"A very nice fighter hits the XBOX console."

Itagaki's move to the XBOX console was a decision he chose to make. This is what he has to show for it, and This fighter is great all around and fun for anyone who comes over to play it.

Gameplay: If you haven't played any Dead Or Alive titles, you will notice that this game is very "pick up and play" friendly. Even though it is very "pick up and play" friendly, it is still far from a button masher. This game is a very nice basic fighter and is an "action fighting game." This game's fighting involves interactive environments that range from beating an opponent into a wall, to knocking players off of buildings and other areas as well. It is also important to keep in mind that the game is a pretty technical game for a fighter, but doesn't compare to other games on levels of depth in fighting games. This game is still a very challenging fighter, but in other aspects of the fighting genre even though this game plays like a fighter. The moves are easy to pull off and are amazingly done. The moves the fighters do are the moves that will make a player wonder how in the world players are capable of doing such things. The way certain moves look from powerful punches that send players flying from throwing moves that leave players cringing at the thought of it happening to them are what make this game look so amazing and at the same time fun to play. This is because these moves don't take long to pull off and don't requires such lengths of practice to perfect which make it's "pick up and play" factor so appealing.

If you have played past Dead or Alive 2 titles that have been around, you'll notice that this is the same concept with many changes. These changes in gameplay don't turn the fighter into something totally different though. These changes make pretty well done improvements to the gameplay. Players can now perform a lot more amazing moves that left people's jaws dropping in Dead Or Alive 2. The amazing environments are back as well. You can still knock people off areas and bash them into walls. Improvements to the gameplay are the facts that there are more moves, such as throwing airborne opponents, more environments, and better graphics this time around. There are also new characters that can be played.

Story: There is more story here than in Dead or Alive 2, but the story is still so open ended that it leaves for an empty feeling. The main story this time is another tournament with prize money, and now some characters are after a new villain. The game also plays story wise with the fact that Hayabusa won the Dead Or Alive 2 tournament. The story is still very open ended this time around and is the main weak point of the game.

Graphics: The visual graphics are amazing. Fully 3d environments with nice backgrounds. The character models are also very nice. This game pushes the XBOX forward and is a well done representation of the XBOX's capabilities. It is very difficult to find any flaws in the game's visuals at all.

Play Time: When played alone it's no where near as much fun as playing it with friends. This game is meant for multiplayer fun and there is no doubt about it. Without friends players can still enjoy all the nice modes and features of play, but the general fun comes from the multiplayer experience. The multiplayer fun is pretty much the determining factor of the replay value of this game.

Final Recommendation: This game is very well done. It's a very nice fighter and provides for loads of action the go from knocking people off of buildings to performing many jaw dropping moves which make this game very fun. This is the game to keep for when your friends come over and you need something to do. Anyone can play this game and have fun with it. The only thing is that this game may not be appealing to those who are looking for a fighter with extreme levels of depth. If you are looking for a fighter with great visuals and great fun though this is the game to pick up.

Reviewer's Score: 8/10, Originally Posted: 06/03/05