Dead or Alive 5: Last Round Review

Casey Scheld — Mon, 09 Mar 2015 14:42:41 +0000

Hot on the heels of Dead or Alive 5 Ultimate comes Dead or Alive 5: Last Round, an updated version of Tecmo Koei’s chop-socky fighter. Is this upgrade worth throwing down for, or is this a bunch of fanservice fluff?

Dead or Alive 5: Last Round Review

New to the Dead or Alive universe, but love a good fighter? Dead or Alive 5: Last Round will come as second nature after a few rounds. Much like Namco’s Tekken series, fights in Dead or Alive rely on combo-heavy inputs and the juggling of characters in the air. Danger zones add a dose of, well, danger to the proceedings, and forces players to consider their placement far more than your typical fighter. It’s patented “Triangle System” also helps it stand out, placing a rock-paper-scissors-like game with counters, throws and holds. Everything moves extremely fast, and rounds are oftentimes over in less than a minute. It’s fast, it’s furious, and it’s fun.

But is it balanced? Not necessarily. There are some characters in Dead or Alive 5: Last Round that have a distinct advantage. Newcomer Raidou can easily stun any character with a few hits, while the cameo characters from Virtua Fighter come with a far more complex command system. There are a lot of mid-tier characters, but do not expect a fair fight overall.

So what’s new in Dead or Alive 5: Last Round? At first glance, not much. Menus are unchanged from Dead or Alive 5 Ultimate, the Story Mode is the same, and even the characters movelists are virtually the same. A few new fighters make their appearance, including the drunken master/capoeira/Honoka-fu schoolgirl Honoka and the aforementioned Raidou. A few new stages make the rounds as well, each with lots of life, character, and outrageous circumstances. There are also some new costumes for both the dudes and the ladies, in case you ever wanted to throw down in a Santa outfits or some bits of string.

Dead or Alive 5 Last Round Review – Gamers Heroes

The online mode of Dead or Alive 5: Last Round did receive a new mode in the form of the Prize Fighter system. In it, players are awarded points after securing five or more wins. They then have to hold on to their title as long as they can, increasing their rank along the way. It’s a novel feature, one that is welcome in the online modes. However, something like Street Fighter IV’s Elite system would really go a long way.

Dead or Alive 5: Last Round is not a bad game — just the opposite. The cast and crew of Gamers Heroes has spent countless hours throwing down with the cast and crew of DoA. However, there is not enough here to justify upgrading so fast after Ultimate. If this is your first foray into Dead or Alive 5, this is the one to get. However, those who already fought their way to the top might want to hold off until the inevitable revision.

This review of Dead or Alive 5: Last Round was done on the PlayStation 3. A review code was provided by the publisher.

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Resident Evil HD Review

Casey Scheld — Mon, 26 Jan 2015 15:47:07 +0000

The shambling undead are back once again in Resident Evil HD, a re-release of the survival horror game that redefined survival horror. With promises of HD graphics, improved controls, and other tweaks, should you pack your bags for yet another visit to the Spencer Mansion?

Resident Evil HD Review

Those who have yet to experience Resident Evil’s distinct brand of survival horror are in for a surprise with Resident Evil HD. Unlike the titles of today (or even later Resident Evil titles), proceedings in this game are far less forgiving. Corridors are narrow (but not linear), ammo and saves are limited, and death guarantees you a one-way trip back to the title screen. This is a game that requires careful planning and patience. Some may balk at its lack of handholding, and would write off its strict rules as cheap or outdated. However, those willing to really sink the time into it will realize that these features actually add to the game, emphasizing the “survival” part of survival horror.

That’s not to say that Resident Evil HD is absolutely impossible — far from it. Rather, the game is far more puzzle heavy, one that requires you to become familiar with your environment. Items are plentiful, but knowing what goes where is half the fun. The open nature of the game’s Spencer Mansion requires players to become best friends with the title’s map function (which is why it is mapped to its very own button). Some of the clues and items can be overly cryptic to first-time players, but there is nothing too taxing about the puzzles in play.

Resident Evil HD isn’t just about navigating through a maze of locked doors and inventory screens. Rather, the game prides itself on its action as well. Combat comes off less as a shoot-em-up spectacular than a means of survival, but fending your way through the undead can be quite a thrill. Fighting for your life against a speedy Crimson Head or a larger-than-life tarantula with a shotgun adds some much-needed action to the proceedings.

Resident Evil HD – Gamers Heroes

But lets say you knew all of that from playing the previous Resident Evil releases. What does Resident Evil HD bring to the table? Other than the touched up graphics (with widescreens support), the biggest change comes in the form of its alternate control scheme. The sluggish, tank-like controls that defined the series can be replaced with a free-roaming style that allows faster movement with the flick of the analog stick. While this certainly makes movement less of a chore, the fixed camera angles make it hard to move from place to place with ease. In a sense, it almost seems game-breaking. Other touches include the ability to play as a modern version of the titular characters, leaderboards, and more. These aren’t revolutionary features by any stretch of the imagination, but they are still welcome nonetheless.

Resident Evil HD is a remake done right. Rather than bend over backwards to please a new generation of gamers, it proudly sticks by its roots and is better because of it. Those looking to try something “new” should look to the past with this spot-on remaster.

This review of Resident Evil HD was done on the PlayStation 3 version of the game. The game was purchased digitally from the PlayStation Store.

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Dead or Alive 5: Last Round Review