For the first in the Budokai series, it was a great attempt....
The best part of Budokai 1 for me was the great story mode. Still the only DBZ game to have proper cut-scenes which I think all fans want. The original Japanese voices annoyed me at first, seems I only watched the anime in English, but that passes over time and you grow used to reading the translation. Now I watch many animes in Japanese so I'm used to it :P
Other than the cut-scenes in the story mode it was fight after fight inbetween scenes. Still most fighting games get boring over time I suppose =/
The flashy finishing moves where also a great addition and where much more attractive than in previous DBZ titles. The game will give fans of the series hours of fun. Newcomers that are anyway into animes will enjoy it too because you get most of the plot from the Saiyan Saga to the Cell Saga, whereas in other DBZ games there are no cut-scenes, making it harder to understand if you never watched the anime before.
Gamplay = 7/10....Slightly clumpsy and slow. Not too much skill involved.
Graphics = 8/10....very good graphics that capture the feel of the DBZ world.
Sound = 10/10....Great soundtrack that gets the adrenaline flowing while fighting or watching cut-scenes. Totally gives you the feeling of the anime.