Allow me to expose myself as a gamer for a moment (pause). Back when the Xbox released in 2001, I played some Halo: Combat Evolved at a buddy's house and had my mind blown. He had a few other games for Microsoft's green monster, but I wasn't impressed enough to drop the coin for Master Chief alone. A few weeks later, we went in on his newly purchased Dead or Alive 3, also known as the game which helped sell me on Xbox, and consequently ruined my adult social life.
I enjoyed the original Dead or Alive games, though what Team Ninja was able to do with Dead or Alive 3 was a revelation. Incredible interactive environments, beautifully rendered characters, tricky yet rewarding combos (Hayabusa's Izuna Drop still eludes me), and explosive tag battle action. The series' fourth entry was more of the same, but better looking. Dead or Alive 5 seems to be adding to that formula, by showcasing series heavyweights Hayabusa and Hayate literally bringing down the house with hard-hitting ninjutsu. Oh yeah, want. While the post-Itagaki Ninja Gaiden III has slightly shaken my faith, the new Team Ninja's Dead or Alive is looking fine as a muhfucka, even in it's pre-alpha infancy.
So get this, two ninjas walk into a construction site, right.. What? Have you heard this one before?