Dragon Ball: Sparking Zero has had a record-breaking launch, selling a remarkable three million copies in just 24 hours. This impressive feat solidifies its place as a highly anticipated installment in the beloved Budokai Tenkaichi series, which hadn’t seen a new release in over 15 years.
Released across multiple platforms, including PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC, it has quickly become one of the most-played games on Steam. Despite this overwhelming success, fans and critics have one common criticism of Sparking Zero. And it might be something you notice in your playthrough.
Dragon Ball: Sparking Zero Is the Most Successful Game in the Franchise
One of the major criticisms of Sparking Zero is its campaign mode, which, while ambitious in scope, lacks the polish many fans expected. The game features six interconnected campaigns, offering different perspectives on the Dragon Ball Z saga.
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The story feels fragmented, with key plot moments skipped or glossed over in cutscenes. Additionally, the pacing is uneven, and the continuity between the campaigns leaves a lot to be desired. This lack of coherence has left some players feeling disconnected from the story.
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Despite these complaints, the sales numbers for Dragon Ball: Sparking Zero are nothing short of remarkable. The game quickly shot up Valve’s most-played games list, surpassing every previous Dragon Ball game on Steam by a wide margin. Its peak player count of 122,554 at launch dwarfed the previous record held by Dragon Ball FighterZ.
This monumental success just shows the enduring appeal of the Dragon Ball franchise and the community’s desire for a new Budokai Tenkaichi experience, even if it isn’t quite the flawless game they hoped for.
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Players have also criticized the game for its steep difficulty curve. Many fans took to Reddit to express their frustrations, with specific fights, like the battle against Great Ape Vegeta, causing a lot of problems.
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Some labeled the game as “borderline impossible,” arguing that the single-player difficulty could have benefitted from more thorough playtesting. But others have praised the game’s challenge, noting that it mirrors the tough battles of their childhood days when they first played Dragon Ball games.
The Dragon Ball Franchise and It’s Fans Have Deserved a Win
A contributing factor to the game’s explosive launch may have been its excellent marketing and timing. Released just before the debut of Dragon Ball Daima, the game benefitted from a surge of interest in the franchise.
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Players who had drifted away from the Dragon Ball universe are being drawn back in by a wave of nostalgia and excitement surrounding the new anime.
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The timing of the game’s release, alongside the emotional weight of Akira Toriyama’s passing, also played a role in driving sales, as fans sought to reconnect with the universe they grew up with.
While Dragon Ball: Sparking Zero is far from perfect, it has set the stage for future content updates and patches. Fans are hoping for more story content and DLC characters in the future, which could address some of the current shortcomings.
Despite complaints about the rushed story and occasional bugs, many players remain optimistic about the game’s long-term potential. As one commenter noted, “At least fighting games, especially successful ones, have a long lifespan, so this game will receive a lot of support for five years or more.”
What have you thought of Sparking Zero so far? Let us know in the comments!
This post belongs to FandomWire and first appeared on FandomWire
