The Dead or Alive franchise has been successfully ported to the PS Vita with Dead or Alive 5 Plus that features the same awesome graphics and gameplay of its big brother console, the PS3. Even though the controls have been modified for the PS Vita, the gameplay is incredibly sturdy and is equally as fun the PS3 version.

Team Ninja should be commended on this portable version of Dead or Alive who not only created a very enjoyably fighter but some amazing binary babes and this series has always been about the babes. I'm just wondering when will see a remake of Dead or Alive Beach Volleyball? And yes, the Dead or Alive series has always been about the four B's. That's babes, bums, boobs and battles! It's not politically correct but the developers know their target audience!
 

Dead or Alive 5 Plus also boasts a variety modes of play such as arcade or time attack plus an online mode. Unfortunately there's no tag mode (due to storage space) but given the scope of the gameplay, we really can't complain. My favourite mode of play in this game is the story mode which allows you to play as different characters as they have their own interpretations of the overall story.

Yes the story mode is clichéd and badly voiced at times which always results in two characters fighting but there's just something so enjoyable with this 90's inspired story telling. Of course the scantily clad female fighters may help in this respect. In terms of story, it revolves around Helena trying to inform the world that DOATEC are now working for the good of mankind which is where the tournament aspect comes into play.

The roster for Dead or Alive 5 Plus are as follows;

Kasumi
Ayane
Hayate
Rue Hayabusa
Helena Douglas
Zack
Bayman
Kokoro
Chritie
Jann Lee
Lei Fang
Hitomi
Bass Armstrong
Tina Armstrong
Lisa Hamilton
Brad Wong
Eliot

Some gamers have called fighters button mashers and to some extent they are, however if you delve deeper into the control system, you will discover that Dead or Alive and many other fighters are filled with strategy and detail. Characters have access to a wide variety of attacks that include punches, kicks, throws, guards and holds. It works well with the Vita controls.

Fortunately for newcomers there is a training mode that teaches you the various manurers of the fighters you have unlocked, including chaining combos. Single player is fun but if you want to up the ante, online is where the difficulty can be found. Playing Dead or Alive 5 Plus online supports both ranked and unranked matches via the net and if you have a friend with a PS Vita, the game does support an Adhoc mode.

However the biggest change with the PS Vita version compared to the PS3 version is the inclusion of the touch screen. Plus now supports a touch fight mode where you use the screen to battle your opponents in a first person perspective and by swiping or touching a certain part of the screen, it will then create a different attack. Interestingly enough, it works quite well on the touch screen and I was surprised that Team Ninja even incorporated the gyroscope of the PS Vita as well which changes the view. Although this game is a M15+ rating, the "touch fight" aspect feels more like a mini-game you would find on a kids game but nonetheless it does spice up the gameplay.

Graphics/Sound

Graphically, Dead or Alive 5 Plus looks gorgeous on the PS Vita with the stars of the game being those gorgeous buxom warrior women. Add in the word "jiggle" somewhere in that sentence and my inner teenager is pleased. In relation to the breast "jiggle", this can be modified in the game to either disable the movement of the characters breasts completely, add the exaggerated DOA breast motion or even a natural option. Yeah yeah... it's not politically correct but most gamers are male!

Given that, all the characters are well modelled and move with this real-world grace with some exceptional textures and costumes. Backgrounds, although not as detailed as some other games help differentiate between the various arenas where you battle such as a jungle setting or a boxing ring for example. Additional costumes or should I say scantily clad costumes are available via the PlayStation Store but these just add an additional element of T&A to the game such as Bunny Swimwear or Naughty Girls.

Final Thoughts?

Apart from the T&A aspect of Dead or Alive 5 Plus, this fighter is actually quite a component fighting game that offers gamers of the PS Vita a really fun and addictive game. With a variety of different attacks that can also be chained together and some great offline and online modes, this game is definitely bordering on one of the best fighters on this console. Let's hope Team Ninja continue their great support of the PS Vita because Dead or Alive 5 Plus is a must have game for this console... provided you love fighters!