"Dragon Ball Z: Kakarot" Official Discussion Thread

[Questrider]

Since we have to evaluate how the story is told in the game, Kakarot's story mode is probably the best retelling of the original manga ever made in a DB game. Much of the retelling in DB games (which focus on the history of Z, movies, or GT) is mediocre, bad, or basic, focusing just on the main battles. One of the best story modes among DB games is DBZ BT2, and the game was released over 10 years ago, which shows that there are not many games in the series that retell the story in a good way. So if Kakarot was proposing to reproduce this story, then it had to be good. And well, the pace is good, the boss battles are fun, the exploration is great (it's a semi open world but the places are big, they have life and they are beautiful) and in fact can reproduce almost every single one important moment in history ( as well as everyday moments and moments outside the great battles).

Combat is fun, entertaining and fluid. It's simple but there is some deepening in it and it manages to stay that way throughout the game, especially with unlockable upgrades and super attacks. To say that combat is bad because it doesn't look like FighterZ doesn't make sense because they are totally different styles (DBFZ is literally focused on that).

The mechanics are interesting, some people may think that the RPG aspects are a bit useless but they are creative and offer different ways to improve the character.

The graphics are great. The facial expressions and models of the characters are strange at times, but they are beautiful even in-game. And the cutscenes are some of the best ever made in DB games

I'm going to chime in. Personally, I couldn't care less about story telling. After all, we all know Dragon Ball's story. That's not a selling point for me. But fair enough.

About gameplay and graphics; let's be honest here. This game could have come out in 2008. The graphics are nothing amazing, the are very PS3ish. And well, gameplay is as subjective as it gets. I find it simple to the point of being extremely redundant. That it is an "RPG" doesn't have to limit anything. FFXV fighting mechanics are incredible and this doesn't even come close to what that was. And that has nothing to do with budget.

I'm not bashing on your opinion or anything, I'm simply not sold on the game. I've played it, finished it and will probably never play it again.

I see many good ideas out there, but they were thrown into a game without being polished.
In the end, Dragon Ball games will always sell well with the right marketing strategy and this is probably the most ambitious type of game we will be getting ever.

Hopefully they can build on it, because there interesting things. But those 8/10 and 9/10 ratings are unrealistic.

I love Dragonball. But personally, the story wasn't a selling point for me either. It looks great in my opinion but I'm here for the actual GAMEPLAY and COMBAT. Let's not forget this is a GAME, not a YouTube video consolidating a 9 season series.

The combat? It's not great. Let's just be honest here. And I think that stings even MORE because the super attacks and the things you CAN do, do in fact look great.

This is a great retelling of DBZ. But is it a great game? No.

With deeper combat, a few more game modes for a meatier post game could have made it SO.
Adding "Super" will be great, I'm all for it but once it's done, where is the replayability? About as absent as the uncompelling combat.

[Koitsukai]

I killed Cell, finally. Overall I enjoyed this arc, it lacks a lot of things (Goku giving Cell a senzu, Goku's Instant KHH, Broly Trunks vs Cell), others look rushed (Big Bang Attack's cutscene was too short). But I can get over all that because the fighting mechanics worked wonders for me.

The ki-absorbing androids gave me a run for my money with their particular gimmicks, the stronger androids made me curse a lot because 18 can easily deplete your HP with a couple of her attacks. 1st form Cell was also a bitch because of his absorption skill, the fights that keep rebooting the CPU's HP and lowering mine were unfair, realistic and made me work for the win.

I loved the ROSAT and that machine 21 built Vegeta. I went crazy being able to play as Super Vegeta. I don't remember owning many games having this form, XV doesn't while having 200 characters. The fight vs 2nd form Cell was great too, I stomped him like in the show. Fighting the Cell Jrs was awesome, I really felt that threat and fighting as a team with SS Vegeta and SS Trunks left me with a M7's taste in my mouth. As SS2 Gohan I felt like a god, breaking Cell's defense and super attacking him afterwards unlocked some really cool cinematics.


