After the catastrophe that was Ninja Gaiden 3, my faith in Team Ninja was shaken. However, I wasn't about to jump on the bandwagon and declare Tomonobu Itagaki's departure the death knell for the Tecmo development team. Dead or Alive 5 restored some of that faith. It's a solid, well-rounded fighter that happens to be absolutely gorgeous to boot. It may not be as intricate or deep as Dead or Alive 4, but it's still a contender.

Team Ninja sure likes their virtual women. The ladies of Dead or Alive 5 are as sexualized (and therefore creepy) as they've ever been. Animation work is superb, which lends a sense of realism to the actual fighting -- which isn't terribly realistic to begin with. As far as the action goes, it's still probably the fastest three-dimensional fighter on the market. Environments are spectacular, continuing the franchise tradition.

Have any history with this franchise? If so, Dead or Alive 5's audio will leave a rather shocking first impression. The default dubbing is -- gasp! -- in English! This is often a bad sign in Japanese games; only the best of the best localization teams can get this right. The translation very rarely works and more often than not comes across as incomprehensible and idiotic. Such is the case with this game. I don't fault the actresses and actors, because frankly, nothing of value can be salvaged from the writing. Dead or Alive 5's sound effects get the job done. They don't come with the loud, explosive effects of Tekken, but they sound cleaner, which really goes a long way.

The Dead or Alive franchise has always had an underlying story, but it's never been more than a flimsy excuse to build a fighting game around a roster of perfectly symmetrical sex bombs. Dead or Alive 5 attempts to go the route of recent fighting games and includes a Story Mode that tries to involve you in the plights of its characters. The problem is that this universe is not interesting: the conflicts are yawn-inducing, the characters are vapid and impossible to relate to, and everything just feels random. You follow the cast of characters in Mortal Kombat fashion, often getting into fights for little to no reason. For the most part, Dead or Alive 5's Story Mode doesn't make the fatal mistake that Soul Calibur V's did. It doesn't take itself too seriously, especially at the beginning.

Dead or Alive 5 is standard as far as modes of play go. Whether you want to brawl your way up the ladder, thrash your buddies in local play, see how long you can last in Survival mode, or beat the clock, this game's bound to have something you'll like. Of course, none of this would mean anything if the fighting game at the core wasn't great. Rest assured, it is -- but I'll save the specifics for later in the review.

Provided you pick up a brand new copy of Dead or Alive 5, you can test your mettle over Xbox Live. Like the offline offerings, the online content is standard fare for fighting games. You can throw down in ranked and unranked matches, and you can also join a lobby with up to fifteen other people. If you find yourself matched up against someone you'd like to fight again, you can register him or her in the Fighter List and easily send challenges at a later time.

If you are familiar with three-dimensional fighting games, Dead or Alive 5 shouldn't present too many hurdles. Sure, there are some nuances to learn, but like in any other fighter, that comes with time and practice.

The Story Mode seems designed as a teaching tool, but it doesn't always do a great job of teaching the finer points of combat. Defense is a really big deal in Dead or Alive 5, and landing the right type of blow isn't worth much if you don't have the timing down. More often than not, the game simply drops you into a fight and lists the mechanic it wants you to learn as a bonus mission. It would have been better if it took a note from Tekken Tag Tournament 2 in this regard, though this game is certainly its own beast.

Dead or Alive 5 employs a rochambo style of fighting. There is a triangle, a hierarchy of strengths and weaknesses. Each style of attack is strong against one, but weak against the other. Strikes are prioritized over throws, which are prioritized over holds, which are prioritized over strikes. It's a good system, but its simplicity is only in its description. Each character has his or her own style of executing these attacks, which brings up another critical part of fighting: timing.

If you master the triangle and know exactly what to do at each given scenario, that's all fine and dandy. But if you can't time it properly, you may as well just stand there and take it. It won't look the same each time it happens, and you'll really need to be able to think fast and react accordingly. In a lesser fighting game, none of this would work. But Dead or Alive 5's controls are so sharp and responsive that any mistake you make is really your own fault. There are lots of defensive and evasive opportunities at your fingertips, but none of them will work in any given situation.

There are a few other mechanics you should take note of -- especially before going online. Critical hits and critical stuns are a really big deal, and if you put your opponent in a critical burst, the door is opened for a devastating combo. If your health falls below half, you can trigger a power blow, which is a flashy combo that results in serious damage to your opponent's health bar.

I don't think Dead or Alive 5 is as "hardcore" as its most immediate predecessor (and I certainly don't mean the beach-themed games). However, it's a fun and accessible fighting game in its own right, and it happens to look and sound fantastic. If you're a fan of the series, you're going to want to play this one.