Dead or Alive Finale

The first Xbox 360 brawler, Dead or Alive 4, has been delayed for a while in both Japan and the US. Initially seen as a launch title for Microsoft's super console, the game will be lucky to see release in 2005, given how much of a perfectionist DOA creator Tomonobu Itagaki is. I'm hoping the delay results in more costumes, better gameplay and tons of extras to enjoy this, the latest DOA fighter. And probably the LAST Dead or Alive fighter too, if the words of Itagaki in several articles online are to be believed.
Apparently, Mr. Itagaki decided that with DOA4, he has accomplished pretty much all that he can do with the title; he has all but confirmed that DOA4 will be the final DOA fighting game, citing that the Dead or Alive story ends with the fourth game.

In DOA4, after the last tournament where ninja Ayane defeats Genra, her former master-turned near invincible killing machine, the ninja foursome of Ayane, Hayate, Ryu Hayabusa and Kasumi lay siege to DOATEC to once and for all put an end to the sinister corporation's cloning and weapons experiments. The game's main character, Helena Douglas, can only be unlocked for play after beating the game with everyone else, and her lengthy CG ending movie will be the climax of the entire Dead or Alive saga, perhaps at least as far as the storyline with the evil DOATEC Corporation is concerned.

So there's nothing more to be done to improve DOA? Now, Tekken and Virtua Fighter are already onto their 5th and 6th installments, so that's a bit of huey for me. It's a bit of arrogance from an obviously arrogant man- yeah, I dislike a lot about Itagaki, but I love his games to no end. All I can hope is that the demand for more DOA fighting action will eventually move Tecmo to go for another Dead or Alive brawler in the future.

For now though, DOA4 looks to be IT, so I hope all this last-minute tweaking results in the best game in the series... and at least a couple of bikini outfits too. Heh. No Xbox 360s yet in sight anywhere locally, but we'll see about getting our graspy hands on one AND a copy of DOA4 as soon as we can.