Dead or Alive 4

Tecmo's battling babes hit Dead or Alive (DOA) 4 was originally scheduled for release at the launch of Microsoft's Xbox 360.

A few months of tweaking and the next-generation beat-em-up is finally here, much to the delight of hardcore gamers and adolescent schoolboys alike.

While the DOA series has always offered an interesting cast of characters, the games are especially known for their buxom female fighters.

This latest instalment introduces four new faces and we're pleased to see an equal balance between the sexes - at least in the initial line-up.

DOA4 features no less than 22 international contenders, with 16 selectable from the start.

Keeping the British end up are newcomer Elliot, a young Kung Fu master remarkably similar to Virtua Fighter 2's Lion and the hugely popular assassin Christie.

Fans will be pleased to see the return of this femme fatale, given her noticeable absence from the recent Dead or Alive Ultimate compilation.

Christie also has our favourite ending movie in the single-player story mode - the story itself is practically non-existent, but the final video sequence almost makes up for it.

Other game modes include the usual head-to-head fighting action, tag team tournaments, survival mode and a time attack option.

There are also improved facilities for playing challengers online, which should ensure a healthy lifespan for the title.

Fortunately, it's not just the characters that are well rounded. DOA4 features an overhauled fighting system that now relies more on skill than simple button mashing.

Reversing incoming attacks, for example, is much harder for the casual player, requiring the kind of split second timing that only comes with plenty of practice.

The action is also much faster overall. The basic controls are still easy to pick up though, with only punch, kick, throw and block/hold buttons to master.

Other improvements include more multi-tiered fighting arenas, allowing you to knock opponents down the stairs or off a bridge and an increase in destructible scenery.

That said, not everything you'd expect to break does and some of the new locations are bizarre. The car-filled street scene is a welcome addition, but we're not too sure about the dinosaur-inhabited forest.

The intelligence level of computer-controlled opponents is also a little off - rather than becoming progressively harder to beat, your opponent's skill level seems almost random.

Graphically, however, there's absolutely nothing to complain about. Tecmo has clearly got to grips with the Xbox 360 and the results are spectacular - especially when playing on a high-definition TV.

We'd go as far as to say it's the best looking title on the console to date.

Animation is flawless and character costumes are more detailed than ever, although we're pleased to see the Japanese developer has retained the anime-style look to the characters rather than going for photo realism.

Quirky AI aside, DOA4 is easily the most polished version of Tecmo's fun-filled fighter.

With a deep and rewarding combat system, gorgeous graphics and plenty of extra characters and costumes to unlock, it's easy to see this one staying near the top of the charts.

System requirements:
Xbox 360
Memory card or hard disk drive
Controller
Xbox Live Gold account required for online play