Dragon Ball Origins 2 (DS - 1st completion)
Since I'm a big fan of the original Dragon Ball series -though I have yet to watch all episodes- I picked up and played the original Dragon Ball Origins for the Nintendo DS and sometime later, the second game too. Both were made by Game Republic, a Japanese company that didn't last that long and was closed in 2011. This is a shame as it means we will never get a conclusion to these two decent Dragon Ball Origins games. On my previous Yahoo blog, I reviewed the original Dragon Ball Origins on June 6, 2010 and I scored it 37/50. This sequel is a little better with some new features but is nonetheless the same as the original. This game takes place after the series "Tournament Saga" and continues with the "Red Ribbon Army Saga", "General Blue Saga", "Commander Red Saga" and ends with the "Fortuneteller Baba Saga". I should point out my history with the original Dragon Ball cartoon series, particularly in Canada. Both the US and Canada had different voice work and English translation by their respective studios. The US had Funimation do the English dubbing which is the standard, including the DVD sets. Canada used Ocean Group in Vancouver and I think their division, Blue Water Studio, in Edmonton too for the English dub. I do not know why this happened (I later found that this version was aired in the UK too). The first showing of Dragon Ball I saw around 18-19 years ago on YTV and it used to only give a single episode on Friday nights. It only showed the episodes of the first saga, the "Emperor Pilaf Saga", but then that is where it would stop and go back to the beginning. Due to my ignorance, I thought that was all the series had and then Dragon Ball Z picked up from there, albeit many years later when all the main characters, especially the protagonist Goku, had grown up. But come about 2002 or 2003, YTV brings back the series with a new intro (I would find that both the previous version and this one were nothing like the original 1986 Japanese release) and re-did the English dubbing and dialogue. During my first part time job on weekday afternoons cleaning an office building in Surrey, I would clean and take my break in a walk-in clinic which had cable TV so I got to watch the series. I saw the same first saga that I did around a few years earlier but then something happened: the series continued into the "Tournament Saga" and they didn't repeat back to the very first episode! I was excited since they introduced Krillin. He was as young as Goku and had a rivalry with him (at first but it doesn't last long and they quickly become friends in the saga). I knew of Krillin in Dragon Ball Z but I didn't know he originated in the previous series. Anyways, the series continued past "Tournament Saga" and got into the "Red Ribbon Army Saga". I think after that one, the series once again reseted back to the first episode. I suspected they only dubbed up to that point but I watched the series again on and off while working and when they finished the "Red Ribbon Army Saga" again, it continued with the "General Blue Saga" and even the "Commander Red Saga". Once again, they reset the series back to the first episode even though I knew there was more. At that time, I kind of stopped watching it but I would end up regretting it. One day, I tune in and find that the series was continuing on with the "Fortuneteller Baba Saga" and I believe it went all the way to the end of the series! "Shit!" I thought. So, I waited for the series to end and reset so I could wait to watch the "Fortuneteller Baba Saga" and beyond. The problem was, YTV eventually stopped showing Dragon Ball for good which meant that they only showed the series in its entirety once! I was so crushed! This is important because the Ocean/Blue Water dub is unique (some may say the American Funimation dub is better) and when the entire DVD sets were released in recent years, there is no Ocean/Blue Water dub! So essentially, the episodes are pretty much gone for good and no one has uploaded full episodes to YouTube or torrent sites as far as I know (they would be VHS transfers recorded off the TV). But in the end, it made me a fan of the series and in the past, I was also watching Dragon Ball Z and then while I was working my second graveyard job at SFU in 2005 or 2006, the Ocean/Blue Water dub of Dragon Ball GT.
So Dragon Ball Origins 2 had me go through the "Fortuneteller Baba Saga" I never saw before on the TV series. After I finished the game, it saddened me that we would not get a third and maybe fourth game to have the entire story played out. So no "Tien Shinhan Saga", "King Piccolo Saga" and "Piccolo Jr. Saga" to finish the series. Ah well, I do have the DVD sets and will watch the entire (Funimation dub) series in the future, perhaps when I finish RoboTech.
