Prepare to get your butt handed to you in numerous ways.
Graphics: Backgrounds are fantastic. You can tell that a lot of work went into creating each fighting stage for this game, and the work is well appreciated. The fighters themselves look fine, although I don't see too much of a difference between the models now and the models of DOA Ultimate. Of course, the anime style that surely used here doesn't really leave much room for detail, but the models are definitely clean, so no complaints. The flowing hair effect looks okay, but seems kind of strange at times.
Sound: Not much different here than the previous game. Don't expect much in the way of English voiceovers either, except from one lone Spartan warrior. In other words, expect more of the same. If ain't broke....ah, you know the rest.
Control: Not much different......I think I see a pattern here. Some moves have been switched a bit, but characters play pretty much the same as they did before. Some moves are harder to pull of do to the fact that they are more suited to an arcade stick and buttons and not the 360 controller. Otherwise, everything else is tight and responsive like it should be.
Gameplay: Not much dif....just kidding. The game is a blast to play. You've got lots of characters to choose from, and unluck new ones to play with after finishing story mode with certain characters. You could spend hours just trying to master your favorite character, and still have a long way to go due to the depth of each character's ability. Of course, the real star of the game is the online mode. This is what fighting games were made for, and its good to see that Tecmo realizes this. Finding an online match is quick and simple. However, you should make sure that your internet connection is really good, because otherwise, game-breaking slowdown will kill the fun for you and anyone else involved. In a game that requires split second timing, stuff like this can really ruin your day.
Challenge: The game is hard. Period. Even on normal difficulty. This is not a pick up and play and mash buttons game. You actually need to learn to play to get anywhere in this game. Fighting Kasumi Alpha can be a very cheap and profanity ridden experience that will make you cry, curse, and renounce your religion. Okay, maybe not quite that far, but it is a pain in the butt if you don't take the time to learn some moves. Practice makes perfect. And if you plan to play online, you better practice or prepare to get your butt handed back to you most ferociously in bullet time. Wait, that was lag wasn't it?
Final Words: Dead or Alive 4 is a fun fighting game that will have lasting appeal due to its online ability. I reccommend this game for anyone who likes to put in the time to learn a game inside out and try to become the best at it. For anyone else, its the only fighting game on the block right now, and a good one at that. So if you're looking for some good hand to hand combat for your 360, DOA 4 leads the next-gen pack for now.