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The First 3D Online Fighter EVER!!!!!

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 52 / 61
Date: September 22, 2004
Author: Amazon User

From the same people that brought you Ninja Gaiden, Dead or Alive 3 and Dead or Alive Xtreme Beach Volleyball comes Dead or Alive Ultimate, packaging the original Saturn version of Dead or Alive with a completely redesigned Dead or Alive 2.

What Makes DOA Ultimate Special??
For first the first time ever on any console-gamers can enjoy 3-D fighting online! Both games are Xbox Live-enabled, giving players the chance to test their fighting skills against a vast community of highly competitive gamers across the globe.

Why should I care about the 1st DOA???
In 1997, the original Dead or Alive was released on the SEGA Saturn, pushing its processing power to the limits. The original Dead or Alive has long been considered one of the greatest masterpieces in the series, but it was never released in the North American Territory. Now, the graphics of the SEGA Saturn version, make their first appearance on the Xbox-perfectly rendered.

But I've Already Played DOA 2.
Not this DOA 2. Redesigned on a brand new engine, the new DOA 2 boasts amazing new interactive environments that are made possible by the incredible power of the Xbox. Gorgeous new graphics, hard-hitting new fighting moves, and never-before-seen costumes were added to create the "ultimate" fighting game.

What else is there???
The new Dead or Alive Ultimate features never-before-seen episodes from the characters' pasts, revealing new details about each character. These new movies feature unbelievable graphics that will you breathless. These movies will finally answer questions such as the reasons for Ayane's birth and the meaning of the flower in Kasumi's ending. Dead or Alive Ultimate also features a bunch of brand-new costumes.

I would say if you are a fighting game fan, pick this one up. And if you are not one, this could be the game to change your mind. The online feature will now add hours and hours of gameplay. I hope to see you on XBOX LIVE!!!!

Great background and gameplay

4 Rating: 4, Useful: 10 / 10
Date: November 27, 2004
Author: Amazon User

In Dead or Alive Ultimate, you get to play both Dead or Alive 1 and an improved version of Dead or Alive 2 - plus online gameplay as well!

XBox fans who enjoy fighting are thrilled about this - because while Dead or Alive 3 was on the XBox, until now there was no way to play the older games on this console. The Dead or Alive 1 gameplay is just like the original, bringing the classic feel and fun. On the other hand, Dead or Alive 2 is definitely updated. You get the same characters and locations, but the graphics have been revamped to take advantage of the XBox's engine.

I have to say this is GREAT because I'm a huge fan of Dead or Alive 3 and its amazing graphics. To be able to have that same level of graphic achievement - with blowing leaves, footprints in the snow, and so on - is just great. The costumes and characters are all quite distinctive and really let you get a feel for the personality of each individual.

The main theme is done by Aerosmith, but each level has its own music that fits well with the scenario. You get to fight in Japanese gardens, on the Great Wall of China, in a peaceful forest, and in other quite detailed spots. Not only are the three dimensional areas visually spectacular, but you can knock a character off a given section of the map and continue the fight on lower levels. It really adds to the strategy and gameplay.

There are great new scenes to help you learn more about the Dead or Alive universe. It's like reading a prequel to your favorite story - suddenly the characters and their actions take on new meanings.

The online gameplay lets you take your skills and techniques online, to test against players around the world. Instead of being 'stuck' with the gameplay in the game (which can easily last for weeks), you could play 24 hours a day and never run out of new opponents to face.

If I have any complaint about this game, it's that while the guys are in really cool costumes, the women all seem to be wearing costumes that clearly show off their underwear and big breasts. Some people DO play these games who aren't obsessed with women's underwear and inflatable chests.

That being said, it is at least great that female fighters are treated with respect, and it's considered normal to have just as many female characters in a fighting game as males. It wasn't that long ago that a fighting game would be males only, with women stuck on the sidelines waving little flags.

A great fighting game in general, and a must-have for DOA fans to fill in the storyline.

