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

[DestructionBomb]

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.

Yep. it was a multitude of reasons, but yeah here's some bits regarding DOA2HC and ancient posts I found to see if it checks out which does I believe:

Tomonobu Itagaki Reveals How Dead or Alive 2 Was Released Unfinished

www.siliconera.com

Basically this pretty much confirms that this wasn't even a PS2 thing to begin with in regards to DOA2HC being the way it is. It was because it was other situations to why it turned out like that including effort. PS2 does in fact have the specs to pull it off, but you had other factors involved.

Previously I thought it was just time constraints or purposely somewhat sabotaging it because of his Sony console hate boner back then since he one time mentioned "tired of the playstation", until I read that. Least I fully know now he wasn't fully involved initially.

 

[TheHunterKiller692]

Well, you definitely tell 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 during gameplay, while cutscenes were at 30. The downside of things for the PS2 versions was that the lighting was very bad, they were too damn bright and way too jaggy. with horrible anti-aliasing. 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 with turbo settings. 2U was made in the DOA3/Xtreme Volleyball engine and remade with new content, and yes, despite certain nuances (i.e., characters were starting not to show emotions properly on 2U unlike previous versions), XBOX version blew everything out of the water.

Eh. Sounds like I'm not missing much not playing the PS2 or Dreamcast versions. Then again, it's not going crazy over. And it sold poorly on the Xbox, last I checked. Not to mention, Itagaki got butthurt if you called him out on 2-4 basically being damn-near identical to each other, and the first game was a rushjob and a half (with the only notable comparison to other 3D FGs at the time being VF2's hilarious moon gravity being replaced with jiggle physics).

 

[Matt Ponton]

I enjoy Hard*Core because the extra credits list fan sites/rings at the time, showing that Team NINJA was very supportive of its fans even before social media really became a thing. Also, remember that DOA2LE had an Online option that let you email other fans and browse the Tecmo fan page from inside the game using the Dreamcast internet.

 

[TheHunterKiller692]

The extra credits in DOA2HC list fan sites/rings at the time, showing that Team NINJA was very supportive of its fans even before social media really became a thing.

DOA 5 also did that in its credits, as well.

 

[Matt Ponton]

DOA 5 also did that in its credits, as well.

Yeah, just was more prevalent with actual site banner icons displayed, whereas DOA5 sort of was just a Thanks list.

 

[WAZAAAAA]

garbage no effort run-of-the-mill article made to boost SEO

Smells AI-generated too, brief look at gamerant.com's homepage and they are shitting out something absurd like 10 articles per hour. We're getting mad at the shitpost of a machine

it's obvious that DOA2U is the ultimate DOA2 edition... it's in the name Kappa

 

[Moneyspider_Todd]

Well, at least it served to see how much every version of DOA2 had their own charm.
DOA2HC is a great game (i was just playing it on the afternoon on my PS2), the DC port is a solid foundation for the core game where all the other ports where built from, abd the XBOX game is the fruit of all the changes and learnings from DOA2 Arcade to DOA3.
So there's no wrong choice about DOA2.

 

[TheHunterKiller692]

There's no wrong choice about DOA2.

Agreed.

 

[deathofaninja]

Once again. I think Hardcore is the worst version for many reasons, but the jaggies have got to be the worst I have ever seen for a DOA game, and jaggies were a common affair on PS2.

DC version had vibrant color and of course was one of the most revolutionary fighters of all time.

XBOX had the unlocks, the graphics and online. Most people I know think Ultimate is the best game in the franchise.

Honestly though the only DOA games I’ve ever been meh about after all these years:

DOA2 Hardcore - For its choppy graphics, washed out color, jaggies and poor sound quality.

DOAD - I hated it but wanted to love it so bad. First off it’s on a Nintendo product made after the GameCube. Second it’s on a fucking handheld.

DOA Paradise - Good god did that game suck ass. I know it’s not even made by Team NINJA but it didn’t deserve the DOA name.

Every other DOA game has been a stellar production IMO.