I did encounter some occasional periods of lag, which in a fighting game more than any other, can be a killer. Split seconds here and you don’t hit that combo, split seconds there and you don’t nail that counter. Not for the first time with a 360 title, the problems seemed to be around use of the guide button but as I said earlier, it was only occasional. Overall it’s a very fluid transition with graphics holding up nicely.
Final Word
Dead or Alive 4 fully justifies the hype. Ground breaking visuals, innovative online features and a plethora of game modes. It’s inconceivable that there may be a better fighting game out there, and until Dead or Alive 5 hits the shelves, it’s difficult to imagine that there will be another one before that.
Although the story line is repetitive and only mildly rewarding, it does add to the longevity of the game. Take it online and you’ve got several hours more of fun. Novices are likely to get battered initially and although it’s fun to play around with the different characters, it’s a far better idea to stick with one and perfect him or her.
There are over 45 achievements to unlock. If you are good enough to unlock them all, you should take an ad out in a National newspaper and tell everyone because it’s quite an accomplishment. With the humorous exception of the “lose 5 matches in a row” award. Not quite the “achievement” that Microsoft had in mind.
Overall, a truly Next Gen title that is hopefully a sign of things to come as this console matures.
