Dead or Alive 4 Reviews

• The Most Beautiful Fighter Available

  
  By A1V51M8M216Y69 on 2006-01-07
  Dead of Alive 4 doesn't disappoint. First of all, the graphics are just mind-blowingly beautiful. You've never seen such a beautifully designed fighter game before. To tell the truth, I bought an X-box 360 because I'm a big fan of the Dead or Alive series. Now that I've played the game, I can say that I'm satisfied.
  
  I give a quick rundown of the changes from the previous version. Multiplayer is as fun as usual, but the story mode will be a little more difficult than in previous versions. The reason for this is that the computer AI is a little stronger than before. If you tend to use just a few moves, the computer will pick up on that and will counter you almost every time. If you learn to vary your moves, then it's not much of a problem. Also, the window for pulling off a counter has been reduced, so it's much more difficult than before to do a counter. Again, with practice and timing, you can improve your skills to make up for this. Also, I felt that the final boss in this game is a little more difficult than previous bosses. By that, I mean much faster and much trickier. I found that by using charges and footsweeps, you can usually beat the boss with only a few tries. Overall, the single player game has become more challenging.
  
  So should you get it? The answer is YES! If you have an X-box 360 and you don't have this, then you need it. That's all I can say. This game has left me speechless.
  
  

• The Atonement

  
  By A8KWKXQDA9IN7 on 2006-01-05
  The newest installment in Team Ninja's fighting game series, Dead or Alive 4 has met all it's expectations. Every fighting game series on the market today has their respective strong points, DOA always being the amazing graphic edge, but more than anything on this newest edition, tecmo has slightly revamped the fighing techniques making DOA4 the most balanced game in it's genre.
  
  Single player lacks an easy mode, so for the casual gamer, it might be somewhat of a challenge. But because of this factor, it helps develop the mechanical skills used in the game. Some veterans might find some slight difficulty at first, but should get the hang of things after a few goes. Definately not a "button mash" game. This aspect I gladly invite. I think that usually easy modes lack any challenge, if anything the only positive aspect of the mode is to learn move sets and combos, which can easily be learned in the Sparring mode. With unlockable costumes, characters, and other achievements, the single player mode will likely keep your interest.
  
  The online mode has it's kinks, but for the most part is very good. I really like the lobbies and the avatars to install goals within the online game. Rankings and scores also helps keep a competative nature. Within the mode you can set-up tournaments, private matches, and many other fighting settings. Their has been a few glitches and every once and awhile some lag. The glitches I'm sure will be fixed as they are found and the lag in a lobby has more to do with a bad connection as opposed to bad service.
  
  If you are into fighting games and want a challenge both offline and online, Dead or Alive 4 is a must have if you have a xbox360.
  
  

• THE WORST 360 game for beginners -- and the worse fighting game for 360

  
  By AIXKMXT72E7S1 on 2006-03-05
  This is, without a doubt, the absolutely worse fighting game ever made. Tecmo has removed all the enjoyable elements including removing a difficulty level for beginners. If you aren't a DOA pro, you'll be pummled countless times while you just try to learn the controls. The computer will pull off 10x combos on you while you just try to land a punch or kick. What's worse, the game has 45 Achievements, including more than a dozen "secrets" which you must unlock. But you'll be so frustrated by this game that you won't even bother.
  
  The worst part of it is that this is no longer a "party game." Meaning you can't invite over your friends and have fun fighting each other. The few people that master the game's new countering system (which is aptly named, since it's so COUNTER-intuitive) will slaughter the newbies and completely remove the fun of the multiplayer element.
  
  Likewise, when you take your game online (which you must do to earn 10 of the public achievements), you'll get destroyed by users who are far better than you, if you haven't dedicated your life to DOA practice.
  
  So before you waste half of your life trying to become the DOA guru of your social circle or the entire online world, remember that the only things that are new to this game from Dead or Alive Ultimate (which is 1/3 the cost) is a few new characters, the HD graphics (which are, I admit, absolutely amazing) and a set of new features which only make it tougher for those of us who weren't good at playing fighting games in the first place. Thanks, Tecmo, for completely ignoring the entire gaming community to make another game like Ninja Gaiden Black; a game that no one wants to play unless it's the only game they practice at.
  
  

• Do you have a lot of patience and unlimited time?

  
  By A20T0AP2K4BA93 on 2006-01-08
  I don't know about you, but when I buy a new game, I want to open it, pop it in the console, and start playing. You're welcome to try this with DOA4, if you don't mind being that kid who gets thrown down and pummeled everytime he steps out on the playground.
  
  Most console games provide a tutorial that, in the best cases, is built into the story-mode of the game and eases you into the gameplay by teaching you the abilities of your character. In DOA4, this is particularly important because every attack or defense involves an often complicated sequence of directional-movements (with the joystick or directional pad) combined with pushing the proper sequence of buttons on the controller. You also need a great sense of timing to know when to start each sequence. To compound the difficulty, each character in the game has an extensive series of special attacks that is unique to that character, and involves, you guessed it, a unique sequence of buttons and joystick movements for each special attack.
  
  So lets say you're not intimidated by this complexity, and you actually want to spend the time required to learn how to play one of the game's many characters. DOA4's idea of "getting started" is to drop you into an arena with a computer opponent that has a sixth-degree black-belt in jujutso -- and that's on the lowest "normal" setting. How many times can you see yourself thrown down, your head twisted back, your legs bent in painful-looking directions, and your opponent announced the victor, before you've had enough "fun?"
  
  In desperation, you might also be tempted to turn to that component of the game packaging that most of us would rather never open: the documentation. Tecmo gets points for consistency here by making an already complicated game even more difficult to understand with impossibly confusing descriptions of the game's basic controls. Ostensibly because the game gives you the ability to customize the controller, they decided to create their own button icons for punch, kick, and guard and use those to explain each control. The resulting problem is that the color and letters of the buttons in the documentation doesn't match the colors and letters of the buttons on the Xbox controller! So, for example, the documentation tells us that to execute a "low throw" on your opponent, you should simultaneously push the down directional and the green block button, followed immediately by the yellow punch button. So what does this mean for the default controller configuration? It means you push the down directional and the blue X button, followed by the yellow Y button. Clear as mud, right?
  
  Finally, although the game graphics are beautiful (watching me get my butt kicked has never looked so good as in the high-def, gorgeous arenas of DOA4), Tecmo didn't bother to localize any of the game's dialogue in English. As a result, if you're adept enough to push the appropriate sequence of buttons required to "taunt" your opponent during combat, you'll hear your character say something unintelligible in Japanese. You'll hope that this is a biting, witty jab, but in actuality, it's probably (and more appropriately) a plea for mercy.
  
