[Review] GBA : Dragon Ball Z - Legacy of Goku 2

After Dragon Ball Z - Legacy of Goku 2 was released in 2002 by Webfoot, a lot of people were wondering if the gameplay advance was the right fit for the series. The prequel was a rather forgettable RPG title that was short, irritating and unrewarding. However, Webfoot seemed to have learned from their mistakes, and they developed probably one of the top 10 games on the GameBoy Advance.

Events in LOG 2 take off right after the prequel, while the game itself manages to retain a certain amount of familiarity with the earlier title. The storyline follows the 'Cell Games saga' of the Dragon Ball Z universe and at many moments in the game, I was reminded of scenes from the television series. For those of you who haven't watched the series, I would go as far as to say the video game is an astonishingly accurate recreation, with even certain soundtracks from the show being transcribed for the GBA. There are plenty of scenes in the game where certain dialogues are said at key moments, making you feel like you're watching an episode.

Gameplay is pretty straightforward, allowing the player to assume different characters from the Dragon Ball Z universe including (but not limited to) Goku, Gohan and Vegeta. Controls are easy to master, and the tutorial is thorough. The combat system is a little dated, where you pretty much have to punch the A button at regular intervals in order to beat your enemies down, leading you to gain experience points in order to level up. However, the game also allows you to use special abilities that differ from character to character. (Kamehameha wave, etc.)

Apart from that, you also have the ability to activate a character's Super Saiyan mode, which pretty much means you move faster and do double damage till your 'ki' runs out. While this feature is not that much of a game enhancement, it does have its usefulness, especially during boss battles

Classic Vegeta

The graphics are definitely an eye-catcher, especially considering that the game was designed for a handheld with limited capabilities. The accompanying soundtrack is enthralling and supports the game quite nicely. I also liked that the game presents certain situations or gates that only specific characters can enter, at specific levels. This ensured that you played with all characters equally, rather than picking a favourite and brawling through the whole game.

That said, the game is not without its fair share of problems, which I shall enumerate starting off with the combat system. After a while, you realize that all boss battles play out the same, where all you have to do is just force the enemy into a corner and make sure you time your punches right. There is very little variation as far as combat technique or strategy is concerned and you find yourself fighting the same battles over and over again, albeit with different sprites.

Another thing that annoyed me was the fact that once you were done dispatching a group of enemies in a certain area and moved on, they would reappear as soon as you returned to the same area.

Inevitable DBZ kamehameha clash scene.

However at the end of the day, Legacy of Goku 2 has its redeeming moments. Whether you are a fan of the series or not, the game is a definite must-play if you like RPGs. Even if the gameplay tends to get repetitive, there are enough events of heroism and machismo to make you feel like a Super Saiyan when the ending credits finally roll.

FINAL VERDICT :
Gameplay: ★★★★★★★☆☆☆

Graphics:   ★★★★★★★★★☆
Storyline:   ★★★★★★★★☆☆