Become a Super Saiyan in Dragon Ball Xenoverse 3
Finally, the Kamehameha is back! I took an early look at action role-playing game Dragon Ball Xenoverse 3 and its sick anime vibe.
Dragon Ball Xenoverse 3 is in the final stages of development, and we’re finally seeing some early gameplay footage. A little over ten years ago, I got to play the action-RPG predecessor for the first time on PlayStation 4, Xbox and PC. Part three is set in the distant future (Age 1000) and follows a new storyline. Producer Masayuki Hirano is back on board. He wants to preserve that old Xenoverse feel while adding new elements to it.
I got the opportunity to see some early gameplay footage during a hands-off demo.
The demo kicks off in my character’s room, right after I customise them to my exact requirements. One official game description claims I can decide for myself what kind of hero I want to be. It remains to be seen whether this refers solely to race and appearance or whether other variables can be changed too. To craft my hero, I can choose an Earthling, a Saiyan or a few other races.
The developers don’t want to reveal the entire character editor just yet, but you will be able to customise your character in their room at any time.
Xenoverse 3 has made a huge leap forward visually compared to its predecessor. Characters look like they could’ve come straight out of the manga, and aside from a few glitches in the demo (which I’ll chalk up to technical limitations on-stream), the animations look smooth.
The late mangaka Akira Toriyama’s distinctive style is clearly recognisable in every nook and cranny. It may have been one of the last major projects Toriyama was still actively involved with.
There’s already plenty to discover in your hero’s room. It looks like a mix between a hoarder’s home and a library. Countless books are piled up on the floor, and every corner is crammed with documents and decorations.
Welcome to the future – West City
Age 1000 is a world that Son Goku and his friends once protected. Now it’s up to me to take on this task. I’m not entirely sure what kind of character I’m playing or exactly what role I’ll be taking on yet. As part of Capsule Corporation, I apparently have to beat up all kinds of villains. So far, so familiar.
I only catch a brief glimpse of my organisation’s headquarters. In the demo, the studio focuses primarily on NPCs like Future Trunks and Vegeta, who kind of just hang around. However, there’s nothing more than a short teaser – the studio says it’ll reveal more familiar faces soon. Too bad. I’d have loved to pick up the controller myself and investigate the matter further.
The metropolis shown in the demo looks huge. According to the developers, there’s plenty to do in West City. But they didn’t want to reveal that just yet (oh, not again). Instead, there’s another panoramic view, allowing you to take in the gleaming skyscrapers, futuristic rail lines, airships and palm trees that make Age 1000 look like a living, breathing future. In contrast, the NPCs merely stand around on the street looking pretty static, which takes some of the shine off the city’s otherwise brilliant look.
Source: Bandai Namco
I’m shown a short clip that would make a great opening scene for the game. Upbeat music, J-idols promoting their songs and futuristic bracelets that transform characters into stylish fighters at the push of a button (a nod to the magical girl anime genre).
I haven’t quite figured out this cutscene yet, but the vibe is cool. Hey, I even spotted Bulma and Piccolo! «Yes, that’s the Bulma you all know!» a developer from Dimps Corporation comments. Yet another teaser with no further details – I’m starting to get the feeling they’re enjoying this… I’m looking forward to the story, which I hope will tie all of this together in a neat bow.
Time for a Kamehameha!!!
The most important part of the demo begins shortly after that: a combat mission. After accepting this quest, the team around my character is teleported to a frozen landscape to defeat a boss there. As is typical for this genre, I must first defeat waves of simple enemies before facing the final boss.
The combat system is similar to its two predecessors. I unleash light or heavy attacks and use special moves that I assigned to my character earlier. I can’t say yet how large the selection here will be. The developers emphasise several times that adjusting your move set before a battle is essential, as enemies will be challenging. That’s why I expect a wide range of skills to be available.
Finally, I’m going Super Saiyan
What I witness instead is a transformation. The Soul Switch ability lets you swap places with a previously selected fighter from the Dragon Ball roster. For a limited time, the battle with Trunks continues – he’s switched places with my actual character, complete with his full move set.
If I’m not mistaken, the Soul Switch actually fully refills your health bar, which can completely change the course of battle. As an alternative to the Soul Switch, there are Awakening Skills. Ordinary fighters of the Saiyan race can go Super Saiyan – complete with the appropriate hairstyle, of course. The developers also revealed that Awakening Skills will include additional perks, such as Super Saiyan 3. This transformation, too, is temporary and will likely heal you completely.
Ki is consumed when performing these various super attacks. Over time, it’ll slowly refill on its own or through special actions. In Dragon Ball Xenoverse 3, keeping an eye on your Ki use will likely be important, as it allows you to unleash powerful attack combos. In a best-case scenario, this will all culminate in a Soul Assist with an additional character to launch a devastating combo attack. When two characters unleash their most powerful attacks on tough opponents like Broly together, the whole thing has a good dose of anime flair.
First impressions: looks promising!
So far, the combat looks smooth: explosions, boosts, ultimate attacks and plenty of action. Of course, the famous Kamehameha is included too. Dragon Ball Xenoverse 3 really has everything I expect from a Dragon Ball game. The locations fit perfectly into the franchise and look fresh. I like the new hub at first glance, and the animations and character poses give me real anime vibes.
Since I haven’t been able to try it out for myself yet, I’m still a bit sceptical about the balancing. Do I really want to completely remake myself and go through the hassle of re-equipping before every single mission? How time-consuming will this be, and how intuitive is the UI?
I’m also wondering what there is to do in the city when I don’t feel like fighting. The developers’ vague promises could mean anything, leading to more concern than anticipation. A beautifully designed city in the Toriyama style can still feel cold and boring if I’m standing in front of empty stores and staring into the blank eyes of NPCs – despite attention to detail. Hopefully, just like in the first game, we’ll be able to search for Dragon Balls and summon Shenlong!
Dragon Ball Xenoverse 3 will be released in 2027 for PS5, Xbox Series X/S and PC.
I didn’t have a Game Boy or a Super Nintendo as a child, and only joined the world of gaming at 15. I’ve been trying to make up for lost time ever since. But looking at the ever-growing number of game releases each year, it seems the entire industry is conspiring against me.
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