Dead or Alive 4 Final
DOAU introduced online play to the series, making it the most significant update since 2000's stunning Dead or Alive 2 for the Dreamcast. Meanwhile, Dead or Alive 4 doesn't mess with success, instead building on DOAU's formula with an expanded character roster and some more options. And of course, the game looks better than ever on the Xbox 360, though given how great DOA2, DOA3, and DOAU looked, returning fans won't be in for too many surprises from a graphical standpoint. Most of the characters look and animate pretty much just like they used to (we went back and played DOAU again just to be sure), though the game's fantastic fighting stages are all new. Not much has changed from an audio standpoint, either, though the hard-hitting punch and kick effects and fast-paced music fit the game as well as ever.The Dead or Alive series was once considered substandard by fighting game elitists who'd poured hundreds of dollars into Virtua Fighter and Tekken machines. The first installment in the series was relatively shallow, and since these games have always flaunted their full-figured female fighters, some fighting game fans simply assumed that DOA never grew up. But that was then and this is now: DOA4 is by all means a complex and interesting fighting game that longtime fans of the genre should enjoy as much as anyone else. While it's still very easy to pick up and start playing, most characters have about a hundred unique moves, and tons of different options when facing all kinds of different opponents. Or, to put it in other words, you'll be able to quickly spot better players when competing online. A little luck might help you along, but to play this game well is absolutely a test of skill.