Everything for everybody

Dead or Alive 6
Microsoft Xbox One

CONSIDERING that the Dead or Alive franchise first came about due to necessity, it couldn’t but have drawn inspiration from successful titles in its genre. Pressed to produce a videogame that would prop up Tokyo-based Tecmo’s flat sales figures, designer Tomonobu Itagaki saw fit to survey the landscape and take what he felt were the most popular features of the best titles on the market. Dead or Alive, the result of his exertions, combined aspects found in such notables as Sega’s Virtua Fighter, SNK’s Fatal Fury, and Midway Games’ Mortal Kombat series. And, even as it was so named in reference to his do-or-die mandate, it took coin-operated machines by storm in 1996 and promptly spurred work on Sega Saturn and Sony PlayStation versions.

That Dead or Alive gained a foothold in the already-crowded arcade scene despite the pressure on Tecmo to produce a hit speaks to the polish of Itagaki’s creation. Setting out to mesh disparate elements and make them work is much easier said than done; the industry’s history is littered with examples of failures to pluck juicy fruits from low-hanging branches. In this regard, it proved the exception to the rule. It tried to cast as wide a net as possible, seeking to entice newcomers with cutting-edge graphics and longtime fighting-game fans with gameplay depth — along with a twist: It aimed to bank on its three-dimensional presentation for visual provocation, showing fighters in skimpy attire and, more tellingly, employing exaggerated physics to show bouncing bosoms.

For all the obvious objectification, Dead or Alive was a certified hit. It sparked controversy, got the attention it sought, and then made gamers stay on for more because of its sheer complexity. It separated itself from the competition by pushing the envelope on both fleeting visuals and lasting value. It may have appealed to baser instincts to catch the attention of otherwise-occupied consumers, but it most definitely relied on far more crucial elements to get them to keep dipping in the well. It found a winning formula, and, not surprisingly, replicated it in subsequent releases for the main series, and even for spin-offs.

Close to 25 years later, Koei Tecmo continues to adopt the same tack. As the fifth sequel in the series, Dead or Alive 6 again follows the exploits of familiar characters, again banks on their outsized manifestations, and again thrives on the intricacies of its interface. At the heart of its differentiation is its utilization of offensive and defensive “hold” — as opposed to the traditional, and purely passive, “block” — mechanics, which afford gamers four options to counter specific attacks given proper timing. Active commands in Dead or Alive provided freshness to the genre, and, in its latest iteration, remains the series’ single biggest come-on.

At the same time, Dead or Alive 6 ramps up its visual effects, tapping slow motion to highlight crucial movements, accentuating character reactions during fights, and affording gamers the luxury of adjusting sexiness and violence levels to their preferences. Interestingly, it likewise increases its attraction to neophytes by introducing the Fatal Rush mechanic, which rewards button mashing with the execution of a simple combo at any given time, and of a Critical Blow when the Break Gauge (essentially an attack meter) is full. Needless to say, these serve to put to the fore its proactive predilections; such seemingly neutral maneuvers as crouching and sidestepping become preambles to forward thrusts.

Dear or Alive 6 takes fighting seriously, and thus goes through extra lengths to make sure gamers are fully apprised and completely aware of move lists and how to consummate them. There are three — yes, three — training modes to prep them for collocated or online matches, DOA Quest being the most interesting with a unique carrot-and-stick approach to foster learning; rewards by way of character costumes are unlocked following the mastery of instructions, earned through the fulfillment of set objectives. Which is to say education comes by way of what is akin to the Story Mode, but without the story.

Speaking of the narrative, Dead or Alive 6 picks up from where its immediate past predecessor left off. All the main characters are back, with developments on their end told separately. The disjointed exploits, including those of the new additions to the roster of fighters, don’t always tie up in the end, but there can be no denying the purpose they serve in enriching the series lore. Creditably, the cutscenes are well-produced, with the audio-visual presentation complementing the game’s technical proficiency.

Taken as a whole, Dead or Alive 6 is a testament to the efforts of Team Ninja to improve on the franchise and subsequently present a title that appears to have everything for everybody. Whole slews of options are at gamers’ disposal — from the characters to their fighting styles to their moves to the manner in which familiarity with them can be gained. It even offers, albeit at a whopping price tag, a season pass that offers more content for completionists. Proficiency requires not considerable investment of time and effort, but the inordinate degree of handholding en route to the inevitable payoff makes them worthwhile.

THE GOOD:

• Outstanding fighting mechanics

• Tons of options presented to gamers

• Tutorials abound, allowing newbies to hit the ground running

THE BAD:

• Disjointed narrative

• Still too much fanservice

• Some unlocks have extremely difficult hurdles

RATING: 8.5/10

POSTSCRIPT: Back in the nineties, the two dimensional beat-‘em-up genre was in its prime. Games like Golden Axe and Double Dragon found a niche in the fickle market by giving audiences fast, intense, action-packed experiences. Seeing the trend, Taito released Ninja Warriors on the Super Nintendo Entertainment System in 1994. For a port of a seven-year-old arcade offering, it held up well; in fact, it was praised for its tight controls, good pacing, and vibrant art style, all while cashing in on its ninja aesthetic. That said, no sequel was planned or made, effectively relegating it as a footnote in history.

Until now, that is. Ninja Warriors has made its way to modern consoles 25 years after its original release via The Ninja Saviors: Return of the Warriors, a remaster aimed at wowing a whole new generation of gamers. As with its source material, it focuses on control of one of three ninjas out to battle an evil regime existing in a dystopian timeline. And, as with its source material, it’s extremely challenging, From the moment it’s booted up, it presents crisp, redrawn graphics that belie just how much of the gameplay design remains unchanged. It looks like a 2019 release, but still plays like its 1994 self.

In The Ninja Saviors: Return of the Warriors, the opposition comes in large numbers, and aggressively so; enemies are a constant threat if underestimated, and can bring up a Game Over screen at a moment’s notice. Powerups are fairly uncommon, thus making mistakes all but fatal, and the plentiful number of boss characters can prove to be Sisyphean hurdles even to veterans of the genre. On the flipside, the three playable characters have their own unique fighting styles and respond fluidly to commands; they are able to attack, block, and dodge at a moment’s notice. Likewise, they can perform a variety of special moves through the consumption of a resource bar.

The Ninja Saviors: Return of the Warriors isn’t overly long, but its replay value is enhanced by the uniqueness of the characters. In addition, it boasts of a cooperative feature that raises the fun factor. And while it does little to reinvent the genre, it plays so crisply and fluidly that even newcomers will appreciate its virtues. (7/10)

THE LAST WORD: Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice wound up the biggest winner in The Game Awards 2019, besting the more favored Death Stranding for Game of The Year. It also claimed top honors in the Action-Adventure category, thereby joining the aforesaid runner-up and Disco Elysium as the only titles to claim multiple accolades.

The Game Awards was held at the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles late last week and live-streamed globally in 50 countries across multiple media platforms. Apart from paying tribute to the best of the best of the industry, it likewise served as an opportunity for practitioners to announce latest developments. For instance, the Xbox Series X was unveiled for release late next year. Meanwhile, Godfall was named the first Playstation 5 title, also for release in the same time frame.