What this game seems to fail gracefully is its single player story mode. Although we all know that there will never be a good story plot in arcade fighting games, Namco could at least put some more rewards and depth into single player challenges. To me, simply getting cosmetic changes to my characters and etc. just doesn't motivate me that much to spend my time into it. This game in its single player story mode could never be on par with DC's Soul Calibur, which offers a much richer and in depth single player gaming experience. The other single player modes of this game is interesting, but as I mentioned, the depth is just not there (sorry DOA fans).
The control of this game is very good (thanks to the PSX controller), but not great. The full analog support on the Dual Shock 2 has its ups in the ease of use with the joypad section and higher sensitivity in the buttons(which makes making combos A LOT easier), but its downs is evident in the direction pads (u will rarely get a chance to use them, except for jump, crouch, and defend) where the users have to get used to switching back and forth. Learning curve of this game's controls should be around 60~90 minutes for casual gamers and shorter for hardcore experts.
DOA2:Hardcore is a better presented game over its Japanese counterpart, as improvements in gaming is evident. This game is FUN and great to play with friends, but be forewarned, the single player experience MIGHT let you down if u have played DC's Soul Calibur. But, it should be YOU who should decide the fun value of the single player modes. This game is definitely worth your $$, and is definitely the better PS2 launch title on the market.
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This game is most definately superior to Tekken Tag. Eever since the first Tekken I have been a faithful consumer. I own every Tekken game out there, but even I must say DOA:2 blows it away. The fighting style is looser and more customizable, the combos are what I'm talking about if you don't know. Graphics are much better, environment are multi-leveled and excellent looking (the electrified walls were an excellent idea, bravo man). I don't know what to say, Tekken Tag was exactly like Tekken 3, the tagging is just in and out no tag combos so it gets boring and you go back to 1 vs. 1 and leave 2 vs. 2 alone. I played Tekken Tag at my friends house and rented it before buying it, both times around i found myself complaining and bored wondering why there werent any improvements over #3 other than the graphics. At one point I even put in Tekken 3 because it plays faster. DOA:2 is amazing, fast paced, loose styles, nice characters, hot women, counters are excellent... the story mode does ... though, it may as well just be practice for 2 player (who plays a fighting game all by themselves?!). Buy it, GREAT GAME! Would have been 5 stars but I have to boo the story mode, i found reading the back of the booklet more in depth and that was a FAQ not even a story.Best Deals for Dead Or Alive 2: Hardcore
I have played every fighting game ever made on every system and I am the Hardest of Hardcore and this is the best I have ever played. The graphics and the combat system, which is its heart and is unique from every other fighter in the world, make this game the great one.If you own a PS2 and don't even like fighting games you should buy this, especially if you are a guy because the women rock!
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For the most part, if you look up DOA2 online, you'll see a lot of discussion of the bouncy bouncy babes. And, you know, for what they are, they're really nice. That's not what makes DOA2: Hardcore THE PS2 fighting game.It's the gameplay. Crazy though, huh? Lush PS2 graphics, crisp sound, and lots of bouncy, bouncy babes and what really seals the deal is that this is a fighting game that's quick to learn, hard to master, has characters that are distinct in their fighting styles, use multi-staged environments that matter to the fight -there's nothing more fun than throwing your opponent into an electrified fence again and again and again -and has a host of bonuses to reward players devoting time and energy to the game.
It's also deeply funny, and not always on purpose. Sure, the third costume you unlock for Dennis Rodman lookalike Zack -a gorgeous fully mirrored Teletubbie outfit, complete with bobbing antenna, that has to be seen to be believed -is probably consciously silly, the nonsense he and everyone else spouts in the game -"I respect myself, for being myself" -evoke peals of laughter from gamers moments before they leap upon each other, flinging their opponents around beautiful rendered environments. Or up against them. Or through them.
Initially easier to learn than, say, Tekken Tag Tournament, with fewer buttons to learn, DOA:2 has a seemingly infinite variety of ways to expand on the formula, with counter moves and additional moves based on positions and the direction a character is moving. Buttonmashers may be able to get into the game, but as in any good fighter, those who learn the moves are able to quickly and easily dissassemble the buttonmashers.
Gorgeous, fun, exciting and funny. If you own a PS2 and love fighting games, you owe it to yourself to pick up DOA2.
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The basic feelings with gamers is that the Playstation 2 launch games are under par for what the system can reportedly do. If Tecmo's Dead or Alive 2: Hardcore is "under par" then I hope there are a LOT of "under par" games released on the PS2 because this game is spectacular.DOA2:H is the best alternative to Tekken Tag Tournament without resorting to buy another system (the Dreamcast) for competitors such as Soul Caliber. DOA2:H is more user friendly for people who don't fit in the religious Tekken fan following. The moves can be executed with relative ease and combos are not "set in stone". For example, most Tekken combos have precise button sequences. DOA2:H's combos can be executed by just linking certain moves from you own imagination and they feel more like your own personal tactics rather than a memorized sequence.
The graphics in the game are great. Everything is clean and well-defined. Player look anatomically correct (more humanlike than Tekken's "blocky" characters and not cartoony like Street Fighter's anime inspired characters.) If anything, I wish there were more fighters. I like the fighting games that have you unable to decide who is your ultimate favorite character, in DOA2:H you will definitely have your favorite within no time. The stages are all unique, although not as equal overall, some levels will blow you away throughout while others have gorgeous main areas and lackluster secondary areas. The Opera House level is a perfect example. The floor in the beginning section is polished and really cool looking while the looping lower area you can throw, or be thrown to, are noticeably bland compared to the starting area. The PS2 version of DOA2:H boasts a few more levels than the Dreamcast version of the game and they are enough to warrant purchasing the slicker PS2 version over the Dreamcast one.
The sound in the game is above average. The music is the same type of techno that inhabits all fighting games but it isn't cheasy or enough to make you turn down the volume in the options menu. The voice acting in the game is as good as could be expected since English actors dubbed over the original Japanese dialogue. The only drawback is the enormously cheasy one-liners that the fighters use as well as just plain wrong word choices, one character actually calls another one a "swindler" in a poorly worded insult. "Jive turkey" would have easily been better than "swindler."
The ammount of customization in DOA2:H is huge. You can set specific settings for not just the whole game, but each type of play mode. For example, you can have the Story Mode enemies to have weak power meters while the Versus Mode can have them with anywhere from weak, to strong, to infinite for endless matches between friends.
One of the nicest things about this game is not even in the game, it's the manual that comes packaged with the disc. The manual has a ENTIRE move list for every character. Not one of those cheap Tekken or Street Fighter manuals that gave you about 25% of every characters' available moves. Tecmo even has the move list section of the game represented on their website if you want to print them out for when friends come over, then you won't have to resort to the awkward "manual sharing" deal, like when the kid who sat next to you in English class forgot his book and had to share yours. And if you and a friend should decide to share the manual while playing Tag Mode in the game, every fighter's primary tag partner is on the facing page (so there won't be any manual hogging, just set it out on the table and you both have your lists right there to look at!).
Overall, this game is a sure purchase for fighter fans, no doubt about it. And anyone who is just a casual gamer should treat themselves to at least a rental. I can honestly say that this game is one of the most enjoyable fighting games to come out since Street Fighter was ported to the Super Nintendo.
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