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Re-engage in the fighting action of Dead or Alive: Ultimate

By Jeb Haught

Copley News Media

2005-01-24

Publisher: Tecmo
System: Microsoft Xbox
Cost: $49.99
Violence Rating: Teen (ages 13 and older)

The series Dead or Alive (DOA) changed fighting games forever by introducing countermoves and multitiered environments. Now Tecmo has combined DOA1 and DOA2 into one fighting package, DOA: Ultimate, that offers online play.

It isn't known why Tecmo didn't include DOA3 in the lineup. It seems like a bad decision because hardly anyone is interested in DOA1. While both discs come in the package, this review will concentrate on DOA2.

Join the usual group of graceful DOA beauties - Kasumi, Tina, Lei Fang and Ayane - along with more powerful warriors such as Ein, Jann Lee, Leon and everyone's favorite ninja, Ryu Hyabusa. Each fighter has a long list of moves, but unfortunately, no new maneuvers were added to their repertoires.

However, additional fighting arenas have been included. Some of them feature multitiered environments that let players send opponents crashing to lower levels.

The biggest addition to the series is seamless online play. Players fight one on one, but they can enter rooms with multiple people and be spectators when they aren't fighting. This creates an enjoyable social environment where players can interact.

DOA: Ultimate doesn't offer innovative game play compared with more recent fighters, but the addition of online play makes it worth reliving.