Genre: Sports
Developer: Team Ninja
Publisher: Tecmo

Coming from Team Ninja, and using the DOA3 engine, I knew this title would have grade A graphics. The one thing that's taken a step back though is the dynamic lighting, or lack thereof. When combined with the grainy beach textures, this game doesn't look quite as pretty as DOA3. The FMV sequences are amazing however.

The voice actors were taken from DOA3, and have a number of remarks, such as "Nice Blocku!" (factoring in heavy Japanese accent here). Unfortunately, the player quips repeat far too often during matches. The soundtrack fits the game, but you'll probably want to replace it with a custom soundtrack, compliments of your cd collection and the Xbox hard drive.

This game, like all good games, makes use of few controls, but uses other methods such as timing to add depth. Volleyball in real life is a deceptively simple game that requires a little teamwork and some nice timing, a feel that is captured accurately here. There is also a fun gambling sim and a handful of other gameplay elements.

Like DOA3, this title is immediately discounted by many as simple "eye candy." Also like DOA3, this is not the case; DOAXV is a deep title that factors in a good volleyball sim, gambling, item collection, and relationship management. A word of warning: DOAXV has you saying, "Just one more match..." the entire time you play, highly addicting!