Review for the mature guys and gals that don't hissy fit over beautiful virtual girls...
Itagaki has always been known to make some of the most gorgeus anime style looking virtual girls ever and here they don't disappoint. Although now they individual physics in each breast and they can be a bit exaggerated in their movements. The girls are as beautiful as ever, now sporting tan lines under certain conditions, which is a nice effect. Hair clipping is still an issue, a problem thats been held over for too long. Other than that the game is beautiful.
Ok first of all I had no idea what to do at first. I figured it was more of a dating sim, which I had no idea how to work. All I knew it had to do with relationships, I was right until I realized that I couldn't see any animations of the girl I chose opening a gift or trying on a new outfit. I was a bit bummed then I got some help from a friend and found out that in order to see such animations or do such things I needed to find a partner and get on their good side with my chosen girl. A bit disappointed that I can't see the girl I chose accepting a gift or rejecting it, I befriended another DOA girl and began showering her with gifts until my girl got on her good side. It was a bit of a learning experience. Although most of the girls are very cute and playful, they each have their own taste on what they like and what they dislike, they are unique in attitude towards each other and the gifts you give them. Try to get Kasumi to change into a cute little swimsuit right away and she will reject it in an instant. Yet if you shower her first with little gifts like flowers, ribbons, shoes then the swimsuit then she'll change right in front of you, sailor moon style. Its a very rewarding feeling.
So far I can't find any other major gripes of the game. The mini games well atleast the ones I tried are pretty fun altough a bit tough. Butt Battle (gotta love that name), Tug-of-War, Pool Hopping, and Beach Flag mini games so far are quite fun and entertaining in my opinion. But they are a bit difficult to win at, these mini-games take more luck since there is hardly any skill involved with them. The water slide is probably the hardest of them all, there always seems to be a turn that I can't manuever through and my girl ends up flying off it, but they are used to get thrown at such heights anyways.
Volleyball which is still the main focus of the game was at first a bit frustrating. I couldn't stop hitting the ball into my side of the net, but with a little practice I finally got the hang of it, if you have the timing right...you should perform well. Just don't expect to own every match, even I find myself losing matches still. Camera angles might be a little off but they are bearable, just follow the shadow of the volley ball, and you should predict where it lands properly. The volley ball is pretty fun and again I found it to be as entertaining as the minigames. So although the camera can get a lil annoying, it might mess you up a few times, but if you let it get the best of you, well then...thats your fault.
Now for the jet ski mode, this is where I have been spending most of my time on. I absolutely love this part of the game, its quite challenging trying to turn to get perfectly through the buoys and turbo, but its very fun. I can see why it reminded so many of wave race, its probably the best addition to the game.
And of course there is a casino, where you can play poker, slot machines, black jack, and roulette. So take that for all its worth, gambling is fun...only when you know how to play.
Another negative with the game though is how quickly the vacation ends, I found it sad that all my work was going to be lost with Hitomi and her relationship with Kokoro was going to be over. But what really made it all the better was when I started over again with Hitomi, Kokoro seemed to be waiting for Hitomi to return. So in the end it didn't seem much like a negative, I am still unsure if this works with all the girls and their relationships though. My point seems to be proven at times and others not so much.
Atleast the items you've aquired in your previous vacations carries on over to the next vacation, then to the next, etc. Camera work...here is a part I didn't find really enjoyable yet! I can't say I'm a fan of the controls for this, I'm not used to having the FPS control scheme reverse this time, an option to change it would have been nice. Also it would've been cooler if some scenes lasted a little longer or atleast looped for a second time so I can review the scene the first time, then snap my photos the second, I love taking classy photos though, so this was a little upsetting. Framerate, now some have been complaining about this. Especially in the volleyball, I remember another member posting about the volleyball being locked at 30 FPS? That maybe so but honestly I didn't see any framerate hiccups, and if they were I didn't find them noticeable at all. Theres alot of more time I wil be spending with the game as the weeks go on. I've tried to play online, but they aren't enough people on. And usually the volleyball match I played in thats for 2 people and 2 computer controlled characters, had frequent lag. Jet skis fared a little better with 4 people.
For better or for worst. I find this game to be very relaxing, which is what the developers intended it to be. A great break from my average action, shooting, racing, and whatever chaotic genre in video games there are in my collection. Although this may not be in agreement with some others opinions its my opinion, I'd appreciate if you would all respect that.