Ginger Town becoming a ghost town is also fantastic, I never expected something like that, shirts and pants laying around, damn, I didn't know I needed that so much. Kami's place, Kaiosama's planet(although nothing to do but run, not even train), Karin Tower, those places are amazingly done. Where 18 fought Vegeta, though still looks weird, like half looks like where Broly fought Goten and Trunks and the other half like the bit from the android saga.
Too bad the loading screen take so much time, some missions have you going from Kame House to West City just to talk to someone, and with so much loading screens it can be a little tedious.

My problem is with the Cell Games, Goku and Cell could've used a cutscene with the IT KHH, only if it was just to extend the fight a little bit. No Cell regeneration scene was included, so maybe they were just avoiding to animate that?
The Cell Games arena was never blown up, I guess that would've made them build another map but with a big pit where the arena was, so they just cut corners. I really think they should've done it exactly as it happened in the manga/anime.

I did not like fighting Super Perfect Cell as SS2 Gohan. Well, it's not like I didn't enjoy it, but that never happened and all those resources could've gone to Super Trunks vs Cell's fight, for example. Plus, I was expecting that the final beam struggle with Cell let me do something. Mashing the square button (it happens during fights) or something, instead of just looking them struggle. And not only in that fight, some fight cutscenes could've used the user's imput just like fishing does.

All in all, I think this arc is a 7.5.
I missed 18 breaking Geet's other arm, Super Trunks, The Cell Games Arena blowing up, Goku giving Cell a senzu. Having P1 not be a part of the final beam struggle is also a big miss for me.
The best thing for me is that the fights were "realistic" and made me look for knew ways to approach some of them.


I'm starting to grasp what people say about the replay value. I don't think I'll be playing it after finishing it, but it doesn't look like it ends at Buu. Mai and Trunks soul emblem is a Super reference, dataminers say Beerus, Whis and god forms are in the game. Some stages resemble movies or Super scenarios.

Also, I don't agree with games having to be the ones to bring new content to the table. That job belongs to the manga/anime, games should be a vehicle to play those stories, and if there is room for else, get creative.

[Drayenko]

FFXV fighting mechanics are incredible and this doesn't even come close to what that was. And that has nothing to do with budget.

FFXV is the worst example of a game being good regardless of budget.

I did say fighting mechanics. To be more specific real-time fighting mechanics. The game is a joy to play on that department. And this doesn't even scratch that feeling. I feel like I'm playing a (flying) Musou game if anything.

And what is strange is that you are caring so much if people give the game higher scores than what you think they deserve, it is almost as if they are not allowed to have a great experience with the game. Most try to fix the game but sometimes forget that old DB games were not as perfect as they thought and did not have half of what the current games offer

I never said people are not allowed to experience whatever, at the same time I can criticize whatever I want. That's the idea of a forum and communication. I don't get your stance.

I'm not clinging to the past. Most DB games are crap (which pisses me off). That doesn't make this or any game any better. It's an okay game. Maybe 5-6/10. Which probably seems outrageous seeing how everything is 10/10 according to magazines. But no, that's a good score for a game that's trying to do too many things at the same time and not excelling in any particular department. Heck, I'd give my favorite game a 8/10 and I think that may be a point too high for what it offered (MGSV).

There are different ways to evaluate things. Again, all I see is overpraise. That doesn't mean it's garbage, not even close.
I don't see why negative critics have to be met as an antagonistic attack all the time, seriously.

Once more, I want an amazing DB game because I love the series too much. This, unlike the Super series, seems like a step in a good direction. We all want an amazing open world DB game that we can play for years, don't we?

Adding "Super" will be great, I'm all for it but once it's done, where is the replayability? About as absent as the uncompelling combat.

Not adding Super from the start to sell it as DLC is dickmove, to be honest.

[Questrider]

FFXV fighting mechanics are incredible and this doesn't even come close to what that was. And that has nothing to do with budget.

FFXV is the worst example of a game being good regardless of budget.

I did say fighting mechanics. To be more specific real-time fighting mechanics. The game is a joy to play on that department. And this doesn't even scratch that feeling. I feel like I'm playing a (flying) Musou game if anything.

