Dragon Ball Z: Shin Budokai - Another Road

Nice Game

Reviewed by blackdiamond on January 14, 2008  |  report this review

Goku and company just won't quit. The DBZ gang is back at it again with the follow-up to last year's PSP release, Dragon Ball Z: Shin Budokai - Another Road. The game is largely a refinement over what we saw last time out, with better controls, a tighter camera, better character development and more. Gamers looking for an overhaul of the formula need not apply as many of these changes are slight, but those who had fun with the last effort will once again find plenty to enjoy here.

Another Road marks the first time in the franchise, be it television, movie or game, that an alternate, non-canon story takes place. Supposing that Goku has a heart condition and dies, Trunks is the only remaining fighter in the world that can stop the evil from destroying mankind (or is that Dragon Ball-kind?). While this sounds rather solemn, the rest of the story is strictly the kooky and corny DBZ storytelling that we've come to know.

One cool element of the story and overall game progression is that it often splits off into multiple branches. Be it via either your choice of action or how you perform in a certain scenario, the game will branch off into different paths and you'll encounter different enemies, boss fights and so on. It's actually possible to see an ending after only two fights. The storyboard shows you where these paths split, so you can easily go back and pick the different path to see everything there is.

Aside from the main Another Road story option, you also have access to a new Z-Trial challenge mode. This features three different challenges types, including a survival and time trial mode. Beating these will earn you cash for purchasing different backgrounds and character upgrades, rewarding you for playing them over and over again. They're a little more interesting than the basic Arcade mode and help to mix things up a bit, though we hope to see more variety here in the future, like what you'll find in some of Soulcalibur's challenges, such as starting in a weakened state and so forth. The third main Z-Trial challenge type is similar to this, except that rather than setting changes they're set up as goals, like needing to perform a certain number of special attacks. It's decent, but not quite the same.

All Characters!!

Hint by blackdiamond on January 14, 2008  |  report this hint

Unlock Adult Gohan (Mystic Form):
Defeat Vegeta in Chapter 4 - A-B 5

Unlock Adult Gohan (Super Saiyan 2 Form):
Defeat Broly in Chapter 2 - 6

Unlock Adult Gohan (Super Saiyan Form):
Defeat Frieza in Chapter 1 - 8

Unlock Bardock:
Defeat bardock as Goku in Chapter 5

Unlock Broly (Legendary Super Saiyan Form):
Defeat Frieza in Chapter 4 - A-B 6

Unlock Cell (Super Perfect Form):
Defeat Cell in Chapter 2 - 5

Unlock Cooler (Final Form):
Defeat Pikkon in Chapter 4 - B-A 5

Unlock Frieza (100% Full Power Form):
Defeat Frieza in Chapter 3 - 2

Unlock Future Trunks (Super Saiyan Form):
Defeat Gotenks in Chapter 4 - 2

Unlock Goku (Kaioken Form):
Defeat Krillin in Chapter 1 - 2

Unlock Goku (Super Saiyan 2 Form):
Defeat Fake Goku in Chapter 2 - 2

Unlock Goku (Super Saiyan 3 Form):
Defeat Vegeta in Chapter 3 - 7

Unlock Goku (Super Saiyan Form):
Defeat Janemba in Chapter 1 - 9

Unlock Goku SS3:
Defeat Majin Vegeta in Chapter 3

Unlock Gotenks:
Defeat Gotenks in Chapter 1 - 4

Unlock Gotenks (Super Saiyan 3 Form):
Defeat Cell in Chapter 3 - A-4

Unlock Gotenks (Super Saiyan Form):
Defeat Gotenks in Chapter 1 - 5

Unlock Janemba:
Finish the Story Mode

Unlock Krillin (Unlock Potential Form):
Defeat Goku in Chapter 5 - 1

Unlock Piccolo (Fuse with Kami Form):
Defeat Cell in Chapter 2 - 1

Unlock Pikkon:
Defeat Janemba in Chapter 2- 9

Unlock SS4 Goku:
Beat the entire game.

Unlock Teen Gohan (Super Saiyan 2 Form):
Defeat Teen Gohan in Chapter 3 - 9

Unlock Teen Gohan (Super Saiyan Form):
Defeat Cell in Chapter 3 - 8

Unlock Vegeta (Majin Form):
Defeat Vegeta in Chapter 4 - 7

Unlock Vegeta (Super Saiyan 2 Form):
Defeat Janemba in Chapter 2 - 7

Unlock Vegeta (Super Saiyan Form):
Defeat #18 in Chapter 2 - 3

Unlock Vegeto and Gogeta:
Defeat the last chapter choosing either path.

Unlock Vegetto (Super Saiyan Form):
Defeat Kid Buu in Chapter 5 - B-9

Unlock Vegetto (on all modes):
Defeat Super Buu on Chapter 6 bottom path