Dragon Ball Z: Kakarot was a great game in many regards, and now that its DLC is finally coming soon, it is likely to keep entertaining fans for a while. That said, there are some things to gripe about when it comes to DBZ: Kakarot, like how the time machine is mostly broken, but one of the game's big problems stems from the source material itself. Fans of Vegeta, and there are a lot of them, might have felt the familiar sting of only being able to reach Super Saiyan 2 as the Prince, making him much weaker than Goku and Gohan by comparison and not really worth using.
For those unaware, Dragon Ball Z: Kakarot has many transformations, each providing the player with a percentage boost to stats. Super Saiyan, for example provides the user with a 50% boost to stats at max level, while Super Saiyan 3 gives 150%. This boost ends up being a major determining factor in how useful a character is overall. Although playing a character like Future Trunks is certainly enjoyable because of his moveset, everything takes so much longer to defeat since he only has access to Super Saiyan 1. Vegeta, likewise, only goes as far as Super Saiyan 2, which is substantially weaker than Super Saiyan 3 or Ultimate Gohan.
DBZ: Kakarot Super DLC
DBZ: Kakarot's DLC is set up to rectify this problem. Just like Dragon Ball Super did, the DLC is looking to level the playing field between the two rival Saiyans by providing both with the Super Saiyan God form. This form far surpasses Super Saiyan 3 in power, as is evidenced by how effortlessly Beerus beat down Goku in that form compared to the much more competitive fight the two had once Goku had attained godhood. There are still a lot of questions about the upcoming DLC, however.
Dragon Ball Z Vegeta was Always One Step Behind Goku
At nearly any point in the story of Dragon Ball Z, Vegeta is one step behind Goku in terms of power and transformations. Perhaps during the Saiyan Saga this isn't true, as it is clear that Vegeta far outclasses Goku, but even then Goku has access to the Kaioken transformation which eventually tips the scales. The same can be said for most other points in the series, as each Saga, Goku gets stronger and Vegeta ends up lagging behind playing catch up.
For example, Goku gets the Super Saiyan transformation in the Frieza Saga, leaving Vegeta to attain the form later on at the beginning of the Cell Saga. Though the two are relatively close in power during the Cell Saga, Vegeta's use of Super Saiyan Grade 2 rather than Full Power Super Saiyan proves to be a mistake, as the latter is what leads to the Super Saiyan 2 transformation. Then, in the Buu Saga, it seems that Vegeta had finally surpassed his rival after attaining the Super Saiyan 2 transformation while Goku was dead, only to discover that Goku learned Super Saiyan 3 while training in Other World.
It's worth mentioning that this is part of Vegeta's character, and isn't necessarily a bad thing, but the way it translates into the game is unfortunate, as it leaves Vegeta as permanently underpowered compared to Goku and doesn't give players much incentive to use him. Still, the difference in power between the two Saiyans is clearly Vegeta's driving motivation, and it helps to keep his arrogance in check as well. He probably wouldn't be as much of a beloved character if he was always stronger than Goku, as his uphill battle to be the best is part of what makes him so great and leads to Vegeta's greatest moments.
Dragon Ball Super Vegeta VS. Goku
Dragon Ball Super has mixed up the formula to an extent, and Dragon Ball Z: Kakarot's Super DLC has done this even more. Although it is true that Goku attains the God form first, Vegeta gets it not long after, and for some time the two are evenly matched in terms of transformations. When Super Saiyan Blue is introduced, the pair unveil it at the same time, once again putting them on the same power scale as each other rather than sequestering the Prince of Saiyans to the back seat.
Dragon Ball Z: Kakarot's approach to Super Saiyan God also helps to level the playing field in that it seems that Vegeta and Goku can attain this form in any order depending on who the player decides to train first. Furthermore, if Super Saiyan Blue appears in Dragon Ball Z: Kakarot, it will likely be as a transformation for Super Saiyan God Goku and Vegeta, providing the same percentage boost for both Saiyans and removing the disparity between their maximum powers. That said, this does create another problem, as characters like Piccolo, Trunks, and even Gohan who don't gain access to God Ki will quickly become obsolete.
Super Saiyan God in Dragon Ball Z: Kakarot
How the Super Saiyan God form will be used in Dragon Ball Z: Kakarot is still uncertain due to some awkward and confusing wording in the Season Pass and DLC details. It is possible that it will just be another transformation tacked onto the skill trees of these two characters, likely granting 200% to all stats, one step above Super Saiyan 3, but it is also possible that Super Saiyan God Goku and Vegeta will be separate playable characters with their own movesets, stat scaling, and skill trees.
Ultimately, whatever method CyberConnect2 plans on using, it is nice for Vegeta fans to know that he'll finally be on the same level as Goku. Although Goku does eventually stack the Kaioken technique onto the Super Saiyan Blue form, this combination is not really its own transformation, nor is it likely to appear in DBZ: Kakarot any time soon. This means that either character is viable to use during the new content coming in the DLC, and the Prince of all Saiyans can finally back up his bold words.
Dragon Ball Z: Kakarot is available now for PC, PS4, and Xbox One.
