Dead or Alive 4
Dan DaranciangDead or Alive 4
Grade: 3.5 stars (out of 5)
Worth it for: The amazing graphics and fluid animation.
The main drawback: It’s better to watch than play.
Should be played by: Fighting game fans and guys who like to ogle anime girls.
Final word: A solid fighting game that has some flaws.
The Dead or Alive series of fighting games is not exactly a venerable one. The first was a subpar Virtua Fighter clone that introduced a ridiculous jiggle to the female characters. The second is probably the most important in the series. It created a whole new aesthetic design that has been refined by the following 4 games (DoA 2: Hardcore, DoA 3, DoA Ultimate, and now DoA 4). The third advanced the game to a whole new level, finally putting it within range of the top tier of fighting games: Soul Calibur II, Tekken 5, and Virtua Fighter 4. Dead or Alive 4 continues what DoA 3 started, but except for improved graphics and some new characters, it is very much the same game as DoA 3.
For novices of the Dead or Alive universe, the game follows the classic mysterious tournament, evil corporation, etc. plot that has been a staple since the earliest Tekken and Virtua Fighter games. The gameplay itself is very fast and flashy, which goes very well with the beautiful visuals. The game is counter-intensive, and the watchful, patient player is rewarded with unblockable moves that stop an oncoming player in their tracks and deal tremendous damage. While this certainly rewards players who learn the system, once a player learns how to read incoming moves and properly counter them the game’s depth bottoms out.
The game is certainly the best looking for the Xbox 360, but because it doesn’t add any real depth to DoA 3, the game just feels very stale. For fans of the slowly dying genre, DoA 4 is certainly a welcome addition to the family that will tide people over until the coming of Virtua Fighter 4. For people new to the world of fighting games, the pretty graphics and easy to learn system should provide a nice starting point. Unfortunately, not much more can be said on behalf of Dead or Alive 4.
Popularity: unranked [?]
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