From my memory -before my Nintendo DS and my copy of this game had gone missing- I completed the main game and was working on the extra episodes. I now have a used copy of the game that I bought off Ebay but I'm not in the mood to replay the whole thing again so I'm basing this review upon memory.
Dragon Ball Origins 2 takes place immediately after the end of the first game's "Tournament Saga" and starting the "Red Ribbon Army Saga". After placing second in the 21st World Martial Arts Tournament, Goku decides to use Bulma's dragon radar to search the world for his grandfather's 4-star dragon ball. The training he went through under Master Roshi and the experience from the tournament has made him stronger. He immediately runs into the vile Red Ribbon Army, who are also looking for the dragon balls. The Red Ribbon Army is run under Commander Red, who has generals under his belt who will stop at nothing in their pursuit of the dragon balls for (presumably) world domination. Goku constantly thwarts whatever the Army sends his way that he noticably becomes a thorn in their side. Along the way, he helps his new friends while his old friends come to lend a hand.
There aren't any good videos of the game on YouTube as it tends to fall under the radar. But here's the opening intro here or below:
Click to view
Graphics/Art-8
+ About the same as the previous game. Still impressive to see Akira Toriyama's artwork and animation recreated in 3D.
+ Varied levels and environments. The game, for the most part, is presented in a 3/4 overhead perspective.
- Level design still seems boring like the first game though there is some improvement. Still "maze-y" and you cannot zoom out the camera. The game does have a map to help, though.
Sound/Music-8
+ A lot of the music in the story sequences are recreated from the TV show.
+ Soundtrack is pretty good and the sound effects decent.
+ A few voiceovers from the US English dub is included.
Music samples:
Side Fight Battle
Exploration in the Snow
Walk in Penguin Village
Play with Monkeys
Against Major Metallitron
Main Boss Battle
Control-8
+ While the first game had you use the stylus only, this one allows you the choice between control pad and stylus. A definite improvement!
+ There are tutorials throughout the adventure that teach basic and new moves.
- The controls in the 2D side-scrolling battles are wonky and hard to memorize.
Gameplay-8
+ The gameplay is the same as the first so it's easy to continue or get into for the first time. You journey through each level battling enemies, solving puzzles, and collecting power-ups, health items, and various Zeni Bags.
+ The RPG-like elements return. You can collect EXP orbs to increase your health, strength, and ki plus zenny to buy items and figurines. Over the course of the game, you will learn new techniques to battle enemies with. You can use Skill Points to upgrade your levels to improve combat performance.
+ Once again, the game's primary mode is the "Episode Select", where you're given the option of playing each episode installment in chronological order or play them at random. You can revisit these installments to either try to earn a higher rank or search for items you missed. As each installment is completed, a new installment is unlocked.
+ You can play as 5 other characters: Bulma, Krillin, Yamcha, Android 8, and Arale. Awesome!
- There is a new addition of 2D side-scrolling boss battles. While this may be cool in practice, I find they are difficult as it becomes almost a "rock-paper-scissors" type situation. It takes a lot of practice on reacting to your opponent's attacks and the controls are very stiff.
- The same problem as the first game hasn't been fixed: lack of save points!
Fun/Story/Misc-7
+ I found this game to be a little more fun than the original. Some levels can feel like a chore to get through though.
+ The game faithfully retells the 4 sagas from the TV series. If you haven't played the first game or watched the series, the story may not make that much sense.
+ It's a bummer that there will never be a Origins 3 and possibly 4 to finish off the series.
Total: 39/50 (Grade Level: C+)
There is no English Dragon Ball Origins 2 website, just the Japanese one. The small Wikipedia page is here.
Next Game: New Super Mario Bros. 2 (3DS)
Currently playing: Dragon Quest VIII: Journey of the Cursed King (PS2)
