Dead or Alive Xtreme Beach Volleyball

The successful Dead or Alive fighting game franchise is known as much for its female combatants as for its innovative and consistently fun three dimensional gameplay. Dead or Alive Xtreme Beach Volleyball is a spin-off game that entirely drops the fighting game elements in favour of focusing on DoA's other claim to fame.

DoA: XBV finds Zach, the flamboyant winner of the DoA3 tournament, buying a tropical island after hitting it big in Vegas. He sends out invitations claiming that the next DoA tournament is to be held on his island. Surprise, surprise: there is no fighting tournament, Zach only invited the female fighters, and the stage is set for... well, for a bunch of scantily clad girls frolicking on a beach.

You begin the game by choosing a girl to play as. Each game is broken up into a two week vacation, and each day is divided into morning, daytime and evening. You spend each segment of the day playing volleyball, gambling in the casino, shopping for swimsuits and accessories, lounging around the island, or trying to befriend the other girls on the island.

It's probably not fair to classify DoA:XBV as a volleyball game. Sure, you'll spend a bit of time playing volleyball, but the gameplay is so basic that there are literally only two buttons: one to pass to your teammate and another to send the ball to the opposing side of the net. It's probably more accurate to label DoA:XBV as an unusual "relationship" game, with volleyball just one of several ways to earn money to spend on gifts for girls. Well-wooed girls will partner up with you for volleyball matches, or allow themselves to be convinced to try on slinkier and more exotic swimwear.

What the game lacks in depth, volleyball gameplay or features it makes up for in eye candy. If nothing else, Xtreme Beach Volleyball is a great display of the raw graphical power of the Xbox. It is not a volleyball game. It is an incredibly pretty collection of small but moderately amusing mini-games, played by buxom cartoon babes. Fans of Lara Croft, rejoice: the next generation is here. --Jon Grover

Dead or Alive Xtreme Beach Volleyball takes place on Zack Island, a tropical island, which he purchased and named after himself after winning big at a casino. Zack declares the island the official location of the fourth Dead or Alive tournament.

Dead or Alive Xtreme Beach Volleyball stars all the ladies from the Dead or Alive fighting games and a new character named Lisa. In addition to the standard beach volleyball tournament, players will have a wealth of other recreational activities to choose from on the island. Gamers can spend time in the arcade, where they can play a mini game of Dead or Alive 3; a cinema, where they can view a trailer of Ninja Gaiden or other Dead or Alive games; or a casino, where they can try their hand at special Dead or Alive versions of slots, poker, blackjack, roulette and more. Other mini-games include a lifeguard drill, a dance competition and a beauty contest.

Are you ready for some Xtreme Action? Then, your wait is over because the girls of Dead or Alive are back and better than ever in the first "Fantasy Sports Simulation", Dead or Alive Xtreme Beach Volleyball for the Xbox video game console. It's sure to have your heart racing, with beautifully rendered graphics and action-packed game play.The extreme action is transported from the fighting ring of Dead or Alive 3 to the beach. But, this time around, the girls are throwing on their bikinis to go head to head in the most outrageous beach volleyball game you have ever seen! The game lets you compete in two different modes, the Main Mode or the Versus Mode, which accommodates up to four players at one time. It's time to get physical with the ladies as they set, spike, and kill their way to the championship title on the tropical beach resort, Zack Island.