Dragon Ball Xenoverse 3 Preview: The AGE 1000 Era Aims to Revolutionize the Saga

When Bandai Namco announced Dragon Ball Xenoverse 3, the community's reaction was immediate and enthusiastic. After all, we're talking about one of the most beloved Dragon Ball video game series of the last ten years, capable of building its own identity thanks to time travel, character creation, and an impressive amount of content.

After the success of the first two chapters and years of continuous updates, Xenoverse 3 presents itself with the most difficult goal of all: not just adding new characters, but truly evolving a formula that seemed to have reached its natural limit.

And, after attending a private presentation of the game, the feeling is that this time the developers have decided to go big.

Dragon Ball Xenoverse 3: The AGE 1000 Era and the New West City

If there's one feeling we took home after this first presentation of Dragon Ball Xenoverse 3, it's that the developers have no intention of merely re-proposing the formula of previous chapters with some superficial additions. The introduction of the new AGE 1000 era indeed appears to be the starting point of a much more ambitious vision.

This new era not only represents an unprecedented backdrop for players' adventures but a true new chapter in the Dragon Ball universe. During the event, we caught a glimpse of a reality still to be explored, populated by familiar characters, new figures to discover, and mysteries that seem destined to accompany us for much of the adventure.

At the center of it all is West City, a completely redesigned metropolis that will serve as the beating heart of the experience. Between missions, encounters, and side activities, the city promises to become much more than a simple hub, transforming into a vibrant place rich in opportunities for those who love to immerse themselves in the game world.

Naturally, the freedom to create your own warrior and choose the path you wish to take remains fundamental. Xenoverse 3 continues to place the player at the center of the narrative, allowing them to build their own legend within an original universe born from the ideas of Akira Toriyama.

An important role will be entrusted to the Great Saiyan Squad, the group of fighters who will accompany us throughout the story. From what was seen, the relationship with allies and the events involving the team seem destined to have a greater weight than in the past, helping to make the narrative component more central and engaging.

After attending the presentation, the feeling is that AGE 1000 was not created just to tell a new story, but to offer fans a different kind of Dragon Ball, capable of looking forward without forgetting everything that has made the series special until today. 

Technical Department: Next-Gen Models, Animations, and Transformations 

The first novelty that struck us during the presentation is undoubtedly the technical department. Xenoverse 3 remains immediately recognizable, but just a few minutes of gameplay are enough to understand that the leap compared to previous chapters is far from marginal.

The developers seem to have worked precisely on the aspects that over the years had most shown their age. Character models appear more detailed and faithful to the original work, animations are more natural, and environments finally show a visual richness that helps make the game world much more credible and engaging.

The difference emerges especially during clashes. Energy blasts illuminate the battlefield, explosions generate impressive particle effects, and every attack conveys a sense of power that rarely reached these levels in previous chapters. Even high-speed combat is more fluid and readable, with movements that increasingly resemble the battles seen in the anime.

Transformations are particularly spectacular, no longer limited to a simple aesthetic change but accompanied by elaborate visual effects, shockwaves, energy auras, and sequences capable of enhancing each form change. At several moments, we truly had the impression of watching one of the most adrenaline-fueled episodes of the animated series.

Of course, it's still too early to express definitive judgments on the overall technical quality of the project, but one thing is already clear: Xenoverse 3 seems to be the first chapter in the series designed without compromise for current hardware. And after years of rather conservative evolutions, that's exactly what many fans hoped to see. 

The New Combat System: 4-Character Teams and More Tactical Depth 

After attending the demonstration, the feeling is that the developers have decided to intervene directly on the core of the experience, maintaining the series' identity while making every clash more dynamic and satisfying.

The basics are what fans know well: high-speed three-dimensional combat, aerial pursuits, teleports, devastating combos, and energy techniques capable of turning the tide of battle in a few moments. However, everything appears more refined, more fluid, and above all, more natural. Characters move more quickly, dodges seem to offer more precise control, and special attacks integrate into the action without interrupting its rhythm, helping to create battles that are much more spectacular to watch and satisfying to play.

The real surprise, however, is the new team system. For the first time, it will be possible to tackle most missions by controlling a team composed of four fighters and switching between them practically at any moment. A novelty that radically changes the approach to combat.

During the presentation, we saw characters continuously alternating on the battlefield to exploit different abilities, activate specific transformations, or simply react to enemy strategies. This mechanism adds a tactical dimension that was only hinted at in previous Xenoverse games and which here seems to become one of the core elements of the entire experience.

The choice of group members could therefore take on much greater importance than in the past. It will no longer just be about bringing your favorite warriors with you, but about building a balanced team, capable of adapting to different situations and making the most of each fighter's characteristics.

The result, at least from what has been shown so far, is a combat system that retains all the immediacy and spectacle typical of the series, but which adds that touch of strategic depth that many players have been asking for for years. If these impressions are confirmed in the final version, Xenoverse 3 could offer the most fun and complete battles ever seen in the history of the saga.

Among the many novelties shown during the presentation, one of the aspects that most impressed us undoubtedly concerns the Ultimate moves. If in previous chapters they already represented the culmination of every fight, in Xenoverse 3 they seem to have been completely rethought to transform into authentic events within the battle.

The most powerful techniques boast significantly more elaborate animations, impressive special effects, and direction that directly recalls the most iconic moments of the anime. Dynamic cameras, gigantic energy explosions, and devastating impacts contribute to making every Ultimate something that goes far beyond a simple special attack.

During the presentation, it was also said that the progression system has received an important evolution. By completing missions and tackling the numerous challenges proposed by the adventure, it will be possible to accumulate experience, improve your warrior's stats, and, above all, unlock new and increasingly devastating abilities and techniques.

Thanks to the new team system, boss fights also seem to have benefited from a profound revision.

The clash shown during the presentation appeared much more elaborate than in the past, with enemies equipped with devastating attacks and mechanics that required different attack strategies.

The feeling is that of being in front of true event battles, capable of reproducing the sense of spectacle typical of the most memorable Dragon Ball sagas.

Our Impressions on Dragon Ball Xenoverse 3: An Ambitious Evolution of the Saga 

It is still far too early to express definitive judgments or make overly optimistic predictions. However, what was shown during this preview hints at a much more ambitious project than what has been seen in the past.

Dragon Ball Xenoverse 3 does not seem to want to be a simple continuation of previous chapters, but a true evolution of the series, capable of renewing its foundations without betraying its original spirit. If the promises are kept, Dragon Ball fans could finally find themselves facing the chapter they have been waiting for for years.

We at Gamesurf will continue to follow this title with great attention and keep you constantly updated.