Dead or Alive Ultimate

Written by Ryan Genno  on January 14, 2005

Review: Are you ready for the ultimate disappointment?!

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When the Xbox was first introduced in 2001, Dead or Alive 3 was one of the breakout titles for the system thanks to its hot looking ladies and fast fighting action. Tecmo's new Dead or Alive Ultimate not only gives Xbox owners the chance to play the first two games in the series, but this game also can be called the first 3D console fighting game to go online (Ed. What about MK: Deception?). With its excellent two game value and amazing superior graphics (again, the set has those over-the-top women the series is known for too), DOAU could have been the supreme fighting title we've been waiting for, but see why this game is more shallow and vacant than most of the smutty girls featured in it.

OK, normally in this part of the review I would talk about the story in both these one on one fighting games, but to be honest after a few hours of playing I'm not too sure why I am even here. The original Dead or Alive has no story whatsoever, and Dead or Alive 2 has a few cut-scenes in between the bouts but they barely shed any light as to why one fighter hates the other. For example: Kasumi is one of the main characters in the game but her story is especially hard to fellow. In one level she actually fights a clone of herself in a creepy warehouse where other multiple, naked clones of her are being made. Sure, seeing a beautiful naked girl in a test tube is hard to turn away from (although before you get too excited she still looks like a Barbie doll - if you know what I mean), the game never really answers why there are these clone versions of Kasumi to begin with. Instead of filling in the gaps left in the older versions of DOA, this newer collection left me more confused then ever.

Although the story is weak and uninteresting, at least the games are both easy to get into and control. Most of the moves are fairly easy to pull off in both games, and the play is lightning fast too. For gameplay DOA1 was your typical Virtua Fighter clone back in the day with 8 characters, each with their own fighting techniques. To separate itself from the pack (if you don't count the outrageous bouncing breasts of the three females) when you get knocked out of the ring arena you may be sent flying from ground explosions. DOA2 gets rid of the goofy bomb system and now there are more selectable fighters (12 default) then ever before. Players can even fight in teams now and the stages are much more interactive and highly detailed as well.

Dead or Alive 1 may only be a basic port of old 32-bit Sega Saturn game, but still the game has been cleaned up so the jagged lines and dull textures are smoothed out. Although part 1 visually looks dated now, the developers reworked Dead or Alive 2 in almost every possible way! DOA 2 is just as good looking as Tecmo's acclaimed DOA Extreme Beach Volleyball and DOAU is easily one of the best visual fighting games ever made. It even out does the impressive DOA 3.

If I could add any criticism to the graphics it would have to be that the fights don't always appear to be too realistic. For example: you can see someone fall 20 to 30 feet off a cliff and they'll get right back up! They won't hold their back in pain or anything like that. C'mon even pro wrestlers Сsell' moves that are totally fake! Speaking of wrestling a hundred pound female (Tina) should not be able to do a jumping sit down power bomb to a 300 plus pound opponent (Bass). Another issue I have with the game is even though it is rated Mature, DOAU doesn't have any real bare breasts like The Guy Game has (shameless plug: be sure to see my review of The Guy Game here on Gaming Target !) plus it doesn't even have any blood commonly found in other adult oriented games. Although the sexy females are way too beautiful and underdressed to be in a deadly fighting tournament, I still think the СM' rating was unjustified.

Although Team Ninja reworked the graphics from top to bottom, the sounds are as weak as ever. DOA 2 opens up well with Aerosmith's legendary rock hit СDream On' during the computer generated intro, but during actually game play the rest of the music is very generic and boring. Unlike the Playstation2 version of Dead or Alive 2 (DOA 2: Hardcore) this game does not feature English voices during the cut scenes. I thought this was supposed to be the Ultimate edition?