And what is strange is that you are caring so much if people give the game higher scores than what you think they deserve, it is almost as if they are not allowed to have a great experience with the game. Most try to fix the game but sometimes forget that old DB games were not as perfect as they thought and did not have half of what the current games offer

I never said people are not allowed to experience whatever, at the same time I can criticize whatever I want. That's the idea of a forum and communication. I don't get your stance.

I'm not clinging to the past. Most DB games are crap (which pisses me off). That doesn't make this or any game any better. It's an okay game. Maybe 5-6/10. Which probably seems outrageous seeing how everything is 10/10 according to magazines. But no, that's a good score for a game that's trying to do too many things at the same time and not excelling in any particular department. Heck, I'd give my favorite game a 8/10 and I think that may be a point too high for what it offered (MGSV).

There are different ways to evaluate things. Again, all I see is overpraise. That doesn't mean it's garbage, not even close.
I don't see why negative critics have to be met as an antagonistic attack all the time, seriously.

Once more, I want an amazing DB game because I love the series too much. This, unlike the Super series, seems like a step in a good direction. We all want an amazing open world DB game that we can play for years, don't we?

Adding "Super" will be great, I'm all for it but once it's done, where is the replayability? About as absent as the uncompelling combat.

Not adding Super from the start to sell it as DLC is dickmove, to be honest.

Great post.

I think you hit the nail on the head when you said: "a DB game we can play for years."

And you are right. There is NO SUCH game currently. At least not for me. There have been "decent" DBZ games but each and every one seems to fall short for me.

The perfect game for me is one where I can see ONE Goku who is able to access each and every one of his forms. (among other things)

I still can't believe we don't have a game like that yet.

Raging Blast mixed with Tenkaichi, mixed with Burst Limit, mixed with Kakarot? Bingo.

[TheSaiyanGod]

.

You didn't get it wrong, in fact I was being ironic when I asked, but only because in my view your question had also been ironic, making fun of the fact that I considered Kakarot one of the best DB games ever made. But if you did ask this in good faith, then I apologize. And I would agree with you if Kakarot were just a traditional fighting game that retells the story of Z in the same way that we are already tired of seeing in DB games.

But we haven't seen the story being told the way Kakarot has told it since DBZ Buu's Fury, which was released in 2004 (especially with RPG elements and a semi open world), and considering what Kakarot added to DB's lore (you can see this as trivial, but there's a lot of new information added), I definitely didn't think we’re just seeing the same thing from previous games (mainly because most recent DB games have original stories)

.

I never said that you said that, I said that it almost feels like this is the case, because in many of the criticisms of the game some people act as if it is absurd for someone to have a better experience with the game than they did, which I I find it strange. Some of these same people love DBZ sagas (most people think it's a horrible game), so what's the problem? Kakarot's subreddit is full of people bashing the game because of the most trivial and irrelevant complaints possible, so a lot of what I've seen is hate too (to the point where it gets tiring), just read some reviews or the game in metacritic. Anyone can say what they want, I'm just responding to what you said and giving my opinion.

And if you think most DB games suck, then what is the absurd to say that this is one of the best DB games (for me)? I know you didn't say it's absurd, I'm just evaluating it in general. Anyway, my comparison is always among DB games, from the point of view of games like The Witcher or Skyrim, maybe Kakarot is not a great game (I don't like to make these comparisons because it's kind of unfair too), but I'm talking about other DB games, and there are many crap DB games that do not do half of what Kakarot did and are praised, so it is not strange to think that Kakarot is one of the best as I said.

[TheSaiyanGod]

Kaiosama's planet(although nothing to do but run, not even train)

The moment you gain control of Yardrat Goku, there is a side mission with Bubbles on Kaio's Planet, I don't know if there is more after the Boo saga however

[Dbzfan94]

Kaiosama's planet(although nothing to do but run, not even train)

The moment you gain control of Yardrat Goku, there is a side mission with Bubbles on Kaio's Planet, I don't know if there is more after the Boo saga however

I know I got the Bubbles mission where he wanted fruit, but was there another one?

[Koitsukai]

Oh I missed that one, I went to Kaio's planet before the Cell Games.

