Overview:

A very technical 3D fighting game where you need to utilize context sensitive reversals and grapple moves to come out on top.  You have the standard fare of punches and kicks but it’s really these other types of moves you’ll need to master if you wanna be considered good.  The characters of this game are probably the main talking point.  You have your typical ragtag bunch of people, but the ladies of Dead or Alive have always been the front and center.  Also, what they’re packing is front and center but I won’t get into creeper territory.  Besides that, the game is really a good fighter.

Visuals:

This game looks fantastic.  Even back when it came out I felt this game was leaps and bounds over anything I had seen up to that point.  The characters, while not looking life like, looked like stylized CG characters [in the time of Toy Story].  All of the characters are also unique enough that they feel like individuals instead of the traditional stoic fighter or beast.  The backgrounds are also amazing with churches, snow filled caves, atop a cliff, etc.  Also, these backgrounds are interactable with characters flying out of windows or off said cliffs onto the areas below.  It’s pretty cool.

Audio:

This game is rad.  Its opening soundtrack is some Japanese rock going off while the opening movie plays.  All the characters are voice acted too which adds some fun to it.  The only thing is the voice acting is all in Japanese.  When I first rented the game I was confused as to why it was only that but I feel this game was probably a quick release at the time.  It has grown on me though so I appreciate it.  All the other sounds in this game are terrific with every hit and crashing into walls having an absolute weight to it.

Completion:

With this being a fighting game you can really complete it but I have beaten the story over and over with different characters.  I don’t know if I’ve gotten better over the decades but this game is still a blast to play.