Dead or Alive

"More Dead Than Alive"

It is no secret to fighting fans - and everybody else - that ports of Arcade fighters to the PSX are usually quite lame. Of course, there are exceptions such as Tekken (most noticeably 3), Soul Blade and other 2D fighters which actually managed to restore the same atmosphere on Sony's console. However, ever since the PSX came out and developers took it upon themselves to convert all the Arcade hits to the system, it didn't take long to realize that this wasn't a good idea.

So, we come up with 2 possible results whenever an Arcade fighter makes its way to the PSX : 1) the game is actually good, a pleasant surprise and manages to entertain gamers, whether these are fighting fans or not ; or 2) the game is a complete failure, suffers from the console's limits and isn't popular, even among the original version's fans. Dead or Alive belongs to the second category but while, even then, some titles were quite entertaining, the only thing it will entertain is your dustbin.

''They didn't know about The 3 lessons when converting a 3D fighter to the PSX.''

Lesson #1 when converting a 3D fighter to the PSX : Graphics may stink !

While Dead or Alive was somptuous on Arcade with smooth graphics and all the details that made it so immensely popular, it doesn't look good on the PSX. Street Fighter EX is well-known for being the first title to experience this mishap and is even more popular for its ugly backgrounds and crap graphics. DOA IS EVEN WORSE !

At a first glance, one need not possess Magneto's special powers to realize that the backgrounds and general feel of the game lack substance. IN PLAIN ENGLISH, THEY SUCK ! And this is made even more pitiful considering how less-known titles managed to scrap their way through with decent graphics. The eerie glow in each background will scare even zombies and after some time, you'll get the spooky feeling that the whole game is just a joke.

All the features and innovations that made the game so popular have been left out. Seriously, the real factor that really boosted DOA's popularity concerns the girls. ''The girls' tits bounce ! Check out those long, slender, sexy legs ! Perform moves and catch a glimpse of panties !'' If you are planning to buy this title to drool over the girls, DON'T COME HERE ! You may as well go and rent a Jenna Jameson movie.

The animation is even worse and comes close to actually make the most biased players vomit on their pad. A lot of frames have been left due to the console's limits and this makes several moves look weird. Some characters move about like a sick bear and their fighting stance is only laughable - except that you won't feel like laughing after playing for a few minutes.

Lesson #2 when converting a 3D fighter to the PSX : The PSX isn't meant for fighting games !

Or how a game loses its unique gameplay and has to cope with a crappy control in addition. The animation is at fault in the first case. The game is a bit slow and this makes the gameplay really pathetic. And one of the worst controls ever - Primal Rage is decent compared to DOA - renders even button-mashing useless, something unheard of in 3D fighting games previously.

From a casual point of view, this seems to be caused by the PSX pad which, I'll say it again since some people just don't want to understand, isn't suited for fighters. And the lack of good joysticks make this feature even worse - oh, how I cherish you, Sega ! However, this is only one of the 2 reasons, the second one being overlooked by everybody.

The fact is that DOA suffers a lot from this conversion in the gameplay section because when the developers first developed it for Arcade, they relied on the Arcade board more than anything else - obvious since they wouldn't normally think of future conversions. As a result, the system is meant solely for a cabinet. While most fighters can indeed be converted into -powerful enough- consoles, this is sadly not the case of MDTA (More Dead Than Alive - how it should be called).

Lesson #3 when converting a 3D fighter to the PSX : EVERYTHING MAY BE CRAP AND THIS IS AN IRREVERSIBLE PROCESS !

Tecmo has to be one of the dumbest company ever. Truthfully, I wonder why they carried on with the work when it was so clear that the game would never live up to its reputation as a home version. Sure, the game still has its excellent sound effects, music and seiyuu but these are not enough to outweigh its numerous -and important- flaws. In fact, had they put nude pics of Chloe Jones among the galleries, that wouldn't have changed anything !

DOA is a unique experience on Arcade and a piece of crap on the PSX. It outrageously suffers from the PSX limits and overall, the game is as fun as being run over by a lorry. The graphics are not worthy of the original counterpart and even the gameplay fails to save the game since that too has been stabbed in the back. Next time, look behind you at least twice before carrying on stupidly ! Or, even better, DON'T START IT !

Reviewer's Score: 3/10, Originally Posted: 01/26/02, Updated 11/09/02