4.5/5

The first 2 DOA games must have been preludes

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 5 / 5
Date: December 04, 2004
Author: Amazon User

Because this hard hittin' renowed 2-game classic blows them out of the water.
Pros:
-Excellent Graphics(Both games got a graphical tune-up, especially DOA2)
-Superb Voice acting
-Simple, but addictive button mashing gameplay
-It has the DOA 1 that didn't make it to America(Not the modified PS1 version)
-So much to do:
--Unlocking costumes(All wemon have over 20!(DOA2) Allright!!)
--Unlocking the CGI gallery
--Unlocking short videos
--Unlocking Hitomi(Who wasn't in DOA2)
-DOAXBV don't get left out in the rain, because the valuptiunous hunnies that got this game on the map get bakinis in this. Oh Yea!!)
-New enviornments, and a opening FMV have been added to DOA2
-Stage falls are for-jorkin' hillarious(Especially when they roll down stairs. Tumble-Tumble-Tumble)
-As always the sex appeal is very high, and lookin at the wemon sometimes makes me laugh(If you know what I mean)
-The replay value is very high
-Online play is really the jam in the doughnut. It's fun and it shows the world how good, or bad you are.
-Limited edition version incluedes trading cards(Nice)
-This is the ultimate package for DOA fans, that should not be missed by any fan of fighting
Cons:
-Not much has been improved in DOA1
-You must have data from DOA3 or DOAXBV to unlock Hitomi. (I feel bad for those that don't have that)
-Story mode for both games make no sense
-Why couldn't they put FMVs for endings for DOA2
-Online play shows how bad I am.(In other words, I suck against real pros at this game)

This game is, so far the best DOA game to his the market, and the goodness of extras and online play definitly made me grab this. For those who love fighting, you must get this game. If you're a DOA fan and don't have this, then get it. This title should definitly not be missed.

peace

In a word? Fantastic!

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 5 / 5
Date: May 27, 2006
Author: Amazon User

Dead or Alive Ultimate is a compilation of Dead or Alive 1 and Dead or Alive 2, each on its own disk. Dead or Alive 1 is an exact replica of the same game that was released on the Sega Saturn so many years ago. This is a really nice treat because this might be the first time that players get the chance to play the game that started it all for this series. Since it is an exact replica the graphics remain the same, so players will be playing with more "boxy" polygonal character models. It is amazing that even though this game has changed so much it still feels the same.

The arenas in this mode are a riot. The rings are composed of two squares, the inside one is "safe zone", so if you fall down or get knocked down to the ground, the only damage you take is from the force it took you to get down there. If you go outside of this zone, the rest of the arena is what I like to call "lava." What I mean by this is if you get knocked down on this part of the game, your life will get deducted by how much force it took to get you down there plus once you hit the ground you will be knocked upwards, like a volcano blast, and you will receive more damage. Since there are no walls to get cornered, players will always have to be aware of where they are located so they don't take additional damage. If you want to play online with Dead or Alive 1, you will be able to. All you have to do is sign on and get your "fight on."

The main focus of this compilation was placed on Dead or Alive 2, and it will become apparent when you first boot up this game and see the intro CGI movie. This game looks better then Dead or Alive 3, which became one of the benchmarks of the graphical power of the Xbox when it was released. This game truly shows the power of the Xbox. The character models look just as good as the CGI movie, which looks awesome itself. The clothes on the characters move and have their own set of physics that move realistically as clothing might be expected to if you are fighting someone.

The most noticeable thing is the arenas that the characters fight in; they are a jaw-dropping awesome sight to behold. Every level there is some interactivity involved, from things going on in the background, breaking through walls and going to new parts of the level, or little subtle things. There is always something going on in the background, in one level you will be fighting in a chained off arena, and ever so often there will be cops chasing cars throughout the level, which gives it a very surreal feeling while you are playing. Just like in Dead or Alive 3, there are many different "levels" to particular arenas. One of my favorite is on the snowy mountain. While you are fighting through the level you can make the snow move around, and if you get the person close enough to the cliff you can knock them down to an icy lake below. From there you can even knock the players into icicles and make them shatter. This is truly a sight to behold.

The subtle things throughout each level might be the hundreds of leaves or cherry blossoms that are floating around the level, get stirred up if you walk through a pile of them. While this might not seem like much, you will have to remember that each of those leaves have a polygonal count and move throughout the level while you are performing a beat down on an enemy. All of this is going on without any slowdown, how remarkable is that! It is literally amazing all of the details that went into making this game look this great, and still remain highly playable without any hint of slowdown.

