2nd Op By

Jeremy Fones 7.5 RATING

But that doesn't mean I don't have any fun with console fighting games, or that I can't appreciate their worth. Although I don't consider myself anywhere near as versed in the genre as Mike is, I would like to think I know a good fighting game when I see it and Dead Or Alive 3 is a good fighting game. Even though I spent most of my time with the game alone, I still managed to get a kick out of it.

Being a newbie to the Dead Or Alive franchise, the one gameplay element that really stood out to me was the expansive and interactive environments. Just when you think you've seen the whole level you'll pummel your opponent through a wall and open up something you've never seen before. And with new environments come new obstacles that you can use to your advantage. I was always looking for that tree or light post that I could back my opponent against and knock them out. It's all great stuff, and it really adds a deep element of strategy that is lacking in most fighting games. Not to mention that it also does a great job of immersing you into the game.

I would definitely agree with Mike that Dead Or Alive 3's fighting engine is complex, yet it's very easy to pick up. I started out mindlessly mashing buttons in the beginning, but slowly began to see that it's probably the worst tactic you could use in a fighting game like Dead or Alive 3. The actual fighting is very precise, and I started to see the great advantages of counterattacking and reversals, which are impossible to accomplish with button mashing. Dead Or Alive 3 invites everyone to give it a try with open arms, but like any martial art it takes dedication and concentration to become skilled at it.

In the end, Dead Or Alive 3 is a little shallow, mainly because their isn't much to do when you're by yourself. The gameplay modes become repetitive and quickly run out of steam. Like I said before, I find that fighting games on consoles lack the social interaction aspect that really makes these games shine, and Dead Or Alive 3 is no exception. If I had a bunch of gaming friends who were willing to come over and play all the time, it probably would've been more fun. Dead Or Alive 3 is the kind of game that I wish I could walk around the corner to an arcade, change out five bucks and start taking turns around the cabinet with.

Public Opinion

Brad Gallaway 7.0 Rating

I just wanted to chime in at the tail end and say that in my view, the Dead Or Alive engine rewards offense too much and by doing so encourages severe mashing. I also think the game's structure is also too "loose" and not as precise or finely crafted as other "top" 3D fighters like Virtua Fighter or Tekken. It's fun for a while, but it's not a "serious" fighter.

Graphically, the visuals are stunning and the integration of the multi-level arenas is a nice addition to the genre. Use of walls and breakable objects are also great. For those who like flash in their fighters, you will not find Dead Or Alive 3 lacking with the abundance of explosions, huge drops and weather effects.

With that said, the biggest reason to own the game is the jaw-dropping female character selection. Call me a chauvinist pig if you must, but the level of luscious cheesecake is completely through the roof. Even better, when you download the Dead Or Alive bonus pack info (from the official Xbox magazine) into the Xbox's memory, the new costumes for the ladies are enough to make a grown man cry. Not only do we get the first real use of the internal hard drive, you get the best eye candy Microsoft has to offer. Until Dead Or Alive Extreme Volleyball, that is.

What I don't like about the series, as Brad mentioned, is the ease it gives to offense. Even after almost a year with the game, I still sometimes lapse into button-mashing. There is some strategy here, in the very fun reversal system, and I wished there were more of that kind of focus on timing and mastery.

This problem has been prevalent in the series since the first installment, but has been alleviated in the second by a wealth of extras that rewarded simply continuing to play the game. This is inexplicably absent in Dead Or Alive 3, which offers very few unlockables that are just as facile as those in Dead Or Alive 2, but far more difficult to unlock.

Still, Dead Or Alive 3 has some of the best multiplayer to be had yet on the Xbox simply because it's fun to play against a friend in any good fighting engine. And it's bubble gum for the eyes, so I feel I can recommend it anyway, despite its shortcomings as a fighter and as a package.

Reader Second Opinions