I think fans of series like Dragon Ball are probably tired of the same old anime fighter – I know I am. If you’ve booted one up, you’ve probably experienced their repetitive formula that hasn’t meaningfully changed in well over a decade. As fun as it is to remember an iconic standoff, I think I’d rather just rewatch it (or a fan edit) instead of hammering away at the same button for a few minutes. And from a distance, I’d forgive anime fans for thinking that Dragon Ball Xenoverse 3 is just another mashy arena fighter caked in glitzy fan service.

Instead, a beefy demo hosted at Bandai Namco headquarters in Tokyo reminded me that developer Dimps is among the best at making these. The demo session focused exclusively on co-op multiplayer, with no mention of the arena fighter mode. Focused on fun and fan service, this game’s seemingly sprawling lobbies and chill, raid-style co-op levels indicate a ton of potential as a digital third space. Some of the more repetitive aspects you’ll find in a lot of anime brawlers are still there, it’s true, but Xenoverse 3 handles them better than most, twisting and expanding them around raids. And to fight that staleness even more, Dimps brings a dizzying amount of customization to the toy chest that they’re stocking with anything a fan could ask for.

Set in Age 1000, many of the series’ most iconic heroes and villains are long gone, leaving room for you to forge your own story in Xenoverse 3’s seemingly deep RPG-like progression.

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