  
  

• One of if not THE worst fighting game ever made

  
  By A2HC7YTBN7935X on 2006-09-06
  I have played many many fighting games fom NES(I'll count Kung Fu here) all the way up to the 360 now. And this has to be the worst one I have ever played. When I first bought it and was getting my head handed to me, I thought it just takes some getting used to. Well, after more than 10 hours later the same thing is happening. I have Soul Caliber 3, and though it was hard at first the more you play the more you get used to it. The more you can flow with it and hold your own. This game however, is nowhere near that good. Yes it's a pretty game, but beauty does NOT make a fighting game. I found the controls sloppy at best, the reversals or counters near impossible, and blocking pretty much not there. And anyone who has played through knows the last fight with evil gree jello girl is a gamers nightmare. The developer who made this junk should really stop trying to be a rock star and make a fighting game worth buying. I suggest you buy Soul Caliber 3 for PS2 or wait for a new and better fighting game to come out.
  
  
• Define: Opposite of Fun
  By A3DDK3UYYUMFPW on 2006-02-04
  DOA single player...
  
  The single player portion of this game is by far the WORST of any fighting game to date - unless of course you enjoy spending hours fighting against an AI that cannot be described in any way other than RIDICULOUS! Even on the 'normal' setting (the easiest available), the AI can counter at will and string together impossible combinations of hits. 45+ minutes on ONE opponent to unlock ONE costume... not my idea of a good time.
  
  The multi-player portion of the game would be a total blast if it wasn's constantly laggy and either booting people or freezing...
  
  With a couple of patches, this game COULD be awesome, but as it stands now - I recommend skipping it...
  
  
• An Incredible Experience
  By A1KYUYPU2PS2RB on 2005-12-30
  Dead or Alive 4, the most recent iteration of the popular DOA series, is an incredible experience. Everything is superb. The character models-though still cartoony in appearance-are still detailed enough to drop a few jaws. All 22 fighters have multiple costumes that can be unlocked that are almost life-like. Each costume has realistic textures to further enhance the experience, but the true pinnacle of DOA4 (graphically) are the battlefields. It is apparent that the level designers spent a lot of time crafting each individual level. All arenas feature multiple tiers, destructible items, and backgrounds that will make you question if you're still in reality.
  
  Aside from graphics, DOA4 boasts gameplay that is extremely fun and easy to get into. While beginners may button-mash, the inclusion of small, yet important, improvements will keep veterans interested. Such improvements include a more difficult counter system, and a more in-depth ground game. Furthermore, all 22 fighters have their own unique fighting styles and each character has an expanded arsenal of moves.
  
  Overall, this game does not leave much to be complained about and is a solid addition to the library of Xbox 360 games. If a game like DOA4 can achieve the best graphics of any game thus far only a month after the launch of the 360, imagine what future games are capable of once game developers adjust to the new system.
  
  I would recommend Dead or Alive 4 not only to fans of the DOA series, but also to any fighting game fan.
  
  
• A surging paulse
  By AQI2CW6UKF1ES on 2006-01-18
  For the launch of the 360
  Pros:
  -Untouchable graphics(The superb models and the excellent lighting effects from the multiple lights in diffrent places, and eyepleasing beckrounds, like the crowd in the wrestling arena)
  -Excellent voice acting
  -Hyper fast fighting
  -Couple of new characters(It's good to have some new characters on a new installment)
  -Easy to get into gameplay(same ol' button masher)
  -I love theater mode(It allows you to see the graceful FMV endings for each character you beat the game with.)
  -I love replay mode(If you record a fight were you did some spectacular stuff, it's good to see over again)
  -And, oh yes, the number 1 reason this games is a high seller is the wemon with the high sex appeal(Increasing age to 99 makes it even more worthwhile. It gets me distracted sometimes, but that's allright)
  -Online play is definitly the fun factor of the game. (You get to play against a variety of diffrent people)
  -Dead or Alive 4 is alive, and easilly the best out of the series
  Cons:
  -The final boss is chessier than the for-jorking word cheese(I once beat her down to near 0 health, then she game me 2 strong counter throws, bringing me to low health, then she teleported multiple times until she hit me. I tell you it's as fair as life man)
  -Computers are mind readers(Seriously you hit in diffrent directions, and they will block and counter you anyway, especially around rounds 5-8. I even tried to learn moves, but it was just as if I were a button masher anyway.)
  -Story mode, as always, never makes any sence
  -Some characters that were realesed in story mode can't be played in story mode, yet they are in story mode like normal characters, what the fudge is up with that?
  -I wish they had an extra game in it(Like Tekken Bowl in Tekken Tag)
  -I suck major bootie crack on Live, I get str8 up owned 90% of the time(I mean c'mon, I played 11 fights, won the first one then lost 10 in a row! Go ahead and laugh at my suckfest abilities on line)
  Nutral:
  -Stage falls are always funny, unless it's you tumbling down the stairs like empty trash can
  -The enviorments are so life like, that depending on the stage, you and you're opponent can be hit by a dinosaur, cheetah, or car(It's either a good thing or a bad thing.)
  -I've buid up a tolerance for getting creamed in both the game and online(I used to get mad yell, and throw controllers, but I remembered how long it took me to get a 360, so I now just am under the intention, that I'll win, it's just a matter of when)
  -Realeasing costumes is cool, but playing story mode every time to realese one sucks, and the fact that I suck online doesn't help me get gamescore points to get costumes)
  -It's sad that I got this game on the 29th of December, and I got the 360 on January 17th(It was torture to see that game and not play it for 19 days)
  
  Dead or Alive 4 does everything better than it's predicessors. It's a ton of fun, and it has a whole lot of variety in it. It's funny to my friends when they learned I lost 10 fights in a row after wining my first, but only one of them has a right to say anything, cuz he has the game too, yet he's got a C rank, and I'm at a F. Anyway, Team Ninja took total advantage of the 360's graphics, and fired on all cilinders for a fighting game with absolute action, and more than enough for gamers to enjoy. The bottom line is this, if you have a 360 and not this, you should be pimp slapped.
  
  peace
  
  
• Style over substance
  By APL9OVVAXP7N2 on 2006-03-04
  Before I start any review that gives this game lots of stars and doesn't address the AI or difficulty of this game is a fake review. Probably from a person who has a load of boxes full of DOA4 lying around like a bad drug.
  
  I have had the game for about 2 months now and feel I'm in position to give an honest review Firstly the game looks amazing, great interactive backgrounds, character details, a reasonable number of characters and costumes plus great end movies. All this game needed was reasonable gameplay and it would have been a great game, but Team Ninja or as I like to call them Team Numbskull, have failed and kind of ruined the game.
  
