Dead or Alive 3

The Good
The first thing that you notice when you insert the game into your XBox is the absolutely stunning graphics. This title really shows off the power of the XBox, and puts other titles to shame. Another cool thing is that the arenas are interactive, and many have multiple levels, for example, when fighting in the DOATEC building, if you are hit hard enough in the proximity of a window, you will go flying through the window, sometimes shorting out the neon sign as you fall down, the fight then continues in the street. The characters themselves are very detailed, clothes and hair move in the wind, the animation is very realistic, and there is a good range of moves for the characters. There are a few different modes of play, survival, versus, tag-team, and story mode. There is also a sparring mode that has a very helpful onscreen display of your button presses. The computer AI is fairly tricky and is quite the challenge on the higher difficulties.

The Bad
The soundtrack is generic and repetitive, as are most of the sounds. The split-second countering that is often necessary can be frustrating to learn, a tutorial mode would have been very helpful. This title could also be much better if they included more modes, and extra costumes and characters, they can certainly fit it all onto a DVD. These are small quibbles, though, and shouldn't keep you from playing this stunningly beautiful fighter.

The Bottom Line
A great looking, fun, fighting game that shouldn't be missed.

The Good
In one word: Excellent! This game (like most other Xbox) is graphically perfect, all the exciting elements from DoA and DoA 2 are there, and what makes this game the best of the series? The new multiplayer options, the new fighting moves, and the ultimate reason, it's on the Xbox! The most powerful console!

The Bad
Nothing At all, no problems, nothing, dry as a desert!

The Bottom Line
Excellent, buy it or go play it at some pay per play shop! Play it! 10/10

The Good
Being a fan of Dead or Alive 2, I knew what to expect from Dead or Alive 3. And in some ways I was right. The same type of fighting styles are here, a good thing, as too much change isn't the best. And although the best control system in my mind for a game like this came from the PS2, the X-Box controls are decent enough for a fighter, so I don't have any problems here.

Graphically, DoA3 is a stunner. Not from the overall presentation of the game, which is great of course. But from the amount of detail that has been placed onto the characters and backgrounds. My favorite level (and I'm sure many will agree) is the one filled with trees. Everytime you hit a tree, leaves fall down. And the wind blows the trees here and there while you fight. Now that's what I call detail. Characters too are just as detailed. Clothes move in the breeze and flap around the character has he/she moves, and the textures on characters faces seem to have more detail then DoA2 (especially hair effects).

The graphics take center stage, there is no doubt about that. I'm glad as well, since many of the other X-Box titles didn't even come close to using the consoles true power.

The Bad
Two key elements upset me. 1) I was always distracted from fighting while watching the leaves fall to the ground. 2) My eyes hurt from sitting too close to the TV while watching the leaves fall too the ground!).

Seriously, the only thing that I feel should be improved upon in the DoA series is extra features. It's fine to have the single player game and a few multiplayer options, but there really isn't that much to keep going with for a long period of time. Tekken, for example, always has hidden extras for you to work for (Tekken Bowl and plenty of characters). I think a few more things like that would help the series go even further.

The Bottom Line
The big test for Dead or Alive 3 will come from the opposition, namely Tekken 4 and Virtua Fighter 4. Both won't appear on the X-Box for the time being, so DoA3 stands as the best on the X-Box. As for the best fighter of all time, ask me again when the above are released.

A valuable purchase and an important step in the right direction for the series to compete with long time challengers.