Dead or Alive Xtreme 2
Added April 29th, 2007 by Serenity Now
Tomonobu Itagaki is often regarded as one of the industry’s finest developers. From Ninja Gaiden to Dead or Alive 4, he and his crew at Team Ninja have blessed gamers with countless hours of gaming beauty. In 2003, Itagaki attempted to expand his signature series by placing the DOA girls on a beach. Dead or Alive Xtreme Beach Volleyball marked a new landmark for the series in the visual department. But while the title sported jaw-dropping character models and mesmerizing sand textures, the overly-simplistic gameplay was a major turn-off for most. Nevertheless, the title managed to muster up a fairly large fan-base – evidently large enough to warrant a sequel.
The first thing you’ll notice about Dead or Alive Xtreme 2 is the absence of “Beach Volleyball” from the name. Fans of the sport needn’t worry, as this particular aspect is still intact. Unfortunately, it’s been left untouched. The only noticeable difference lies within the difficulty. I personally didn’t find it too much of a challenge, but some gamers will require an hour or so to acclimate themselves to the heightened intensity.
This sequel is all about the mini-games. Surprisingly, they’re sub-par at best. Not including volleyball, there are six in total: marine race, water slide, tug-of-war, butt battle, pool hopping, and beach flags. Most of these are total snore-fests, but pool hopping and marine race are the two standouts. Pool hopping, which was also featured in the first DOAX, has you and your partner racing across a pool atop floating pads. Unlike in the original, the floating pads are colored to coincide with the Xbox 360’s control scheme. For example, you will acquire extra points by using the B button to jump onto red floating cushions, the Y button to jump onto yellow floating cushions, etc... This is a nice addition to an otherwise one-dimensional mini-game.
Marine race, or jet skiing as most dub it, places you and three other ladies in a race to the finish line. The controls and physics are exceedingly well done and there is a good deal of course variation. You can also upgrade your jet ski for more competitive play.
It should be mentioned that there is no offline multiplayer found in DOAX2. This didn’t come as a huge surprise as the first DOAX was solely a singe-player experience, but it’s still a letdown for players looking to get together with friends for some volleyball or marine race action.
Playing dress-up with your character is without a question the main draw of the game. There are dozens of swimsuits and accessories you can purchase and the title offers a solid sense of accomplishment as you build your collection.
Dead or Alive Xtreme 2’s foremost flaw is its Xbox Live facet. This is due to one simple reason: you cannot use outfits purchased in single-player mode online. Not only is this ridiculous, but Itagaki and Co. should be downright ashamed. The main attraction of online play in a game such as this is to be able to parade your apparel. Stupendous does not even begin to describe this decision.
Aside from not being able to don your single-player apparel, the online play is a featureless pile of compost. You’re able to participate in two activities: volleyball and marine race. Lag is minimal and there are a decent amount of players to compete against, but if you’re looking for substance, you’ll need to look elsewhere.
DOAX2’s visuals are flat-out gorgeous, there’s no beating around the bush. From the beautiful characters to the luscious beaches, this is a graphical staple for the Xbox 360. Audio is also much-improved from the predecessor and you now have the option to play with English voiceovers. For those who find the Japanese language a tad annoying (as do I), this is a real relief. The soundtrack is your standard bubblegum pop fare, but it frankly suits the atmosphere of the game quite well.
Summary:
If you’re a diehard fan of the Dead or Alive franchise, this is a no-brainer. However, if you’re not fond of the series and are searching for a quality mini-game fest, the recently-released Fuzion Frenzy 2 will be a better pick. Dead or Alive Xtreme 2 is pure and unadulterated fan service, nothing more, nothing less.
The first thing you’ll notice about Dead or Alive Xtreme 2 is the absence of “Beach Volleyball” from the name. Fans of the sport needn’t worry, as this particular aspect is still intact. Unfortunately, it’s been left untouched. The only noticeable difference lies within the difficulty. I personally didn’t find it too much of a challenge, but some gamers will require an hour or so to acclimate themselves to the heightened intensity.
This sequel is all about the mini-games. Surprisingly, they’re sub-par at best. Not including volleyball, there are six in total: marine race, water slide, tug-of-war, butt battle, pool hopping, and beach flags. Most of these are total snore-fests, but pool hopping and marine race are the two standouts. Pool hopping, which was also featured in the first DOAX, has you and your partner racing across a pool atop floating pads. Unlike in the original, the floating pads are colored to coincide with the Xbox 360’s control scheme. For example, you will acquire extra points by using the B button to jump onto red floating cushions, the Y button to jump onto yellow floating cushions, etc... This is a nice addition to an otherwise one-dimensional mini-game.
Marine race, or jet skiing as most dub it, places you and three other ladies in a race to the finish line. The controls and physics are exceedingly well done and there is a good deal of course variation. You can also upgrade your jet ski for more competitive play.
It should be mentioned that there is no offline multiplayer found in DOAX2. This didn’t come as a huge surprise as the first DOAX was solely a singe-player experience, but it’s still a letdown for players looking to get together with friends for some volleyball or marine race action.
Playing dress-up with your character is without a question the main draw of the game. There are dozens of swimsuits and accessories you can purchase and the title offers a solid sense of accomplishment as you build your collection.
Dead or Alive Xtreme 2’s foremost flaw is its Xbox Live facet. This is due to one simple reason: you cannot use outfits purchased in single-player mode online. Not only is this ridiculous, but Itagaki and Co. should be downright ashamed. The main attraction of online play in a game such as this is to be able to parade your apparel. Stupendous does not even begin to describe this decision.
Aside from not being able to don your single-player apparel, the online play is a featureless pile of compost. You’re able to participate in two activities: volleyball and marine race. Lag is minimal and there are a decent amount of players to compete against, but if you’re looking for substance, you’ll need to look elsewhere.
DOAX2’s visuals are flat-out gorgeous, there’s no beating around the bush. From the beautiful characters to the luscious beaches, this is a graphical staple for the Xbox 360. Audio is also much-improved from the predecessor and you now have the option to play with English voiceovers. For those who find the Japanese language a tad annoying (as do I), this is a real relief. The soundtrack is your standard bubblegum pop fare, but it frankly suits the atmosphere of the game quite well.
Summary:
If you’re a diehard fan of the Dead or Alive franchise, this is a no-brainer. However, if you’re not fond of the series and are searching for a quality mini-game fest, the recently-released Fuzion Frenzy 2 will be a better pick. Dead or Alive Xtreme 2 is pure and unadulterated fan service, nothing more, nothing less.
