Dragonball Evolution (PSP)

Dragonball Evolution is a fighting video game for the PlayStation Portable based on the live-action film of the same name, which in turn is also based on the anime series. The game was released in March 2009 in Japan, followed by a North American release on April 8, 2009.

Plot
The story follows the movie of the same name.

Why It Evolved, Just Backwards

 * 1) For starters, this game was based off a critically panned movie, so you know it's going to be bad.
 * 2) The game is a reskin of Dragon Ball Z Shin Budokai 2, just with a Dragonball Evolution theme on it
 * 3) Very poor controls.
 * 4) The gameplay is extremely mindless and repetitive. You can just mash the square button and win.
 * 5) Extremely poor graphics for a PSP game, other Dragon Ball games on the system had much better graphics
 * 6) Bland and forgettable soundtrack.
 * 7) The game is extremely easy, you can beat it in less than 2 hours.
 * 8) Generic backgrounds.
 * 9) Most of the voices are awful, and sound nothing like the show, with the exception of Goku.
 * 10) The cutscenes are extremely ugly, as they are just still images with text. When it tells you that something happens, like running, they don't show it because they are just static images.
 * 11) The gameplay is just a poor man's version of Tekken.
 * 12) Only 11 characters are playable in this game, which is very small for a fighting game. Even Naruto: Ninja Destiny had more characters, and that came out 4 years earlier.
 * 13) Just like the movie, the story is very poor and unfaithful to the source material.
 * 14) Even worse, this game came out before the movie, so it spoiled it for some people.
 * 15) Very little replay value, due to the mindless combat.
 * 16) The game was very overpriced at launch, as it cost around 40 bucks.
 * 17) Extremely broken AI. Even on the hardest difficulty, they are still very easy to beat
 * 18) And finally, just like the movie this game is based on, it was a flop.

Redeeming Qualities

 * 1) Yuri Lowenthal does do a decent Goku voice.
 * 2) Bulma is a playable character in this game.
 * 3) The box art is really funny.

Reception
Arlong Park said this of the game "So far I am severely unimpressed. We're listening to airheads talk about some very basic stuff. First game pictures look like DBZ Sparking but with real textures. Bulma seems to be a fighter this time around."

GameSpot's playthrough with the game during the New York Comic Con had a more positive reception with more details given about the various game modes, playable characters, unlockables and special attacks. Visitors at the con also had positive opinions toward the game.

On April 8, 2009, Chris Roper of IGN gave the game a less favorable review stating that "Unfortunately, while the Dragonball games have largely been improving over time, reaching a point nowadays when they can be fun to even non-DBZ fans, Dragonball Evolution is a pile of trash.