Score
Gameplay:	9
Graphics:	8
Sound:	7
FunFactor:	9
PlasmaFactor:	9
Overall:	8.4

Dead or Alive 4 Review
December 31, 1969

Busty babes and fierce warriors are back in Tecmo's Dead or Alive 4 with flashy moves, a revamped fighting engine, new characters and an online mode that will keep you coming back for more. Dead or Alive 4 is the most competitive game of the series and brings a fighting system that both hardcore and casual gamers can enjoy equally.

Story

Dead or Alive 4 picks up where its predecessor left off but goes into the story of a different character: Helena Douglas. Helena has inherited the DOATEC corporation and is hosting a Dead or Alive tournament in order to bring out the person who murdered her mother. The ninjas (Kasumi, Hayabusa, Ayane, and Hayate) are all back attempting to stop DOATEC from releasing a new weapon known as Kasumi alpha. Although they have had differences in the past they come together under a common goal, DOATEC must fall. Many other characters have returned but most notable is the arrival of four new characters, Kokoro, Eliot, La Mariposa and Bungie's contribution to the game Spartan-458.

Gameplay

While Dead or Alive is still focused on fast, action-packed fighting there have been several revisions to the fighting system. The game has taken a switch from being completely combo based into having an increased ground game. Players may now use moves that force others to rise or even keep them on the floor longer to put up more of a mind game. Attacks do not devastate the opponent's health as heavily as before and the stun system has become slightly more complicated allowing for more than just a stun-to-launch tactic the previous games have had. Attacks that bounce players off the ground have been added; this leads to a greater variety of guaranteed damage and adds solidity to the fighting engine.

The crazy Dead or Alive counters are back, but this time the window for executing the holds has been tweaked. The counter windows hold significantly less than before, and the counters have been changed to do a more balanced amount of damage. If players time their counters they can deal extra damage through a high-counter hold, which leaves the opponent on the floor unable to do an instant rising attack. Characters that are focused on a grab game can take counters into chain throws, for example Leon can hold a middle kick and take it into a three part chain. The opponents can bounce out of the chain with a timely planned grab, or take the pain if they happen to fall into error.

Characters in the game have been given new moves, and some have been changed heavily in order to increase diversity and diminish the guessing involved with the system. The system is based on a four point holding method in which middle kicks and middle punches are differentiated by using back and hold or forward and hold. This was an addition that has been kept from Dead or Alive Ultimate in order to reduce the amount of guessing that can occur since there are many middle punch and kick attacks that a three point system was improper for. Some characters have been completely changed, Kasumi for example has a completely different juggle game along with a strangely different stun system and ground bounce game. It was enjoyable noting all the differences in the characters and learning them anew.

Punishment, that is damage given to an opponent based on their errors, has been changed significantly. In the previous games, especially Dead or Alive 3, there were many ways of punishing opponents for mistakes during a match. This allows for diversity in game play, and guaranteed damage that solidifies a fighting game. This is absent in Dead or Alive 4, in fact the only thing one can do to punish is grab the opponent. Few characters have been given any sort of extra tweaks that allow for punishment, for example Tina is awarded with a guaranteed grab when she throws an opponent off of a wall. Frame advantage has diminishing value in the game, and the game is based entirely on speed. A faster move will come out and hit someone that's performing a slower move. For moves based on the same speed, the harder hitting move is awarded a successful hit.

While this idea of punishment and sole speed based play seems strange, the juggle system allows for any character to be played well in the game. The speed differences in characters rewards players with slower characters to use a turtle style of play, waiting patiently for openings and errors in the opponent's game.

Environments are expandable by throwing or bashing players into walls, down stairs and this time players have levels in which danger zones involve dodging cars and even a cheetah. These options can be turned on or off when selecting a stage, simply by using the X button rather than using A or start to make a selection.

Story mode has been made more difficult in that on harder difficulties the computer tends to counter moves more often and the cut-scene fights are still significantly harder than random battles. Often the story mode brings up many questions about the Dead or Alive series, and Tecmo leaves these unanswered.

The tag mode for the game has deteriorated from the previous versions of the game. Combos are not as creative and the mode lacks many high-leveled techniques involved in the single versus mode. Tag fans of the previous Dead or Alive games will have something new to play with, but will have trouble focusing competitively on tag.

The online mode of the game has been adopted from Dead or Alive Ultimate, and while connections between players vary, the game seems to run well for the majority of the time. Hardcore players and casual players can both take advantage of the online mode and enjoy games with players all over the world. The grading system for the online mode has been changed to make it significantly harder to get up to the higher ranks. The ranks are based on a point system going from F- to A+, S and SS ranks. Players with the top rank of SS are then shown to be dedicated and experienced players because of the huge point requirement for the status. Options allow for people to choose to play those of their own level, as filters for ranks in the player match settings are present.

Graphics

One of the first games on the Xbox 360, Dead or Alive 4 is arguably the best looking game at the time. Tecmo has always put focus on making the graphics of the Dead or Alive series top notch, and although they did seem to drop a little below expectations, the graphics are still pretty impressive. The environments are really picturesque with little critters, birds, cheetahs, rhinos and even cars running through levels. The stages are multi-tiered, with many different scenarios on a single stage. The tag mode, however, has three enclosed stages that can be chosen, none of which are flashy but seem based solely for pure gameplay. New charge moves have been added to the game that create a beautiful motion blur effect that was not possible on previous consoles. The game runs at a solid 60 frames per second and has rare, if any, hiccups. Character models are more detailed but the traditional Dead or Alive style has been kept. Clothes have intricate designs, veins pop up on muscles and the ridiculous female bouncing has been toned down heavily. All of these characteristics add to a more realistic feel to the game, and really show off the power that hides behind the Xbox 360.

Sound

The previous Dead or Alive games have had excellent soundtracks, most notable Dead or Alive Ultimate for its amazing remixes and memorable medleys. Dead or Alive 4 takes up on this same style of music, but not all of the tracks stand out. Some tracks, although new, feel rehashed and are almost forgettable.

Plasma Factor

Singles, tag team, Team battle, survival, time attack and a handful of costumes for each character to be unlocked in story mode or time attack leave hours of replay value for gamers. The real beef is in the online mode which offers an unlimited amount of replay value as players can find new opponents at any time and place in the world.

Dead or Alive 4 has been changed just enough so it does not feel completely different, but is different enough to be something new and refreshing for the series. Enough of the system has been changed that it allows old players to submerse themselves in the same dedicated manner any new player would. The game engine allows for experts and novices to enjoy the game equally and have fun on a whole new level. The story, although claiming to be more revealing, actually brings up more questions than it answers and the decline in the tag mode is a punch in the gut.

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Gameplay: 9 Graphics: 8 Sound: 7 Value: 9 PlasmaFactor: 9 Overall: 8.4

By: Ali Kazmi, Staff Writer