Saiyan Battle: Budokai Xenoverse

Takes a basic 3D fighting game model and imbues it with the hyperkinetic energy

Saiyan Battle: Budokai Xenoverse brings Atari and Dimps' successful anime-inspired fighting series in a package that isn't particularly ambitious but is still well-executed enough to make it worthwhile. The simple, fast-paced action of the Budokai series translates well, and the presentation is both eye-catchingly vibrant and technically flashy. Budokai Xenoverse’s bare-bones set of features is in stark relief against the game's solid core and is a little disappointing.

That game takes its cues from the first three Budokai games, and not Budokai Tenkaichi, should be a great relief to fans. Like its predecessors, Budokai Xenoverse takes a basic 3D fighting game model and imbues it with the hyperkinetic energy synonymous. The game's controls map easily onto the PSP, using two of the face buttons for melee attacks, one for blocking attacks, and one for firing off ranged energy attacks. As you might expect, melee attacks can be easily strung into combos, and pressing both at once lets you throw your opponent. Holding down the block button puts your character's guard up, though well-timed taps on the block button can dodge an attack entirely or even throw an energy attack right back at your opponent.

It's the ranged energy attacks that give Budokai Xenoverse’s gameplay such a distinctive flair. In addition to your standard life bar, there's a ki meter, which dictates what kinds of energy attacks you can throw. Your ki will increase naturally over the course of a fight, but you can also hold down the L button to quickly charge up, though this will leave you extremely vulnerable to attacks. Depending on how much ki you have charged up, your energy attacks can range from a puny yellow fireball to a time-stopping, screen-filling nightmare. Fully charged ki attacks aren't unbeatable, since a well-timed punch can cancel out the whole thing, but they're impressive looking and completely devastating when they land. Certain characters, such as the Saiyans, can use the ki energy to turn into more powerful forms, too.