Dead or Alive
Xtreme Beach Volleyball

Developed by Tecmo and released in March of 2003, this game may just be TOO sexy for its own good. The M-rated Dead or Alive Xtreme Beach Volleyball, (let's call it DOAX for short) is definitely not for the younger crowd with its steamy visual presentation and adult activities, like gambling. However, this is no BMX XXX redux as the gameplay is topnotch, and it’s easily the best 3D volleyball game to date, and the eye-candy isn't so bad either.

First and foremost, this game is NOT for everyone. While it doesn't have any explicit nudity, the fact remains is that there is a lot of skin being shown in this game. To say that the "sex appeal" element is not an integral part of the game would be lying. Some of the swimsuits are unbelievably revealing and having the option to zoom, switch angles, etc., really removes any possibility of this being considered a strict volleyball game. There is a fair amount of semi-nudity in this game.

Let's get on with the sexy beach volleyball action. It all begins when Zack, the apparent winner of the DOA3 tournament, and a sudden gambling multi-millionaire, manages to deceive the gorgeous DOA ladies into thinking the next fighting tournament was to take place on the newly purchased "Zack Island" and invited only the females. However, all they find upon arrival is a volleyball-filled vacation…with sexy results. And just so we don't get bored, friendly volleyball matches have been set up along with a number of other activities like gambling or playing a game by the poolside.

When you start up DOAX for the first time there are only two options to choose from, making it very simple for the gamer to decide what to do. Either choose from the meat of the game, which is the single player campaign, or jump right into an exhibition match. The exhibition match is for either multiplayer or just warming up your skills with any of the eight beautiful women of DOAX. Zack was kind enough to make up for his ruse by setting up an impromptu two-on-two beach volleyball tournament, where the winners are rewarded in "Zacks", the island's own currency in which the winners can spend on useless trinkets like pink teddy bears and submachine guns, or fashionable items they can wear: various sunglasses, hats, shoes, and of course, swimwear, most of which would be more at home in a Victoria's Secret catalogue and some which would get one arrested for indecent exposure on many American public beaches. Along with shopping, Zack has also managed to include a Vegas-style casino. Complete with slot machines, blackjack, and roulette to name a few, you may just end up blowing all your "Zacks" in this part of the game.

The first thing you do in this game is select one of eight characters, each one lovely and possessing her own skill level. As you step out into the island resort, you’ll encounter Lisa. All the girls either first pair up with newcomer Lisa or try to find a different partner. At first no one will be interested, so you’ll need to buy gifts that will sway them into your camp. To do that, you need to earn Zack dollars by winning volleyball games or playing the hopping mini-game. The latter is an activity that helps you master the pressure sensitive button tapping crucial to playing volleyball. It also makes the girls “hop” and “bounce” across floating cushions in water, which is its own kind of genius in a Man Show sort of way.

All the women in the game have certain attitudes and feelings about other players, making it either very easy or impossible to be partners with them. You can switch partners as often as you like, but it is not as simple as you might assume. Not only do you have to sweeten up the other girls with gifts, but you must research each girl so you know what gift they will either like or dislike. Having a good partner is a vital part to DOAX and without one you are stuck playing mini-games and buying new swimsuits at the shops.

The volleyball, you soon find out, is just one of the best seen in a sports title. Not only are the controls smooth and precise, but it’s also easy to get into. You control only your main character, but you can issue commands to your partner, such as indicating areas to hit the ball, performing quick sets, or adjusting the strength of a spike. While playing there are only two buttons that you need to worry about. We’re talkin’ NES controller easy! One button receives (bumps/setting) while the other attacks (hits/spikes); that’s all you need to know, plain and simple.

Certain things, like powerful spikes are a question of timing, but the game offers enough opportunities to perfect your spikes or your serves. You can position your player anywhere along the playing environment or let your partner take up the front and do most of the work. And, thanks to the smooth frame rate, the action doesn’t slow down one bit and this makes for quick matches that hardly ever tire a gamer out.

Each character has her own skill level that can put up a challenge. Depending on the pairing, teams can be easy to beat or fairly difficult. Christie, for instance, reacts faster and is a more skilled volleyball player than Hitomi. However, when it comes to powerful serves, Hitomi overpowers Christie by a long shot. Together they make a pretty lethal team. Your CPU partner plays according to her skill level and does a good job of covering you during the game. There are times when you’ll find your partner is better at spikes than you are and so it’s often wise to pass the ball over to them. You can also change partners and this is where the game’s unique qualities shine through. Besides having different playing skills, each girl has her own individual personality. Each girl likes different things and in order to change volleyball partners, gamers are going to have to figure out what each girl likes and offer gifts according to their tastes. Part of how well your partner performs depends on how you're doing...play poorly and she'll be less than enthusiastic, missing easy shots or simply not trying hard enough.

Graphics-wise, the game is magnificent looking. One of the games that debuted with the Xbox was DOA 3, a game that was used as an example of what the console was capable of visually. The result was a lot of dropped jaws and admiration for a game that featured highly detailed graphics with the smoothest textures ever seen on a game. Xtreme Beach Volleyball, amazingly enough, improves the visuals. The developers created outstanding lighting effects, fabric and skin textures, and the attention to even the most minute detail: the girls will tan as they spend outside, and you can speed up or slow down the process to your liking by the purchase and use of suntan oil or sunblock, and you can even go as far to paint their fingernails a particular color. The character models are almost impossibly detailed and animation is possibly the most lifelike you'll find in any game, in any genre, smooth and natural, down to the girls adjusting their swimsuits as part of their idle animations.

While the game, graphics, and other activities on Zack Island were fun to play, I must say one thing that bothered me the most was the voice acting. All of the girls speak in Japanese, and it seems to be poor Japanese at that. Eventhough they’re translated to English by way of subtitles, I found this part of the game extremely annoying and eventually turned the speakers down so I didn't have to listen to them! If Team Ninja had spent another month or two fine-tuning the girl’s voices for Americans this part of the game would have been flawless.

Overall, DOAX serves up a great gaming experience for both fans of the DOA series, as well as, volleyball fanatics. With one of the deepest character development games ever made and easy controls, the volleyball aspect of DOAX comes off without a hitch. Throw in the endless hours of partner switching (get your mind out of the gutter), casino gambling, and swimsuit changing the game just gets better and better.

DOAX is really one of the most unusual and unique games seen in a long time and its rather refreshing antics make this a wonderfully rare treat. One might not see it by the looks of it, but this game contains the most solid and fun beach volleyball action that would make a serious sports fan proud. Do not pass up the opportunity to play this different but enjoyable title, you won’t be sorry.

Official Xbox Website: http://www.xbox.com

Where to find XBox Cheats: http://www.xboxcheats.com

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