Dragon Ball Gekishin Squadra Review – A Definitive Team Fighting Game

The world of Dragon Ball video games is a large one, stretching from the classic Budokai series to the technical finesse found in FighterZ and chaotic excitement present in Xenoverse. And now a new entrant arrives, promising to disrupt the formula. Dragon Ball Gekishin Squadra is more than just another brawler— it’s a violent, strategic and new take on what a dragon ball fighter can be.

But is this new game all that it’s cracked up to be? In this review, we take a look at the story and combat to explore if it belongs in your collection.

What is Dragon Ball: Gekishin Squadra?

By definition, let’s start by defining this new experience. Dragon Ball: Gekishin Squadra is a rapid-action, treaty-based 3D fighting battle where all fighters are divided into ‘squads’ and performs attacks at once! Created by Dimps (the team responsible for the popular Budokai series and Dragon Ball Z: Kakarot) and published by Bandai Namco, Squadra hits PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S and PC.

The title itself reveals the game’s central theme. “Gekishin” (激震) is Japanese for “violent shake/uprising”, and “Squadra” is Italian for “group”. Between them, they neatly encapsulate the game title: Team-based brawling as the mighty character from Dragon Ball.

Gameplay Deep Dive: The Core of the “Squadra” System

This is where Gekishin Squadra really excels and distinguishes itself. While it’s still the kind of 3D Dragon Ball game that’s all about kicking up dirt and rocks as you juggle your opponent in air long enough to blast them through a mountain, the focus is on team fighting.

The Core Loop

You command a three-person team, yet you can directly control only one character at a time. The gameplay is smooth, with powerful melee combos and iconic Ki blasts, as well as a variety of Super Moves cinematic in nature. But that’s not where the strategy is here – it comes from managing everyone at once.

The Gang System (Game’s USP)

• Continual character switching: The key to winning. It is possible to immediately switch over to any team mate on the fly, including during a combo. This paves the way for amazing tag-team attacks, such as launching an enemy into the air and switching characters to keep up the assault.
• Synergy Attacks: Once your Synergy Gauge is fully charged, you can use powerful cooperative attacks. This is no pre-rendered cutscene, it requires input from several characters and you genuinely feel as though you’re co-ordinating a joint assault.
• Role specific: Each character can be assigned to a rough role -Tank (Frontline) Dps (Flanker), and Healer/Buffer. There often can be more to it than just picking your three favorite strong characters. It’s a bit over the top in self generated fan wank, setting up a Goku Striker, Vegeta Vanguard and Piccolo Support ‘combo’ that just feels right.

Progression & Modes

Tucked into them is a meaty skill tree for each character where you can upgrade their abilities beyond the events of Story Mode. The main modes include:

• Arcade Mode: Standard ladder with brief story for each character.
• Online Versus: Bring your custom built Squadra online and challenge other players in ranked or casual matches.
• Paradox Missions: The endgame content that is making you leave the game again because its impossible scenarios with exclusive rewards.

Roster & Characters: Old Faces and New Dangers

The starter roster is a strong 20, pulling from Dragon Ball Z as well as the more recent Dragon Ball Super and even the non-canon movies. You’ve got main-stays such as Goku, Vegeta, Gohan and Frieza, as well as fan-favourites like Hit and Jiren.

The novelty here are of course the new characters designed specifically for this game:

• Tempora: The leader of the Chrono Reapers, a calm and composed foe who can manipulate temporal energy.
• Sekunda: Tempora’s savage lieutenant, who creates end of the world time paradox bombs while you fight him.

Graphics & Sound: A Symphony of Destruction

Gekishin Squadra features the same take on cel-shaded style that made Dragon Ball Z: Kakarot look so gorgeous, albeit in a more polished form. The characters are clean, and while it comes time for their sequences in Synergy Attacks the animations pop, even surpassing the momentum of the Broly movie.

The action is silky at 60 frames-per-second during combat, so the action remains in lockstep with your thumb on the analog stick. Voice acting from the gigantic cast of characters is presented in both Its original Japanese and English voices, and music comes via a mixture of epic orchestral scores and electric guitar riffs that accompany the on-screen madness wonderfully.

Advantages & Disadvantages: The Balanced Verdict

Pros:

• The Good Innovative squad-based combat: The tag-team concept is new, requires thought and is a hell of a lot of fun to explore.
• True Dragon Ball Feel: Play as Bonus and unlock a world where the feeling is mutual with anime visuals, music and kamehameha-like battle’s blow.
• Fabulous Cast of Characters with New Players: The OC’s are also very nice and fit in well.
• Endless Replay Value: Paradox missions and online play ensure new situations, gameplay, and events are regularly available.

Cons:

• The Story Mode is Brief: It takes less than 10 hours to finish the main story.
• Can Feel Like Spin: A few of the Paradox Missions are in recycled environments or have you do similar tasks.
• High Skill Floor: You need to understand how characters and their abilities work together if you really want to get into things.There’s a steep learning curve here.

Final Verdict: Who is this game for?

This is a brave, rewarding experiment for Dragon Ball. It’s not trying to supplant the technical complexity of FighterZ or RPG scale of Xenoverse 2. Instead, it becomes something else entirely: a strategic, squad-based fighter.

• For Dragon Ball Fans: No brainer here. The fan service, the original story and the new ways to battle it out are more than enough for any fan to jump on.
• If You Like Fighting Games You Will Enjoy Squadra, you like the idea of tag-team action, like Marvel vs Capcom and are a fan of deep strategy then we have a real gem here that will prove to be something nobody else is doing!
• Are you a casual gamer? My learning curve maybe steeper, but heals and striking combat make it button mash friendly.

Final Score: 8.5/10 – Great

The final one-shot is by Main Staff: Stardust Breaker and promises that the age of “gekishin” and fun has not yet come to an end Dragon Ball Side Story: The Case of Being Reincarnated As Yamcha! May 7, 2015 #1 A spin-off manga titled Dragon Ball Side Story: The Case of Being Reincarnated as Yamcha (ドラゴンボール 外伝 転生したらヤムチャだった caseでんreleased on April 4,2007 was created by Dragon Garow Lee.

Dragon Ball: Gekishin Squadra – Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

• Q:Is Dragon Ball Gekishin Squadra canon?
• A: There is an original story, think of it as a side-story like the Xenoverse games. It lives comfortably within established canon without directly contradicting it.
• Q: On what platforms is the game?
• A: There are versions for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S and PC (on Steam).
• Q: Can I play Dragon Ball: Gekishin Squadra offline?
• A: Yes! Offline functions for Story Mode, Arcade Mode, and Paradox Missions(Collectors Edition). The only thing that uses internet connection is Online Versus Mode.
• Q: How many characters are there in the game?
  A: The base game features a roster of 20 characters, with additional characters announced as post-launch DLC.
• Q: Is there local multiplayer (couch co-op)?
  A: Yes, 2 player (local versus mode is available) where you take on the role of two personalities who field teams against each other in this customization friendly team-based real-time strategy game based.