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xboxtito
09-09-2002, 11:45 AM
Tecmo in Review
http://www.xboxevolved.com/images/content/tecmo.jpg

We check out Tecmo’s five games, previewed, reviewed, and discussed, along with a few great wallpapers.

In our newest editorial section at Xbox Evolved we will periodically review a company creating games for the Xbox with a sort of countdown to the best (number one being the best of course) and at the end giving them a score from 1-10 (ten being the best, one the worst).

About Tecmo
Always striving to be in front of the competitors, established in 1967 in Japan Tecmo began making arcade games. They always try to use the latest technology, and create technology to make the best experience possible.

Led by gamers themselves, they are home of many popular franchises including Monster Rancher, Gallop Racer, Dead or Alive, Rygar, and their star franchise, Ninja Gaiden which was created in the late 80’s. Like most developers Tecmo takes these great franchises to new levels as much as possible, in as well of quality as they can.

"Tecmo: 100% games."

It is with that slogan, that philosophy they base all their works on as that is of course what they do, and every moment of their lives deals with gaming.Click here to learn about all the software they have created (http://www.gamerankings.com/itemrankings/launchreview.asp?reviewid=84586)

The Games
http://www.xboxevolved.com/images/content/fatalframe-thumb.jpg5. Fatal Frame
While little has been publicized about the game, there really isn’t all that much to in the first place. It is based on a true story, yet it doesn’t take a rocket scientist a whole lot of thinking to realize how much the truth had been stretched to achieve the game.

Released on PlayStation 2 nearly a year ago, you play the role of a woman who somehow captures ghost with a camera. The graphics are fairly good, and if you’re a survival-horror fan looking for something to hold you over until “Silent Hill 3" is officially announced and released to Xbox this would be your best bet, as the game will also come at the low, low price of $39.99.
Read the preview… (http://www.gamerankings.com/itemrankings/launchreview.asp?reviewid=84586)


http://www.xboxevolved.com/images/content/doa3-thumb.jpg4. Dead or Alive 3
Bouncy, bouncy. Trouncy trouncy. Fun, fun, fun. These are just some of the phrases many adolescent-mid 20’s males have uttered while playing this “in-depth" brawler.

Team Ninja of Tecmo’s director and Japanese bad ass Tomonobu Itagaki had this to say about other fighters “they’re all sh@#!", and what a self promoter he is. Since DOA3’s release the game has become the best selling Japanese Xbox game, and has sold over one million worldwide in less than eight months. The series has proven many points, including the gaming industry is dominated by perverted man-children, and they like women who have the same 36c+ bust but with a different hair style. The creators have been nice enough to create a add-on for people in America with extra costumes for the characters, and the Japanese intro to the game. This same disc has created a new hobby in many hacker wannabe perverted gamers (we don’t deal with those types!) who would some how mix and match costumes using the Xbox and harddrive to try and make the characters naked, or other sickening things such as deforming them (trust me its not pretty, and not healthy for your Xbox either so DON’T do it!).

The game does have many interesting things to offer though, such as Ninja Gaiden/Ryu Hayabusa bad ass who literally put Tecmo to where it is right now. Sweet and innocent Hitomi who has brought many new, and even younger fans to the DOA games (her age is 16 on the game but that is debatable).

Brad Wong who’s drunken master style is as good to use as it is fun to watch him make a total ass of himself, and many others. Any way you cut it though, the game is graphically two years ahead of all fighters competition, but in the same sense two years behind in gameplay.

3. Dead or Alive 4?
Very little is known about the game, or what system it will be on. Many people speculate PlayStation 2, but if Team Ninja keeps the pattern they have right now, the chances of seeing the game on any other platform other than Xbox is pretty slim.

What is known about the game officially is that the majority of it should take place on Zack Island, an island owned by the DOA fighter Zack, and of course were Dead or Alive Xtreme Volleyball takes place also. I am assuming that people will finally age in the game, as Tecmo for some reason or another never makes the characters age in previous ones (look in the manuals). We assume there are at least two new characters, one black, and both of course women. I am also betting some of the older characters may be out of the game, such as Gen Fu, or the all sobered up-no-more-fun Brad Wong. Expect the game to of course break ground graphically and perhaps even in gameplay. Don’t be surprised if some sort of weapons systems is introduced, or if the game is more free roaming, and more interactive with environments.