  When I first got the game DOA4 was probably the most frustrating unenjoyable game ever! People, who say that this is a good thing, probably pay women in leather to whip them. And that is how I felt when I first started playing the game. I paid £50, which is about $80 and god knows how much yen to get my ass kicked. There is nothing more annoying than a game where the CPU can do things a Player can't do. The CPU can do all these fancy throws and counter throws, while it is near impossible for Players to pull off a simple throw. With a lot of practice you might be about to counter a CPU move once in a blue moon, but it is more down to luck than Judgement. The gameplay also isn't organic. If the CPU player is low on energy the CPU player will pull off a 10 to 15 hit combo out of nowhere to bring your energy down. While that is okay sometimes, when it happens every round it makes the gameplay artificial, predictable and unenjoyable. What makes that worst is the fact that the CPU can counter throw player combos easy, while it is again near impossible for players to block or counter CPU combos. Especial the last boss who can actually throw, not a counter, you while you are punching and it's this unfairness that makes the game unsatisfying. Players are better off just pressing buttons fast because the minute you try to pull off good moves the CPU hits you more. I know a lot of the reviews say it is great that is hard because it sorts out the men from the boys, but I think that kind of gamer elitism is wrong, because if I don't want to fight psychic CPU opponents then there should be an easy option. After a lot of practice I am very good at the game and the game becomes slightly easier. You learn you can't do the same move more than twice in row and with characters (La Mariposa) that have fast combos that hit high and low the game becomes more reasonable. I've finished the game with all the characters, but the game just isn't that fun. Because there is no easy level to experiment and use a range of moves or tactics so the game becomes boring even when you are winning. I play games fun and relax from work. DOA4 just seems like work. The music is mostly Rubbish J-Rock. When will Japanese game companies learn from Grand Theft Auto, we are the Ipod generation, so we want to hear real music in our games, rather than the work of some poor guy in their Music department producing average music. And why the hell do all the characters speak Japanese? I know there are subtitles, but surely given most of the world speaks English it would of made sense to have a game with English voices and Japanese subtitles. There is also something very subversive about the character Zack with I just don't like.
  
  I think useless you are some kind of Professional Games Player then I wouldn't get it. It's an expensive that does not deliver in the most important thing gameplay. If Team Ninja for made this way deliberately then I won't be buying anymore of there games. DOA4 is a beautiful game, but I say if you like nice pictures go to a gallery not and don't pay for this game that becomes dull fast.
  Bring on Tekken 5, where the characters speak English, there is an easy and normal level, the throw moves isn't pointless and the game is fun to play.
  
  
  
• Uhh...What happened to the easy mode?
  By A1TG903LLEH1N0 on 2006-07-16
  I suppose this is what you call a 'hardcore' fighting game because it doesn't have an easy mode. It's too cool for all that easy mode jazz. Come to think of it, Soulcalibur 3 didn't either, whats up with that? Anyway, It's not actually that bad once you get some practice with fighting at a not so easy level. Once you finally defeat the evil jello mold kasumi clone after the twentieth time you will feel so tough that you didn't wimp out and set the game to easy (because you couldn't) that it makes the whole journey that much funner.
  
  Seriously, though, do they expect the average gamer to unlock even half the achievements on this mother? This series has always been rough but now you don't even have the option to wimp out. I play fighting games to take out my aggression. How am I going to take out my aggression when I'm getting my head kicked in like a special olympics equipment manager that picked a fight with Jet Li. I'll tell you how, I aint. At least not with Tina. I have to play as friggin' Ein if I want to do any good in survival mode. I didn't buy this game to play as a guy, sheesh. Also, is it just me or does Kasumi suck now? She used to be my go to girl but now I can barely do anything with her. I could barely get a bronze medal in the survival mode and I about darn near broke my hand doing it. I have a better chance of unlocking all of rumble roses achievements and that's saying something because that game is tedious. But I digress...
  
  On the plus side there are some great graphics but that goes without saying as this is a next generation system. There are also some interesting features like being able to take snapshots of computer controlled fighters. It's a fun diversion from getting pounded but 90% of my pictures are as blurry as all get out. I must not make a good video game photographer. As with Doa 3 Aerosmith music abounds in this game. Well, maybe not abounds per se but it is in there. If you beat the game with Helena. The ending credits have a nice Aerosmith song. The endings for the characters make no sense whatsoever but that's nothing new. I like Kasumi's little mermaid esque finale. It's so randomly silly that I liked it.
  
  Anyway, the game is a solid fighting game that gives you plenty of action. Just don't expect it to be a cakewalk or any other sort of walk involving pastries. Pick a fighter, spend hours learning all his moves and go forward young warrior to unlock the achievements and gain glory. But don't expect me to be at the finish line with you. I'll be playing oblivion.
  
  
• TECMO SUCKS!
  By A45G7OA8M7PGB on 2006-08-14
  why do they do this, why do they make it so hard? Tekken is way better in which it depends on skill, in this one you just want to break the game in half, the graphics are amazing, the game play hmmmmmmmmm dont know, the only thing i can see why many people like it is because the girls are half naked in it, lots of cat fights, its the only game that has the best female fighting i have seen on a console
  
  but definetly get it when its 29.99 or even lower, wait for better games
  
  
• More work, less play.
  By A2BKQ1WWAUEUQW on 2007-01-03
  In redesigining Dead or Alive for the XBOX 360, Team Ninja seems to have systematically removed any element of fun from the game. By drastically changing the countering system, by increasing the challenge, and by introducing a new boss, somehow they lost that which made the other games enjoyable in the first place.
  
  First, the countering system. Since the inception of the Dead or Alive series on the Playstation One, the countering system set DOA apart from other fighters and became, next to the female characters, the title's major gimmick. In DOA 4 that countering system has been complicated by adding a counter-intuitive command for middle and jumping kicks. Instead of entering back and the free button, one has to go forward instead. Compounding this, the window of opportunity for successfully countering an attack has decreased substantially, making it more difficult to break a combo.
  
  This in itself wouldn't have been so bad if the same treatment had been given the CPU opponenet, but no. They counter more often...as if at will. The opponent also blocks more effectively, severely limiting your offense. But not only has the CPU's defense improved, but offensively the CPU is a rediculous challenge. You will find yourself consistently being pummeled by perfectly executed combos, juggles, bounce combos, chain throws, and counters. Meanwhile, your ability to defend against these attacks is nearly absent. There are gaping holes in your blocking, you can't seem to break a chain throw, and if you do somehow manage a block the hardwired CPU executes a throw instead. Overall this challenge makes the game more frustrating than fun. Yet, as NORMAL level is the lowest difficult setting available (and their definition of normal is other games' hard or hardest), that is your only option. Even sparring mode proves to be a pain as there is equally no easy setting. However, by varying your attacks, you can catch the opponent off guard and manage a few good combos. The problem is, you go from entering known commands to random direction and button combinations. DOA goes from a fairly sophisticated game to a mindless button masher. Combine all this with a controller that cannot seem to register a simple crouch command and makes you jump forward when all you want is to step forward and you have a recipe for a lot of swearing and control throwing. There are some moments when you cannot do anything at all, and you wonder why you're even holding a controller in the first place.
  
