumps timelines, this time not into the past, but into the current future, where we witness the destruction that occurs when gods clash. As the battle of the gods rages on, we realize that our work is not yet done, and the future still needs our help. 

(side note: theres a dumb and cute sidequest where you feed bu, and the more you feed him he starts to have children, so you basically save the Majin race and its cute. the baby buus give you items you can sell to buy more food thus a cycle, the buus also evolve into different color majins and give you stuff, after a while that side quest ends with buu being a family man like mr.satan. you love to see it)

Battle of the gods arch. 

The Battle of the Gods arc doesn't ease us in, as we crash in on the middle of the epic fight between Goku and Beerus, much to Beerus's annoyance. The Masked Saiyan poses grandly before the battle as we challenge him. The Masked Saiyan proves to be an easy target as we break his mask and reveal the obvious, The Masked Sayajin is Bardock

. but villains never work alone, as Mira steps in to help him. Beerus growls in frustration as he threatens to destroy the entire universe over this small inconvenience, but the kais have anticipated this and send him a box of pudding as a peace offering to pacify the enraged purple cat man. Mira and Bardock use these distractions to escape.

Unfortunately, the pudding turned out to be disgusting, causing Goku to fall ill and angering Beerus even further. His rage becomes too much even for Whis's control, and the only way we can calm the god down is through a fight. Fighting and surviving Beerus's anger is tough, but we pull through. Although we don't achieve Super Saiyan God form out of it, we manage to calm the angry cat god's soul, which is a plus. Following our victory in the head to head fight, we tease the Kai of Time about her cooking and how bad the pudding was. After a good laugh we regroup and plan our strategy against Mira and Towa.

Victory against Beerus's fierce Feline fury is sweet but short-lived as we move on to our next challenge: resurrecting the Emperor of destruction, Frieza, and facing off against him in an epic battle. With the fate of the entire universe hanging in the balance, we must summon our greatest strength and wits to win this decisive war and restore peace to the multiverse.

Resurrection F:

As we draw closer to the end of our current timeline, a more recent event awaits us: the resurrection of the galactic tyrant lord Frieza. As the energy from the Demon Realm is being drained by Towa, we realize that she is collecting enough power to convert half the universe into evil. The parts are all coming together after learning Towa's master plan because to make matters worse, Trunks's partner and the hero of the city is missing making us severally out gunned. Without their help, we're not sure we can stop this threat before its to late. 

With no time to plan or dawdle, we have to save the Super timeline immediately, learning of Frieza's invasion with a squadron of powerful and terrifying Frieza Force members. As each member has been empowered by Towa's evil magic, they are an overwhelming force for the Z-fighters. With Goku and Vegeta off-world training with Whis and Beerus, our last hope is on Jaco and I as we step in to fight, but the battle is a simple one. Even with the extra power granted by Towa, the Frieza Force squad is no match for us

Taking on bewitched bad guy is more fun than it sounds. With every moment of fighting, he throws out some kind of snarky comment, but he's not here to banter. He's here to conquer and destroy. As he reveals his new, gold form, the sky darkens and the world forebodes the arrival of a terrible threat. Luckily, we're not alone and are aided by the new and empowered Super Saiyan God Goku with blue hair. Yet another twist occurs as Metal Cooler assists his brat of a younger brother, turning the tides once more. Thankfully, Vegeta comes to our aid and turns the situation into a 3 on 2 match up. The odds are changing all over the place, keeping us on our toes and the suspense high. We continue to take down the mechanical tyrant and manage to put the timeline back on track. Its a small victory, not a full fix but a course correction. We're suddenly pulled out of the timeline and back into the Scroll Vault. The Kai of Time appears before us and reveals a new threat that we'll need to face to complete the quest and restore the timeline to its correct path.

The canonical events and the altered timeline have merged, creating something entirely new. Frieza, desperate to gain the upper hand over the Saiyans, blows up Earth as a last-ditch effort. But Towa and Mira have already planned ahead, hijacking the Vault of Time and using a devious trick to lure Beerus and Whis to the Time Patrol HQ. With no Whis and Beerus to rewind time and offer a second chance to the heroes, the timeline has been permanently altered. Luckily, the enemy of my enemy is my friend, and Beerus and Whis join the search for Towa and Mira, at least temporarily. 

