Times have changed for Tecmo, and since the departure of series founder Itagaki, Dead or Alive (DOA) has taken a step forwards into a new realm. Team Ninja were perhaps criticised in the past for keeping their defined anime art style in DOA 4, especially as other fighting game series’ were moving towards more realistic looking combatants. However, it’s now 2012 and DOA 4 is perhaps quite ancient by today’s standards. We’re now presented with the delights of a new game with an entirely fresh look that’s been a long time coming for those not so keen on the “cute” looking renditions the series has had since the first arcade game way back when.
The character artists have lavished much effort on new definitions of characters who have retained their looks for many years, and created more humanized imagery in the process. However, do the girls look better or worse? Do they lose some of their charm, or is the more detailed approach a step in the right direction? This largely depends on whether you’re a fan of anime or not, but there’s no denying, regardless of any political correctness gone awry, Team Ninja aren’t pulling any punches.
Dead or Alive 5 releases on the 28th September 2012.
Old Tina.
New Tina.
