Information regarding Dragon Ball Z: Kakarot's first DLC has finally come to light thanks to leaks from Dragon Ball Hype and Ken Xyro which were followed shortly thereafter by an official announcement by Bandai Namco. While the new details are certainly exciting, their execution has left some fans uncertain of whether the season pass is worth the $25 price tag, nearly half of what the full game cost. There are many things to consider when purchasing the season pass, and unfortunately, not enough information is known yet to make a fully educated decision. That said, what is known can help guide players to make the choice that's right for them.
For those unaware, since Dragon Ball Z: Kakarot's launch, its season pass has been full of unknowns. The only hint players had as to what it would contain was "1 new story arc" and "2 original story episodes," but given Kakarot's inconsistency with they way it uses those terms, even that wasn't a lot. Now fans know that the first DLC will introduce an original story episode featuring Beerus and Whis, allowing the player to train with the latter to attain the Super Saiyan God form. It is said that training with Whis enough will even unlock a boss fight with Beerus.
DBZ: Kakarot Season Pass Expectations
Due to the confusing wording of the season pass along with the way CyberConnect2 handled the rest of Dragon Ball Z: Kakarot, there were many misconceptions about what the season pass would contain. It was thought at first that Dragon Ball Z: Battle of Gods would be adapted as the new story arc, while Dragon Ball Z: Kakarot's 2 original story episodes might feature Bonyu, Android 21, or Mira, but this turned out to be false. Surprisingly, it seems that the events of Battle of Gods are being sidelined in favor of training with Whis.
The training with Whis has been referred to as an original story episode, meaning one of the three things promised on the season pass is already out of the bag. This is strange, however, given DBZ: Kakarot's propensity for accurately retelling stories. Many assumed that the Gods of the Universe Saga, comprising the first two Dragon Ball Z movies, would be adapted in a similar manner to the main game. Instead, the first half of this saga is set up as training missions with Whis and will likely not have much in the way of story at all.
Is DBZ: Kakarot's Season Pass Worth It?
The introduction of Beerus, Whis, and the Super Saiyan God form is certainly exciting, but it seems it may be too little, too late for some fans. After expectations had ramped up so high for the DLC, a few training missions and a new form seem lackluster at best. Fans hoping to see Golden Frieza in DBZ: Kakarot have even less hope now, it is unclear how the season pass will progress moving forward.
It is possible that the second original story episode will be the battle with Beerus, or it could condense the events of Resurrection F, bringing the return of the fan favorite villain (although in DBZ: Kakarot, he's already been wished back with the dragon balls). That leaves the story arc on the season pass as the only thing remaining, and there's not much it could be. It seems highly unlikely that Dragon Ball Z: Kakarot will get a Universe 6 DLC anytime soon, meaning the new story arc could be Resurrection F adapted in a more faithful way. That said, it is even possible that the two story episodes make up the story arc rather than it being something altogether separate.
So is Dragon Ball Z: Kakarot's season pass worth it? The short answer is not yet, but the long answer is a little more complicated. There are many fans who already own the season pass that have yet to see anything from it, and what little information there is about the new content seems to bring about more confusion and questions than it does answers. Rather than spend $25 on the season pass to join the players that already own it in limbo wondering if it was a waste of money, it would be best to simply wait until things are more clear.
DBZ: Kakarot DLC Individually
Another thing which should be considered is the possibility that DLC will be available for purchase separately. Most games with season passes offer all the DLC bundled together at a discount but provide each piece individually for a slightly higher price. Since it seems this first DLC will include only the first story episode, it stands to reason that there may be three individual DLC releases to make up the full season pass. In that case, it is up to players to pick and choose what is most important to them.
Given the season pass' price point of $25, it is possible that each story episode will drop as a $5 to $10 DLC, while the full story arc will likely be closer to $20. Once again, though, it is difficult to say whether these would be worth it, especially when compared to the full game, given that so little is known about them as of yet. One thing remains certain, though, there is no sense in buying the season pass until more information becomes available about what it will entail. Super Saiyan God Goku and Vegeta is enticing, but is still unclear if they will be transformations or entirely new characters.
Dragon Ball Z: Kakarot was a huge success, and most fans loved the experience in a way they never thought they could after replaying the story of Dragon Ball Z countless times in video game after video game. Hopefully, CyberConnect2 has enough experience to understand what it is the players want and expect and don't ruin something so great with some lackluster DLC packs, but it is still far too early to judge whether that is the case. This all highlights the fact that Dragon Ball Z: Kakarot needs to reveal its full season pass soon, before fans start losing interest and jump ship.
Dragon Ball Z: Kakarot is available now for PC, PS4, and Xbox One.
