We don’t know much about how the MMORPG based on Akira Toriyama’s famous Dragon Ball manga is going to work, other than that it will prominently feature the ability to punch dinosaurs in the face.
Okay, okay – I’ll be the first to admit that Dragon Ball Z was a guilty pleasure of mine when I was a bit younger, because as ridiculous as the whole “power up for three episodes, then kick a guy through a mountain” formula was, it was also kind of ridiculously fun. So, as the MMOG based on the franchise heads into closed beta in South Korea next month, it’s interesting to see how the game is turning out.
Well, for one thing, it certainly looks like Dragon Ball, thanks to Akira Toriyama lending a hand and his unique style to the character designs, and the cel-shading works about as well here as it did in the recent Dragon Quest games (also designed by Toriyama). I’ll be interested to see how much variation there actually is when it comes to creating a character, or for that matter if anyone is going to spend time creating an original-looking character instead of making “Gokuu” or “Pikkolo.”
So the game takes place 200 years in the future from the end of the series, but there’s apparently time travel in the mix or something, because the original cast will be returning as NPCs (at least Goku and Vegeta, probably more). Judging from the trailer, the game looks decent, has a cool-looking world, and some more-than-half-decent music to go along with it.
More importantly, though, is that however the game works, or however it integrates the original story and characters, it’s ultimately made irrelevant for one simple fact: In Dragon Ball Online, you can jump into the sky and punch T-Rexes in the face. That’s kind of a selling point in and of itself, don’t you think?
As far as we know, there are no current plans to bring Dragon Ball Online to the West, but given the worldwide popularity of the Dragon Ball franchise, it seems sort of silly not to at least give it a shot. Gamers across the world need their dinosaur-face-punching action too, you know.
I’m totally rolling a Perverted Old Kung-Fu Master Hermit, guys. I hear they’re mad OP.
(Via Kotaku)
Published: Aug 25, 2009 04:45 pm