Dead or Alive 5 Plus brings all the hard-hitting action of the original, along with a few extras, to your PlayStation Vita. The transition from the console to the handheld device is seemless. Tecmo Koei did a superb job in providing the full DOA experience on the Vita.
What Dead or Alive 5 Plus brings to the table is the ultimate portability of a great fighting game while taking advantage of Sony’s Cross Play features. Connecting your PS3 and Vita versions of the game allows you to transfer all the costumes and titles you have earned back and forth. Believe me, there are plenty of both. The other benefit is being able to fight opponents across platforms, though you have the option of only playing those on the same platform before you begin. It is all very slick and in the background requiring nothing from you but your fighting skills.
The story DOA5+ is that of the rebuilding of DOATEC from the ashes of the previous tournament. Team Ninja did a fantastic job tying together all the storylines to create a cohesive tale that may not exactly evoke an emotion response in the participant, but it certainly is far from feeling arbitary or haphazard – a common failing amongst fighting games. I couldn’t believe I finished the story caring about how it all played out.
The game is chock full of characters, each with his or her own style of fighting. I really appreciated how the story mode gives you a taste of how each character operates while facing many different opponents to see how they match against you. I’ll fully admit that I am not the world’s savviest fighter so I tend to lose occasionally, and while I could appreciate how you could take control of the camera after the loss, I struggled to find a reason to have the ability other than to look up Kokoro’s skirt. All those thoughts aside, every character, regardless of sex is beautifully rendered and detailed. The game looks fantastic on the Vita’s 5-inch OLED screen.
There is one additional mode to the PS Vita version that I was surprised to find myself enjoying: the Touch Fight. In this mode, you utilize the Vita’s front touch technology fight in a match in the first person. At first, you attempt to employ the same strategies you use moving in third person. Once you have a handle on it, it becomes a much easier, less twitchy style you can enjoy in small doses. Don’t misunderstand me, this mode is completely a throw away and will not hold your interest long, but I mention it because it was still fun to go a few rounds.
Overall, Dead or Alive 5 Plus works exceptionally well on the PlayStation Vita. The game plays flawlessly and looks fantastic. Though, if you already have Dead or Alive 5 on the PS3, I’m not sure the Cross Play features, while cool, justify paying the $39.99 price tag. If you have been waiting on picking up DOA 5, love fighting games or you own a Vita, Dead or Alive 5 Plus is a great pickup for you. Tecmo Koei delivers on a great fighting game for when you’re on the go.
Dead or Alive 5 Plus
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uV4-6WPCw-M