  If you do manage to slog through these hyped-up, Wheaties-eating, omniscient opponents you eventually meet with the game's new boss, a poorly coceived Kasumi made out of bluish plasma, Alpha-152. This boss will go down in history as one of the cheapest, most difficult of all bosses. Not only can she string together 10 to 12 hit combos, but she has a counter attack that takes nearly half your life bar, she teleports, and she can seemingly complete a throw from anywhere. Even still, once you figure her out, she is surprisingly easy to beat provided you have the right character (Kasumi seemed to work best for me). If you only had to face her once, it would be no big deal, but you have to face her again and again if you want to unlock more features. Honestly, I don't know why fighting games even need a boss.
  
  Your reward for all this work is, excpt for a few exceptions, a lame movie and or an equally lame new outfit. Apparently all the best outfits have to be purchased online. As I am not an online player, there is very littly reward or satisfaction in this game. What happened to Leifang's leather one piece spy outfit. And though her movie is quite funny, it is not taijiquan. Tai Chi is about maximum result with minumum effort. Spinning around a pole by your hands in order to kick a guy is more in the style of a ninja. And do we really need Tengu? Moreover, you can also unlock a Spartan from Halo. What a Halo character is doing in Dead or Alive is anyone's guess. I suppose as Mario is to Nintendo, Halo is to the XBOX.
  
  Story wise, DOA is also lacking, but fighting games were never known for their depth. There seems to be little reason why any of them, aside from those with connections to DOATEC, would even be fighting in the first place. The new characters Eliot and Kokoro are kind of boring compared to the old cast. What is with Kokoro anyway? An apprentice Geisha studying Chinese kung fu? Besides, she too much resembles Leifang which creates some confusion. La Mariposa is slightly better, but suffers from too elaborate moves. Her acrobatic attacks often take to long to be effective.
  
  What has improved are the environments. The interactive nature of the stages is by far the most enjoyable new aspect of the game. It is satisfying to knock your opponent over a table or log, or smash him into a cart of fruit. Sadly, there is little else of any appeal here. Even the much touted graphics were not as impressive as what I had first heard. The hair looks like ribbons of plastic and, like scarves and jewelry, seems to move of its own accord. Fabric often looks fake escpecially in some of the textures and in the movement of skirts. Otherwise, it is a beautiful game, but still too frustrating to actually be enjoyable. I play video games to aleviate stress, not add more. I think many players would agree.
  
  
• Rewarding if you have staying power
  By A3GKOMCQTTWPUI on 2006-07-03
  When is something entitled 'Ultimate' not actually meant to be 'Ultimate'? When you're Team Ninja of course. Painfully unfunny jokes aside, Tomonobu Itagaki was certainly suffering from a case of premature appellation with his stop-gap DoA reimagining for Microsoft's original games system. Dead or Alive 4 is actually the 'ultimate' Dead or Alive game so far, but for the purposes of clarity (and conformity) we'll continue to call it Number Four.
  
  On 360 it was impossible to think that DoA4 would look anything less than stunning. Certainly DoA3 was one of the Xbox's best-looking earlier titles and the apple certainly hasn't fallen far from the tree. While the cherry blossom-strewn courtyards, Las Vegas-style strip and wrestling-ring levels are all graphically impressive, this time around it's the little things that make the major difference. The wavy heat haze on the Savannah level, the reflections of the characters and environment in glass and puddles, the neon lighting effects, the sense of scale provided by distant mountains visible from the top of the temple steps, even down to spectators in the wrestling-ring stage holding up boards with slogans and pictures that actually correspond to the fighters taking part (or booing if the fighters don't land a punch for a while) - these are just a few examples of some of the small details that, when combined, add up to a very large and juicy cherry atop the cake.
  
  Characters have also received extra attention to detail, with clothing fabrics looking even more impressive than ever before. Fur, mesh and silk are all wonderfully recreated and richly produced. An attempt has also been made to accurately provide long flowing hair for the female fighters, however this is not always successful with some odd results where it appears to flow around their shoulders like liquid. There are also some Soul Calibur 2-esque clipping issues with hair and some characters' clothing. The game also allows for photos and replays of the action to be saved for posterity, preserving forever that moment when you dished out (or received) punishment.
  
  The attention lavished on fine detail is unsurprising however when you look at the game's character models. As exquisitely produced as they are, again Team Ninja have backed themselves into a narrow cul-de-sac with the art direction of the game which now seems to have gone as far as it can and even peeked around Number Three. DoA has and always been the digital equivalent of playing Barbie Vs. Ken for adults, with characters that have an almost plastic sheen to them and with some male characters looking very much identikit aside from hair and clothing.
  
  Following criticism of the earlier games' fighting system, Team Ninja have made quite a few changes to address issues such as unbalanced fighters and problematic mechanics. More emphasis has been placed on the Critical Hit and Counter system and while it may take a while to adapt, it certainly makes the game more tactical and interesting to play. Fights are much faster (to a giddying degree in later rounds and higher difficulties) and it certainly feels more fluid and fun, with amendments made to characters like Kasumi and Ayane to balance them. This tinkering will certainly go some way to making the game more appealing to those who found it unbearable before.
  
  Scenery-smashing moves are again present and have been, quite literally, expanded upon. Levels now often sprawl in a multitude of different directions meaning fights can take any number of paths. As an example, brawling on the Temple Steps means players can fight under the archway and into the courtyard, or in the opposite direction down the steps. This in turn leads them to being able to knock opponents over a barrier and off a tiled rooftop, or down another flight of steps. Players can never be sure of which direction a fight will take them, meaning a new dimension of intra-level variety is created.
  
  There are also static and moving obstacles such as benches, trees, fences, traffic and even dinosaurs. There's a real sense of showmanship in belting your opponent into an oncoming police car (as it swerves to avoid the two nutters fighting in the middle of the road), watching with glee as they roll over the bonnet with a thud of metal and a 'plink' of shattering glass. Or much more simply, but just as satisfyingly, kicking your nemesis over a stone table, following it up by vaulting across and punching them in the head as they struggle to recover.
  
  Disappointingly Team Ninja is guilty of committing the same crime as in DoA3 (and a felony duplicated recently by Namco in Tekken 5); that of the cheap and dirty boss fight. Alpha-152, a see-through version of Kusami, is a nasty and unforgivable little addition to the game that introduces a difficulty spike that spoils the Story and Time Attack modes. Complete with a low-down, dirty, unavoidable charge-blast attack that decimates half your energy bar (something which should be outlawed from modern-day fighters under pain of death) players will find themselves (at the very least) gnashing their teeth at the vile tactics employed. Thankfully Alpha-152 is not present as the final encounter for every character in Story mode, meaning it's not all frustration and tears.
  
  The A.I. also seems to occasionally lose all control and self-restraint, with characters like Hitomi, and most notably Jann Lee, presenting a spike in difficulty that is off-putting and soul-destroying at times.
  
  There are noticeable problems with collision detection, meaning some grabs, punches or kicks don't connect. Thankfully there are workarounds as the player adjusts their gaming style, learning when these may occur. However a more sordid glitch means that floored opponents sometimes correct themselves and break into combos in a heartbeat, an almost impossible feat that no recovery move could ever produce and which feels like the A.I. is cheating. In a game where contact is everything, such activity will frustrate when, during a pivotal moment, the player finds their breathing space throttled from them and their opponent attacks instead of going prone.
  