We conclude with the two best Tecmo games, what to expect, and some wallpapers. When your done make sure to check out the links, and vote for your favorite game on our poll also.
http://www.xboxevolved.com/images/content/doaxv-thumb.jpg
2. Dead or Alive Xtreme Volleyball
Almost poking fun at the opinion of many critics that DOA games only sell because of the “Baywatch" qualities, the game literally takes you to the bay. What is even more interesting is it pushes the game to a rated M for Mature rating because of MANY “interesting factors". These are including:

-Many women bouncing up and down on a sandy beach
-The ability to buy other bikini’s and such, but also little accessories (think Barbie dolls but in a perverted sense) which supposedly adds to the gameplay.
-Explicit videos and imagery that display lesbian like scenes, and “Swimsuit Illustrated" fit scenes.URL=http://www.gamerankings.com/itemrankings/launchreview.asp?reviewid=84586](view more of them here -Apparently the game has a beaver/gofer character (strange sexual reference)[/URL] Many critics are claiming it is just trying to cash in on the oh so empty “volleyball genre" and trying to mimic Sega’s Beach Spikers. Is this true? Who really cares? The game is set on “Zack Island" an island that DOA fighter Zack bought after apparently winning lots of money gambling. Swedish pop star Meja put out this catchy tune called "How Crazy are You?" in 1996 and it is the theme song of Dead or Alive Xtreme Volleyball. Sort of a girly song, it somewhat sounds like a song you would hear in a strip bar, and is just as catchy.

Probably the most buzz around the game however came from the rumors of what will happen in the game. Rumors like four player, internet play, and the funniest (and false) one, topless mode. Check out the game in November

http://www.xboxevolved.com/images/content/ninjagaiden-thumb.jpg1. Ninja Gaiden
Team Ninja was formed in the mid-90’s deriving its name from Ninja Gaiden with every intention of creating a new Ninja Gaiden game. Dead or Alive came to PlayStation with the intention to build up hype for the Ninja Gaiden character, under his true alias Ryu Hayabusa. Later Dead or Alive 2 was released on the Sega Dreamcast and EVEN had Ryu Haybusa’s Ninja Gaiden suit. Team Ninja was rumored to have every intention to release Ninja Gaiden on the Dreamcast but later on in 2001, the Dreamcast died.



While very little is known about this new edition of the game, like many of the nostalgia inducing reincarnations of Tecmo’s older franchises (they are releasing a new Rygar game to the PlayStation 2 this year also) it plans to be heavy on graphics, sound, and much more of the good old gameplay veterans remember. From the few screens of the game, and the video of show at E3 2002 the game is looking to be VERY impressive. The graphics surpass even that of the DOAXVB, with more bump-mapping, shadowing, and particle effects than one could want. At the time the only other game that looks better than Ninja Gaiden on the Xbox console is Halo 2.

What has been shown is a quick Ninja Gaiden, flipping, and slitting throats of enemy ninjas, and battling larger than life monsters. Hopefully Team Ninja is taking enough time on the game, as it is being released only months after their other big project (and hey, all of their projects are big) Dead or Alive Xtreme Volleyball. In all hopes they game lets you build up somehow, and doesn’t follow just simple hack and slash mechanics.

What is next from Tecmo?

Well of course there is the aforementioned “Dead or Alive 4" after Ninja Gaiden, Dead or Alive Xtreme Volleyball, and Fatal Frame come out in the next few months, but DOA4 isn’t for at least another year. Expect Tecmo to bring more of its niche games to the Xbox when the Xbox becomes more popular in Japan. Games that appeal to all audiences such as dance/music games, Monster Rancher games, and for those oh so very few horse racing fans, Gallop Racer.

On the Xbox Live side, online version of Dead or Alive 3 are rumored to be in the works, as well as downloadable add-ons for all of Team Ninja’s games. Other than that information very little is known, so check back periodically for more information on Tecmo’s offerings.

RATING
7/10
Tecmo is a little two sided. On one hand, Team Ninja is showing Xbox more support than actually needed, even becoming an exclusive Tecmo team to the Xbox. On the other hand, Tecmo is offering only 1 game coming straight from Tecmo and that is the sleeper title, Fatal Frame. If Tecmo gets its act together and starts producing some of their own in-house works for the Xbox (and exclusively would be good) they could just score a 10 rating.

OppiumNitrates
09-09-2002, 11:53 AM
wheres Tecmo Super bowl on that list???? that was the best dam football sim ever made on the NES

Nato King
09-09-2002, 12:37 PM
Originally posted by OppiumNitrates
wheres Tecmo Super bowl on that list???? that was the best dam football sim ever made on the NES

I know what you mean OppiumNitrates. I really had some good times playing that game.:)