Review for Dragonball Xenoverse 2. Game for Nintendo Switch, PC, PlayStation 4 and Xbox One, the video game was released on 25/10/2016 The version for PC came out on 28/10/2016 The version for Nintendo Switch came out on 07/09/2017 The version for PlayStation 4 came out on 02/11/2016
Until a few years ago, the Dragon Ball brand now seemed headed towards the sunset path; on the other hand, his enormous success had been, and he seemed to have said all he could actually say. This at least until the announcement of Dragon Ball Super, an unreleased anime series that gave a decisive blow to the controversial Dragon Ball GT after the end of Dragon Ball Z. It comes by itself that this has led to the birth of a new wave of video games which, surprisingly, look much more interesting than expected. Among these figures undoubtedly Dragon Ball Xenoverse 2, belonging to a sub-series that we can consider spiritual heir of Budokai Tenkaichi.
The western debut of Dragon Ball Xenoverse 2 dates back to almost a year ago, with a reception from the public and critics was all in all good. The product is proposed as a hybrid between 3D fighting game on large arenas and RPGs, complete with skill points, selectable techniques, equipment and support tools. A massive project, which makes narration one of its main strengths: the development team, in fact, also wanted to create original content, not limiting itself to re-proposing only events that are now etched in the memory of fans. Of course, some defects already present in the first episode had then reappeared also in the sequel, first of all a certain repetition of some quests and a somewhat limited combat system; excluding this, however, Dragon Ball Xenoverse 2 proved to be a product of good quality and rich in content, which on the pages of Epic Videogames Guide had earned a very honest 71%.
What are we doing here, then, if the game debuted in stores in 2016? Well, the Switch version finally arrives in September, which will serve as a litmus test for Bandai Namco to test users' interest in the brand. In addition to this, the possibility of playing such a vast and articulated title directly in the palm of one's hands is an experience that many have been waiting for.
What does the Switch version of Dragon Ball Xenoverse 2 include? Inside we find the game in full version, including the massive online component, a very important element of this production since it gives the possibility to players scattered around the globe to organize and undertake cooperative missions, a bit like it happens in the most recent MMOs such as Destiny o The Division. The inclusion of the complete package, without any particular compromises or shortcomings in terms of quantity, is an extremely positive element for Switch users, who on more than a few occasions proved pessimistic due to the portable nature of the console.
What is actually missing are the DLCs published so far on consoles and PCs, however, coming for a fee on eShop; Bandai Namco, however, has paid off the wait of almost a year by including in Xenoverse 2 also the entire adventure mode of the first chapter, which can then be played in order to have a more complete and exhaustive view of the events narrated.
Instead, what we had to give up is the graphic quality seen on the bigger sisters: Switch is a less powerful console even than Xbox One, and this has come at a price in terms of visual cleanliness and performance. On the Nintendo console the game runs at a resolution of 720p in portable mode, 900p in home mode, but without the aid of any anti-aliasing filter: this considerably dirties the image, which on a TV screen is often full of jagged edges; it must be said, however, that Dragon Ball Xenoverse 2 owes much of its charm to the special effects, the attention to detail of the characters and the vastness of the battle arenas, preserved in the Switch version.
Speaking of frame rates, however, the situation is more critical: during the fights, the Nintendo console had to settle for 30 frames per second instead of 60, a more than understandable renunciation but which may not be appreciated by a certain slice of users. The location of Conton City, the hub that will be the starting point for all the missions and where you will also find shops and martial arts masters, is decidedly more jerky. On the other hand, there is no fighting here, so a poorly optimized frame rate is an acceptable trade-off.
The first year of Nintendo Switch is proving to be full of surprises: many companies have in fact announced special versions of their cross-platform titles, and this can only benefit the newborn hybrid console. Dragon Ball Xenoverse 2 is one of them, and the work done by Bandai Namco and Dimps is very satisfying. Of course, the game isn't technically up to the Xbox One, PlayStation 4 and PC versions, but on the Switch there is the advantage of being able to make Goku, Vegeta and your buddies fight wherever you want. An element on which Nintendo is focusing a lot and to which players seem to be increasingly interested.
► Dragon Ball Xenoverse 2 is a Beat 'em up-RPG game developed by Dimps and published by Bandai Namco for Nintendo Switch, PC, PlayStation 4 and Xbox One, the video game was released on 25/10/2016 The version for PC came out on 28/10/2016 The version for Nintendo Switch came out on 07/09/2017 The version for PlayStation 4 came out on 02/11/2016
