Sadness And Fisticuffs Abound In Dead Or Alive 5

Earnest Cavalli

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Jun 19, 2008
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Sadness And Fisticuffs Abound In Dead Or Alive 5



Tecmo Koei announced Dead or Alive 5 this morning, alongside a relatively rote trailer and a surprisingly maudlin "key visual."

What's a "key visual"? Honestly I'm not entirely sure. I think it's some kind of Japanese-to-English translation quirk that would otherwise mean "promotional image."

It's a picture, is what I'm saying here. I've attached a pertinent copy at right, though I'd recommend having a look at the full-sized image at the Tecmo Koei Facebook page [http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10150314914566785.336872.109196331784&type=1].

As for what it's a picture of, well, that's kinda murky. I'd assume it's Kasumi, based on skin tone and canonical prevalence, but beyond that I'm lost. Why is she crying? Does she need a hug? Is this going to be sexualized by the internet in the creepiest anthropomorphization of a gaming character since Rule 34 met the Weighted Companion Cube?

The answer to that last question is "of course, because there is no kind and loving god," but we'll likely have to wait until the game ships (or Tecmo Koei drops another batch of media) before we learn the source of these worrying tears.

Now, on to something a bit easier to explain: punching!


This debut trailer for Dead or Alive 5 is described as "pre-alpha," yet it seems to include all the classic aspects we've come to expect from Team Ninja's hyper-kinetic fighter. Say what you will about the game's simplicity or lack of depth, but for pure aesthetic appeal, its hard to top the Dead or Alive games.

Visuals aside, two things immediately jump out at me here. First, I love how "alive" that stage seems to be. That crane swinging through the background and knocking stuff over is a neat touch, and the bit of caution tape that Ryu kicks through is a nice step toward creating fighting arenas that seem like actual, real-world environments.

Second, that attack at the end where Hayate nearly punches Ryu off the side of the roof -- what was that? Since when can he slow down time? For that matter, since when can characters catch themselves before falling off of Dead or Alive's multi-tiered stages? Yes, I realize they're both ninjas and ninjas are like unto wizards in terms of awesome, unexpected things they can do, but is this a whole new game mechanic, or merely a bit of visual flourish to conclude the trailer?

Maybe that's why Kasumi is crying. She doesn't know either. Congratulations Tecmo Koei. In your quest to hype your next fighting game, you've made a fictional ninja girl cry. I hope you're happy, you monster.


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Evilsanta

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Apr 12, 2010
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What I think we "all" want to ask and that is most "important"...Will there be jiggle psyhics?

OT: Say what you want about the DOA series, It is still a good fighting game series. And when has an fighting games story ever made sense?
 

hazabaza1

Want Skyrim. Want. Do want.
Nov 26, 2008
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You forgot to mention boobies.
Sadness, fisticuffs, and boobies. C'mon, it's DoA, it's gonna happen. I just wonder if they'll end up releasing another softcore porn game.
 

cynicalsaint1

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Apr 1, 2010
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Evilsanta said:
What I think we "all" want to ask and that is most "important"...Will there be jiggle psyhics?

OT: Say what you want about the DOA series, It is still a good fighting game series. And when has an fighting games story ever made sense?
I don't think anyone wants to ask that.
It's DoA - if there aren't jiggle physics it wouldn't be a DoA game.

Really the question: Is how many skimpy swim suit outfits for the female characters are there to unlock?
 

coates32

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I'm so happy that DoA5 is in production. Hopefully, there won't be any of that Six-axis motion "soft physics" business. Also, what's with the weird pic of Kasumi (unless that is suppose to be a new character).
 

StriderShinryu

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Looks faster than DOA has been in the past, not in terms of the actual moves but in terms of movement in general. And it looks like there's more of a lateral element to the gameplay this time. I've always loved the DOA cast but this could be the game that pulls me back into the actual gameplay of the series. Good stuff.
 

Ghengis John

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I was immediately buzzed by this news, I even made a thread ( http://www.escapistmagazine.com/forums/read/9.312869-Dead-or-Alive-5-Announced-at-TGS ). It's just so nice to see DOA 5 back after all these years and not only that looking so, so very gorgeous. I had wondered looking back at DOA 4 recently and how beautiful we once thought it's graphics once were if it could reclaim that crown in the present day. It seems I have not been disappointed. And what's more they have sped up the game play and found one nice looking hit effect that gives them the hit detection they were seeking without all the bright lights of a pinball machine found in some other fighters (Don't get me wrong I love them all) and it looks not only visually distinct but pretty nifty. Between this and Ninja Gaiden three there are team ninja PRODUCTS on my radar. What year is this? And it's multiplatform! People have been wanting that for years. I'm hoping this is the one that brings DOA into the competitive and popular limelight, I really am. There's a lot of great competition out though to be sure and it's gonna be fun to see the devs throwing down the gauntlet.

Love what they're doing with the art style, love the activity of the stages. Looks great for the pre-alpha, lotta polish. Let's see how she plays. I have a lot of hope for that, I hear DOA5's director traveled to a texas tourney last month just to get the player's opinions. And what is that thing Hayate does? Is there a super meter this time or something? Now I wanna know. I can't wait to see the other fighters in the current engine. Come on Helena, let's topple those ninjas together this time.
 

Druyn

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always loved DoA, catering or not. It may be shallow, but its always felt more real to me. When you hit, its clearly a full body movement, and when people get hit, same deal. None of that Street Fighter or Mortal Kombat rigidness. And the fact that its so pretty probably helps that a lot too. I wonder if they'll actually have more of a narrative this time?