Support NeoGAF

[CrimsonSkies]

http://www.gamespot.com/xbox/action/doaonline/review.html

8.8 / 10

"For a game that's so bold as to call itself "Ultimate," DOAU sure comes close. It truly is the best, most fully featured title in the Dead or Alive series yet. In addition, it's a landmark achievement in the fighting game genre's history-in-the-making, thanks mostly to DOAU's impressive online play component and thanks partly to the game's incomparably good visuals. The fact that the Dead or Alive gameplay formula holds up this well after all these years also speaks volumes, because those who might have mistaken the game's slight learning curve for a lack of complexity in the past will surely see things differently this time...from the moment they happily first get trounced online."

 

[PhatSaqs]

He gushes all over the game in the video review. 8.8 is a great score, but the vid review makes it sounds like a 9+ easily.

 

[CrimsonSkies]

It's tough to get a 10 in graphics on the Xbox now.

 

[kaching]

The main innovation here is a lobby system that allows up to eight players to congregate in a single "virtual arcade." Imagine this online chat room as a metaphor for up to eight friends and/or strangers hanging around an arcade cabinet in the '90s. Basically, two players still duke it out one match at a time, although everyone else can observe the match, mess with the camera perspective while waiting for his or her turn, and discuss the finer points of the fight (via voice chat) as it wears on. The voice communication is never interrupted as matches begin and end, nor is there really any noticeable loading time at any point in the game (even, say, if players pick four different characters in a tag team match), so the social dynamic of DOAU's lobby system seems to be very well integrated.

This is desperately needed in MK: Deception. +10 or so to DOA:U.

 

[PhatSaqs]

This is desperately needed in MK: Deception. +10 or so to DOA:U.

This should be mandatory for any all forthcoming fighting games IMO.

 

[Mrbob]

This name drives me crazy to a degree.

It is called DoA Ultimate but doesn't have much of DoA3 included in it. Wouldn't the "ultimate" version include everything with DoA3??

 

[Ghost]

Graphics 9...

wtf?

 

[Solid]

How is it offline?

 

[kaching]

This should be mandatory for any all forthcoming fighting games IMO.

Agreed - It strikes me as an obvious need as soon as I sit down to play any fighter online.

 

[Lyte Edge]

Didn't Gamespot give DOA2 and DOA2 Hardcore higher scores than this?

 

[PhatSaqs]

Not sure. I know they 7.9'd DOA3 tho.

 

[op_ivy]

kick ass. the only thing i was worried about was the live play

 

[ferricide]

Graphics 9...

wtf?

i wonder if it's the individual score massaging factor you find on gamespot sometimes (to come up with the desired average score as a result.) this game deserves a 10 in graphics. AND A 0 IN GAMEPLAY LOL

 

[WarPig]

I was talking to someone the other day about how much I don't miss having to carve up my review score into categories and use the goddamned IGN/Gamespot 100-point scale. God, I don't know how I kept from going crazy. Or maybe I just went crazy and didn't notice.

DFS.

 

[Mega Man's Electric Sheep]

Didn't Gamespot give DOA2 and DOA2 Hardcore higher scores than this?

Well, Greg Kasavin reviewed both DOA3 and DOA:U, and he gave Ultimate nearly a full point higher (8.8 vs 7.9), so I think that's the relevant comparison.

 

[Bebpo]

Graphics 9...

wtf?

I haven't been keeping up with the game, but wasn't there talk about dropping the framerate from 60fps -> 30fps for the online play? If that actually was implemented I'd say that would stop any chance of a 10 in graphics.

 

[MrparisSM]

I haven't been keeping up with the game, but wasn't there talk about dropping the framerate from 60fps -> 30fps for the online play? If that actually was implemented I'd say that would stop any chance of a 10 in graphics.

No it's a full solid 60 frames per second online and off-line. Also Why did this thing get a 9 in graphics!??? I don't understand. If you do the math would a 10 in graphics have given it a 9.0 overall score? Maybe that's why they deducted a point... Oh well, I have this baby pre-ordered can't wait to trounce you fools online!

 

[Pachinko]

Yes bumping the graphics up to 10/10 would have made the game a 9.0 /10 title. It's a damn shame when math of all things strikes down a games chance at recieving the score it deserves in atleast 1 area... and yet kasavin gave it a 10 out of 10 tilt. Perhaps he knows of a game that looks better then this and which rightly deserves that graphical 10 award ?

 

[Guileless]

So anybody pick this up yet?

 

[duckroll]

Let's recap GAF thoughts on reviews:

10/10 = FUCK! There is no such thing as a PERFECT game! All reviews should be theoritical!

vs

9/10 = WHAT THE HELL IS WRONG WITH THEM? This is clearly a 10!


Conclusion: Let's give it an 8!

 

[Musashi Wins!]

Is this game out there or what? Tired of waiting for it!

 

[Kai Dracon]

And from out of left field, Nick Rox stuns the crowd with a 3.6 while saying it goes a lot better with ham!