Also, one small detail that would've been great, and still could be fixed through updates, was Goku wearing his gi when fetching Dende. I wanted to see him with his orange 59 jacket.

We've only got one update so far, the game's been out for less than 2 weeks, so I'm wondering what else could be fixed with updates? maybe free-roaming with other characters like Vegito, the clothing of several characters, improve some mini-games (the cars go too slow)...

[TheSaiyanGod]

Kaiosama's planet(although nothing to do but run, not even train)

The moment you gain control of Yardrat Goku, there is a side mission with Bubbles on Kaio's Planet, I don't know if there is more after the Boo saga however

I know I got the Bubbles mission where he wanted fruit, but was there another one?

I'm not sure, but I think this is the only one. Each off planet location (Kaio's planet, Kaioshin's land and New Namek) has at least one side mission (New Namek has more than one I think)

[LightBing]

Haven't played it but saw others do.

Can speak for the combat, although it seems better than what I expected. The rest falls in line of a basic RPG with a Dragon Ball skin. I saw a streamer do almost all side quests, 80% of them where fetch quests...

The game has it's strong points and personally it's a must have for a Dragon Ball fan, I will get it eventually. The weak points leave a sour taste tho, clear lack of budget in sections of the game, lackluster side quests and repetitive structure.

[Dbzfan94]

The moment you gain control of Yardrat Goku, there is a side mission with Bubbles on Kaio's Planet, I don't know if there is more after the Boo saga however

I know I got the Bubbles mission where he wanted fruit, but was there another one?

I'm not sure, but I think this is the only one. Each off planet location (Kaio's planet, Kaioshin's land and New Namek) has at least one side mission (New Namek has more than one I think)

I assume New Namek is available post game? Haven’t found that yet.

[Questrider]

I know I got the Bubbles mission where he wanted fruit, but was there another one?

I'm not sure, but I think this is the only one. Each off planet location (Kaio's planet, Kaioshin's land and New Namek) has at least one side mission (New Namek has more than one I think)

I assume New Namek is available post game? Haven’t found that yet.

Correct. Post game you will have access.

[Grimlock]

and considering what Kakarot added to DB's lore (you can see this as trivial, but there's a lot of new information added),

Well, Xenoverse 2 hinted at a (time for a) new Universe in the epilogue and Heroes is periodically bringing new content/lore, currently dealing with counterparts interacting with each other and such, for example. I haven't seen anything of that league in this game. All I saw was some explanation here and there and stuff that those who read the interviews already knew. If there is some "groundbreaking" information that helps expand the lore significantly that you happen to know, you are welcome to share.

[TheSaiyanGod]

I know I got the Bubbles mission where he wanted fruit, but was there another one?

I'm not sure, but I think this is the only one. Each off planet location (Kaio's planet, Kaioshin's land and New Namek) has at least one side mission (New Namek has more than one I think)

I assume New Namek is available post game? Haven’t found that yet.

Yes, and you can revive the big bosses (Freeza, Cell, Boo and Dabura) in New Namek using the Dragon Balls

and considering what Kakarot added to DB's lore (you can see this as trivial, but there's a lot of new information added),

Well, Xenoverse 2 hinted at a (time for a) new Universe in the epilogue and Heroes is periodically bringing new content/lore, currently dealing with counterparts interacting with each other and such, for example. I haven't seen anything of that league in this game. All I saw was some explanation here and there and stuff that those who read the interviews already knew. If there is some "groundbreaking" information that helps expand the lore significantly that you happen to know, you are welcome to share.

Kakarot is retelling the story of the original manga. The most the game can do is fill some gaps and show things that were off screen, and so there is no way to add as much new stuff to the lore as DBX or DBH, which are essentially new stories never seen and naturally the events will be unprecedented. But for a game that is adapting a story already seen, the amount of content added is quite considerable (added so many things that some people were complaining about)

[Grimlock]

Alright, but my point is more about the relevance/impact of the content/lore added, not quantity. I'm not saying a less relevant piece of information is useless (quite the contrary, I take all kind of information), but if all this game can deliver is to explain why there aren't many beast-like Earthlings "tier" of information for instance, then it is rather trivial generally speaking, it doesn't cause any major impact overall.

