DOA4: One of the best ever.
THE GOOD:
-The graphics are simply sensational on my HDTV. My jaw dropped when I popped it in for the first time.
-The gameplay is top notch. It's much faster than previous iterrations of the series, but after awhile, you'll get used to it.
-The sound is appropriate and sounds good. And there's certainly nothing wrong with a little Aerosmith.
-Online play is as fun as ever. DOA:U had a great forumla, and they stuck with it, with a few cute additions. If it ain't broke, don't fix it!
-Achievements make you come back for more in the single player mode...even when you don't want to!
-Those same achievements will have you pushing yourself online as well. It's awesome.
-The counter system adds a dynamic to the game that makes DOA unique and great. now more refined than ever.
-All the characters are unique and bring their own style to the game.
THE BAD:
-The speed of the game may be too difficult for some.
-Some achievements are too difficult to reach without the arcade stick.
-Certain characters have moves that are nearly impossible to pull off in-game or in sparring for that matter.
-The boss is rediculously hard. Discouragingly hard for many people. Hard enough that after you get all the off-line acheivements that involve you fighting her (eg. unlocking all costumes), you'll never want to play the single player again. She's that hard. Sometimes it took me 30 mintues to beat her. After it took me 7 minutes to beat the 7 or 8 characters leading up to her.
THE BIZARRE:
-The online rooms. Impossible to describe. Just plain wierd. Not bad...just wierd.
-Zack. Can we get a normal black male character? Can we borrow one from Tekken? They seem to have several...
All things considered, if you're a friend of fighting games or previous DOA games, this one won't disappoint. It looks better, plays faster, and incorporates many new fighting styles and techniques to make it a new, fresh and exciting experience for everyone. And with no hot fighting games on the horizon anywhere for the 360, for fighting game fans this is a a MUST BUY. You won't be disappointed.