|
Developer
Team Ninja |
Publisher
Tecmo |
Genre
Fighting |
Players
1 - 4 |
ESRB
T |
It has finally arrived.
Itagaki-san's latest epic fighter has hit consoles
and we've got the definitive review for you
to feast your eyes on.
It's a real shame what has happened
to Dead or Alive 3. Tecmo's (and Team Ninja's
for that matter) classic Xbox fighter has
gotten shredded by the larger percentage
of the press for being to dry, not adding
anything new to past games of the series,
and for being a graphical show at best have
all been reasons cited for DOA3 not quite
living up to its hype of being an A-list
title for the new system. While some other
members of the gaming press may not be very
fond of the title, I do not fall under that
category. Dead or Alive 3 rocks in a big
way, everyone who loves video games should
buy this masterpiece. Is it a system seller?
You bet your ass it is.
 
What can be said about the graphics?
They're incredible. Extraordinarily detailed
environments envelope excruciatingly lush
character models. The multi-tiered levels
add a completely new and foreign level of
depth to the genre and a seamless transition
from each tier is absolutely amazing to watch.
Interactive levels are still available from
the past DOA titles. You'll see walls break
down in rock and snow levels, making indentions
and changes in the layers of snow in the
winter environments, and other damaging additions
that can really sway the match in one way
or the other. Take for instance the Japanese
streets: these can be accessed by plummeting
down through a stretch of fluorescent lights
which not only poses an amazing level of
damage to the player, but also displays an
amazing level of graphics to the player.
Needless to say DOA3 pushes an amazing amount
of polygons in every single on if its levels
and can truly flex the power of the Xbox
to its viewer. Watch out Halo, there's a
new kid in town. And yes, the ladies in the
game are… vibrant.
"Is it a system seller? You bet your ass it is."
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Gameplay is the aspect that has come under
the most ridicule from the press. The lack
of an extensive story mode is a bit of a disappoint
and will turn some of the gamers who were looking
for an extensive back story away from this
amazing game which is a real shame. Each of
the 16 available fighters comes complete with
roughly six stages of fighting. Each stage
consists of only one round of fighting and
only one of the six stages contains a character
that will advance the story and the history
of the character that you portray. Once you
complete the game for each character, a task
that took me about two hours to complete (that's
being very generous), you'll be shown the real
treat of the visual portion of the game and
that is the prerendered video. Some of the
most detailed character models that you'll
ever see spring forth from the end movies for
each participant. All of the movies are then
stored in the theater option of the main menu
for you and your friend's viewing pleasure.
While the story may be short that is by no
means the only fun to be had in the game.
 
The addition
of a tag battle mode has added hours of
replay value to the game for me. I've never
been much of a fan of fighting games but
the tag battle mode in Dead or Alive 3
is truly an amazing feature. Performing
a throw to your new on screen combatant
has never so good. A simple tap of the
black button will execute a regular tag
move (simply bring in the new character),
however special button combos will execute
some very damaging blows to your opponents.
While on the sidelines your resting character
will regain some lost health, which can
be a very affective strategy when in the
heat of a tough battle.
The controls
of the game are fairly straight, following
in the path of past Dead or Alive titles.
Y performs a standard punch, B a standard
kick, and A the typical grab move which
allows you to throw your opponent or simply
snap some bones in one of the game's many
hold moves. X allows you to perform a block,
white initiates a punch and kick combo,
and black is strictly used for tagging
your ally in a tag match. Of course the
standard attacks are rarely utilized by
themselves - the real fun in the combat
system comes in performing backbreaking
combinations.
Every character
comes complete with their very own fighting
style. Ranging from standard karate to
an odd variation of drunken fighting which
is quite amusing to watch. Fighting styles
are very indicative of the speed and severity
of the attacks your character will perform.
Say for instance you are playing as Tina
whose style of fighting is wrestling. Her
moves will inflict more damages than most
other character's, but she is a bit slower
than some of the quicker fighters like
Hayabusa who utilizes a modified style
of Ninjutsu. Each character has got tons
of moves to be carried out, from the tradition
directional pad direction plus a action
button all the way to the six, seven, or
eight button combinations needed to devastate
your opponent. My personal favorite combo
move involves kicking the opponent into
high into the air, jumping and pile driving
them into the ground below. This move is
especially fun on one of the multi tiered
levels as the characters health if virtually
crippled thereafter.
"DOA3 rocks you, me, and anyone else who plays this game."
|
The sound in the game
is a bit of a mixed bag. The effects of punching
and kicking and the grunts and the groans of
an intense battle are all well and good, but
the cheesy Japanese music could've been altered
for the American release. The dialogue is also
a big disappoint as anyone who doesn't speak
the standard Japanese of this game's origin
will be completely lost if the ability to read
has suddenly escaped them. The sound isn't
really bad, it just isn't very good either.
DOA3 comes
complete with a fairly extensive offering
of modes to play. Survival (offered in
single and tag modes), Team Battle (select
up to six fighters to compete against a
CPU selected six), Versus Mode (you and
a friend can battle it out in tag or single
battle mode), practice mode and a very
unique watch mode are also included in
the DOA3 experience. While some people
may still be complaining about the length
(or lack thereof) in the story mode, I
still found the rest of the game very enjoyable
and am still having a good time with the
title to this very day. [Is that why you're
a week late with the review? - Ed.] The
extra costumes and extra character also
present a fun little challenge to unlock.
 
