Dragon Ball: Raging Blast 2

Review

Common Sense Media says

Repetitive fighting; only for the most devoted fans.
greenON: Content is age-appropriate for kids this age.
yellowPAUSE: Know your child; some content
may not be right for some kids.
redOFF: Not age-appropriate for kids this age.
not for kidsNOT FOR KIDS: Not appropriate for kids any age.

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Quality
 
Sometimes media can be age appropriate but a real waste of time. Our star rating assesses the media's overall quality.

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Parents say

AGE
11
QUALITY
 

Kids say

Not yet rated

What parents need to know

Parents need to know that Dragon Ball Z: Raging Blast 2 is a fighting game based on Dragon Ball Z TV series that features over-the-top fight scenes. The game features no central storyline; instead, in Galaxy Mode (the title's main play mode), characters are tasked with playing through a series of missions that really just serve as opportunities for the gamer to test his skills in different combat scenarios. There's minimal blood involved. But this is a fighting game, plain and simple. The game supports unmoderated voice chat in the online fighting tournament mode, so parents of not wanting their kids talking to strangers should turn off this option by using the console's parental controls.

  • Positive messages0
    Revenge and festering sentiments play a big role in the game's storyline. The game creates a scenario where negative feelings the good guys hold onto are  used to bring back their worst foes.
  • Positive role models0
    Were it not for the fact that he solves most of his problems with fists and fireballs, Goku would be a great role model. Goku is humble, devoted to his family and friends, and always willing to protect the weak from would-be oppressors. And despite being the most powerful fighter in the entire Dragon Ball universe, Goku never uses his powers for personal gain. Unfortunately, in Dragon Ball, there's only one way to keep the world safe, and that's by beating up bad guys, a task Goku is assigned relentlessly throughout the game.
  • Ease of play1
    Control-wise, this game is difficult. Every signature move from the series -- Kamehameha Waves, Final Flash attacks, and Spirit Bombs -- is here. But pulling those moves off requires a level of patience that all but the most hardcore Dragon Ball Z fans may lack. This is due mainly to a way-too-complicated control scheme that will have you looking at your controller in an attempt to remember and register key-commands, rather than looking at your television enjoying the game.
  • Violence3
    There's plenty of fisticuffs-related violence in this title, but its presented with over-the-top, anime-inspired graphics. Fighters can create and launch glowing fireballs, deflect similar attacks with the flick of a wrist, and change forms after powering up, abilities that are impossible to replicate in a real-world setting. There is some blood, but it is minimal.
  • Sex0
    Not applicable.
  • Language1
    Lots of pre-fight threats of doom and destruction are bandied about by heroes and villains alike. Also, one of the game's main villains often speaks of gaining "revenge" on Dragon Ball's heroes, whom he blames for thwarting his earlier plans of world domination.
  • Consumerism3
    Raging Blast 2 is set in the world of Dragon Ball Z, one of the most popular Japanese animes ever created. It features nearly every memorable character from the show's nine season run, including Saiyan super-hero Goku, his sons, Gohan and Goten, and baddies such as Frieza, Cell, and Majin Buu.
  • Drinking, drugs, & smoking0
    Not applicable.
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What's it about?

Unlike the recently released Dragon Ball Z: Tenkaichi Tag-Team, which boasted a story mode that allowed gamers to recreate the most-memorable moments from Dragon Ball Z's entire animated run, DRAGON BALL: RAGING BLAST 2 features no noticeable plot-ties to the the cartoon (save for the inclusion of seemingly every character to ever make an appearance on the show). There really isn't ANY story at all to be found within the title. Instead, each of the game's play modes creates a different set of rules and conditions for players to battle foes, with sparse intro's. Gamers seek to win a tournament, defeat an enemy under certain conditions, successfully pull off a required attack.

Is it any good?

 

Only the most dedicated, hardcore Dragon Ball Z fans will invest more than a few days-worth of play-time in Raging Blast 2. The game's play mechanics are beyond difficult to pick up. Learning to fly, pull off dash attacks, and simple energy blasts is easy enough. But a Dragon Ball game is all about recreating the anime series' drool-worthy mega-attacks. And unfortunately, due to the way attack types (punches, kicks, charge attacks, etc) are seemingly assigned to different parts of the controller at random, the cool moves require a level of button-pressing that is difficult to pull off. Worse still, you dont even need to master the attacks to play effectively! Gaining the upper-hand in Raging Blast 2 normally means attacking first (play defensively at your own peril), making this game a button masher's delight. Toss in a non-existent storyline, attack lists that appear to vary very little once the game's massive list of characters is unlocked, and some redundant level design, and Dragon Ball: Raging Blast 2 fails to measure up to the animated exploits of its heroes.

Online interaction: The game supports online fighting tournaments that allow players to battle against friends and strangers alike. Voice-chatting is also enabled. Parents of preteens and young teens might want to turn off this option by using the gaming system's parental controls.

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What families can talk about

  • Families can discuss the game's themes of revenge and harbored grudges. Specifically, do they understand how the emotions of the heroes, whose negative feelings for fallen foes are used to recreate those villains, are manipulated by the central villain?

  • Why is it so hard for the good guys to let go of past grudges? Has there ever been a moment or situation where you found it hard to forgive someone for something they did? How did you end up moving past it, and what advice would you give to Goku?

  • Instead of fighting the reincarnated bad guys, what do you think might have happened if the Z-Team told the evil doer's "I forgive you," and walked away? Since the bad guys were fueled by negative energy, would they have been able to continue terrorizing Goku and his friends?

This review was written by Duane Munn
Adult
February 24, 2011
AGE
14
 
Love it.
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Helped me decide (9) | Had useful details (7) | Read my mind (8)
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Adult
February 20, 2011
AGE
10
 
STORY MODE PLZ
ok theres no freakin story mode i want a great dragon ball with hd grafics WITH A STORY MODE I GOT IT THE DAY IT CAME OUT PLAYED IT LIKE ONCE OR TWICE PUT IT DOWN AND HAVENT TOUCHED IT SCINCE .... belive me i love dragon ball z but i want a recap i want to relive the moments
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Parent of 13 year old
January 13, 2011
AGE
9
 
NOT BAD IT'S PRETTY COOL
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Teen, 15 years old
January 11, 2011
AGE
12
 
Kids 13 and older maybe some mature 11 and 12 year olds
Not to violent nothing bloody or gory, plain old fighting. Minus the flying special power strength and speed.Fun for people that enjoy playing fighting games.
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Helped me decide (8) | Had useful details (8) | Read my mind (7)
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This review was written by Duane Munn
Platforms:Xbox 360, PlayStation 3
Available online?Available online
Genre:Fighting
Developer:Namco Bandai
Release date:November 2, 2010
Price:$59.99
ESRB rating:T for Cartoon Violence, Mild Blood, Mild Language
This review was written by Duane Munn

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ON: Content is age-appropriate for kids this age.
PAUSE: Know your child; some content may not be right for some kids.
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