Thankfully, Whis is kind enough to enter the altered timeline and re-wind time similarly to how he did in the canon events giving us a chance to fight off Frieza and Cooler right as towa blesses them with power.. As we beat down Cooler and Frieza with the help of Vegeta and Goku. goku and vegeta thanking me; goku even comments on how this feels like he’s seen us, and I’m not permanently 8 years old, goku is my friend and we’re defeating frieza it’s perfect. Whis and Beerus thank us for the help. but leave.. well after bullying the kai of time some more first. Finishing up the canonical events, now its time to enter the world of Original storyline and fanfiction as we defeat Towa and Mira and Close the book on xenoverse 2.  

As a huge fan of Dragon Ball Z, I was ecstatic to be able to play from the Saiyan Saga through the end of Resurrection F. In my head, young me would have been thrilled to see Vegeta and Goku team up with our OC to take down Cooler and Frieza. I said to myself. "8 year old me would have be dying right now". It made me think of all the nights I spent playing Budokai 2 and 3 with my best friend. My OC I created was a reflection of myself and how I saw the world. Looking back, I had the biggest smile on my face after defeating Golden Frieza, especially when I realized that it was me, my character, who did it. It made me ponder

This is the end of a 3 part review, part 1 and part 2 are here for you to read to catch up. So far, we've been through hell and back as we fought against the likes of Frieza, Cell and Majin Buu and their dark ally's to save and fix the timeline to its true form. but now, we have to end this, and fix the timeline as a whole, to save the universe and every iteration and form.  I dont just feel like an 8 year old fan watching this on Toonami, i feel like a fan of the series living out every daydream and fanfiction we've ever written. And im absolutely loving it. 

story: 

The duel with Whis is a riveting one. His might is comparable to Broly's, but his quickness and nimbleness are remarkable, perpetually a pace ahead of us. However, we manage to outsmart him utilizing our combos and Instant Transmission. After Beerus and Whis depart, the Supreme Kai of Time recognizes that Towa and Mira are out of alternatives - they have deployed every formidable movie and canonical villain against us, and we have triumphed in every instance. This realization is both reassurance and a call to action, confirming that we are nearing the end of this epic story. Though it is somewhat out of character for Beerus to be so nonchalant, it is a welcome change.As we continue our quest, we devise a plan to obtain information about Mira and Towa, zeroing in on their most susceptible piece. On the assumption that Bardock is under hypnosis, our course through time should be smooth. Thus, we swiftly travel back to the conclusion of Planet Vegeta, only to see Bardock whisked away by Mira and Towa.

Speaking of Mira and Towa as we see what kind of timeline was created, Mira challenged us, with Towa is a newly masked Bardock. Towa floats to trunks about her plan, to merge the demon realm with the timeline, controlling the world. Mira joins in the battle against us, evening the odds for evil, but we thankfully prevail, our skills freeing Bardock, but this was Towa's plan. As she opens a wormhole to the demon realm, pulling us inside. As we sink into the darkness a powerful ki-blast hits us, freeing us. Mira and towa are baffled by how we could have gotten free when they look over and see Bardock, and he’s pissed.

In the sudden turnaround, Bardock seizes Mira and leads him beneath the wormhole, sending both of them into the darkness. 

Towa escapes unscathed, however, and resorts to her trump card: mind controlling the heroine of the city, much as she did with Bardock. We're forced to fight the heroine. The bout is a short lived one, as we break the device used to mind control the heroine. but before we can do anything to save her, shes also pulled away with Towa, vanishing into the dust. the scene is a harsh reality, showing what Towa's powers are in full, and showing us how desperate Towa is to win this war between her and us. We go back to Hq with a sour, bitter sweet victory. 

Upon our return to HQ, things have taken a turn for the worse. The heroine has vanished without a trace, and Trunks now remembers only working alongside us. To make matters worse, the scrolls detailing the timelines have been amended en masse, with critical information slipping away by the second. And the biggest part of it, is missing memories now, everything being re-written upon Towa's command. One of the biggest memories removed due to the wish is the heroine of the city. 

All of Towa's cards are on the table now, as The heroine of the city, Trunk's partner, and our own hero, is all but forgotten. Trunks nor the Kai's remember who she is, even claiming that we were Trunks' partner the whole time. Which is a bitter sweet blow to the gut, because 8 year old me is screaming, were now not only working to save the world and universe from evil with Trunks, we are now his bestfriend and partner. But his true partner is missing and forgotten, and were just replacing her in the timeline. 8 year old me would never have wanted that, hell 30 year old me doesnt want it either. We eagerly attempt to restore the timeline, enlisting the aid of mighty Shenron. But this was the plot the whole time, Because Towa jumps into the fray, and cast a spell, corrupting Shenron and sealing the Dragon Balls. But we thankfully push Towa and her influence back. 

