Dead or Alive Xtreme Beach Volleyball Review
Well, it's finally here. I remember hearing the Dead or Alive fan collective shouting a nice big "THANK YOU!" when this game was announced. Soon, images and video flooded the net, and a certain song became a hit--being "How crazy are you?" by swedish pop diva Meja--which really did drive people crazy. Yes, people wanted DOAX very badly. Unfortunately, it was being pushed back a lot. First, it was first a summer release to complete with Sega-AM2's "Beach Spikers" for the Gamecube. Unfortunately, it was pushed back to November, then December, then it was slated for 2003, so Team Ninja could "add" some things. I can tell you right now that this is a very polished game despite the fact Team Ninja's been working on a steady three games at a time--being, Dead or Alive: Code Chronus, Ninja Gaiden, and of course DOAX. The end result is very nice, to say in the least. What it comes away with is a relaxing game with very addicting elements.
As for me, I really like this game for some reason. No, I wasn't aroused over and beyond all imagination when I was playing it, but just the way it performs is very unique. It's probably something like you've never played-- a strange mix of an RPG, a sports game, a casino game, and a dating simulation. The game starts off with a rather lengthy agreement, like Dead or Alive 3, which I thought was kind of ridiculous. And, for good measure, they had also put it in the options menu. My first thoughts were, "they must be very proud of their work". It then went on to show an updated "Team Ninja" opener, which was enhanced compared to the one shown at the beginning of DOA3. I'd also like to note that this game is LOUD compared to your other standard Xbox games--but that's a good thing. This game is very vibrant, colourful, loud, and clear--it's creates quite an atmosphere, which is what this game is all about. Well, let's run over the basic elements of the rating system, shall we?
--Graphics--
Wow. There's lots of detail in this game. Especially on the girls.
Team Ninja has created a very solid graphical performance which runs at 60 fps the whole time. This is what the Xbox is all about. And, there's probably more to come like this. All in all, Team Ninja really knows how to push the hardware. The sand is life-like, and the jiggle factor is definitely a plus on the scale. The environments are very colourful and done very well. I have also yet to see one jagged polygon. Overall, I give this game, graphically, 10/10.
--Gameplay--
There's lots to talk about here. Let's start with the game's namesake, the volleyball. Most people do not like the volleyball, and it may be disorienting to not have any "lock on" icons appear anywhere. But, it's one of those engines where you just let it slip into your sub-conscious and listen to the music. That's it's real strong point, and if you were looking for a deep, strategic volleyball game, this is definitely not it. Basically, you just play normally until one side makes a mistake, so it's mostly about endurance. Just make sure not to hit the net trying to make the ball go over, or else the other side gets a point. In some sense it can be strategic, where each girl has a list of qualities, like power, defense, and technique. More power gives more spike power, more defense makes it easier to catch spikes, and more technique leads to fumbling the ball a lot less than normal. You will definitely be relying on your partner half the time.
Next, we have the main game... this is basically collecting stuff, and wooing partners by giving them items that they like, and ones that they love. If you don't keep your partner happy, she'll just leave. Also, if you lose in volleyball a lot, they'll also leave. It's kind of hard in that sense because there's a good chance your girl may not be on a court on a specific date, and you only have so many chances to give them gifts. Also, when you start out a new game, you need to start from scratch, and the shop that sells items that open partners' eyes doesn't open for a few days. So, it's strategic. Then you also have to worry about collecting... while it may not be as big, more money = more collections. You spend money to woo your partners, and you can only get money if you play volleyball. So, you must keep on your toes. But, it's still a vacation, so it's not as hard as you think. At the end of every day when you go back to your hotel, you receive a gift from Zack. Sometimes, you'll get a swimsuit, sometimes an item, fruit, something like that, and you can also get videos which you can watch. These videos are of very high quality. You can get a Ninja Gaiden preview, the original Dead or Alive trailer from 1997, and even the famous "She kicks high!" doa3 commercial in america. All in all the collecting is what you're buying this game for, and why you'll keep playing it.
There's plenty of ways to make money in this game. The first and foremost way is to play Volleyball. You'll end up making the most here. Another way to is to bet at the Casino, but you should really just call that fun. Unless you're lucky, you won't make big cash very quickly. The casino is very well done, and I think you'll enjoy it a lot. As well, there is a mini-game called the "hopping game" where you jump across platforms on the pool. They're lined up so that you can jump to the next one in a small touch of the button, or of a full press of the button. You're awarded based on your time it takes to get across, and points for fluency and style. You won't end up making that much, but it's better than nothing. One final way that I haven't tested yet is through way of DOA3. In the manual it states that you can get more money to start depending on how many people you can kill in survival mode with the same character in DOA3 and DOAX. I don't know the exact calculations, but it's worth it. And, obviously, both games need to be saved on to the same Xbox.
In the gameplay, I also find no apparent flaws, warranting a 10/10. The learning curve is quite a doozy to really get a hold of, but you really need to experience this game. At first I thought it was slow, but slow is what relaxing is. There's also a really neat mode where you can look at your girl as she sprawls around on a lawn chair, swings on a swing, sits at a table, does exercises, and much, much more. This is where you get aroused. Luckily you can skip it in the main game, but if you specifically choose to "Take a rest" at the poolside, or walk into a deserted court, you're asking for it. The segments of them relaxing varies from maybe 30 seconds to one minute. You can zoom in with the R button, swing the camera around with the right analog, and change the angle with the L button. This is where you can "test" your latest bathing suits. I think they did it quite well, too.
--Sound--
This game's sounds are very nice. The sound of the waves, and the sound of the girls can be quite repetitive, but after a while you don't notice. In the intro, Zack is voiced by none other than Dennis Rodman. Where did he come from? Anyways, the beginning and end sequences are in english, while everything else is japanese. Well, the japanese women that play them are very popular in japan. For example, Christie's character acts in an anime in japan. So, it's pretty significant. Now, next, we have the supplied soundtrack. It has a nice mix of pop and raggae beats, perfect for the island sound. Some people won't like it, but that's why they've included the custom soundtrack feature. And for that, I give it a 10/10.
--Replay Value--
The question you're probably asking yourself right now if you've never played DOAX is.. "does is warrant a purchase or not?". Well, it all depends on what you expect from this game. If you think it's going to be a deep, though-provoking game, which will inevitably change your outlook on life, look elsewhere. If you want to take a break from reality, or just heavy, hardcore games, and you like girls, collecting, and great multiplayer, look no further. Hopefully, after this review, I've changed your mind. For people like me, I don't think a rent is enough. There's definitely a lot of collecting to do, and a lot of relaxing to do. But if you're just slightly curious, give it a rent, and you'll see what I'm talking about. This game is actually selling the Xbox in Japan. I admit it really is shallow, but the impression it gives off it quite fun, which makes up for it. I would have liked some more things to do, but I'll have to even this score out to 9/10.
--Overall--
Graphics-10/10 No jagged polygons, very colourful.
Gameplay-10/10 Once you get to understand this game in all it's glory, it all works out.
Sound-10/10 Perfect sound for a perfect atmosphere.
Replay Value- 9/10 Maybe some more things to do would be nice, but for now, it's all good. Items like the Ninja Gaiden preview will keep you playing more and more.
Grand Finale:
Like I've said before, this game's sole purpose is all about relaxtion in paradise. There's no challenges here, no stress, and it all just plays beautifully like a work of art. It's definitely a welcomed change of pace compared to other games like we have today. In my own humble opinion, everyone who owns an Xbox should definitely check it out.
9.7/10
Dead or Alive: Xtreme Beach Volleyball Review
Linear Mode
