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System:
PlayStation 2
Genre:
Beat 'Em Up
Publisher:
Tecmo
Developer:
Team Ninja
Players:
1-4
Release date/year:
10/26/2000
Other systems:
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- DOA 2 Hardcore
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2000 Team Ninja - Tecmo - PS2
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Fighting game on the Play Station 2 are few and far between right now, and with the public waiting for games like Devil May Cry, Metal Gear Solid 2 and WWF Smackdown 3, fighting game fans have to wait for a good fighter to come along and release the boredom! DoA 2: Hardcore makes a pretty good stand in terms of giving the player a fighting game that offers more than just flashy moves, but also an innovative defensive system that runs along the lines of countering every attack from every angle. With several colorful and original characters, and twice as many battle stages then the original version of DoA 2, you're looking at an expansive game that could weeks and even months to get through completely! Taking control of a fighter, you must battle through 10 other opponents and square off against a giant god named Tengu, who is a weird looking Kabuki lookin' thing that ultimately controls your destiny. The storyline of the game, as they always have been, are very very limited in just what they tell you, and Hardcore doesn't offer up any sort of new information, as like before, you're pretty much stuck with wondering!
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-Game Play 8/10-
The game play centers around kicking the crap out of your opponent while trying to take as little damage as possible in the process. In this, you'll learn how to perform a wide range of attacks that come from above, below or right through your opponents defenses, and on the same token, you'll attempt to try not to be countered at every single turn! The game revolves around being able to counter anything that comes your way, and this is easily done with plenty of timing, and plenty of practice, just so you know when and where to hit and when and where to counter! Through several different modes, you can unlock different characters, different costumes, and a ton of individual player options if you've got the time to spend doing so.
Another cool fighting mode is the tag team battle, in which you pick a tag team partner and try to go through as many teams as possible without losing to unlock an ending! This can be done with several different characters, and it you pair up the correct characters, you'll find yourself with a team that can do complex tag team maneuevers that match what Tekken Tag is doing with character specific combinations!
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-Control 8/10-
Control is what this game is all about. In order to learn the different characters, what they do and what they are capable of, you're better off to go through the practice mode and do the different attacks and counter commands that will be necessary later on if you wish to complete the game without making yourself look stupid! Veterans of DoA will recognize the commands and probably fall right into them, while novices will have to do plenty of practicing to get the control setting for their particular style!
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-Visuals 8/10-
Beautiful visuals, with plenty of lighting effects and several different expansive stages that show immense detail and innovation, you'll find that not every stage is what it appears to be! Different camera angles will come into play depending on what type of attack or counter you've done, and even knocking your opponent through a wall or off of a cliff nets you a pretty cool look, and effect when they hit the ground skidding!
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-Audio 8/10-
A hardcore rock soundtrack, this music keeps the game pumping and the action upbeat! Each stage is a little different, and it incorporates different styles of music that pair together kung fu movie music and modern dance music to create a relatively cool sounding hybrid! The sound effects include english voice overs that do pretty well, although they can sound cheesy for certain parts of the dialogue! Bone cracks, body thuds and a wide variety of smacks, punches and whistling kicks make it worthwhile to listen to;
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-Overall 8/10-
Dead or Alive 2: Hardcore is an expansion on the original and it comes with some pretty impressive additions such as the new stages, different costumes, and a ton of new moves that make dishing out the pan fun to watch and fun to perform! With several different characters, and several secrets to unlock, this game isn't for the weekend warrior but more for those who are looking to spend some serious time learning everything there is to learn about the game!
//KasketDarkfyre
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