"It appears, at present, that Dead or Alive Ultimate's character line-up is complete. The one notable addition to the character select screen is the DoA2 boss Tengu, who seemed to be popular among players on the show floor. But what was even more exciting was the sheer number of costumes that have been added. There are definitely enough in there to please fans. My darling of choice, Ayane, is blessed with 20 different costumes in the current build; my favorite is one of the rather sexy bikini bottom/t-shirt combos from Dead or Alive: Beach Volleyball. Kasumi fans will be pleased to know that she currently has the most provocative outfit that I witnessed: a pair of overalls, and nothing more. You can surely imagine what that looks like.

Other than the updated costumes, nothing was more impressive about Dead or Alive Ultimate than the stages on display. They have always been a high-point for the series, and the latest ones added to the batch simply help to confirm Team Ninja's dominance in this regard; no other fighter's stages even come close to matching the glory of what's on display here, both visually and in terms of scope. The highly memorable African safari level -- which is home to numerous animals such as tigers and elephants -- seems to look better than it ever has before.

As for the gameplay itself, it's standard Dead or Alive faire; if you're not a fan, the new game probably won't change your mind. Yet, the fact that Ultimate appears to have flawless online play may be enough to coerce some purchasers who need a bit of a push" (xbox.gamespy.com).