Dead or Alive Xtreme 2

Dead or Alive Xtreme 2, released in North America in 2007 for the Xbox 360, was developed by Team Ninja. It follows *Dead or Alive Xtreme Beach Volleyball* and was directed by Hiroaki Matsui. The game broadens the range of activities from its predecessor, adding several new beach-themed minigames alongside the core volleyball.

In terms of gameplay, the title retains the two-week vacation structure from the original, where each day splits into morning, afternoon, and evening segments, with one activity allowed per segment. Players can choose from nine female characters from the series, each with specific preferences for items, hobbies, and favorite colors that affect their reactions to gifts. Kokoro, who previously appeared in *Dead or Alive 4*, joins the roster. The game emphasizes building friendships between characters by purchasing liked gifts from island shops, playing pool-hopping, and engaging in "butt battles," which raises their bond.

Beach volleyball returns as the main event, requiring a partner for two-on-two matches to seven points. The gameplay has been tweaked for increased difficulty and variety, still using only two buttons (pass/block and bump/spike), but now demanding more manual control since characters no longer automatically position themselves optimally. Online play allows two human players to compete with computer-controlled partners, though the offline two-player exhibition mode from the previous game was removed. The camera was also adjusted to fix erratic movement criticized in the original.

A new jet ski racing mode, playable offline or via Xbox Live, has been compared to the *Wave Race* series. Beyond volleyball, this is the only other minigame supporting multiplayer online. Other minigames include: pool-hopping (returning with modifications for the Xbox 360 controller’s lack of pressure sensitivity), beach flags (a new, simple but challenging game), butt battle (also called hip battle, where players try to knock opponents off a floating pad), tug-of-war (similar to butt battle), and water slide (sliding down a slide at high speed). Shopping for accessories, swimsuits, food, and drinks is essential, and a casino offers poker, blackjack, roulette, and character-themed slot machines. Landing three lucky sevens on Christie’s slot machine unlocks a clip of her performing a pole-dance in the chosen swimsuit.