Dead or Alive 4 Review

Written by: Tara Nicholson Posted: 7th January 2008

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Dead or Alive returns for a next-gen fight.

Dead or alive 4 Details:

	Beat 'em Up
	Xbox 360
	Team NINJA
	Tecmo

16+

Out Now

N/A

The guys at Tecmo have done it again using the Xbox 360 and its superior graphical capabilities to create another fantastic addition to the Dead or Alive series. They have produced a fighting game with intricate high definition 3D details, raising the bar for both off and on line gaming, ladies and gentle men I give you DOA 4!

In D.O.A 4 gamers can choose a character from an all star line-up of 9 women and 7 men (including favourites from D.O.A 3) with a random choice available in case players find it too difficult to decide! Working through the game allows players to unlock the extra characters and more amazing costumes to dress them in. The story mode that is mysterious and in-depth with plenty of fighting to please all those hardcore D.O.A fans.

D.O.A is the fourth in a series of very popular fighting games. This game includes a variety of different modes, not only can gamers play the story mode, survival and team battle but also enter into the D.O.A universe joining in global tournaments via Xbox Live. Players are given the option to view previous battles in video form, check out their rankings and change player info using the profile mode.

As this is a well loved fighting game for the Xbox 360, obviously the player’s main task is to fight and win. Gamers can fight as one of 22 characters, each with a fantastic selection of special moves and 'hit combos'. These are easily achieved with simple button combinations, various blocks and kicks are readily available to each character helping to achieve an impressive and explosive barrage of fists and legs!

Various battle arenas are available to fight in, with a random button for those who just want to fight and don't care where. Survival modes are fought in the ring with the player challenged by each character in succession. All of the characters have various different special moves and can deliver counter blows, critical hits and 3 hit or even 7 hit combos, proving very useful in zapping your opponent’s life. While beating the other character senseless, whether it is the computer equivalent or a best mate controlling the rival, players can collect all important, life-boosting sweets and treats, once lives have been depleted one character will win by knock-out.

After each win or loss, the gamer has the option to change the character and costume, just in case it’s the outfit that’s causing a distraction! The characters and costumes are a heady combination of scantily clad attractive females, with the option of different coloured revealing clothing, tough looking, big bearded biker look-alikes or good looking men in Chinese silk Bruce Lee style costumes.

As with most fighting games one drawback is lack of speed and reaction. If the gamers rival happens to initiate a particularly aggressive 7 hit combo the player is, more often than not, unable to retaliate until the attack has finished. This seemed especially true during the final fight scene in the story mode. This does lead to some frustrating game play unless gamers are quick off the mark, but it does manage to reinforce the old saying 'attack is the best form of defence'!

The graphics in this D.O.A are unparalleled! With realistic, high definition background scenery including everything from pedestrians, moving cars and neon signs, to various 'wild' scenes such as jungles with swaying trees and falling blossom. Gamers are even invited to play in the Jurassic era with running dinosaurs. However, be warned - its not just rivals that knock gamers over!

With 19 different sound tracks to choose from, various commentators voices, cheering crowds, traffic, animal noises, swaying trees and the sound of fist on face, there are always plenty of fantastically realistic audio options and sound effects to keep gamers amused. Character conversation is a bit thin on the ground but voices usually come across as various degrees of grunting depending on how hard they are being hit at the time!

This is a must have for fans with a love for fighting, the realistic movement of characters and backgrounds are a work of art. (Art predominantly aimed at the young male market judging by the abundance of bouncing female body parts!) DOA.4 is a well choreographed, well loved classic game with excellent game graphics, exciting HD scenery and a superb collection of fighting moves. This is a fabulous hi-tech fighting game doing the DOA family proud. Let it be written that DOA 4 is a fighting game that packs a real punch!