Dragonball Z fans, like myself, have been looking forward to a great hardcore fighting game for quite some time. The Xenoverse series has a big following, but a lot of us DBZ fans want a GOOD 2.5D fighting game. It would seem Bandai Namco has answered our prayers! Bringing on the developer of the Guilty Gear series, Arc System Works is giving the DBZ franchise a fighting game overhaul for all the better. Dean and I had some hands on time with the game and really enjoyed every second of it.

Check out some off screen gameplay of a full match down below:

In the demo, there is a total of six playable characters that you can choose for your 3 on 3 battle; Goku, Kid Gohan, Vegeta, Cell, Frieza, and Majin Buu. Once your characters have been chosen you can change the look or outfit of all three of your fighters. Transformations are already preselected, but other transformations can be executed in mid battle by performing certain special attacks and finishers. The introductions before the fight are something straight from the anime. From the animations to the attention to detail, it looks like you’re watching the show on TV. The fighting is very reminiscent of Guilty Gear and Marvel vs Capcom. It is completely fast paced with so much happening on the screen, it fits the feel of DBZ perfectly. From swapping characters, to having team assists, this game brings everything from a tag team fighting game that you would expect.

Aerial combos are a big highlight in this game. Being able to hit your opponent flying into the air in perfect DBZ fashion, repeatedly hitting, teleporting, and smashing your opponent into nearby landscapes and buildings. The actual levels evolve based on the fighting conditions, it was confirmed that entire planets can be destroyed in a single fight, forcing players to fight elsewhere.

Dragonball FighterZ will be featuring a fully voiced Japanese and English cast, 1080p 60fps, and launching on PS4, Xbox One, and PC early 2018. Bandai Namco confirmed that there will be a closed beta for Dragonball FighterZ but failed to mention any details further than that. We’ll be updating you on the date and how to sign up for the closed beta as soon as its available. Until then, DBZ fans need to rejoice because this game has a lot going for it and will bring that hardcore fighting genre to the DBZ franchise.