Dead or Alive 4

The Good
Something that immediately struck me when playing this game was how smooth everything felt. Unlike the previous DOA games this one is a much more flowing experience compared to the stop-start style of play from the earlier editions in the series. The high number of unlockable costumes is there (and what sort of a Dead or Alive game would it be if it didn't have them) along with a great selection of characters. Good amount of extra characters and features (movie mode, system voices etc). Graphics are crisp and clean. Extremely well put together online service with many options available and (from my experiences) no lag when playing.

The Bad
The A.I. in this game can occasionally be a either way to easy, or way to hard, with no real way to predict or stop it. The boss character (that everyone has to fight in time-attack mode, and most have to fight in story mode) is challenging and well designed, but with the above problem can sometimes be a real annoyance when combined with some of her combos that deal nearly 70% of your characters health. The overall single player experience is decent enough, but will not last you terribly long if you aren't interested in unlocking everything.

The Bottom Line
Dead or Alive 4 is overall a really great fighting game. The precision controls and delicate timing required to play well make this game probably the least "button-bashing" friendly fighter available. However if you want a fighter that will really allow you to master something and be proud of it you won't be disappointed. Control and style of play has changed a decent amount from previous outings but in my opinion for the better. The multiplayer aspect is where the game shines (as is expected for a fighting game), especially considering the refined Xbox Live play. A strongly recommended game for any fighting game fan.