The roster for this game is the exact same as it was back on the Playstation 2. You will find all of your old favorites included with the exact same fighting moves. Some might be disappointed that several moves might be missing that were in Dead or Alive 3, but you will have to remember that this is a remake. One of the biggest draws for this game is the amount of costumes unlockable for each character. Many of the girls have over fifteen completely different costumes, and I am not talking about one costume is purple while the other exact same one is red. The costumes are 100% different from one another, such as School girl outfit, bathing suits, Santa Outfits, to many other things. It will take players a long time to collect them all, but it is rewarding once you have done it.

The audio portion of Dead or Alive 2 is great, but could have been better. It features Dolby Digital 5.1 surround sound, which makes the fights feel more "alive," especially in certain levels such as the one where the cops are chasing cars around the block. The Japanese voiceovers are what one might expect from this game, and fit the characters really well. The only disappointing thing is that this game doesn't support custom soundtracks. While it is nice to hear all of the music from the game, I would have liked to fight with the music of my choice, especially after playing the game for many hours.

Here is the part you are waiting most for, the online portion of this game that has been talked about for months on end. Before I get into specific details, I will say that it is one of the best features of the game! As you know if you have an Xbox Live account you can fight anyone across the world and it feels just like they are sitting next to you. There are times when you might have a few fights that are "laggy" but they are few and far between. Another thing of interest is when you unlock a new costume you will be able to use it while you are online, so if you see someone using your favorite character with a costume you have not seen before, you will know that it can be unlocked and used for your character as well.

The modes that are available online are: Spectator, Winner-Stays, Tournament, Team Battle, Survival, Loser-Stays, Kumite. In spectator mode, players will be able to view the battles currently raging on. In Winner-Stay players fight a one on one match, and the winner of the match will stay and take on the next challenger. In Tournament players will advance to each round until one person is declared a winner. Team Battle, players will be able to challenge other players in Tag-Team Battles. Survival mode players fight battle after battle until their health is depleted. In Loser-Stays, is the exact opposite of winner-stays. Kumite is a non stop battle, in which win or lose a person fights all the challengers until they quit. With all of these modes available, you will not be able to get any sleep as there is so much to do!

The Hits Keep Coming!!!

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 5 / 6
Date: October 26, 2004
Author: Amazon User

( For those of you reading this review this is some serious truth and not some hype ^_^)

I've been fairly loyal to the DOA series ever since it was released on the playstation after first appearing on the sega saturn. To be honest that game had left me breathless within in the first few minutes of play; and it wasn't just because of the cool fighting engine.

After playing DOA and moving onto DOA 2 I was amazed yet again on how improved the graphics were and how the game engine almost had you feel like you were delivering and taking every blow. Also with the "jinken" type reversal system it truly made a person want to learn the aspects and techniques of every combatant so you could become an ultimate fighter.

When DOA 3 came out it simply was blowing all other fighters out of the water. Improved graphics, even more detailed and interactive environments, a few new faces, and plenty of old goodies and some sweet new techniques.

Now combine all the time, knowledge, and effort from the previous three and you'll get something that proves to be the ultimate challange. Not only do the players get the enhanced graphics, new moves, more costumes, perfect endings and beginnings for each character, but we also get online play. No more having to beat your friends over and over again until they get tired of losing. This is finally a true test to show off your skills and test your mettle. Someone is always telling you that there's most likely someone else out there that's better than you, so now's the time to prove them wrong.

Ninjitsu Soap Opera

4 Rating: 4, Useful: 5 / 6
Date: April 21, 2005
Author: Amazon User

I have not exactly played a lot of fighting games. In fact, ever since they took the Mortal Kombat 2 machine out of the video rental place, I haven't really seen that much of the fighting game. But here goes:

I have to say this game was pretty good. There were good characters, great backgrounds, interesting moves and that colorful sheen that Team Ninja casts upon its games. The story was a bit iffy, in my opinion. Although the intro, played out to Aerosmith's "Dream On," was an excellent piece, it has absolutely nothing to do with the game! There are similarities between it and certain characters' motivations, but in the long run, it has more to do with the Dead or Alive 1 that is tacked in as a bonus feature.

