Been there, done that... But hey it's still fun...
This isn't merely another small update to the polygonal fighter you know and love, mind you. In fact, Tenkaichi has a new developer: Spike, best known for the stellar Fire Pro Wrestling series. The new shift shows, as the game looks and plays differently than what you're used to.
To start off with, it's not so much of a side-view game anymore. The perspective is closer to third-person -- think Armored Core or Zone of the Enders. Also resembling those games, flying is an even bigger part of the Tenkaichi's action than in the past, and you'll often see battles remain in midair for the duration. The levels contain a lot more real estate as a result, allowing much more freedom of movement.
Thus, the mechanics are a little different. Matches only last one round, but the life bar is much longer in comparison. You'll still have all the big moves you're used to -- teleportation, massive combos, etc. Tossing someone into a background mountain or nearby column is much cooler now, as a matter of fact. You even get to fight underwater, which is pretty trippy.
And multiplayer gets a twist with the new view. Now, two-player fights are done via split-screen. I didn't get to see this in action, unfortunately, so I can't comment whether it's a good thing or a hindrance. Since it's a fighting game, it unquestionably has to be decent in player vs. player.
The fourth Budokai has a roster of over 60 characters -- which is freakin' huge for any franchise, and easily the largest of a Dragon Ball game. There are even characters from the next Dragon Ball, as yet unreleased in the U.S. Each fighter has three super moves, ensuring there are different strategies depending on who you choose. Of course, if you're like me, you can't resist picking Krillin due to his skin-colored eyes. They're freaky, yo!
The Budokai series has gone many routes with its story mode, but Tenkaichi emulates the first installment. It's huge, with a script that's 50% larger than the tome that was Budokai 3. We're told there may be some what-if storylines, examining what would've occurred had things not gone the way they did. For example, what if that widows-peaked, shrimp Vegeta got his way and owned everyone? It's an intriguing prospect.
Character development will again be a big focus. After all, you won't get very far sticking to the bare-bones attributes and arsenal of attacks you start with. Go nuts buying new techniques, as well as upgrading stats in 10 different categories. You're going to need all the help you can get.
always thought Budokai 3's character models were gosh-darn spiffy, but those in Tenkaichi blew me away. They don't rely as much on cel-shading to make the fighters look cartoon-quality. Instead, the models are more detailed and seem to use dynamic shading. There's still cel-shading, but the lines are more subtle. Me likey.
As of now, the game is only coming to PS2. Why is that? I'm glad you asked, because so did I. It turns out PS2 has one-year exclusivity on these titles, which explains why GameCube is so far behind. As for Xbox, more people own Hummers in Japan than Microsoft's big box, so they don't bother developing the game for it.
I'm glad to see Budokai coming back, and doubly glad to see Tenkaichi go off in its own direction -- both to gain some originality and to emulate the superhero vibe of the anime. It shows a lot of balls -- Dragon Balls that is. I promise never to use that joke again.
Thank you, for reading this.