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::PUBLISHER::
Tecmo
::DEVELOPER::
Team Ninja
::GENRE::
Fighting
::RELEASE DATE::
12/29/05
::PLAYERS::
1-4
::LIVE::
Multiplayer, Scoreboards, Live Aware
::COST::
$59.99
::FEATURES::
Dolby Digital 5.1, 480p, 720p, 1080i
Good: Nice presentation, challenging gameplay
Bad: Doesn't feel as next-gen as it could, not for beginners
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Dead or Alive 4 Review
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The premiere fighter for Xbox consoles is finally here complete with counter attacks, bouncy women, and over the top stories. Is Team Ninja’s latest effort a stunner or does it fall short? Find out in our full review.
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DOA4’s online modes are excitingly improved. With Xbox 360 being a console that has the great feature named Xbox Live, it was important for the online to be near perfection. It’s safe to say that Itagaki and the crew knew what they were doing with the new changes. The new changes include customizable avatars, interesting new lobbies, integrated money system (Zack dollars) and what seems to be (at least so far) lag free gameplay. The Zack dollars allow you to buy new avatars, lobbies, costumes and accessories for your characters.
The modes included are Quick Match, Custom Match, and Optimatch. The options are customizable for the matches to vary. Game types include winner stays, loser stays, survival, tournament and several other types that will mix up every match you play. The heart of the online is with the tag team matches. The lobbies hold 16 people with all the spectators there to watch the action. The online aspect is among the best on Xbox Live experiences you can currently have with the games released on the 360.
Now if we were to call Dead or Alive fighting games a family, Dead or Alive 3 would be the simple little brother while Dead or Alive Ultimate is the middle child that strives to be what the old brother is. DOA4 is of course the older brother that is in depth and well more experienced. This analogy is for the fact that DOA4 is tougher to play then before. With DOA3, you could button mash and surprisingly win against the competition. In DOA4, there is none of that bullcrap where novices beat the veterans. I haven’t played with a novice player yet that matched up evenly with me and won with button mashing.
Brand new and completely elegant.
The depth of DOA4 is evident when playing the first time you pick it up. Counters are harder to pull off, grabs and throws are punishing, and the attacks are diverse to a certain extent. The matches you fight in will be done and over before you know it. What’s good about the fast matches is that the loading times in DOA4 are minimal. I’d say about six seconds maximum for the loading times and you’re back to the menu or back into the match. Impressive I must say due to that loading times in other 360 games are quite long compared to DOA4 (Perfect Dark Zero and GUN).
Dead or Alive 4 isn’t as accessible as either DOAU or DOA3. Players without experience playing any of the DOA games will struggle to adapt to the game. DOA4 is complex and Team Ninja stepped it up big time with the improvements. The improvements help send the series off with the right direction if this is indeed the last Dead or Alive fighting game. I’d have to say the ground game has drastically changed for the best. A few of the fighters are able to grab a hold of opponents while on the ground. Reversals from the ground are much easier and no longer will the opponent stay on the ground hesitant to get up to be attacked again.
The last thing I want to speak about before letting John take over the rest of the review is the story mode. The story mode is better than before with last boss being Alpha 152. Alpha 152 is in fact Kasumi’s dangerous clone that is about to be unleashed to the world. The story only lasts eight matches and sometimes you may not face off against Alpha 152 but rather a secret character that if you win, will be unlocked. The end movies of DOA4 are still upheld as being the beautiful CGI movies they once were. Some are for fun while others are straight out serious. Eliot’s ending involves Gen Fu, Zack’s is Indiana Jones-esque, and La Mariposa’s involves her tag-team partner that will remain nameless for now.
Team Ninja’s revisions are incredible and I applaud their efforts to perfect their DOA series. I am hoping they move onto an RPG based around the DOA franchise. DOA4 took an extra month to be released and it shows since there aren’t too many technical flaws that are apparent to the human eye. DOA4 is a purchase that you won’t go wrong with. I recommend every 360 owner go pick this up immediately, especially since not too many other fighters are in the pipeline for the near future.
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