WelcometoExtremeGamer

Reviewed by Downtown Jimmy & Jive Turkey
January 24th 2003

Introduction: We where very excited when I finally got the copy of DOA:XVB in my hands. I have been have been keeping my eye on this baby for sometime now. I loved DOA3 and Tecmo always has a level of polish on there character models that no one else does. As you probably already know from all the screens that this is a beautiful game, and the graphics are amazing, jaw-dropping, orgasmic (umm... did I say that out loud?) Hands down all the DOA titles are above average to say the least. Besides the graphics this games overall feel is relaxing, it feels just like a vacation on a tropical island would.

Now since all the girls are on vacation it does make scene that they have some sort of compition considering they are used to kicking and punching people in the face all day long, and why not volleyball. The game really builds on the franchises female characters, they have more life then they ever had.

Downtown's Lowdown:Besides playing volleyball you will have the chance to converse with all the girls on the island and you will notice that all the girls have different personalities, volleyball skills, likes and dislikes. You will most likely play the game with the manual at hand. No joke. This game has a complex system of female relations in play that as a male I might not truly understand.

There is plenty to do when not hitting the court. You can visit the various shops on the island and buy gifts for the other girls, or pamper yourself with gifts. There are also many places you can go and relax, sit by the pool, have a few moments by yourself on the beach, maybe even partake in some swinging on an old rope swing. There is one min game which involves jumping across the pool on floatation squares. There are rumors that there is more mini-games that your able to unlock. Hopefully so, because it would just add another pleasurable moment to this game.

When the sun goes down its all about the money (zack dollars on the island). You can go to the casino and win the big beanos. The casino in itself could have been called DOAXC (Dead or Alive Xtremme Casino) it’s a complete casino game with Poker, Blackjack, Roulette tables and the popular Slots. Each game is equal to its real life counterparts with some small adjustments. The casino is breathtaking and is equally as impressive as the outdoor environments. The casino is themed with the DOA girls, even when playing with some cards you will catch a glimpse or two of a girl in a bikini.

The main game is volleyball and it’s easy to forget with everything else that is going on. The volleyball game is very simplified in its rules and controls, but strangely enough it’s moderate in difficulty. The game only uses two buttons in analog mode. A + B. This will get you through your matches, but so much more relies on player positioning and timing. Each girl has there own skill levels out of 5 in 4 different categories and there feelings towards each character comes in effect as well as their skill. Overall the volleyball game carries on with the theme of having fun on vacation and excels perfectly making it feel very enjoyable.

The only complaint I have that is you have to finish the game within two weeks. This is only because you don’t want the game to end! All your money and items from game to game, so it’s not that bad. I guess I have to face reality… games all come to an end eventually.

The Graphics & Sound: Downtown has to catch his breath because this game’s graphics are the bomb. No game has looked a bright and tropical as DOAXVB does. Every aspect is brilliantly rendered and feeling vibrant with life. Now plain and simple this girls are something! They are modeled to perfection. The graphics and physics are done very well. Their hair moves in the wind, something else moves too (I know, you know what I mean). Even the clothing looks and moves as if it was real. Bottom line: this is the best looking game on the Xbox.

The sound accomplishes its job as good as the graphics, the girls all speak Japanese will the occasional English word thrown in, as all the DOA games have done. This brings a nice level of innocence and cuteness to them. “Nice Spika” comes to my memory ? the music is filled with fun loving songs, that all have a neutral vibe to them. There are a few accomplished artists in the game as in Christina Agularia and Bob Marley. The game does allow you to add your own tunes, so if you can’t handle vibes the game provides add your own!

Final Word: Dead or Alive Xtreme Volleyball accomplishes what it set out to do and does it with confidence and perfection. You have a bunch of athletic, beautiful girls enjoying there time by relaxing, shopping, gambling and playing a few games of volleyball. What else would expect? Dead or Alive in an ambitious title and I’m glad Tecmo decided to give us one more opportunity to delve into the world of the Dead Or Alive series.