The characters' motivations are clearly enough represented, even if their stories are not up front. And you will get some back-story on all the characters, but it turns in a soap operatic thingy. For example: the wrassler must face his daughter; the phrase, "haven't we met before?" is all over the place; there are some people revealed to be family members at various moments; the karate champ has lost his memory, and a ninja lady must face her evil twin.

Also, the designers put in some really neat-o moves. In doing this, they forgot that most human only have so many fingers and a pair of thumbs. The controls are workable, but workable at best. This can lead to the dreaded button mashing. On that note, I can say that this game remains true to the original. It is also fairly unforgiving.

By the way, "ultimate" means "the best, biggest, and last." This collection does not have that many extra features. Most "ultimate" games should be dripping with readily unlockable stuff. Although you can collect more outfits for the ninja babes to fight in, that's all she wrote.

However, the game is pretty good. Why? Well, for one thing, it's beautiful. The girls in skimpy outfits don't hurt. Neither does the fact that that guy from Ninja Gaiden is here. Familiarity breeds content.

Plus, the fighting, although a bit clumsy at first, will grow on you. Of course, a side effect to this might be that you cannot play any other game for a while, but for a while you won't want to.

And of course, the crowning achievement of this game is its unlockable soundtrack. I have a soft spot for those, and this on includes the previously mentioned "Dream On." So if you're a fan of battling ninjas, girls in bikinis, and classic rock, give this game a try.

Heck YEAH! THIS IS THE BEST

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 4 / 5
Date: March 05, 2005
Author: Amazon User

First of all, let me say this. I have never been a great fan of fighting games. Soul Callibur 2 was great for a while before it got way too monotenous. But this game was a refreshing slap in the face for me. (None of the analysis below will pertain to DOA 1, because it just sucked.)
First of all, graphics. They are beautiful. The effects of the wind rippling a characters hair, their expressions, and the game's graphics overall are beautiful.
Next, gameplay. The game runs very, very smooth. And it overcomes a serious flaw that made Mortal Kombat Deception a dud: player speed. In this game, the pace is set fast enough for the match to be interesting, yet just slow enough for you to be able to string together devestating combos on the fly. For example, you can deliver a high kick to launch an opponent into the air, and then string together 3 quick jabs to tack on pain before the guy even touches the ground. That's how fast it is. It has a very easy set of 4 different direction counterattacks. The environments are multi-layered. EX: You're on the roof of an abandoned building. You launch an enemy over the guardrail. What's that? A ringout you say? WRONG! The guy hits a restraunt sign and bounces onto the road 10 stories below. you jump down after him and continue the fight. It takes away cheap victories by using a power move to launch a guy off for a win. Plus, they're really colorful too.
The background music is pretty good. Since their are only 15 characters, the game is limited to about 20 tracks (Some characters have 2 tracks). However, the trax are excellent and sometimes give you a nice rythem to attack to.
And finally, a category that doesn't appear in a lot of games: GIRLS. THe girls in this game are outrageously gorgeous. Every girl has 1-2 swimsuit costumes and all of them seem to wear loose bras, because their chests never seem to stop bouncing. Overall, THIS GAME KICKS BUTT BEYOND ALL GOD FORSAKEN REASON!!!

Fun fighting on the Xbox

4 Rating: 4, Useful: 3 / 4
Date: December 22, 2004
Author: Amazon User

After yearly delays coming and going, DOA ultimate is finally here. So was it worth all that extensive wait ? If your a fan of this series and the busty female fighters, then there is no doubt that DOA Ultimate will tickle your fancy. With the inclusion of two games-in-one means Microsoft finally has all three Dead or Alive games on their workhorse console. Dead or Alive 1 is included in the package but let's face it, when it comes down to it, it's Dead or Alive 2 that will gear the most fun.

