 |
| Source // MobyGames |
Everyone has a favourite fighter, and you should all know by now that mine is Tekken. I want to like other fighters, and some have come close, but they've never quite made the Tekken series redundant. There's comfort in the chunky combat it offers, though I have found myself enjoying other fighting games thanks to this 1001 list.
The question is simple: Can Dead or Alive 4 make an impression?
 |
| Source // MobyGames |
 |
| Source // MobyGames |
 |
| Source // MobyGames |
Fun Times
If ever there was a time where I felt the arcade had come into my living room, it is here and now with Dead or Alive 4 for the Xbox 360. It looks buttery smooth, and while you might not like the arcade aesthetic of perfectly placed pixels amongst these varied characters, you ought to at least appreciate how well they perform. Behind the dated menu interface lies a game that can still rival those released today, and that's saying something.
 |
| Source // MobyGames |
I'm able to play this on original hardware, as you have probably gathered, but while there is a replay feature, complete with a snapshot mode, getting them off the 360 and onto this PC has escaped me, so you'll have to imagine it all, and make use of whatever screenshots I end up using here.
Various modes, from team battles to survival matches are available to play, but we all know which one I'm going to head for first: The Story Mode.
They rarely make sense in fighting games, and barely contain any plot beyond a few characters having a short conversation between rounds, but they will at least allow me to see some of the characters and arenas we'll be fighting in, and get a feel for the controls.
 |
| Source // MobyGames |
The roster is on the small side, you might argue, but has a healthy mix of exaggerated men and women, eager to pummel their opposition into the floor. I recognise some of them and take Tina, the American wrassler for a spin. I don't just say that because there is, conveniently, a bunch of screenshots online showing Tina fighting, by the way. That's just lucky.
Your controls are fairly standard, with a dedicated punch, kick, and throw button, with shoulder buttons allowing for combined presses of those buttons, presumably for expert fighters to make use of. A free button completes the set, which I assume does whatever a given character needs it to do. An extra kick for long-legged folk? A quick jab for boxers? I don't really know, and didn't bother with any practice modes or instruction manuals to find out.
 |
| Source // MobyGames |
These aren't the only tools at your disposal, however. The stages themselves often come with appropriate hazards, be they in the form of solid walls to bounce your opponent into, or windows to throw them through. I never managed to throw someone through a window, but did once lose my hat after getting thrown into a pillar, and made use of a wall for an awesome looking suplex combo.
 |
| Source // MobyGames |
 |
| Source // MobyGames |
The fighting is fluid, and you can even wind up for an attack before the ring announcer starts the match, if you're feeling cheeky. Combat is so fluid, in fact, that half the time I was marvelling at how well the character models were changing with each hit. I don't know if there's a ragdoll system of some sort underneath all this action, but there weren't too many jarring changes from one stance to the other, no matter what events lead to the change.
Frustrations
Now, I was really only aware of how lovely the game looked - both in terms of models and stages because I was getting wrecked. Not just wrecked, but utterly, devastatingly, 'make it stop, he's already dead', Wrecked with a capital 'W'. I really want to emphasise how difficult my time with Dead or Alive 4 was. In the Story Mode, you have one fight to win to progress. You can continue for as long as you desire to, but in the spirit of things, I saw a defeat as a game over.
Boy, did I game over a lot. You name the character, and I failed, early and often. The best I got was into the fourth fight. I don't think I landed a single hit in that match, either.
"Not to worry," I thought, "I'll drop the difficulty." Ha. No, I won't. Normal, Hard, or Very Hard. Well, that about brings my session to a close.
 |
| Source // MobyGames |
 |
| Source // MobyGames |
 |
| Source // MobyGames |
And yet I don't want to give up so easily, because it looks so damn good. And do you know what? It feels a little like Tekken, too. I like the weight here. Characters are on the slick side, requiring speed and timing I don't have and, arguably, Tekken didn't ask for, but there is a certain something that makes it all feel nice and solid and crunchy.
It's a shame I won't get the most out of it until I put a whole load into it.
 |
| Source // MobyGames |
I could even make a joke about finally getting revenge on Ninja Gaiden, but he was too difficult to beat but looked so damn good to fight.
 |
| Source // MobyGames |
The Dead or Alive series is known for its looks, and not necessarily in any favourable way. The women, strong and capable though they are, will show off the jiggle physics when given an opportunity, and multiple costumes will show you more or less skin, depending on what you want.
There's only one option I want, though. An easier time to actually enjoy my low skill level.
Final Word
Dead or Alive 4 floored me with its looks and then floored my character with its difficulty. It floored all the characters. Granted, giving each character twenty seconds to impose the way they do things on me is asking for trouble, but you'd have hoped all would be capable of at least slapping their opponent over and over and over again. One of them, Brad, has a fighting style where he willingly throws himself to the floor. How's that supposed to help me?
It's the same old story, then. A fighting game comes along and is graphically impressive, with a bunch of characters I want to get to know, but it comes off as impenetrable to the casual gamer because developers insist on having players work for their rewards (I assume).
Yeah, I suppose fun could be had at any time in multiplayer modes, but some of us just don't have that option available. What am I left with if that's not a possibility? Watching the computer fight itself? Endlessly button-bashing your way through a training mode against a braindead opponent? Actually getting good over time, mastering the system and proving your skill?
I don't have time for that, lockdown or not.
Fun Facts
Intended as a launch title for the console, the slow take-up of Xbox 360 sales in Japan was attributed to Dead or Alive 4 being delayed by a month.
Dead or Alive 4, developed by Team Ninja, first released in 2005.
Version played: Xbox 360, 2006.