Gameplay: 9, Graphics/Sound: 10, Innovation: 8, Mojo: 9. Final: 9

Jive Turkey's Lowdown:Wow, I guess that is what I will start out with about this game! I never imagined in my life that there would be a game out for any system that was like this! But, now that it’s here I wonder how I lived without it! But, this game isn’t just about the graphics. It is a fun game with an interesting concept behind it based on the already popular DOA 3 girls!

The Graphics and Sound:
Since everyone is mostly interested in this game for the graphics let’s start our discussion there! Well, the only thing that could ever prepare you for the graphics in this game would be the comment: WOW! This is truly the most amazing graphics ever seen on a console. It will probably be the most amazing graphics until the next generation of consoles come out! Girls in scantily clad bikini’s is always a good thing (All you doubters who wondered why Xbox needed such amazing graphics - this is your answer).

There is a lot of flexibility when the girls are parading around or when you in replay mode for you to turn the camera to get a better view, or just get a better look at the bikini’s and apparel you chose for your girl! The game is smoother then anyone would have imagined a game with these kind of graphics could be! The way the girls bounce and giggle must be very processor intensive and make every use of the Xbox’s powerful graphic engine!

The only problem I have seen in the graphics so far is that the camera angles can be a little odd at times. It makes it hard to know where your girl is on the court. You just have to take a good guess at where you are and fix yourself. With a little practice and some good intuition though you can pretty much overcome this difficulty.

How does it sound? The sound is pretty good for what the game is. You get some good tunes with it that match the game to create that sense of a relaxing tropical atmosphere. The gameplay sound is good too. You get a lot of good sound effects from the beach and the ball. The only thing that would have added a little more would be some background sound effects of tropical birds or something. Since you can see the seagull’s flying around you all the time, why can’t you hear them?

The Gameplay: So for those of you who care about the gameplay, and you should! It is a good mix of beach volleyball and casino gaming with some room left over for stores and accessories that you can add to your girls and make them wear. The volleyball is great, by setting yourself up properly and with good timing you can master the game in a pretty short time. The controls are easy to get the hang of with only two buttons and just a little adjustment on the sensitivity. It’s great fun to have your friends over and play intense matches of volleyball even if they aren’t hardcore gamers! The computer at times seems to lack a little in the playing. It never seems to get all that much harder. I’m sure I will still be playing it for weeks and weeks to come though! So, it’s not boring in the least!

The casino is like you would expect the casino to be. You have the choice of playing: blackjack, roulette, slots, and poker. It’s just a good addition to the game that gives you a chance to win more money to buy more skimpy bikinis for your girls! (Always a good thing) This portion of the game may draw a little thin after a while. I enjoy it as a rest from volleyball though! It gives my fingers a chance to rest and get ready for the next day’s match!

Final Word: My final verdict on this game is definitely CHECK IT OUT! If you are into fun games and like something that is rather mindless but still great fun then this is the game for you! This game is a totally new concept. So far there has been nothing like this out! Just the way that the gameplay is set up makes it very high on the innovation score. So, give it a shot! You will most likely be very impressed!

Gameplay: 9, Graphics/Sound: 10, Innovation: 7, Mojo: 10. Final: 9

GOTY AWARD 2003: BEST GRAPHICS

FEATURES:
  • Meet the latest Dead or Alive character: Lisa is a former Olympic volleyball player that hails from the United States and works as a stockbroker in Manhattan.
  • Choose from more than 300 different outfits and accessories. The better you score on the court, the more items you can buy.
  • Explore Zack Island's night scene: The island casino features many favorites, like blackjack, roulette, slots, and poker.
  • Check out the island's own radio station: Listen to the more than 20 songs included with the game, or use your own custom soundtrack.
  • Cultivate relationships with other potential volleyball team partners: Buy a potential partner a gift, and she may wear it during a match or even buy you something in return. Strong relationships off the court will lead to better tag play in the matches.





Dead or Alive
Xtreme Beach
Volleyball

 
Publisher
Tecmo
 
Developer
Tecmo
 
Genre
Alt. Sports
 
Released
Jan 2003
 
ESRB
Mature

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