We can thankfully breathe easy a bit as we return back to hq. The Kais and Trunks decide its time to strike Towa down permanently, as we discuss Towa walks back into hq, showing that time has reset, Towa has swiped the egg from TokiToki the owl, subsequently deploying her magic to revive Mira, who promptly vanquishes Trunks and nearly kills us as well. The heroine of the city, however, reemerges and rescues us in our direst of straits. We turn to her in gratitude as she informs us that her power has restored the timeline. With this newfound knowledge, we set off with her in tow, hot on the trail of Towa and Mira as they retreat to their demonic domain. And in front of us, is an enhanced empowered Mira ready to conquer.

 Mira, whose lust for power has been fueled by Towa's dark energy and driven him to monstrous heights. We try our best to settle the fight, as we try to defeat Mira, but, In his transformed state, Mira seizes Towa by the neck and steals Toki's egg, he gives us a devilish smirk, as he absorbs her and Toki's egg, 

the transformation is a very terrifyingly good design. a mixture of the devil and frankenstien, his body covered in white fur and adorned in the bottom part of Towa's witch like clothing. instead of his robotic armor. his top half is just muscles, his pecks rippling as Towa's symbol appears on his pecks. He's no longer anyone's toy, he's a beast of a monster ready to conquer, ready for combat. 

Mira now floats toward us, his new form exuding a menacing aura. With his enhanced abilities, it doesn't take long for him to unleash a powerful attack. Yet, as hope seems to dwindle, a familiar face emerges: Son Goku. Goku's intervention changes the tide of the battle.

Mira's new form exudes a sinister aura as he slowly approaches, releasing a potent blast. We try to block the blast, but its too powerful, before the blast can defeat us. Hope quickly intervenes, calling upon a familiar face - Son Goku for assistance. Goku's aid pivots the course of battle. Goku gives us a hopeful smile, as he and I fight Mira back. Mira's power, speed, and stamina are staggering, making the fight an uphill climb. Nonetheless, Goku employs the super Dragon Fist, enabling the use of Kamehameha and defeating Mira, eradicating both him and Towa's soul and ultimately sending them back to the demon realm.

The battle is finally over and we can breathe easily, as we get a last scene as we watch toki’s egg hatch; a new universe birthed within. Goku wishes for a universe with great fighters, as credits role, I felt like I did at the beginning of this journey, I felt like a kid again, pretending that I was in the world of dragon ball z, pretending that I and goku along side the z fighters would defeat the bad guys and save the day, being able to have that kind of power to stop bad guys, save lives. It was a fun thing to pretend. And xenoverse as a whole series let me do that. And I’m thankful for it. To see worlds I grew up on and to be canon to them was a dream I probably never would have gotten if it wasn’t for the series. So even just for this long winded blog. I’m happy for it.

 

Review:

The Good:  

The game controls exceptionally proficiently, the combat streamlined and the animations impeccable. However, when getting a close-up view, one can see that characters aren't precisely aligned with an object, implying a detailed construction.

Dragon Ball's story is both gratifying and entertaining, celebrating the franchise's past and present. The narrative's center on an original character adds to the self-satisfaction, allowing players to assist Goku in saving the day.

the bad:

The Dragon Ball quests may become monotonous, as engaging an array of foes and gathering the Dragon Balls proves to be a straightforward task. Especially, since its easier to just fight everyone first, but if you're trying to z-rank it, its a little much. And some of the story could have used one more once over, because Beerus just kind of leaves. after threatening to fight Towa himself. 

The implemented microtransactions and the multitude of currencies are rather infuriating, especially when it's been several years since the game's release. Dealing with Bojack's training demands can be a hassle, exacerbated by the presence of three different in-game currencies and incessant requests for micro-transactions.

Brevity and ethics: I have no affiliation with Dragonball as a series, im just a turbo nerd.

copyright: Dragonball, Dragonball Z, And Sragonball Super are all property of Bandai, Namco, Toei, Sueisha and Akira Toriyama

buy the game here