Soz for going off topic guys but my original response was a general one and not directly aimed at Azrikam or anyone. They are just my views since everyone looks for different qualities within a genre.
Just to add a bit of spice anyway I'll defend my decision about DoA3 -
I did state that I rated the game as a pick up and play title...
To me its just draws in the gamer due to its superb 3D graphics engine and the fact that its a pick up and play title
Basically echoing the points recently made by Azrikam and paiger. I have no issues with pick up and play titles... Hell I still enjoy the Game and Watch series ^_^ (probably shouldn't had admitted that...).
The issues of counters is a nice addition but it can lead to turtleing and IMO they are overpowered. You would only need to counter a few times and you've won the round. Even on the hardest setting its the same story once you know the fighting mechanics of the fighters.
As for Rock-paper-scissors gaming... I believe VF had it first then Tekken refined it into a deadly art in Tekken 2... Especially with the overly powerful Kazuya (thankfully he was toned down in Tekken 3). Rock-paper-scissors is a core part of Tekken for almost every character in Tekken ever since the second title was released and it is a challange to read the movements well. VF4 however takes it up to another level way beyond what Tekken and DoA3 could ever achieve and because it doesn't have any real "introduction" characters like Eddy in Tekken, you really do need to spend time with it.
As for simple and complex throws and combos thats been the staple of fighting games since Street Fighter and King of Fighters. Throws do have importance but are often easy to escape from so again from Tekken 2, VF and King of Fighters, Juggles are probably the or certainly one of the main forms of attack. If you know how to juggle well, then you are almost there in becoming a superb fighter. Juggling isn't a standard of course (in Tekken the longer the juggle the less energy is taken off forcing you do refine your juggles for the situation and damage. In SFA3 juggles are produced by a points scheme depending on the counter/alpha counter, move, special move and supers etc).
DoA3 also has juggles aplenty and is probably more important in this game than any other due to the ease of counters.
DoA3 is indeed a great title along with Soul Calibur to entice new gamers into the fighting genre but for me the competition against my mates is more fierce.
I have a few mates that are more skilled than I am on SFA3, Capcom Vs SNK2, VF4 and Tekken 4 so for me its a challange often lacking in present games. Its not so much how hard it is to play against them, but its the way you react to such pressure that keeps me in the game. I have no joy beating someone who I know has less ability in a genre. That is only reserved when defeating a better balanced and skilled person in battle.
Practise, practise, practise. At the end of the day I would like to improve as a gamer rather than to rest on my current skill levels and the playing field for such skills could not be any larger or higher than online. Thats not to say that I rate myself in everything! But I do like a challange and often enough I fail due to lack of practise (you have to love work.. But then it pays for the games ^_^). If I do lose I'll just keep on chipping away because the last thing I would want to do is to quit.
Admittedly not everyone can play against equally skilled or better opponents all the time and one would be lucky to have a mate that is. I guess thats why I'm looking forward to the online challange since there won't be a shortage of opponents if I win or lose. Also I hope Tekki has LAN play... That'll be an experience ^_^
Everyone looks for different qualities in different genres and we're no different. I just simply don't rate the game higher than others but I know of its strengths just like Soul Calibur.
As for the "T&A" thing, I guess I should have reserved that for DoA Xtreme volleyball ^_^
BTW RimBlock, the PS2 is hardly going to go away tomorrow. It'll be around until 2004/5 as I've said but if graphics does mean everything then wait for the GeForceFX (Feb 2003) card for your PC. The technology may be dated but it has videogames to play on, much like the old Gameboy or even GBA. At the end of the day all of the three consoles have a long lifespan until 2004/5 and the decision should ideally be based on videogames alone.
Of course everyone has their own criteria so to avoid from copying and pasting from other threads, I'll leave the choice you you mate.
BTW I've also spent loads on my AV system... It doesn't half hurt the wallet >_<
and would like to get a new console.
