Home > Reviews > Xbox > #120

Dead or Alive Beach Volleyball Review - Xbox

What do you do when you take some of the best parts of the Dead or Alive series, that being the female fighters, one of the most impressive console engines, and try and produce a Volleyball game? That's right, the one everybody has been talking about, Dead or Alive Beach Volleyball (or DOAXBV). Tecmo has done a good job with the publicity leading up to the release of the game, and this has been the game that many have been talking about, and most would probably argue, for the wrong reasons.

If looking at virtual women in bikinis turns you on, and want some outlet for your strange habit, then DOAXBV may just be the game for you.

Gameplay

DOAXBV takes a very Japanese feel to the game, which means the game is very much story based. The game is more of a sports lifestyle simulator, as well of course the beach volleyball setting. Each of your characters has their own mini storylines and characters that they are linked with, and relationships that develop as you progress in your beach volleyball career. Some of the inclusion of much of this is a bit of a mystery to me, as from a guy's perspective, this mainly just gets in the way of looking at the women. Maybe the story is there to pull in some of the Japanese female interest while they're husbands or boyfriends are playing the game and enjoying the hardcore, um "volleyball simulation". Of course.

After the rather light and provocative intro and lead into the storyline of the game, you are shipped onto Zack Island. Here you can choose your volleyballer, and dress them out with your favourite bikini, g-string, beach volleyball, or other accessories such as hair clips, high heels and other such decoration . This is a bit of fun, and of course the more 'interesting' gear you have to play the game a bit to win enough prize money to be able to afford them.

Each part of the game passes as a day, in which you can choose to either laze around the pool, train, try and build up friendships and alliances, or most importantly, challenge other teams in your quest to become chief volleyballer of the island. Also based around that seems be the goal of becoming popular in the process through giving gifts and becoming popular. Yes, very Japanese, but it does have it's own unique feel to it all, which can draw you in some strange way.

There are several different areas on the island, the Exhibition field, the sports store, the accessories store, the Hotel, several beach areas, and others. Many of these areas have their own mini games and things you can do, no matter how pointless they seem to be. One has your character pontoon jumping for money - by holding down the button for the appropriate amount of time. While it all looks stunning, you ... (continued next page)