While some
critics may be experiencing a bit too much
criticality when it comes to Dead or Alive
3, I for one loved the game. Graphics are
great, control is impeccable, sure the
story mode is short but the amount of fun
that you and your buddies can have more
than makes up for it. Itagaki-san, you've
still got your touch.
Gamer
X
Likes Christie because of elegant clothing selection… really he does.
|
Dead
Or Alive 3: The Scores |
|
|
Graphics |
Sound |
Gameplay |
Depth |
Presentation |
Overall |
|
9.5 |
8.4 |
9.2 |
9.1 |
9.4 |
9.1 |
|
The
Final Word:
DOA3 rocks you, me, and anyone else who plays this game.
The graphics alone warrant a purchase just to show off
the power of the Xbox to your pals, the added bonus of
the gameplay actually being fun is icing on the cake.
|
gamerweb
reviews policy
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- Dead
or Alive 3 (Xbox) In-Game
[1] 5.90M MPEG
Hayate
VS the beautiful newcomer Christie,
in the game's flagship forest
stage.
- Dead
or Alive 3 (Xbox) In-Game
[2] 5.85M MPEG
Brad
Wong VS Bayman at the stunning
tropical beach.
- Dead
or Alive 3 (Xbox) In-Game
[3] 5.41M MPEG
Brad
Wong VS Bass on Bass's rooftop
- courtyard stage. Check out
the way the fighters jump and
fall from the top of the building
to the courtyard floor!
- Dead
or Alive 3 (Xbox) In-Game
[4] 7.19M MPEG
DOA2
newcomer Hayate VS Zack in the
AWESOME snow-forest.
- Dead
or Alive 3 (Xbox) In-Game
[5] 5.27M MPEG
Leon
VS Hayate. The staggering jumps
down entire mountains might just
make your stomach turn.
- Dead
or Alive 3 (Xbox) In-Game
[6] 7.22M MPEG
Four-player
tag battle: Gen-Fu, Brad Wong,
Helena and Zach in the breathtaking
aquarium level. If you thought
the aquarium in VF4 was good,
prepare to reset your standards.
- Dead
or Alive 3 (Xbox) In-Game
[7] 5.00M MPEG
Four-player
tag battle: Zach, Helena, Tina
and Kasumi. Look at the awesome
special tag-techniques...
- Dead
or Alive 3 (Xbox) In-Game
[8] 4.12M MPEG
The
character select screen and options
/ menus.
- Dead
or Alive 3 (Xbox) In-Game
[9] 6.46M MPEG
More
Hayate VS Christie at the forest
level.
- Dead
or Alive 3 (Xbox) In-Game
[10] 3.21M MPEG
Four-player
tag battle: Zach, Tina, Hayabusa
and Jann Lee all fight it out
in the electricity-filled 'electro-dome'.
This is AWESOME.
- Dead
or Alive 3 (Xbox) In-Game
[11] 6.92M MPEG
Christie
fights Helena in the snow. Can
you handle the kinkiness of DOA3?
- Dead
or Alive 3 (Xbox) In-Game
[12] 4.24M MPEG
Christie
(mmmm) VS Leon in the beautiful
mountainous surrounds.
- Dead
or Alive 3 (Xbox) In-Game
[13] 3.15M MPEG
Old-hands
Kasumi and Lei-Fei fight. And
they look more gorgeous than
ever before!
- Dead
or Alive 3 (Xbox) In-Game
[14] 4.77M MPEG
Brad
gets a kicking from Tina, in
her all-new costume (tight zebra
skin pants and small blue top).
- Dead
or Alive 3 (Xbox) In-Game
[15] 2.26M MPEG
The
return of Lei-Fei's legendary
three-hit combo! Unfortunately
for Ayane, who is on the receiving
end of this finishing move at
the beach, it's gotta hurt.
- Dead
or Alive 3 (Xbox) In-Game
[16] 2.89M MPEG
Christie
VS Bayman fight in the tower
at night time. Look at the awesome
scenery view from the panoramic
window.
- Dead
or Alive 3 (Xbox) In-Game
[17] 4.58M MPEG
Jann
Lee VS Christie in her sexy 'suited
and booted' costume. This fighting
stage boasts incredible visual
effects - look at the reflective
floor.
- Xbox:
Dead or Alive 3 - New, Full
Video! 31.2M MPEG
MUST
SEE! We present this exclusive,
four-minute, full-length DOA3
trailer, with stunning all-new
scenes, including Hayabuse morphing
from a whirl of leaves in the
forest, and BOTH of the brand
new female fighters.
- Xbox:
New DOA3 Trailer, Part 1 1.5M
MPEG
Hayabusa
smashes opponent through third-floor
window and onto street!
- Xbox:
New DOA3 Trailer, Part 2 4.7M
MPEG
New
fighter, the drunken kung-fu
master, in a gorgeous-looking
ice cave.
- Xbox:
New DOA3 Trailer, Part 3 4.6M
MPEG
New
female fighter 1: Sexy white
hair and luscious breasts, complete
with praying mantis-style actions.
- Xbox:
New DOA3 Trailer, Part 4 4.9M
MPEG
MUST
SEE! Oh my GOD! This forest
stage looks UNBELIEVABLE - and
just wait until you see what
happens there!
- Xbox:
New DOA3 Trailer, Part 5 5.2M
MPEG
Breathtaking
mountain-top scene - and yes,
one fighter gets chucked off.
Another brand new scene.
- Xbox:
New DOA3 Trailer, Part 6 4.6M
MPEG
New
female fighter 2: Cute, brown-haired
martial artist, showing what
she can do in an authentic fighting
arena, vibrantly lit by fire.
- Xbox:
New DOA3 Trailer, Part 7 5.0M
MPEG
In
this final part, we see Ayane,
followed by the most realistic
beach environment you've ever
seen in a game, culminating with
a "shattering" finish in that
ice-cave level. Awesome!
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