 

[Wario64]

9 in graphics...there's some serious graphic whores out there I see

 

[COCKLES]

Times like this the Xbox could do with a drought....just too much to get through....

 

[bishoptl]

Basically, two players still duke it out one match at a time, although everyone else can observe the match, mess with the camera perspective while waiting for his or her turn, and discuss the finer points of the fight (via voice chat) as it wears on.

That sounds AWESOME. I'd love to see THQ institute something similar for their online wrestling titles. Too bad such an insanely cool feature is wasted on DOA.

 

[MrparisSM]

That sounds AWESOME. I'd love to see THQ institute something similar for their online wrestling titles. Too bad such an insanely cool feature is wasted on DOA.

Tecmo has been innovating all year long. From the Master Ninja Tournament + Hurricane Packs on Ninja Gaiden. Now this. It boggles my mind to think about what they'll do next for Next-Gen...

 

[Lyte Edge]

I just unlocked 16 costumes for Tina. I guess Team Ninja is making up for the lack of outfits in past games.

 

[MrparisSM]

Aye is it just me or is this game a LOT more difficult and challenging then the rest of the series? I have dead or alive 3 and I can breeze through it. This one I die all the time and its a lot more complex and balanced, there is now a 4 point counter system, new moves, 3D side stepping is now actually worth a damn. The graphics arew some of the best I've seen. I'm loving this game so far.

 

[Shogmaster]

OMG! This game FUCKING ROCKS!!!!! It's like going to the arcade in my underwear! If you get people with good connections, it's totally lag free (I'd say 75% of the time).

And some of those stages look INSANE! The lightening in that raining stage, the lighting is crazy. I love you Team Ninja.

 

[Pachinko]

This game is awesome. I played DOA1 to beat it just once for nostalgias sake, and honestly it's not aged particularly well. The AI is cheaper and the game is just generally not has fun.

The second one though, man it's just as good as I remember it but it looks incredible. Also it's the only fighting game I'll be able to play online and win with I think, I just about took on 2 people at once by myself.. just about but not quite.

Gamertag otakugamer if anyone is interested, I'll be playing it all night I think.

 

[Fixed2BeBroken]

after playing this game for awhile....the 9 in graphics from gamespot just BAFFLES me...

i understand someones "opinion" being thier opinion but....geezus...

what the hell is a 10 to this guy?

these graphics are freakin incredible......this game is like THE game for graphic whores.

 

[Tabris]

Too bad such an insanely cool feature is wasted on DOA.

I completly agree with this statement.

A lot of the features sound very cool, too bad it's wasted on DOA's trash gameplay.

 

[Wario64]

At least other developers will steal the idea and incorporate to other games...I hope

 

[Littleberu]

Tecmo has been innovating all year long. From the Master Ninja Tournament + Hurricane Packs on Ninja Gaiden. Now this. It boggles my mind to think about what they'll do next for Next-Gen...

What innovations have they done with Ninja Gaiden?

 

[Fixed2BeBroken]

What innovations have they done with Ninja Gaiden?

he says it in his post....while not as innovative as the way online was handled in doa u, its innovative none the less.

peace

 

[Wario64]

The whole spectator thing isn't that innovating...I remember Rocket Arena (Quake mod) incorporating this, and that was released years ago

 

[Fixed2BeBroken]

The whole spectator thing isn't that innovating...I remember Rocket Arena (Quake mod) incorporating this, and that was released years ago

its innovative in the sense we have this in a Fighting game now....

if you compare this feature to all online games including pc games across all genres...well...then not much would be innovative..

pc online > consoles online.

peace

 

[Littleberu]

he says it in his post....while not as innovative as the way online was handled in doa u, its innovative none the less.

peace

Tournament? This is called "Online High Scores" here. And Hurricane Pack? Downloadable content.

No innovations here.

 

[Tellaerin]

I completly agree with this statement.

A lot of the features sound very cool, too bad it's wasted on DOA's trash gameplay.

Better 'wasted' on DOA than on a tedious borefest like VF4: Evo.

One man's trash is another man's treasure, and vice-versa.

 

[MrparisSM]

Tournament? This is called "Online High Scores" here. And Hurricane Pack? Downloadable content.

No innovations here.

Last time I checked, 3 people won and got sent to Japan to compete. Sounds more like a "Tournament" to me... The Hurricane packs are very innovative for consoles. And when's the last time an Action/adventure game let you download new costumes, weapons, enemies, moves and harder AI? Not to mention the whole new game mode that you get with Hurricane Pack 2.

 

[MrparisSM]

Better 'wasted' on DOA than on a tedious borefest like VF4: Evo.

One man's trash is another man's treasure, and vice-versa.

Exactly. I rented VF4 because of all the hoopla I'd read. Mannnn was that game utter shit. So boring, not fluid at all. The graphics sucked ass. And the moves they performed weren't impressive at all. Oh well, to each his own. I'll stick with my beautiful DOA anyday though.