Bandai Namco has done exceptionally well to help develop Dragon Ball Z (DBZ) video games. What was once a franchise that only included tournament fighters has now evolved to encompass a multitude of genres. Most recently, the series saw success with a RPG that takes players through a retelling of the original story. I took a look at this game back when it was released and appreciated it as a celebration and reminder of what Dragon Ball is all about. “Dragon Ball Z: Kakarot” is a great title with amazing visuals and fun combat; it stays very faithful to the source material by placing players at the forefront of the series’ greatest moments. That being said, the game is not afraid to highlight the more odd, obscure and even recent additions to the lore. After its launch in early January, developers CyberConnect2 announced that the title would receive future updates that would range from minor to major patches. Recently, the game has received a few updates including the first in the line of three more season pass updates. Titled, “A New Power Awakens,” the God of Destruction Beerus and his attendant Whis bring new divine powers for Goku and Vegeta.
After purchasing the $25 entry fee in the form of a season pass, players are asked to travel to the God of Destruction’s very own planet for a chance to train. The saiyans are greeted by the God’s attendant, Whis, who wants to see Goku and Vegeta improve and train harder than ever by providing them with new battles, items and even early access to some transformations. The training can either be for players looking to level up their team or those who want legendary transformations like the illustrious red Super Saiyan God! By continuously battling Whis, grinding for more power becomes easier than ever and can give big boosts to players earlier on in the story. Playing with the DLC in the post game can be a bit disappointing because of how easy the challenges are; however, difficulty is not an issue when facing gods as the DLC also tests the players strength with the almighty hairless cat Beerus. Standing tall at level 250, his challenge is no meager task and will take careful planning and execution to complete. His super moves, block strings and sheer strength can really knock players out quicker than anything else in the game. Even if that is not enough, there is a substory pitting Super Saiyan God Goku and Vegeta against each other for a true end level fight.
In one way or another, the first DLC acts as a way to help players grind their characters up to max levels and abilities. The team behind the title has certainly done great work in making these endgame scenarios possible with free updates like the Capsule Corp time machine that allows for quests to be completed. All of these tools are great additions for newcomers and veterans to grind for higher endeavors. While the DLC does run a little thin when playing after the main story of the game, the update shows promise for the future of the title with many more story updates and boss fights to come. By offering items that raise experience and special training for Goku and Vegeta, Bandai Namco and CyberConnect2 are definitely leading players to the next big story event!
Despite the details of such updates running thin, it’s easy to speculate on what could possibly follow up such expansions. Shown in the trailer is a roadmap of the season pass that will encompass one more boss and another story arc to follow. This update will mainly focus on introducing concepts first shown in the 18th Dragon Ball movie, “Dragon Ball Z: Battle of Gods” with the inclusion of Beerus, Whis and the all new Super Saiyan God. Released in 2013, the film truly reinvigorated the interest in the franchise for a modern look and it certainly achieved its goal with the follow up film “Dragon Ball Z: Resurrection F,” a film that brought back the iconic villain Frieza with new transformations for Goku and Vegeta too. Both films were integral to reintroducing Dragon Ball for a newer age, thus it seems likely that it will be adapted to “DBZ Kakarot.” In the next DLC, there’s a strong chance that players will face off against Golden Frieza with Super Saiyan Blue at hand. The next big expansion will more than likely encompass the universe six saga introducing new enemies for Goku and universe seven. There is a very epic glimmer of light for the future of “Dragon Ball Z: Kakarot” as it makes its way to adapt the rest of Goku’s story. Hopefully this means Bandai Namco and CyberConnect2 are leading up to the latest Dragon Ball storylines with the Tournament of Power and Ultra Instinct.
This game most certainly has a bright future ahead of itself with much more Dragon Ball content to be retold in a new form. While the current state of the DLC is a bit lacking, it showcases a promising future for the game with Beerus and Whis being formidable foes for unsuspecting players. It is a neat addition to an already great game, but the price tag attached can seem like a bit much. Nevertheless, the DLC is the cherry on top of an already polished love letter to Dragon Ball that teases so much more.