So far, I think the "most important" one has been the Namekusejins lifespan, as it explains why we'll see Piccolo still alive in Dragon Ball Online. It could have caused contradiction otherwise. Again, if you or anyone else happen to find anything meaningful, please share as soon as possible (if not, then please share all the tidbits you guys find! ).

[TheSaiyanGod]

Alright, but my point is more about the relevance/impact of the content/lore added, not quantity. I'm not saying a less relevant piece of information is useless (quite the contrary, I take all kind of information), but if all this game can deliver is to explain why there aren't many beast-like Earthlings "tier" of information for instance, then it is rather trivial generally speaking, it doesn't cause any major impact overall.

So far, I think the "most important" one has been the Namekusejins lifespan, as it explains why we'll see Piccolo still alive in Dragon Ball Online. It could have caused contradiction otherwise. Again, if you or anyone else happen to find anything meaningful, please share as soon as possible (if not, then please share all the tidbits you guys find! ).

Besides to what you already brought a few pages ago, all we know so far is

- The explanation for the beast-humans to exist is that a drug called amorphalin appeared that transformed people in these mutations, that became popular at the time, and several people started using it. After a while this trend passed and people stopped using it or regretted it. Apparently the king of Earth used this drug too. But some beast-humans are natural to the DB world too, like Oolong (according to what Oolong said)

- To raise funds, the Red Ribbon sold stronger versions of this drug (which is why many people couldn't get back to normal), sort of explaining one of the reasons why the organization has become so big

- Pilaf is the prince of the Meshikyia people, who reigned over an entire region (this is said in one of the side quests)

- Mr. Satan won the 24th Tenkaichi Budokai a few days before the arrival of the androids, and having acquired several fans, this caused the name of Goku (winner of the previous tournament) to be forgotten (Goku doesn't care because he only wants to fight against stronger guys)

- Bulma's mother's name is Bikini

- Paul and Yamcha met after Pual was captured by a pterosaur, Yamcha thought it was a woman in danger and went to rescue her

- The narrator of the martial arts tournament is one of the monks who take care of the temples, where the tournaments take place

- Vegeta recovers his fighting spirit after the fight against Cell (in which he says he would never fight again) on a side mission, facing Gohan. He says that Gohan was not suited to take Goku's place as the main warrior on Earth (which Gohan agrees with, which also explains why he relaxed during those 7 years), and Vegeta decides to train to not be outdone by them again.

There must be more, but this is what I managed to gather. Some are information are things that no one had thought or asked for, but they were explained nonetheless. I didn't expect any great information that would totally change the DB lore (many people didn't like it when it happened with Piccolo and the moon), as it could affect the mains sagas, but there are several interesting little information that enriches the story

[MKCSTEALTH]

Made it to the post game, found the Time Machine and can use Future Trunks. Are we able to go back and do subquests yet or is that coming in another update? Dr. Briefs just stands there and says he's making updates to it and itll be ready soon

[Matches Malone]

Made it to the post game, found the Time Machine and can use Future Trunks. Are we able to go back and do subquests yet or is that coming in another update? Dr. Briefs just stands there and says he's making updates to it and itll be ready soon

It'll be part of a new update that will also include new side missions.

[Mad Swami]

Melone is fantastic, why is he not playable?

[Rakurai]

I saw screenshots of them from a friend, but I'll see if I can find them in the game, in the Z-Encyclopedia it has (Your average in-game codex that explains, characters, story, character relations and the like). If I'm remembering correctly, S-Cells is being used to explain Trunks transforming into Super Saiyan without special training (since this goes with the version fo Trunks's story where he's Super Saiyan before Gohan's death).

If that's true then I'm surprised that it hasn't been shared around yet. I will remain skeptical until I see the description.

Haven't managed to finish the Cell Saga because of computer issues, so I don't have Kid Trunks's or the Super Saiyan entries yet, but I do have 18 and 17's real names:

Oh nice, thanks for remembering!

Okay, so they haven't forgotten about their real names... that's pretty cool. But it also gives me despair knowing that the bio on kid Trunks & S-cells is prob true.