By Richard Bell

WHAT could be better than opening up a game case and finding a souped-up version of Dead Or Alive 2 inside? Finding a second disc featuring the very first incarnation of the series, that’s what!

And could this beat ’em-up double whammy be taken to another level? Why, yes, as both games now offer online play so you can test your mettle against virtual fighters from around the world!

When the original DOA released in 1997, it instantly became a classic. Arguably the most polished performer in the combat genre at the time, it stunned with its smooth animation, super speed and fine attention to detail.

That is still looks and plays so well today is testament to the quality that was there in the beginning. Couple that with the online mode and it’s like a whole new game.

As good as the original is, the reworked DOA2 shows just how far the series has come. Boasting 21 amazing new interactive environments, crystal clear visuals, new fighting moves and never-before-seen costumes, these elements combine to make it something very special indeed.

There are 11 game modes in total that take in Tag Battle, Versus, Time Attack, Survival, Sparring and Team Battle. Going online opens up another seven modes, including Winner-Stays, Tournament, Team Battle, Survival, Loser-Stays and Kumite Battle.

All your favourites are in there and looking better than ever, from Jann Lee, who hails from the Bruce Lee dojo of Jeet Kune Do, to Bass, a Hulk Hogan-style rib-crushing wrestler.

The fighting engine remains unchanged and is a twist on the old Paper-Scissors-Stone finger-fighting game. The weapons may have changed, but the concept remains the same — a blow beats a throw, and a hold beats a blow.

This way no one move is superior to any other and if players perform the same move simultaneously the techniques cancel each other and no damage is incurred.

Fights are fast and furious, with even the most inexperienced player somehow able to deliver some awesome attacks from a bit of random button pressing.

There are lots of amazing combos to be mastered, but dedicated buttons for punch, kick, throw and block keep things as simple as you want them to be.

VERDICT: Boasting brains as well as brawn, brimming with beefcake and bountiful babes, Dead Or Alive Ultimate’s double disc delight is a must for fights fans.

Five stars

By George Wright

IN Suikoden IV you take on the role of the game’s main hero — but can you repel the impending doom lurking on the horizon?

Inspired by a Chinese tale in which 108 ordinary people from different backgrounds grouped together to do great things, Suikoden IV is a sprawling epic RPG adventure filled with mystery, mayhem and turn-based battles galore.

You’re a soldier who, while off training to become a knight, runs into a dodgy pirate and ends up in the possession of the Rune of Punishment.

The mysterious Rune quickly causes turmoil you can’t explain and you’re cast from the island of Razril and split up from your best friend Snowe.

However, all is not lost and our hero is soon off looking for answers on a 3D journey of exploration through a series of islands brimming with villages, ruins, jungles and beaches, populated by intriguing creatures including cat-people and mermaids.

It’s not long before you realise trouble is brewing and the island nations central to the game are on the brink of war. It’s your job to seek out the 108 Stars of Destiny and return home with your army to save the day. You’ll need to master naval skills as, with the action hopping back and forth between the islands, you travel by ship along with your rapidly growing ranks. However, the sea-faring sections soon lose their novelty aspect and become time-consuming and slow to play out.

Although the game’s not bad to look at and has a vast array of characters popping up all the time, there just wasn’t enough to convert me into an RPG fan.

VERDICT: I’m afraid it wasn’t a case of playing till dawn, just until yawn!

Two stars