  The game's saving grace from niggly faults with the A.I. comes from the system's Live capability. While first unveiled in DoA: Ultimate, Live's seamless integration with the 360 and its games makes taking fighting online easier and much more fun than ever before. DoA4 contains an avatar-based lobby system that allows players to fight, meet others, or simply hang out and spectate. Winning the various online matches (including Winner Stays On, Loser Stays On, Team Battle, Survival etc) results in the player earning Zack Points which can be spent in Zack's shop to change the appearance of avatars or to buy new wacky costumes for the fighters themselves. Taking a leaf from DoA's Volleyball outing, items available change on a daily basis meaning that it will be some time before a full wardrobe of accessories and outfits is accrued. Online play is given a further edge in that losing fights means Zack Points are deducted, adding that real incentive to keep winning.
  
  Although unique, DoA's lobby is not as innovative as it could have been. While understandably limited to one fight at a time per lobby, in order to join the queue to fight, players must leave and enter the in-game spectator view. If they choose to go back to the lobby, they then lose their place in the queue, making the fanciful and delightful lobby almost redundant. Far better would have been a system that allowed you to register your place in the queue and then transport you back into the game appropriately. Of course there's nothing stopping those who want to go off and challenge someone to a one-on-one in their own lobby (which is graciously donated free of charge the first time they go online), but that seems overly fiddly and may be far more trouble for some than it's worth. Presently some games also suffer serious lag that can stop proceedings mid-combo as everything plays catch up.
  
  As an overall experience DoA4 is thoroughly capable and enjoyable, proving through its latest incarnation that it has certainly evolved into a fighter that can be taken seriously and seen as more than cheap titillation or a T&A simulator for prepubescents. While not as close to perfection as Team Ninja would have everyone believe, there is certainly enough substance to put the series back on track and offer a serious contender to the next round of Virtua Fighter and Tekken games.
  
  
• Knocks Out Its Competition
  By A1Q15TP2FXYYMF on 2006-07-07
  I had never played a Dead or Alive game before but I had alot of people on my friends list on it so I thought i would give it a go. First of all I would like to say there is a strong learning curve to the game. Having never played a DOA game before I had troubles getting through the stroy mode but i decided to stick with it. I then went online and found myself losing fight after fight so i decided to try the sparring mode. This really helped as i got to learn some combos (button bashing will only give u very limited Success) and got the hang of the countering system. The game then got very interesting and after i had completed the story mode i turned to the online play and soon started winning fights.
  
  The online is the best part of the game although if you have any people with slow connections it does become very laggy. The lobby system is pretty unique as you can walk around as a choosen avatar and talk to other players and form tag teams before you join the fight. The ranking system is also very well done and it helps keep the fights fair although there should be an option to make un ranked lobbies.
  
  Overall I think the game is brillant its very skillful as you have to anticipate moves to counter and learn combos. It has a massive life span (I have played for over 100 hours and am still entertained) and it is very competitive. The only critism I have is that fighting the AI can be frustrating as they will begin countering random moves that you pull if they are losing and the story mode is not exactly extensive. So i would only advise buying this game if you have xbox live or play 2 or 4 player often with friends.
  
  
• What the?!?!
  By A3HS2584HYOFT0 on 2006-08-19
  This is by far the worst fighting game I have ever played on a platform console. It's frustrating when your perfectly timed grapples just happen to slide off the guy you're fighting like he was coated in butter. Your every strike is countered and blocking??!! HA! don't bother! Anyone who has any appreciation for playing fighting games on the hardest level, might as well scratch this one off the list! To tell you the truth I'm not too impressed with the 360 overall. I've been playing video games since Intellivision and let me tell you.... I would buy Tank, Tank at $45.00-$50.00 before I buy another fighting game from this line. This is the first of the series I've ever played and can't believe that any of the previous ones could be worse than this. It just seems like a cheesy Tekken. Oh yeah, I don't want a game that robs characters from other games, If I wanted to play HALO, I'd play HALO, I'm sure the game writers could be a little more creative. If I could tell you what I actually think about this game, they wouldn't let me post it. But, on the other hand my wife appears to be a pro at this game, and am concerned that maybe it is I who am just retarded with this game.
  
  
• The definitive 3-D fighter.
  By AYP6UGCEDM014 on 2005-12-29
  This is truly the definitive 3-D fighter. Tecmo has revamped the fighting engine to provide an even deeper experience than DOA 2 Ultimate. With 22 selectable fighters, amazing graphics, fully interactive backgrounds, and an online mode unlike any other, DOA 4 is the game worth owning an Xbox 360 for. I also recommend the Hori DOA 4 Arcade Stick for Xbox 360. It's a limited edition, rock solid stick, which is also Xbox Live compatible.
  
  
• team ninja does it again.
  By A8VAICHMV8BSL on 2006-01-01
  first off i will say dead or alive 4 has a nice look graphics looks crisp and clean, beautiful game. however like other team ninja games (ninja gaiden)doa4 suffers from a lack of an easy option i am so sick and tired of playing these games that's almost impossible to beat. to team ninja is putting an easy option on your games such a problem. $60 per game and $400 for the system can't team ninja and xbox cut me some slack please thank you. three stars for the look of the game's graphics but game play and anything else are like doa ultimate on the regular xbox no real big change.
  
  
• Great Graphics with Not-Great Rampup
  By A3V6Z4RCDGRC44 on 2006-01-22
  Dead or Alive is one of my favorite series, and I was waiting eagerly for DOA4 to come out for the XBox 360. The graphics were great! Gameplay, though, was not well ramped.
  
  Let's start with the graphics. I've loved each new version of DOA with how it has pushed the envelope. This release was no exception. On our HD TV, the lushness of some scenes was just mind boggling. There were active characters in the background. There were tiny details in every scene. Foot movements would stir up the water or snow.
  
  The audio was reasonably good - not nearly as awesome as the graphics, but certainly good enough that I didn't mind playing with it in the background, as well as it was turned down a bit.
  
  The gameplay in this series is NOT a button masher. You might get lucky occasionally with button mashing, but it really works best if you learn the specific combos that match up to your character's style and for use in certain conditions. Having a near opponent vs a far-away opponent, having an opponent that stays low vs one that launches high attacks, all of them need the proper response.
  
  I don't mind that at all. I respect the game a lot for that reason. On the other hand though, the game is KILLER tough without memorizing those combinations. I had several players in my home who were very, very good on the previous DOAs and they were slaughtered in the new game until they sat down and re-practiced the combos in sparring mode. Yes, sparring mode is there and a good training tool. But it is INCREDIBLY BORING. I would really rather "learn" in some sort of actual gameplay setting. Maybe they could have a "beginning set of rounds" that was easy, that advanced players could skip over.
  
