Horrible 'Game Rant' Article Claims DOA2: Hardcore is the Definitive Version

deathofaninja

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Premium Donor
News Team

I don't usually bother with media sheets and their stupid lists that are all based off of Metacritic scores, but they had the audacity to not just keep it within the score, but also add descriptions to why they thought it was good or bad. If they would have made this list a year ago, they would have given number one to Dead or Alive 2 (DC) on Metacritic, but since the scores were removed completely for some retro games when they relaunched that garbage-bag site they got to see DOA2: Hardcore as the highest rated game; so, they went with that.


DOA2H is a decent game, but it is the weakest of the three available versions by far: especially visually. I think this article is the perfect testament to not buy into the reviews for games and make opinions based off what you like. Maybe check out a community like FSD that actually specializes in DOA and isn't just blithering bullshit. They don't mention DOAX2's jet-ski mini-game which actually offers more than Wave Race, they say DOAD's story is "muddled" and say "but that's expected of a DOA game" when it's actually quite easy to understand, has layers and is mainly presented with high quality CG that no fighting game has yet to beat IMO.

Anyways, Game Rant sucks! Have a nice day!
 

TheHunterKiller692

Active Member
I think this article is the perfect testament to not buy into the reviews.
I notice Xtreme 3 is listed as the worst because "it's the gaming equivalent of a beach episode." Is that even an insult?

I don't usually bother with media sheets and their stupid lists based off of Metacritic scores, but they had the audacity to not just keep it within the score, but also add descriptions to why they thought it was good or bad.
"Dead or Alive 5's base game is the worst entry out of the main series. Surprisingly, despite Team Ninja's multiple home console editions, Dead or Alive 5 is at its best on the PlayStation Vita."
Tells you everything you need to know right there: "OMG, the newer games suck cuz I'm too nostalgic for the older games. Gimme clicks!"

Maybe check out a community like that actually specializes in DOA and isn't just blithering bullshit.
Dude, stop self-fellating yourself for once. You're making the whole damn site look bad, and even though I disagree with a lot of stuff in this article, I don't think propping yourself up will help.
 

grap3fruitman

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Standard Donor
DOA2H is great. Especially in an emulator. Even the original DOA2 is fun as heck. I'd like to maybe release a bugfix someday. I do have a Ghidra project started but it isn't far along.
 

Awesmic

Well-Known Member
Standard Donor
Ah, yes... GameRant.

The masters of bad faith when it comes to DOA that somehow make even Fighters Generation look like a saint.

How could I ever forget?
 

deathofaninja

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Premium Donor
News Team
I notice Xtreme 3 is listed as the worst because "it's the gaming equivalent of a beach episode." Is that even an insult?


"Dead or Alive 5's base game is the worst entry out of the main series. Surprisingly, despite Team Ninja's multiple home console editions, Dead or Alive 5 is at its best on the PlayStation Vita."
Tells you everything you need to know right there: "OMG, the newer games suck cuz I'm too nostalgic for the older games. Gimme clicks!"


Dude, stop self-fellating yourself for once. You're making the whole damn site look bad, and even though I disagree with a lot of stuff in this article, I don't think propping yourself up will help.

I think that most media dirt sheets are bad for all games and communities should be looked into for all games; not just Dead or Alive.

It wasn't a bad port, but Death is salty they didn't bring up the Dreamcast or Xbox release.

In 5 minutes' time, he will try to salt the net so Game Rant can't grow onto his timeline.

I said it was a decent game if you bothered to read and I own every version of DOA in every region. I'll stick to playing Ultimate on my XBOX.
 

TheHunterKiller692

Active Member
I said it was a decent game if you bothered to read.
Which I did. Thank you very much.

I think that communities should be looked into for all games, not just Dead or Alive.
70zhh9.jpg
 

TheIndustrialCowboy

NiCO Evangelist
Premium Donor
Bullshit. You choose to bend to the will of absolutely delusional sycophants who think DOA is immortal. Guess what? It isn't.
So you'd sooner trust the word of a critic with no investment in the franchise, rather than the body of knowledge built up over time by an enthusiastic community, when it comes to factual matter concerning said franchise?
Why?
 