Just in case you don't know this is Dead or Alive 2, meaning Hitomi is playable (After unlocking her), side-stepping by holding up or down is absent. Although this is Dead or Alive 2 I wonder why Tecmo couldn't have included two more characters who appeared in DOA 3. With that said this is the best online fighter on the market and a complete riot to play. The fighting engine isn't as deep or technical as Tekken or Viruta Fighter, but it is deeper than most fighting game vets give it credit for. And better yet unlike Mortal Kombat: Deception, there are no worthless unlockables like a gazillion art pictures you could care less about, instead there are over 200 costumes to find, some characters even have as many as 20. So even with the inclusion of online play, the singler-player mode still requires consistent playing if one hopes to locate each costume.

Make no ands, if or buts about it, DOA Ultimate is one of the best looking video games out there. Some of the stages are just breahtaking and have to be seen to be actually believed. The aquarium is a classic level from DOA 2 but has vast improvements to it, there is the incredible looking safari stage littered with wild herds of gazelle, hippos and lions. If you have access to a HDTV with progressive scanning, Tecmo thought about you in mind by adding 480p support, Dolby Digital 5.1 is availible to complete the trimmings for the home theater enthusiast.

Tecmo and Team Ninja have been giving hints since day one that playing online will not be ruined by large amounts of lag. After extensive online play time during peak and off-peak hours, I can conclude that DOA Ultimate does not suffer from a lot of lag. However, that doesn't mean the lag is nonexistent because it most certainly is. During peak hours especially, you'll find several matches plagued with a good amount of latency which does tamper with the gameplay during crucial matches. Luckily this lagging prompts only sparodically and never really affects an otherwise smooth-as-silk online experience.

Complementing the online play is arguably the best feature of DOA Ultimate, the Virtual Arcade. Everything is here including: user created tournaments, winner stays, loser stays, survival, kumite, and tag battle. You can even upload your survival and time attack scores to compare to other players around the world to determine who really is king/queen of Dead or Alive. Each online mode of play allows up to 8 players to hang out in a lobby, almost like they were hanging out at an arcade, minus the fat guy who reeks of sausage pizza and sweat.

Depending on what mode you're playing 2-4 players will be in a match at one time, while the remaining players can watch the action and can do little things like screw around with the camera. This is the best setup I've seen for an online fighting game and works wonders for the fun factor and gives the game a true-to-arcade format. All 8 players can talk via the Xbox Communicator while playing or watching, so trash talk, or strategy talk can be had all around.

Dead or Alive Ultimate is one of the best multiplayer experiences I've encountered in recent memory. Nothing out there comes so close to delivering the true-form arcade feel and the online play like I said earlier is extremely smooth. The visuals are really powerful showing why the Xbox is the reigning champ of buff graphics, there are lots of costumes to unlock and the game is easy enough for the common newbie to pick up, yet holds enough layers of depth to give the veteran fighter enough to dig through. If you got an Xbox, have Live and enjoy fighting games, there is no reason DOA Ultimate shouldn't be in your library.

The Dead or Alive Series Continues its Excellence

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 2 / 2
Date: December 15, 2004
Author: Amazon User

Dead or Alive 3 is an excellent game.
Dead or Alive Ultimate is even better.
DOAU is made of two parts, Dead or Alive 1 Ultimate and Dead or Alive 2 Ultimate.
DOA1U is okay, since the original came out in 1996 and shows its age somewhat.
DOA2U has an exceptional opening movie that shows the set up for the DOA series's best back story. Unlike DOA3, DOA2U offers a great many unlockable features to reward you for the time you spend playing the game. It also has a neat feature that lets you record a fight and then replay it in nearly every camera angle imaginable (and includes a pause and backstep feature as well).
Overall, well worth the money, even if you don't play it on XBox Live.

THIS GAME IS AWESOME!!!!!!!!!!!!

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 2 / 3
Date: December 03, 2004
Author: Amazon User

This game, to put it simple, is amazing. Even if it is rated M for Mature. I really don't believe that it should have been M because it almost the same as Dead or Alive 3 which was teen.THe only thing that maybe would be suggestive is the language, but they've been used in alot of video games that parents don't really care about it.(Like my parents.)But besides that the graphics are better than any video game that I have ever seen. Maybe with the exception of HALO2. The online play is just too cool to put in words, and as the most original fighting system to date. If you want to get a really cool video game to rival HALO 2, GET THIS GAME!!!!!!

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