Dead or Alive Ultimate
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| Dead or Alive Ultimate | |
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| Developer(s) | Team Ninja |
| Publisher(s) | Tecmo |
| Release date(s) | NA October 27, 2004 JPN November 3, 2004 EUR February 18, 2005 |
| Genre(s) | Versus fighting |
| Mode(s) | Single player, multiplayer |
| Rating(s) | PEGI: 16+ ESRB: Mature (M) CERO: 17+ |
| Platform(s) | Xbox |
Dead or Alive Ultimate is a multiplayer fighting game for the Xbox. It is a collection of the games Dead or Alive and Dead or Alive 2 from the developer Tecmo. The game requires Xbox Live in order to play online, and includes twelve different game modes, fifteen different characters from the Dead or Alive series, as well as bonus content for Dead or Alive 3.
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[edit] Overview
In 2004, Team Ninja released Dead or Alive Ultimate (DOAU), known in development as Dead or Alive Online. The compilation contains the Sega Saturn version of Dead or Alive and an enhanced remake of Dead or Alive 2 which utilized the Dead or Alive Xtreme Beach Volleyball graphics engine and offered Dead or Alive 3 game mechanics, new game content and the inclusion of Hitomi and Tengu as playable characters.
Xbox Live support for this compilation makes it the second online console 3D fighting game release to be released in America and Europe (Mortal Kombat: Deception being the first) and the first online console 3D fighting game in Japan.
The system set forth by Tecmo for online play in Dead or Alive Ultimate was intended to recreate the feel of playing at an arcade. Players would log onto a shared "lobby" and then observe other matches until it was their turn to participate. Each lobby has a set of gameplay parameters that is determined by its creator, allowing for tournament-style play.
In Japan, Dead or Alive Ultimate was released with a crystal-clear blue version of the Xbox system that included a controller of the same color, a copy of Dead or Alive Ultimate, and some bonus Kasumi-themed extras.
It became the first DOA fighting game to be rated M, CERO 17+, and PEGI 16+ due to female characters with revealing outfits and the allusion of rape in the opening cutscene.
In the United States, two trading cards with character pictures on them were randomly included in each game as part of a collector's edition. The game disc of the U.S. release also contains the Booster Pack for Dead or Alive 3, which adds numerous character costumes and a new opening cinematic for the game. This disc also included a G4-produced segment on the history of the series that offered a video interview with series creator Tomonobu Itagaki.
[edit] Story
Being a compilation of the first two games that introduces new features, online play, and various unlockables, the story of Dead or Alive Ultimate plays out as it did in the original. However, a new CG opening was included, further explaining the relationship and history of Ayane, Kasumi and Hayate.
[edit] Gameplay
Dead or Alive Ultimate is a compilation game that includes a remade version of Dead or Alive 2, with re-developed graphics and new stages for the Xbox gaming system. It also includes the original Sega Saturn version of the first Dead or Alive, with slightly upgraded graphics and lacks the additional content received in the later-released North America version. Both editions include online play.
[edit] Dead or Alive 1 Ultimate
Dead or Alive Ultimate 1 is essentially identical to its original, and is generally considered more of a collector's disc than for its content. Its most defining features were its speed and countering system. Unlike Tekken, Dead or Alive put an emphasis on speed, and relied more on simplistic commands and reaction time rather than long strings of combos. Furthermore, its countering system was the first in the fighting genre to utilize different commands that corresponded to each type of attack. There are two kinds of holds, an offensive hold (OH) and a defensive hold (DH), furthermore, these commands are executed by holding back or forward on the directional pad along with the guard input to either force away or counter-damage an opponent. Finally, the game used an environmental addition called the danger zone, which surrounded the outer edges of the fighting arena (depending on the options, it could also completely consume it), and when a character came in contact with it, sent them in the air so the opposing player can execute a juggling air combo. However, this can be avoided with a Ukemi (defensive roll).
[edit] Dead or Alive 2 Ultimate
Dead or Alive Ultimate 2, being a remake created after the debut of Dead or Alive 3, takes elements and mechanics from both its original iteration and successor. The action of 3D-axis movement is as free-formatted as Dead or Alive 3, and Hitomi, as well as Tengu are now playable characters, albeit outside story mode, but other elements have been kept intact from Dead or Alive 2. These include higher damaging counters than in Dead or Alive 3, environmental hazards cannot warrant a knockout on a character, and the counter mechanism has been made much harder to execute per second.
Despite being able to freely move on a 3D axis in the Ultimate version of Dead or Alive 2, however, most moves cannot be sidestepped as in other 3D fighters, as well as in Dead or Alive 3. Only a few, mostly jumping, moves are actually able to be avoided with a sidestep, such as Hitomi's back, forward + kick.
Another major change is in the revamped holding system in Dead or Alive 2. Formerly, holds were performed simply based on the three heights of high, mid, and low. In the Ultimate version, however, mid punches and mid kicks have their own holds, requiring more thinking when using holds.
The final major set of changes instituted in Dead or Alive Ultimate is the inclusion of slopes, which are a type of environmental hazard where those knocked down them roll down the slope, taking damage as they fall. All of the characters also now have slope-based throws that are executed when they are near them instead of their normal throw.
[edit] Character roster
- Ayane
- Bass Armstrong
- Bayman (unlockable)
- Ein
- Gen Fu
- Helena
- Jann Lee
- Kasumi
- Lei Fang
- Leon
- Ryu Hayabusa
- Tina Armstrong
- Zack
- Hitomi (unlockable, cannot be used in Story mode)
- Tengu (boss character, unlockable)
[edit] Soundtrack
While this game brings back the old mechanics of Dead or Alive 2 from the Dreamcast, some changes to the music and remixes were added.
- Dream On - by Aerosmith, played for the opening CGI
- B-boy no "B" - evolved from ++ - Zack's theme
- The Shooted - Hayabusa's theme
- Grand Style - Lei Fang's theme
- Natural High - Jann Lee's theme
- Break the age - Gen Fu's theme
- You are under my control - beautiful version 00 - - Tina's theme
- Yes or Yes - Bass's theme
- Blazed up Melpomene - Helena's theme
- Ultimate Weapon - Leon's theme
- TehuTehu - Ayane's theme
- Vigaku - Ein's theme
- Hitohira-reminiscent of Ketsui no toki - Kasumi's theme
- Jintsuriki - Tengu's theme
- Knifepoint - Bayman's theme
- It's to show - Hitomi's theme
Note: Each character except Hitomi has their own remix. The remixes can not be used in various stages, except for the dance floor stage: The Ray House.
