DOAX2 is a nice follow up to the original, but the developers got lazy on mechanics for this one...
Gameplay: 6/10
This game has probably the best engine for volleyball to date, but the transition from Xbox to Xbox 360 left a few bumps in its game. The first thing you will notice is that the B button is not as responsive as it was back in DOAX, leaving you missing the ball more than you should. However, I found that this was evened out with a much easier spiking system, that allowed me to pull off perfect spikes much more easier than before. Overall, the volleyball is still the same thing as the last game. They also now have Jet Skiing as the alternative to volleyball in this title. This works like an average Jet Ski game, showing no impressive innovations over other games like Nintendo's Wave Race series. For minigames, the title has added a few. The king of minigames is once again pool hopping, which is now a race that works very well. The new bonus system helps make it more challenging to get extra credit in the game. All of the other minigames are unlockables, and none of them are really worth it. butt battle is just a sleaze best with two girls bumping butts to knock the other off the raft they are on. Tug of war is an easy minigame that rewards you with very little cash. The water slide is a nice addition for the game, but I never actually finished it to tell you how worth it is or not. Finally, the last addition is flag run, which is a game played with another character and you run for the other flag. This one is difficult to figure out how you tap the a button, but I'm sure many can figure it out. The casino is still there, and that works the same as any other casino type game. Overall, this vacation hasn't changed that much.
Graphics: 9/10
The graphics of DOAX2 are, with out a doubt, gorgeous. The title really shines with the girls bathing suits being realistic and sometimes shiny. However, not everything is sunshine here. The bounce factor of the game that is seen in trailer is still dangerously high, leaving some disgust at how bouncy the girls are. The girls also have a shine to them, which makes the game look really nice, but the shine also adds to their "Barbie doll" like looks. In the end, the game really makes you feel like your playing "Barbie gets half naked and goes to the beach."
Sound: 6/10
The originals Caribbean theme returns, but loses some of the better tracks for some terrible ones. The most noticeable is the lack of big names. Thankfully, the main theme is still intact for this entry, making it feel like I'm playing DOAX thanks to that intro song being there. The voice acting in this is better than the first game, but whoever casted Helena chose wrongly. The chick is too heavy with her French accent, not suiting Helena at all. Anyways, Japanese voice acting is available still, so just switch it to that. Besides that, the other sound effects work, so nothing is missing. Value: 7/10
The title will last you quite a long time, with each girl having over 30 swimsuits to buy. I would say the total time to collect them all for every girl is about 40-50 hours. However, achievement lovers will find themselves reaching for another title when they hear this: The achievements take about 500 hours to get, and I'm not joking. I have only one achievement, and thats for getting every single swimsuit with one character. Upon looking up the others, I find out that making a girl your friend requires her to have EVERY SINGLE ONE of your girl's swimsuit in her collection to make it happen, and you need 6 friends. This means purchasing all of your swimsuits 7 times in total, including your own. This is rather ridiculous for a game such as this, since you should be able to get 1000 in this rather quickly compared to other titles. *sigh* o well
Tilt: 6/10
I really like the DOA series, but I'm not a major fan. DOAX2 brings a good amount of gameplay to the table, but most will find themselves disappointed or frustrated with the economic system in the game. The developer still believes that everything should cost so much, when its simply should not. This title is not for everyone and it shows in its visuals and such. As for me, I will continue to own the game, despite my disappointment in the title.
Overall: 6.3/10.0
As my class clarifies, the game is a rental for those who rent. For those who don't, the game is worth it in the $30 and under range, which it will be in this summer. Disappointment all around, I was glad to pick it up. However, others will feel cheated. My recommendation is that you look at other titles on the market before choosing this one...