TheHunterKiller692

Active Member
So you'd sooner trust the word of a critic with no investment in the franchise, rather than the body of knowledge built up over time by an enthusiastic community, when it comes to factual matter concerning said franchise?
Not exactly. I just think both sides are susceptible to idiocy. Critics do what they do to get paid, but at least they don't have ego problems like this fanbase does, bitching and moaning over people think that there's not enough in it for them. Nostalgia's a hell of a drug, but Death snorts it daily like a line of coke.
 

DestructionBomb

Well-Known Member
Standard Donor
Ironically, DOA2HC is also the complete edition that Itagaki envision according to his FB many years back because it was based off the JP update of DOA2 (?), when the guy was active on FB he also mentioned that they could of technically added more into DOA2HC but was unable due to time constraints because most of the work went into making DOA3 right after, and his quote "Tired of the Playstation". Not 100% on the side of game rant either, but I don't think they are wrong in some small aspects. For starters, this is basically almost a Dreamcast vs PS2 scenario which is very unfair considering PS2 is a far more powerful platform here. DOA2HC also ran full 60FPS on both ingame and cutscenes (that's pretty good actually), whereas the Dreamcast version ran at variable 60 with cutscenes at 30FPS.

What I DO like about DOA2HC's release (and even DOAU for the Xbox) is the epitome of proof that it's about hardware. What I mean is that Itagaki at one point clearly believed that Xbox was special and superior in every way and that it should be limited to Xbox exclusivity as the go-to platform and resource. Xbox was 100% superior at the time absolutely (by a mile over PS2 actually), though certainly stopped becoming special as other parties got better hardware over the years. It was only for that time period where Xbox was the most powerful console at the time when eventually none of it mattered when hardware can be either surpassed or commonly equal by measure. Especially PC at this day and age. In terms of specs, PS5 and XSX is also very similar now in terms of output with Xbox only being 2% stronger because of it's 12 TFLOPS, so none of them were truly special in the end, but merely preference (and usually bias) for a platform for either nostalgic reasons or was tied to player base convenience of comfy. Still believe that DOA2HC isn't that far by in terms of difference because it still played the same DOA at the end of the day.

Though I give Itagaki credit that he was humbled and finally understood that it's all hardware at the end of the day and puts all of them in the same category.
 
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deathofaninja

Well-Known Member
Premium Donor
News Team
Ironically, DOA2HC is also the complete edition that Itagaki envision according to his FB many years back because it was based off the JP update of DOA2 (?), when the guy was active on FB he also mentioned that they could of technically added more into DOA2HC but was unable due to time constraints because most of the work went into making DOA3 right after, and his quote "Tired of the Playstation". Not 100% on the side of game rant either, but I don't think they are wrong in some small aspects. For starters, this is basically almost a Dreamcast vs PS2 scenario which is very unfair considering PS2 is a far more powerful platform here. DOA2HC also ran full 60FPS on both ingame and cutscenes (that's pretty good actually), whereas the Dreamcast version ran at variable 60 with cutscenes at 30FPS.

But the game looks one million times better on DC and sounds better as well. PS2 loses a lot of port matches to DC, and XBOX wasn't just more powerful; it was immensely more powerful than the PS2. It blew it away and made it look like a pile of trash.

And @TheHunterKiller692 I speak my mind and speak of facts and the truth, and if you have a problem with that you can hit the ignore button. I don't point at people and make blind; stupid accusations like you do. I have a tolerance to people's bs; and I'm willing to take a lot of it - but for your not much longer. You haven't been right about me one time.
 
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TheIndustrialCowboy

NiCO Evangelist
Premium Donor
Critics do what they do to get paid, but at least they don't have ego problems
Critics absolutely can have ego problems, and grudges, too. And just like any sort of professional journalist, their word can often be bought, or at the very least, filtered through the perspective of their employer.
Nostalgia's a hell of a drug, but Death snorts it daily like a line of coke.
Again, critics can also be susceptible to making judgements based on nostalgia.
 

