Joystiq [Xbox]

Dead or Alive 4 & DOA: Xtreme 2

Continuing the story from the 2001 Xbox-exclusive Dead or Alive 3, DOA4 introduced gamers to three new characters and a more intricate (often criticized) counter system.

The game fully utilized Xbox Live to allow gamers to compete and build a collection of items for their in-game lobby avatar.

Dead or Alive 4 received generally favorable reviews, mostly due to its graphics, but some argue it is the least appealing title in the series. While the argument isn't without merit, game crippling bugs at launch didn't help the fight against detractors. One famous bug would erase a player's entire save data, and with hundreds of unlockable items the glitch was one that fiercely angered the community. The issue has since been resolved.

Returning to the beach, gamers found themselves back to collecting items and getting on the good graces of the ladies from the Dead or Alive universe. The second installment in the series also added new activities for the characters to participate in, but was still labeled as a shallow game for its focused nature.

05/06/08