The basics: Tecmo’s renowned 3D fighting franchise has remained a loyal Xbox staple for years, and the latest installment pushes the series’ lush visuals even further. Scantily clad vixens engaging in jiggly catfights have never looked better.

Why it made the list: Many hardcore fighting purists still consider Dead or Alive inferior to Virtua Fighter and Soul Calibur in terms of complexity, but even the most jaded pugilist has to give DOA props for its full-featured online play (introduced last year in Dead or Alive: Ultimate). Of course, the father of Tecmo’s sexy series regards this title with his normal level of humility. “There is no other fighting game in the world that can compete with DOA4,” explains DOA creator Tomonobu Itagaki. “I am also not good-natured enough to call something that doesn’t even support online fighting in the year 2005 a fighting game.” (Cough, Tekken 5.) DOA4 will up the online ante with planned four-player matches over Xbox Live. (DOAU offered one-on-one only.)

And although it’s not terribly chic to be a graphics whore...the DOA titles provide fast ’n’ dirty thrills for those gamers in search of sexy visuals (of sexy gals). Realistic clothing, wicked motion blur, and vast, multitiered arenas should make this the prettiest DOA to date.

And for those fans hoping for deeper gameplay, this game may actually deliver. Itagaki and his team plan to rework the subtler aspects of offense, grappling, and reversals in DOA4. Also, expect more signature moves for each fighter and maneuvers that more closely reflect each character’s personality.

What could possibly go wrong? Probably not much: It’s not as if DOA4 could turn out to be crap—the series has a solid pedigree, and this sequel doesn’t significantly alter the recipe. The previous DOA titles could prove a tough act to follow, though: While DOA4 looks great, so did DOAU. Fans expecting an astronomical visual leap from Xbox to 360 might feel a tinge of disappointment upon seeing the similar-looking character models here.

Earning Cred

“I’m a bit confused about these so-called achievement awards,” admits DOA4 creator Tomonobu Itagaki. “Having said that, though, I’m pretty sure that they’re in the game.”

Copyright © 2005 Ziff Davis Media Inc. All Rights Reserved. Originally appearing in Electronic Gaming Monthly.