Derock

Well-Known Member
Ironically, DOA2HC is also the complete edition that Itagaki envision according to his FB many years back because it was based off the JP update of DOA2 (?), when the guy was active on FB he also mentioned that they could of technically added more into DOA2HC but was unable due to time constraints because most of the work went into making DOA3 right after, and his quote "Tired of the Playstation". Not 100% on the side of game rant either, but I don't think they are wrong in some small aspects. For starters, this is basically almost a Dreamcast vs PS2 scenario which is very unfair considering PS2 is a far more powerful platform here. DOA2HC also ran full 60FPS on both ingame and cutscenes (that's pretty good actually), whereas the Dreamcast version ran at variable 60 with cutscenes at 30FPS.

What I DO like about DOA2HC's release (and even DOAU for the Xbox) is the epitome of proof that it's about hardware. What I mean is that Itagaki at one point clearly believed that Xbox was special and superior in every way and that it should be limited to Xbox exclusivity as the go-to platform and resource. Xbox was 100% superior at the time absolutely (by a mile over PS2 actually), though certainly stopped becoming special as other parties got better hardware over the years. It was only for that time period where Xbox was the most powerful console at the time when eventually none of it mattered when hardware can be either surpassed or commonly equal by measure. Especially PC at this day and age. In terms of specs, PS5 and XSX is also very similar now in terms of output with Xbox only being 2% stronger because of it's 12 TFLOPS, so none of them were truly special in the end, but merely preference (and usually bias) for a platform for either nostalgic reasons or was tied to player base convenience of comfy. Still believe that DOA2HC isn't that far by in terms of difference because it still played the same DOA at the end of the day.

Though I give Itagaki credit that he was humbled and finally understood that it's all hardware at the end of the day and puts all of them in the same category.

But the game looks one million times better on DC and sounds better as well. PS2 loses a lot of port matches to DC, and XBOX wasn't just more powerful; it was immensely more powerful than the PS2. It blew it away and made it look like a pile of trash.
Well, you definitely tell that Itagaki was making DOA2 ala Street Fighter II in terms of how many versions of DOA2 out there. However, looking at the comparisons, Hardcore (and the original DOA2) for PS2 had a slight advantage because it ran 60 fps on both gameplay and cutscenes. Dreamcast versions were 60 fps only in gameplay. Cutscenes were at 30. The downside of things for the PS2 versions was that the lighting was very bad and has horrible anti-aliasing. Although, there was a comment that because the arcade and DC versions in which are all on the Sega Naomi board, were more "anime-ish" so it was toned down in the PS2 versions. (The models look exactly the same :rolleyes:). Also, the original PS2 version had that extreme bug that occurs in Versus mode. In terms of content, the US Dreamcast version had the bare minimum of unlockables and the Japanese has the rerelease version of Limited Edition, in which brought in more cutscenes not shown in the US version and remade 2 stages from DOA 1 that appeared in later versions. Unfortunately, Lei-Fang's stage did not make the cut in 2U. US Hardcore was basically having all of the content that were released in other versions after US DC version in one package, not counting yet ANOTHER version release months after it in Japan: Hard*Core, which have turbo settings.

2U was made in the DOA3/Xtreme Volleyball engine and remade with new content, including adding Hitomi because of her popularity, online capabilities, adding in slopes and the 4-hold system to make it "slightly" harder than the previous versions. And yes, despite certain nuances (i.e., characters were starting not to show emotions properly on 2U unlike previous versions), XBOX version blew everything in the water.

Now I agree with @deathofaninja that the DC versions are better because it was made on the Sega Naomi arcade boards and plus the lighting and colors was so much better looking and cohesive. PS2 versions were too damn bright and on certain areas, too jaggy. It's only good thing were the content.
 

