- Probably some of the best
graphics on the Xbox
- Great attention to detail
- Actual volleyball action is pretty good
- Not that much volleyball action
- Lack of game modes
- Camera angle during matches doesn’t allow a full view of the
court
- Only supports two-player simultaneous
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DOA
Xtreme Beach Volleyball
Score: 7.0 / 10
Here’s a challenge for you. Find the
volleyball on the Dead or Alive: Xtreme Beach Volleyball (XBV) package.
You’d think with the words, “Xtreme” and “Volleyball” the package would
be spotted with them. There’s but one – tucked in the shadows of one
screenshot. This should be your first clue of things to come. XBV could
have been alternately titled DOA Casino, Playboy’s Girls of DOA, or DOA
Dress-up. If you’re expecting a deep volleyball simulation, forget it.
It’s not hyperbole to say that XBV is probably the best-looking Xbox
title yet. The graphics are slick and smooth and even those that have no
interest in scantily clad girls will admit XBV's graphical prowess. The
attention to detail is mind-blowing in some respects – can you think of
one other game that you can watch your
character tan? – but in terms of game
modes, technical play and direction XBV, will disappoint.
There are two game modes: “Story” and Exhibition. Exhibition is your
main mode for actually playing volleyball. The story mode (or Zack
Island mode) is where items like swimsuits are unlocked and the girls’
animated curves can be oogled. (One gets the
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feeling the titles should have been
switched.) This mode lacks coherence. Your character goes to Zack Island
on the premise of taking part in the 4th Dead or Alive Tournament but
winds up playing beach volleyball instead. The actual volleyball portion
isn’t all that satisfying during the story mode.
The control mechanics for the volleyball games are very simple – move
with the left stick, and A and B handles everything else. This makes it
easy for new players to start playing volleyball quickly but all too
soon the match is finished and you’re booted off the beach to scout
another match, hit the boutiques or radio station, or take part in one
of the most inane mini-games I’ve ever played at the poolside. Or you
can visit an unoccupied section of beach and watch your character dance,
do push-ups, stretch, frolic, caress fallen trees, and basically behave
like no woman ever would in real life – and you get to handle the camera
work. (And telling your wife or girlfriend, “I’m just appreciating the
graphics,” just won’t fly.)
The boutiques are there so 1) you can outfit your character (right down
to nail color) and 2) buy gifts for the other characters in the hopes
that they’ll partner with you in future matches. This borders on some
kind of Barbi-esque, make friends simulation – a severe separation from
Dead or Alive 3. Some will no doubt view this as a strategic feature –
make stronger alliances, win more matches, earn more money, etc. I just
think it’s a pity there aren’t more game modes included, like Tournament
or a Skills Competition, especially when you haven’t got the hang of
currying favor and you spend wasted days trying to partner with someone
else after your partner leaves (particularly if you don’t pay attention
to the information in the manual).
This is why I spent far more time in Exhibition mode, which
unfortunately only supports two-player multiplayer. The actual
volleyball action is good, even if it doesn’t require much skill. That’s
not to say there’s no skill involved – more experienced players will
pick-up on the nuances – it’s just that everyone will be able to jump in
and play. But you'll still have to deal with an only so-so camera that
shows only one side of the court at a time making proper positioning
mostly guesswork.
There are few touches that make XBV necessary for DOA fans and one of
them is the original TV ad for DOA3 (that comes as a gift). “She kicks
high,” is still hilarious. And let me just repeat this, read the manual
from cover to cover. The last line of the last page of information,
there’s a reference to checking out Survival Mode in DOA3.
I’m almost sure the hate mail will come pouring in, but if DOA: Xtreme
Beach Volleyball were a female model, she’d be all beauty and no brai—
well, she wouldn’t be writing dissertations on deep sea sponge
formations or even be able to explain where sand comes from. Tecmo has
made a visually awesome game and a generally good volleyball game (in
Exhibition) but there’s just not enough substance to keep casual gamers
interested beyond its good looks.
