My Corner of the Interweb

DOA4

Mood: Excellent.
Music: None
Game: World of Warcraft, COD2, DOA4, Amped 3
Book: The Complete Robot, Isaac Asimov.
Weather: 40, Rainy

Today, I ventured forth from the apartment. I decided that I needed DOA4 right away. Rather than order it, I made it so that I would have to leave the apartment to go to the nearest game store...in this case, a Game Crazy about 4 miles away. I heartily recommend maps.google.com, by the way.

Once I figured out where it was, I checked online for bus maps and schedules, and sallied forth. I waited outside in the rain for a little bit waiting for the bus, paid my buck and a quarter, and tried to pay attention to where I was going. It WAS the first time I was leaving the neighborhood alone.

This all sounds kind of pathetic. But the truth of the matter is that if you don't drive, you really are subject to the whims of public transit, and you CAN get really lost. In a car, you just kinda drive around until you find a gas station or major street or whatever. On a bus, you CAN just wait until you end up back where you started, or ask a bus driver...but once you get off, you need to pay attention. Still...you can't like STARVE or anything...you could just get cold and wet and miserable, and end up either paying a chunk of change to get home, or inconvenience someone you know. Seeing as I only know Chelsea in Seattle, really, and seeing as she was at work...you get the picture.

Anyway, I got off the bus earlier than I should have, but I was able to orient myself, and walk the last dozen blocks myself in the rain. It was actually a really nice walk, and I found the place with no trouble. Bought my game and a wireless adapter for the 360, and managed to hop on the bus back without having to wait at all. Now I know how to get to this mall, which has a Target, a Game Crazy, a Bed, Bath, and Beyond, a Barnes and Noble, and other things. Which is pretty cool.

I got home uneventfully. Once I got home, I installed the wireless adapter which took, no shit, all of 45 seconds, including configuration, and it works fabulously. Voice chat, gameplay, all seamless.

Then, the good stuff. DOA4.

If you like any of the DOA fighting games, you love this one. The graphics are fabulous...the level design? BETTER than fabulous. So much hidden stuff...so much to knock people into and through. The characters are all the old favorites, plus a few new ones. Plenty of unlockable costumes.

The online? Let me just say this: The lobby is the most phenomenal thing I've seen in a video game. You choose a background, such as swamp, halloween, or Japanese dojo. You get a base avatar...a ninja. You run around with your avatar in the background, and your avatar can speak for you, you can type words, or just speak through the mike...and it has about 8 different preset expressions, such as cheer or wave...all very cute. You talk to the "receptionist" in the middle of the room, and join the game.

But that's not it...that would be great...but not it. Whenever you win a match online, you get Zackdollars...which you use to buy stuff to decorate your background, buy new avatars, buy stuff for your avatars to wear, or buy costumes for the characters in DOA. Basically, it's incentive to go play online. It's MARVELOUS. I bought groucho glasses for my ninja...because I think it's hysterical. So my avatar is a ninja with groucho glasses.

The gameplay is smooth, the cutscenes are breathtaking. The end movies are fun/exciting...the game is absolutely marvelous. I'm definitely glad to have it...and it certainly would have made the 360 launch a lot more impressive. But that's past. I highly recommend this game.

I think I'll review all the games I've played on the 360 this weekend or early next week...if you're at all interested....

Posted by Glenn at December 30, 2005 11:32 PM