DOA3 is a classic xbox fighting game, the graphics are second to none and the physics are great.
Choose from one of about 16 or so fighters with unique fighting styles ranging from Ninjitsu, to karate to my favourite Drunken Martial Arts (called something I couldn't pronounce if I tried).
The fighting arenas are fully 3D and even interactive with bodies deflecting off trees and "hold moves" that use the walls to the fighters advantage. It would have been nicer to have seen larger more open arenas like the forest, as opposed to the closed cage arenas that are common in this game.
One thing that struck me as being a great plus to this game is the fluid reversal system, in most fighitng games all you can do is block attacks, or at most do a counterattack that stuns the opponent leaving them open to attack. But in DOA3 every move can be reversed. Take for example Lei Fang's reversal to a standard punch; she grabs the opponents arm and uses their force to throw them over her shoulder, this is much more exciting than just simply blocking an attack, and it allows for humiliation when you defeat your best friend using only reversal moves.
The characters also have a large range of moves, from around 60 to more than 100 for each character, every kick, punch, stance is unique to them and that shows alot of heart has been put into the game to make it one of a kind. One such character is inspired by Bruce Lee, every move he does is a replicant of Lee and that is excellent, even the "WOO" noises are the same, and stance he has is perfect.
The story mode is lacking however, it consists of a few fights with the characters facing off saying "I will kill you" or "You may not pass", a few movie sequences in between fights do the same thing, then the characters fight some crazy looking boss guy in blurry vision and at a set camera angle which is rather annoying, then another CGI sequence and you've finished the game. When you always have someone else to play the 2 player modes of normal fighting and tag fighting are excellent.
Compared to most modern day fighters which are just spewed out with very little stlye or effort put into them (such as MK:DA, which is extremely lacking in gameplay) DOA3 is a great game that uses some of today's martial arts really well, especically the drunken martial artist, by far the best character in any fighting game.
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