  Instead, the way the game is set up, there is no difficulty options at all. There is only one "main game" that you take each character through, to unlock his or her outfits and endings. That one path is rather hard. So either you sit there in boring sparring mode for a while to prepare - or you just dive into it and get smashed around a lot.
  
  There are other issues. One of our household members went fully through 3 characters. I then took over and went fully through 3 more characters. When he woke up in the morning, the save games were all completely gone. He went through and re-unlocked 3 characters. Everything seemed fine when he was in the game - but come back later, and it had reset. There's just something very wrong with the save situation here.
  
  On one hand I really appreciate that there are female characters in here, and that men as well as women enjoy playing them. It wasn't that long ago that all fighting games were all fighting characters, and that male players would refuse to play as "just a girl". In modern times we realize that girls can be just as good at karate as guys are. That being said, some of these outfits are crossing the line into sleaziness. It denigrates a highly trained female martial artist to say she's got to have a big chest that is almost naked.
  
  If you're a fan of fighting games, definitely get this one. Just be sure to prepare for a serious round of training before you start taking on the actual combat.
  
  
• Don't get this game...
  By A279QHC0MRAH9 on 2006-02-06
  I wanted to get this game since I first heard about it, but 10 minutes into playing it I realized how boring the series has gotten. Not only that but the AI is VERY poorly done. The game doesn't offer much in the way of content; a few costumes here and there and a laggy and glitchy online mode. The story line is slim to none; they have you fight over a cabbage at a marketplace for instance. My advice to anyone who is on the fence about picking this title up would be to save your money for something better, this game will only frustrate you and become stale very very quickly. Of course if you're a fanboy of the DOA series you will get it and say it's the greatest thing to hit fighters. But if you're a casual gamer I caution you to avoid this title.
  
  
• Rubbish AI; An Exercise in Frustration
  By A21UUXFO44KAY on 2006-03-19
  Video games are supposed to be accessible for everyone -- someone should have told this to Tecmo, who have bogged down what would have been a delightfully fun fighting game with the cheapest, most abusive AI I have ever seen. Though the game is beautiful, fast, and frenetic when playing with a friend, trudging through the game's single-player mode -- the only way to unlock more goodies and characters -- is horrific. The game's AI is so cheap to the point where random button mashing is the only way to go. The computer relentlessly punishes you for attempting throws, reversals, or even BLOCKING. I won't even get into the final boss, which made me launch my wireless controller across the room multiple times. After 20 years of game-playing, nothing has ever frustrated me as much as this.
  
  Avoid like the plague, unless you like a challenge and enjoy blowing sixty bucks on a game that will abuse and humiliate your playing skill at every step of the way.
  
  
• Only For the Patient
  By A3JR40JXGFLR08 on 2006-03-20
  I'm sorry, but I have to defend Tecmo/Team Ninja here. I can easily understand why many people are frustrated with their work - nothing they have done is easy to pick up and play around with. Rather, their games are for the fast and furious, and those who are willing to take time and learn. This is why all the professional reviews are good; they are forced to learn, and they wind up liking it.
  
  If you like an easy and accessible game, then this game is NOT for you. But, if you are patient, quick, and you actually USE YOUR HEAD instead of button-mashing (which the bad reviewers obviously did), then this game is a blast. (By the way, this game was designed to punish both button-mashers and countering whores - which really ups the multiplayer and forces the player to learn.) Fighting games are supposed to be fast and furious, and the winner will be the one who can think quickest and act the best upon their abilities and the actions of their opponent. This game balances that perfectly.
  
  Besides, look at one screenshot and you'll know how beautiful this game is. It is especially amazing if you have an HDTV. If you have multiple controllers and a few friends, this game can entertain you for countless hours, and if you are motivated by unlockables, this game will addict you for a good 30+ hours even without friends.
  
  This game is only for the patient, who are willing to develop themselves to it. I would also recommend Ninja Gaiden Black, an excellent action title from the same developer (for those of you who still have an old Xbox).
  
  
• Gorgeous and Aggressive
  By AZJL03R8NDQ7C on 2006-07-20
  First of all, this is the most beautiful fighting game I have ever played. The scenery is amazing and the character detail is unbelievable. The characters even have... well... uh... bounce.
  
  The gameplay is first rate. The controls are very simple compared to other fighting games but if you've never played a DOA game the "Free" button can take a little getting used to. The flow of the matches is extremely fluid and the martials arts choreography is fantastic. Note to newcomers, this is an aggressive fighting game. You can just sit back and pick your shots. You have to go in full force with hard and varied combos to beat the computer. "Varied" is also key. The computers AI and the turnovers allowed with the "Free" button mean that you can keep doing the same cheap moves to win. No Mortal Kombat leg sweeps or Street Fighter fireballs to get you through the game. You have to really learn the character and vary your attacks. Fortunately the top notch Sparring Mode helps with that a lot.
  
  As a fan of both Ninja Gaiden and the Halo series, I thought it was really cool to able to play both Ryu and the Master Chief in the game.
  
  The one flaw, and the reason I held off the perfect score is the story. There is a "Story" mode but it's pretty much just a few stock cutscenes. They could have done more to develop that. All in all, I very worthy buy.
  
