This review is based on a review copy played on both PC and Steam Deck.

(In-depth analysis below)
Dragon Ball: Sparking! Zero is an exhilarating love letter to the franchise, blending explosive visuals with a colossal roster and chaotic, high-octane action that is both fun and strategically nuanced. While the campaign lacks depth and the limited map pool may disappoint, Sparking Zero’s true strength lies in its raw 3D arena-fighter appeal and its execution of it, firmly establishing it as a worthy successor to Budokai Tenkaichi 3.

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Sparking Zero condenses the DBZ storyline and beyond, focusing primarily on key moments from the perspectives of seven prominent characters. Each narrative unfolds through iconic battles and light character dialogues, intertwined with in-game stills and static interactions outside battle. Unfortunately, this is why the campaign falls short: it relies too much on superficial, static screenshots and brief exchanges to propel the story, failing to capture the depth and intensity each moment deserves. This leads to erratic pacing, iconic scenes come and go with little buildup or emotional payoff, making the story feel more like a checklist of fights throughout a slide-show presentation than an immersive journey with cinematic cutscenes befitting of DB.

While additional What-If scenarios add unique twists and explore sick alternative outcomes, they still face the same issues as the campaign. Ultimately, the campaign does deliver thrilling battles and fresh takes on classic showdowns that fans of the series would love, but its shallow storytelling dilutes pivotal moments, leaving the experience feeling flat, especially for newcomers to the franchise. https://gtm.steamproxy.vip/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3359757847

Dragon Ball: Sparking Zero delivers precisely what fans crave: a spectacular, high-speed, chaotic, but fun experience that builds upon the beloved formula of Budokai Tenkaichi 3. The combat may seem simplistic, but it is deceptively layered, with diverse and intricate mechanics. You can scrape by with button mashing in solo play, but fall into that trap, and you will be easy prey online.

Core Mechanics
The combat revolves around high-octane action throughout the free-form stages, where every clash feels like a scene from the anime. Characters zip through the air, dash, and teleport across the massive stages. The combat flows seamlessly from incredibly satisfying melee combat to explosive ki blasts, letting you pivot between close-quarters brawls and long-range assaults instantly.

But it's not just about offense; you have plenty of defensive options such as guards, vanishes, counters, bounce-back mechanics, and more to keep you engaged, demanding constant adaptation with a high-skill ceiling. https://gtm.steamproxy.vip/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3359787820
The character roster has a staggering size of 182, from anime and movies to various transformations and eras, each with unique moves and abilities. As for stages, there are 12 different stages, each packed with destructible elements and vibrant, detailed visuals. The diverse roster keeps every match fresh and exciting and allows for experimentation with characters, strategies, and matchups. However, I can't help but wish for a few more maps.

Online, Versus & The World Tournament
First off, the absence of crossplay is a disappointing oversight that could hinder the long-term viability of multiplayer on PC, compounded by the fact that there are no penalties for rage quitters. Multiplayer offers normal and ranked matches and four modes: singles, teams, DP battles, and tournaments with local play also available.

DP battles are particularly notable and enjoyable due to its unique system that allocates 15 DP points to build your team. Stronger, canonically powerful characters cost more DP, while weaker ones require less. Due to the cap of DP, it fosters varied playstyles, challenging you to balance your squad without relying solely on powerhouses, effectively reflecting the series' established power levels without being overly unbalanced.

Custom battles & Customization
With custom battles, you can create fully customized fights with options to change intros, voice lines, conditions, mid-cutscenes, and more, then share them with the world, which is a sick feature and helps alleviate skipped encounters. Sure, there are some limitations, and the UI can be a bit clunky, but having the ability to build showdowns beyond just pitting two characters against each other is incredibly fun and unique.

As for character customization, in the shop, you can buy ability items that, when equipped, boost stats, and these carry over into multiplayer. Beyond that, you can grab costumes, music tracks, voice lines, and more. Outside of the shop, Shenron allows you to wish for additional stuff once you have all the dragon balls. The level of customization here is impressive, giving you tons of things to unlock.

The visuals are nothing short of explosive, capturing the dynamic, high-energy feel of the anime. The character models and environments are polished and faithful to the source material. Each era of characters is beautifully represented and rendered with meticulous attention to detail, particularly in their animations, transformations, and ultimate moves. Each clash fills the screen with vibrant colors and dramatic effects, while crisp sound effects and a powerful OST heighten the impact of every ki blast and melee attack.