Untitled Document The "Dead or Alive" fighting series has always been a looker. And in the sleek new digs of the Xbox 360, this brawler has never looked hotter.



And I’m not talking just about the series’ hallmark lovely ladies, with their impossibly curvy physiques and teensy, form-fitting outfits that defy all of the laws of gravity to stay in place. The gorgeous and sometimes ludicrous backdrops offer a perfect complement to flowing fisticuffs.



From majestic red-carpeted halls to rocky cliffs to a rickety rope bridge over a shimmering river (which combatants are often knocked into), to an island escape that is reminiscent of "Land of the Lost" complete down to the dinosaurs roaming about, the locales are glowing with intricate detail. And they’re completely interactive. You can crush your opponent out of windows, down staircases and even into oncoming traffic.



But all of this beauty would be wasted if the fighting weren’t as beefy as this beast is. It’s remarkably easy to pick up and play.

And "Dead or Alive 4" gives you ample reasons to beat down your fellow hottie. The story-driven mode, with its sometimes too-hot-for-teenyboppers cinemas, hides plentiful extras: an assortment of playable characters and scores of campy outfits.



It’s easily the best fighter on the Xbox 360. Never mind it’s the only fighter available on the recently released console. Thankfully, it’s gorgeous to boot.



© 2006, Detroit Free Press.

Distributed by Knight Ridder/Tribune Information Services.