  
• Fast, Furious, Infuriating
  By A169I83JL8QJGN on 2006-01-03
  There are a number of fighting games out there that kind of just toss you into heavy action and hope for the best. Most of those, at the end of the day, are thankfully button mashers, and often times have the full gamete of difficulty options for fighter game weakling like myself. Now I do have my fighting games I'm good at. I'm still a master of the old school Mortal Kombat I and 2, and I'm reasonably good at Tekken, but am only good enough with Soul Calibur 2 to survive the Normal Difficulty. With DOA 2 Ultimate I managed to actually bite, scratch and scrape my way through the hard mode, but it was not an easy thing to pull off, and it was something I swore I'd never put myself through again. You see I'm a hard-core role player, but a casual fighting gamer.
  I am a real life martial artist, though, so martial arts based fighting games do hold an interest for me. I was eager to get DOA 4 because even though the screen shots for the XBox 360 games revealed titles that looked a lot like their old Xbox counterparts I had already become aware of an amazing but true little factoid. The 360 looks amazing in High Definition. I cannot lie, the same is true of DOA 4, and it looks breathtaking, though the character models are sadly disappointing at this point. I'd be nice if Team Ninja would have aimed for more realism. I also found the game's Barbie doll like "partial nudity" laughable. I can't believe they got an M rating for Barbie doll nudity. The ESRB must be overly strict...
  The music, once more is awesome, and did I mention the graphics are amazing? I did? Oh... well they really are, especially the scenery. There's hardly any jaggies at all, and I only noticed one instance of any sort of graphical flaws.
  The fighting system is similar to DOA 3 but revamped so that the moves that worked in the previous version don't quite have the same effect here, but here's where we get into my whining. There is no easy mode. It's true that there is a training mode, but it does little to prepare you for the raw aggression you're going to get from the computer run opponents. Simply put, for me, this game is too hard, even on the lowest difficulty setting possible "Normal" which is "medium" in MK terms. Clearing the game for newbies and people who are only casually interested in the DOA franchise is no easy feat, and for those of us wanting to learn by hands on experience rather than an unmoving un-reacting computer character it makes it difficult. I mean you can pause, and pull up a move list, but when you try to execute it the computer run opponent will pummel you into oblivion. Worse yet, the AI seems fully capable of breaking my combos (and I have learned a few sweet moves) but even though I try doing what the game's manual suggests I find myself unable to stop myself from taking a severe beating.
  I'd love to give the single player mode a higher score, but as a casual fan of DOA, rather than a hardcore fan, I can't help but feel like this game was built for the hardcore. Had Team Ninja tossed in an easy mode it would be easier to pull like I did with DOA 2 Ultimate and eventually work my way up to where I'm good enough to bite, scratch, kick, and break controllers on my way through Hard or even very hard mode. Instead DOA 4 starts you in a difficult mode, and expects you to go from there.
  That's not to say this game is bad. To the contrary, it's still a great game, and the endings are well worth suffering through the battle with the next-to-impossible-to-beat Kasumi clone at the end, but one thing Team Ninja did that I'm really happy about is make the story much more coherent, and the stories overlap each other so that you have a much better idea of the over all tale from beginning to end, and everything in between. As a player for story, I was very happy about that. And despite the game's increased and insane difficulty the great graphics make the game hard to pull your eyes away from, kinda like RE 4 did on GameCube a year ago, sans the life like characters.
  Online I cried. The lag I experienced was absolutely horrible. I am not sure why, I read that the game had next to none. I may be experiencing technical problems, but I got beaten because of lag, and that did not make me happy. I'm sure a number of players may make the same "claim" but rest assured, I'm not the best at the DOA games, but I'm not the worst either, so I was really mad when the game froze up in the middle of a combo I was doing and when it unlocked I had been beaten. Then a similar problem occurred in the following round costing me the match. At any rate, the new lobby sure is weird, and to be honest I'm not sure I like it. I think I prefer the more simplistic approach taken by DOA Ultimate.
  In the end, DOA 4 is a great game, but great for hardcore gamers. This game will try the patience of casual gamers pretty bad. I definitely recommend this title for in home multiplayer though, if you have a spouse, or sibling or friend or parent, etc. it can be great. Online seems to have a few bugs, sadly. I'd say hardcore fans of DOA should get this right away; others may want to rent it first and see if they can handle it. I don't regret buying it, but it is trying my patience at the same time.
  
  
  
• DOA4's a knockout
  By A1HX04JEY9MR3 on 2006-01-05
  It's very, very rare that I play a fighting game. The last one that I enjoyed was an Xbox launch title, and it featured a beautiful white-haired assassin on its cover. That game was Dead or Alive 3. Naturally, Team Ninja's fourthcoming fighting game got my attention, and after being pushed back a few weeks, Dead or Alive 4 for the Xbox 360 finally released. Did it meet my expectations? After hours of learning combos and pounding opponents, I can finally say that yes, it's an amazing game.
  
  I always enjoyed the gameplay in Dead or Alive. It mixes playability with technicality unlike any other game out there. Button-mashers can have a good time because the fast-paced fighting allows mindless attacks. Those who memorize combos and time reversals can also enjoy the series, because it allows for that as well. The fighting in DOA4 is as fluid and fast as ever. Punches and kicks are incorporated beautifully into complex combos. Watching your fighter use his or her abilities is almost like watching an orchestrated dance, especially with some of the female characters. Team Ninja put an emphasis on the reversals and throws this time around, so those moves have been made a little easier with improved controls and timing. Once I learned reversals and a couple combos, I was set to go. I went from the button-masher camp to the finesse camp, and an in-game Sparring Mode can turn any newbie into an expert with just a little time.
  
  The Sparring Mode also offers a perfect opportunity to master the three new characters. Kokoro, the geisha-in-training, isn't a very exciting character by any means but she's new regardless. Eliot, one of my least favorite characters in recent memory, has a generic fighting style and an appearance that suggests Team Ninja forgot what gender he was intended to be. La Mariposa is a great addition, and her luchadora skills are perfect in DOA4. I enjoyed using her more than the other two new characters, but some of the fourteen returning characters are fantastic as well. My personal favorites were Kasumi, Ryu Hayabusa (of Ninja Gaiden fame), and Christie, the white-haired assassin and DOA3 cover character I mentioned earlier. Christie was my favorite character overall, but any player can find a character to enjoy. The slower fighters, like Bass and SPARTAN (yeah, the Halo character), aren't as easy to use but they're powerful and can take a few hits. Fast characters like Christie and Jann Lee are the ones I'd prefer to use, but some of them are pretty cheap. Like I said, there's a character for anyone here.
  
  There are a few different game modes, but the list is probably the most generic and traditional part about Dead or Alive 4. Story Mode allows you to unlock ending movies after completing eight stages of fighting with a particular character. Time Attack Mode forces you to complete stages as quickly as possible. Survival Mode, which was my favorite, thrusts you into a fighting ring where a constant, never-ending stream of enemies fight you to the death. By winning battles, your health regenerates, so the goal is to defeat as many opponents while earning as many points as possible and staying alive. I'd say that playing the Sparring Mode and Survival Mode made me a much better player than I ever was before.
  
  Online is where half of the fun lies. Team Ninja did an absolutely fantastic job making a unique online experience. Between each fast-paced battle is a lobby system that allows every player to have his or her own unique avatar. In the lobby, players interact with their avatar's animations as well as typed messages. It's endlessly entertaining to watch a cute little dog trash talk another player. If you aren't fighting, you can observe battles in a full-screen Watch Mode or on the lobby's television set. I simply loved this lobby system. The actual gameplay online is a little laggy, but it's fun and difficult to stop playing nonetheless. To avoid unfair matches, there is a grading system that makes sure that inexperienced players won't be teamed up against experts. This grading system is determined by wins, losses, disconnects, and the like. Overall, I think the online aspect of DOA4 is perfectly done.
  
  Another nearly-perfect aspect of DOA4 is the visuals. I still think that DOA3 is one of the prettiest games out there, but DOA4 blows it away completely. Whether you're playing in high-definition or not doesn't matter, because the beautiful levels and perfectly modeled characters look great on any television set or computer monitor. Each level is bursting with color and life and I really wanted to move around a bit more than the game let me. Most of the locations are layered as well, so fighting can be carried around the playing field pretty easily. The character animation is spot-on, and I think Team Ninja especially shows this with the long and slow throwing moves. From Christie's snake-like attacks to Bass's beefy wrestling grapples, every attack looks natural and, for the lack of a better word, perfect. I mentioned the levels being colorful, but the characters are also adorned with some of the most extravagant clothing items I've ever seen in a video game. Whether it's Ryu Hayabusa's fancy ninja suit from Ninja Gaiden or Zack's Teletubby-influenced costume, I was impressed throughout the entire costume selection.
  