TheHunterKiller692

Active Member
But the game looks one million times better on DC and sounds better as well. PS2 loses a lot of port matches to DC, and XBOX wasn't just more powerful; it was immensely more powerful. It blew it away and made it look like a pile of trash.
We know.
I speak my mind and speak of facts and the truth, and if you have a problem with that you can hit the ignore button.
Uh. Ok. Thx. I did block you on Twitter. At any rate, what I was trying to say is that you repeat yourself and hope that no one says "Y'know, you need better material." So, I'm sorry if I gave you a stroke for trying to be myself and not drink whatever Kool-Aid you stockpiled.
 

DestructionBomb

Well-Known Member
Standard Donor
But the game looks one million times better on DC and sounds better as well.
PS2 versions was that the lighting was very bad and has horrible anti-aliasing. Although, there was a comment that because the arcade and DC versions in which are all on the Sega Naomi board, were more "anime-ish" so it was toned down in the PS2 versions. (The models look exactly the same :rolleyes:). Also, the original PS2 version had that extreme bug that occurs in Versus mode. In terms of content, the US Dreamcast version had the bare minimum of unlockables and the Japanese has the rerelease version of Limited Edition, in which brought in more cutscenes not shown in the US version and remade 2 stages from DOA 1 that appeared in later versions. Unfortunately, Lei-Fang's stage did not make the cut in 2U. US Hardcore was basically having all of the content that were released in other versions after US DC version in one package, not counting yet ANOTHER version release months after it in Japan: Hard*Core, which have turbo settings.

Like mentioned before, it was briefly mentioned by Itagaki that technically they "could" of added more for that version (potentially could of fixed bugs and many more other issues) because the PS2 was in fact a better hardware than the Dreamcast was, but they specifically chose not to give too much attention to it because DOA3 was being in development. It only made sense on why the PS2 version looks rough because of the lack of effort and attention to detail put into it. On top that you had Itagaki on board when the guy did in fact had a legitimate hate boner for Sony platform when he was 20 years younger as a rebel. He was still at the competitive edge here of being the tag team Xbox+DOA vs Sony+Tekken. I absolutely love the Dreamcast since it's my top favorite console of all time but i'd be in copium if I overlooked PS2's specs vs Dreamcast here. PS2 was one of the many reasons why Sega dropped away from the console race because of how drastic and well timed on PS2 releasing, on top of Dreamcast's poor sales. Dreamcast deserved better.

PS2 loses a lot of port matches to DC, and XBOX wasn't just more powerful; it was immensely more powerful than the PS2. It blew it away and made it look like a pile of trash.

Yeah, it's why I previously mentioned Xbox blew PS2 away by a mile in terms of hardware (at that time that is). Now Xbox and Sony are not that far off in terms of specs because console has reached a point of technology of reaching similar levels due to companies developing games with multiplatform in mind aside from corporate exclusivity, and the only platform that's ahead on a big mile in gaming race is PC. Because of this, Itagaki was humbled when he saw how far ahead both Sony and Xbox has become, and became even more humbled with how much bigger PC is getting. Which is why I mentioned it didn't really matter if Xbox was much more powerful because we've reached a time period where neither platform matters in terms of specs, so now it only matters based off service, game library, or subscriptions. Literally the console war now in this present time is a battle of convenience and game libraries.

I mean, even if Sony is ahead or Xbox is ahead against each other, PC can potentially find a way to shit on both, hence why it didn't matter which console was more powerful these days.
 

Derock

Well-Known Member
I absolutely love the Dreamcast since it's my top favorite console of all time but i'd be in copium if I overlooked PS2's specs vs Dreamcast here. PS2 was one of the many reasons why Sega dropped away from the console race because of how drastic and well timed on PS2 releasing, on top of Dreamcast's poor sales. Dreamcast deserved better.

The Dreamcast was my favorite too. But it wasn't just the console poor sales in the West. It was the craziness and stupidity SEGA was doing during the Saturn era: bad marketing decisions when debuting Saturn in the US, Sonic Xtreme's disastrous developments behind-the-scenes and of course, the miscommunications and egos going at each other with the Japanese and American branches.
 
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