October 26th promises to be not only an exciting day for Playstation2 fans, but fighting fans as well. In what could be the single greatest day in the history of the fighting genre, three big-name titles will be released. Your launch day budget most likely doesn't include enough financing to purchase all three fighting games, so we're here to give some more information to help you decide. As you astute readers may have already noticed, this preview is about Dead or Alive2: Hardcore. In the series latest incarnation, Tecmo promises more of everything; more fighters, more arenas, more costumes, and yes more skin.

The Dead or Alive series is based on two things; Fast and Furious gameplay, and of course beautiful, scantily clad women. Since this is a fighting game I'll discuss the highlights of the gameplay first. DOA2 offers a host of gameplay options: one on one fighting, tag battles (a feature now standard in most fighters), time attack, story mode and team battle. Fighting one and one in DOA2 is a bit different from any other fighting experience you may have ever had. Throws are a key part of brawling in this game, as well as reversals, and with Tecmo's "arcade friendly" control scheme they are fairly easy to accomplish. Another key to being successful in this game is having good "arena awareness". It is important to know exactly where you are in each level because one strong punch from an opponent could knock your fighter off a building, through a window, into a breaker box, you just never know. The good news for those of you who taking a tumble off of a rooftop, is that when you hit the pavement the fight is not over, not by a longshot. Your opponent will follow you down and continue the fight wherever you happened to have landed.

Tecmo has also gone all out when it comes to your favorite characters. Kasumi, Tina, Gen Fu, Zack, Jann Lee, Helena, Bass, Ayane, and many more are all present, and wearing new costumes just for you. Bayman and Tengu have also been added to the mix, giving you more fighters than ever before to choose from. Tecmo knows you guys love the women of DOA2 so much, they'll even let you vote for your favorite here. For those of you who are too lazy to click, Kasumi is winning in a landslide. In the story mode you will also be able to unlock CG art of all your favorite characters, in some enticing poses no doubt.

When DOA2 was released for the PS2 in Japan, it drew heavy criticism for not looking much (if any) better than the Dreamcast version. They will not make the same mistake twice, as the game features full screen anti-aliasing and several other graphical updates, all helping to make this title one that will make you proud to own a Playstation2. Since I already own Tekken Tag Tournament, this will be one of the titles coming home with me when I return from the launch day madness, and it is one all you fighting fans should consider picking up.