Having only once tried to get my head round the Dragon Ball Z series of cartoons (and failing miserably I might add), I am perhaps not the most well placed of people to serve you with a balanced opinion of Atari's latest foray into the licence, the imaginatively titled Dragon Ball Z: Budokai 2. That said, whilst I may not be able to tell my Gohans from my Gokus at the best of times, what I can tell you is that Budokai 2 will probably be making an appearance in the "My First…" section of your local Early Learning Centre.

Budokai 2 has all the gameplay depth of one of those brightly coloured baby's xylophones - you know, the ones with three identical notes labelled red, blue and yellow that mothers think will draw a kid's musical talent to the surface, when in fact all it brings out is a nervous twitch in the parents. Anyway I digress and whilst the target demographic is outside the 0-2 yrs age bracket the play mechanics are not. Combos are elementary, special moves are far too easy to be called specials and the opponents rarely put up much of a fight, even in the most important of bouts. In short, this game's depth deficiency makes it a title that most gamers should steer clear of, which is a shame, as every other part of the package holds up well against almost any fighter on the market today. The action is frenetic, with battles mostly being decided on by who can hammer the buttons fastest and the moves are wonderfully over the top, much like the cartoons where characters are thrown through entire continents, mashed into the ground, or sent to the heavens like some gaudy rocket. Portions of the fight can be played in the air and many characters have a one hit kill manoeuvre which, whilst being totally unnecessary, does add a good deal to the multiplayer dynamic.

The wide range of play options offers more innovation by way of a story mode, allowing you to choose who you fight and when. The levels are divided into boards, with a variety of items, as well as Dragonballz, scattered around for Goku and Co. to collect. The objective of these boards changes from level to level but they are mostly along the lines of collect a ball or kick Freiza's ass. As you progress through the rounds, a number of skills and objects are made available, which run from simple things like a magic reinvigorating bean that gives you an extra quarter bar of health if you lose, allowing you to continue fighting, to Super Saiyan powers, turning you from a double hard geezer to a triple hard nutter. Other fighters join your party at different points in the story but choosing your allies for a particular round is primarily an aesthetic choice, rather than a functional one.

Another great concept is the way in which skills can be given to characters. Each member of your party has a limited amount of skill and item slots that can be filled with the spoils of your story or championship mode, allowing you in effect to create your character's move list. Okay, so the move list isn't very big but the idea stands out as a way forward in beat 'em ups. All of these moves can be tinkered around in a skills edit mode and with the large number of characters to choose from, kitting them all out with the appropriate gear is quite a nice diversion from the fighting.

Championship mode offers another chance to build up your skill set by lining your pockets with Zenie that can be used in the shop. In this mode characters are thrown into a tournament and face off in a ring to determine who walks away with the prize money - yet another interesting diversion, especially for parties of more than two. However, load times can be annoying and although they're not the longest they do serve to break up the tournaments so that most of the tension is lost between fights.

Budokai 2 fits with Dragon Ball Z's cartoon style perfectly, using garish colours, flashy effects and laughably overacted dialogue. On a technical note you'd be hard pushed to find anything to complain about, as the animation is smooth, the characters well drawn and the backgrounds, despite being a touch dull, are easy on the eye. A vibrant colour scheme pushes the cartoony feel and as beat 'em ups go, this is one of the most graphically satisfying around with its in-yer-face brashness and clean lines.

The voice talent from the TV series have been shipped in to add more appeal for the fans and the quotes dotted around the game do a lot for the continuity as well as the general feeling of quality. The score has also been imported from the show and works as a suitable backdrop for all the grunting and cabbage whacking that goes on during the bouts. Whilst it may not look as stunning as other recent beat 'em ups, the presentation that makes Anime so popular has been transferred to the game with proficiency.

It's easy to see Dragon Ball : Budokai 2 as a kids title, because at the end of the day that's what it is. The innovation and quality of presentation set it apart from similar games and overall it deserves a hearty round of applause, if for nothing else other than showing that the beat 'em up can develop as a genre. Some very real combat-depth issues and a huge similarity to the first Budokai title make it almost impossible to recommend to anyone over the age of ten but a rental might be worthwhile for the fan.

Reviewed by Tom LeClerc for AceGamez (All Rights Reserved).