  There isn't much to complain about here. Besides some annoying deaths (like when I'm pushed up against a wall), occasional online lag, and cheap characters (Zack and Jann Lee, I'm talking about you), Dead or Alive 4 is one of the best games I've played on the Xbox 360. Whatever Team Ninja did during those weekly delays, I'm happy about, because the final product is exceptional.
  
  (NOTE: This review is also posted on GameFreaks365.com, where I write reviews on a regular basis)
  
  
• Beautifully Difficult
  By A11HZS5E55U6TH on 2006-01-11
  
  DOA 4 is both one of the nicest looking games currently available on the Xbox 360 and one of the most difficult. Without an easy mode, it's impossible to get past the first couple of rounds in any of the modes if you are a casual player. For those who want to dedicate hours to master the control scheme, DOA 4 could be a "5 star" game.
  You can try going through the training mode to learn the moves (character voices are unlocked when you complete all the moves successfully for that character), but there are certain combinations where the finger acrobatics necessary to accomplish them are left more to luck than skill, and you probably won't remember all 100+ moves when you actually play the game.
  
  It used to be that you could sit down with the other games in the series and have fun in the early stages without throwing the controller across the room with frustration (I don't recommend throwing a $50 wireless controller against the wall).
  I'm guessing that Team Ninja took a page from their Ninja Gaiden book where they wanted to make a difficult fighting game for the SERIOUS fans, which they've done (instead of making a well rounded game).
  
  I for one would like to see more games like DOAX exploring the DOA universe or what Namco did with "Death by Degrees"...but good. Just a thought.
  
  I can't really speak for the online play because you can't earn points to unlock anything if you can't beat anything, but it looks like it has potential.
  
  
• REBORN TO BE ALIVE
  By A13O4D4TYSYLDW on 2006-02-10
  In his dark underground secret lab the mad scientist with the name Victor Donovan works hard to complete his evil project called the Epsilon Project. His task is to create the absolute human warrior and he accomplishes his goal it after long time by creating A-152. The deadly warrior has been created by using the genes of the infamous ninja warrior Kazoumi.
  I am not going to uncover all the scenario of XB360 Dead or Alive 4 but if you plan to buy it I guarantee you will be really proud for your XB360. You will be amazed not only with the really good interface witch allows you to enjoy the battles but also with the details like the cherry flowers falling from the sky or the movement of the hair of the heroes. The graphics and the sound are really fantastic and you will enjoy it. I wish they could have more clothing options for the characters of the game but we going to forgive them for that because they really created a must have game.
  
  
  
• Great game.
  By A3D5JWMJ0RVS1U on 2006-02-18
  I'm not sure where the negative reviews are coming from. I'm just a casual gamer here and I'm enjoying it a lot. The graphics are great. The storylines are fun. Even the online gameplay is pretty good. It took a few minutes to figure out what was going on with the lobby, but overall it is a pretty creative idea. The lag problems can be attributed to bad connections, I haven't had any real problems with it. No complaints about the AI. It you are spending 45 minutes on 1 opponent, I think its about time that you go into sparring mode and practice your combos and counters...yes...you can counter. You just have to take the time to learn how. This is definitely not a button masher. It takes technique, which I appreciate, because over the years ,indless button mashing has become a tad boring. For that I applaud them. This game was well worth the money spent. Don't let the negative reviews sway you.
  
  
• Fighting FUN!
  By A22Y1BUB20E150 on 2006-05-19
  This is definitely my favorite, and in my opinion, the best fighting game to date. There are so many different ways to play the game it's not even funny. There are 23 characters this time around with new ones to choose from, including a Halo inspired Female Spartan. You have your single player gametypes including story mode, time trials, and survival among others. In story mode you pretty much play different matches against other characters (8 levels for each story mode, if I remember correctly). You also have your cut-scenes and movie quality endings to actually make up a "story." The endings are awesome (especially one is particular...HELENA) and can each be re-watched when you complete the story mode for that character. In Time Trial, you play through a certain amount of levels and you are timed throughout. Your times, then, are ranked and put up in leaderboards over xbox live. Then there is the Survival mode, which is basically you against a never ending boss. You play, without stopping, against one other character, and when they are "K.O.'d" a new one comes in the ring to verse you. You get back some of your health each time and there are also items to boost your score and for additional health. Both of the Time Trial and Survival modes can be played as singles or tag matches.
  
  There are also ways to play against other players in a verses mode or over xbox live. The multiplayer portion of this game is awesome. I find myself playing over xbox live for hours on end without losing any bit of amusement. Like other games played via xbox live, there is a ranking system involved. You can be anything from a F- to a SS. It's pretty much like grade scale from F through A with the - and + signs, and then after A+ a player becomes an S, and then eventually a SS. If you want to become a SS you are going to have to work a lot harder at it because there is a significant difference in points needed for each rank. These points are obtained or lost by winning or losing games on xbox live. Overall, this game is extremely fun and is hours and hours of fun. It has definite replay value with its different modes and especially from its Xbox Live capabilities.
  
  
• Graphics are great, but gameplay not so.....
  By A1NF0VC2R7S62O on 2006-06-28
  This is my first time playing Dead or Alive. I'm not a big fan of Tekken like games so I'll try to be fair as possible. I can appreciate any fighting game that doesn't allow to much "button mashing". What frustrates me is how this game is ridiculously TOO ACCURATE in the fighting scheme the makers of this game has employed. I can read the manual so many times and even the online guides, but I barely get rewarded in trying execute self defense moves, especially the simple blocking. I don't know if it's the game or my joints on my fingers arent loose enough, but i swear that i barely get to do a counter hold on any combo..no matter how hard i time it well. What frustrates me more is the blocking mechanism...it barely works and when it does it usually get overrided with a ridiculous "blow" or "kick" that launches you up and down to the ground. And when do try to get up, it's hard to evade a cheesy low attack...you just have to absorb more until your lucky enough to reply with a little combo of your own.
  
  I'll stop the ranting. Would I recommend this to newcomeres of Dead or Alive? No. Most likely you'll be more frustrated than having fun. I can't speak for the rest that have played this series for a while.
  
  
• Enjoyable addition for any XBOX 360
  By A3PUH4VFF7C5HD on 2005-12-31
  As someone new to the whole DOA series, I have to say I was blown away by this game. The character models are stunning, and the dynamic backgrounds area highly immersive. Fights are fast, furious, and there are many unique moves for every character. Story endings range from the highly humorous to the intense and touching. And the number of new costumes for each character makes playing their story mode multiple times (so far I have 5 costumes for both Kokoru and Hitomi, not sure how many total there are).
  
  Only con? The blisters on my thumbs from the last 6 solid hours of playing!
  
  

• Dead or Alive 4 (Prima Official Game Guide)
• The Official Xbox Magazine [1-year]
• Electronic Gaming Monthly
• Play

• Gears Of War
• Dead Or Alive Xtreme 2
• Xbox 360 Wireless Controller
• Rumble Roses XX
• Dead Rising