Dead or Alive 3

Dead or Alive 3 has to be one of the most graphicly beautiful games that has ever been made, it takes full advantage of the Xbox’s superior hardware and throws it down on the mat like a WWE wrestler on steroids and crack at the same time! The fighting is faster than any other fighter out there, and you barely have time to catch your breath between the rounds. The game features 16 different characters to play with, all who have more than one costume to wear during fights. And if you are lucky enough to have OXM demo disc 7, it has the DOA3 booster pack, that adds even more costumes for every character.

The background scenes are not the only thing that is gorgeous in this game, you also have the DOA babes! There is nothing like taking the guys on as Tina, in her cowboy hat and bikini fighting costume! Tecmo has to be the first developer to master the digital bouncy factor! But enough about the girls, let’s get on to the breakdown!

The game play is outstanding in this game. You have story mode, time attack mode, survival mode, tag battle mode, team battle mode, versus mode, watch mode, sparring mode, theater mode for the unlocked ending movies, and options. Story mode is a little short, seeing how you don’t have to fight too many times to make it to the end and unlock that characters FMV but the other modes make up for it. Punch with Y, kick with B, A to throw and x to block, sounds simple, right? WRONG! The console AI is so fast you almost never saw what knocked you out! This game can be a little frustrating and full of button mashing at first, but with a little practice it all becomes natural. Every new fighter you take on is in a new enviroment, so nothing gets boring too quickly. The FMV at the beginning of the game has a rocking Aerosmith soundtrack, but unfortunately it is not used during the game. This is the only drawback to DOA3. Tag battle mode allows you and a friend to pick two characters for some tag team multiplayer action, and team battle mode allows you and a friend to select up to 5 characters and fight one on one until all 5 of yours win or are defeated. This makes for some interesting changes to your typical fighting game. And the women all have, uh, how should I say this? Oh, yeah, real world physics applied to there “endowedments!“

This has to be one of the most visually stunning games ever made. I would rank the character models up there with “Hollywood movie” quality workmanship. Every thing is just eye candy in this game! The environments you fight in are equally as impressive as the character models. The fog, water, and snow just blow your mind the first time you see them. Some of the environments are two tiered, i.e, you can throw someone off a cliff and jump down to adminster your next can of whoop ass!

The only thing really wrong with this game is not being able to use the customer soundtrack option from your Xbox hard disk. The music during the game is not too bad, but I would prefer kicking some ass to Nickleback or a little System of a Down, if you know what I mean! The grunts when throwing punches or kicks are right on!

This game will keep you coming back for more all the time. 16 characters with up to 5 costumes for some, each with their own unlockable FMV at the end will keep you busy for a little while. But the multiplayer modes will keep you coming back to whoop your best buddy while playing a chick in the game! Now that’s humiliating!

Overall Score 9 [not an average]

This game is easily one of the best looking
games available for the Xbox today. Everything is just exploding at you from your
TV screen! And the digital “bouncy” factor in the game is a treat for
any red blooded American man’s eyes!