Not since the days of a certain sci-fi FPS has a game caused such commotion in OXM towers. When the title arrived the tip-tapping of keyboards ground to a halt, phones went to voicemail, chairs were rushed towards the television and the general wide-eyed look of expectation was a reminder of what kids look like when tearing into presents under the tree.

Rarely has a game courted such eager anticipation, but then rarely has a game promised so much. Gorgeous women in bikinis frolicking on a tropical island and indulging in a spot of volleyball. Now that's not a bad way to spend a cold Sunday afternoon.

DOAX Beach Volleyball is an original proposition, but with innovation comes controversy and the title has certainly had its fair share of that. Regardless of favoured console, every gamer has an opinion on this game and one way or another everyone has been getting hot and bothered at the prospect. Some cry “Sexist!" while even more shout "Yeah, baby!" So is it just a case of gratuitous flesh to sate the carnal appetite of frustrated young men, or does the title have a dash of brains to add to the obvious mix of beauty? And does it even matter? It is only a game after all...

Can you remember a game that had sex appeal? Not in a sleazy BMX XXX way, nor in isolated incidents like a stolen glimpse of a barmaid's cleavage found in the terminally late Baldurs Gate: Dark Alliance. We're talking about a game that tried to be sexy in its entirety. We certainly can't remember any, and that's one of the many ways that DOAX Volleyball breaks the mould.

It's a testament to technology that Team Ninja has been able to make a bunch of mathematical calculations (polygons) look this alluring. But as the old saying goes, beauty is only skin deep and not everything is as it seems.

Like most skin flicks, the story is only a token gesture. Veteran DOA character Zack has won a truckload of cash at a casino and naturally decides to buy his own island and dupe a bevvy of beauties into arriving in the hope of fighting in a tournament. You get to pick one of eight ladies from the Dead or Alive cast and play through a 14-day vacation on the aptly titled Zack Island. It soon becomes clear that slugging it out in a ring is as about likely as a snowstorm on the paradise isle. Therefore, as the ladies are naturally competitive (considering they're rock-hard brawlers), a spot of volleyball is required to help pass the time.

Volleyball can only be played in pairs, so it's necessary to team up with a partner to take on the other players. It won't be an immediate requirement in the beginning, as you'll have Lisa (the new girl to the series who's obviously looking to make friends) to show you around. To win friends and influence people you need to bribe them with gifts that suit their tastes. This is where the relationship management side of the game comes into play, and it's of equal importance to the sporting aspect because if you don't pay attention to making new friends you won't be playing any volleyball.

Every girl has a selection of favourite hobbies, foods and colours and it's your job to trawl through three shops to find items that you can offer as presents. If you don't pay attention to the initial biography screen (where you decide which character you wish to play) you'll be stuffed, because there are very few clues to the popularity of items with each character and this is a considerable gameplay oversight. Trial and error may work if you have the patience to face continual rejection, but you're limited by the strategic element of time pressure (you've only got 14 days and each day is split into slots when you have limited shopping access to buy your gifts). For example, how are you supposed to guess that Christie loves tomato juice or that Tina's favourite colour is sapphire blue?

As we played through the game we had to physically write down the characters' favourite tastes from the start to succeed in building relationships and subsequently play some volleyball. But then maybe that's because we still assumed that this game was about achieving a set goal or succeeding in some typical gaming fashion, and frankly it's not. This title sits firmly on the Japanese side of the fence with gameplay that's more about experiencing and enjoying the vacation and collecting random items rather than winning anything more than a volleyball match.

The game is actually a little misleading, because you're lured into playing it by the obvious male attraction of being able to watch graphical benchmark-quality characters bounce around in various states of undress (depending on the swimsuits you buy them). But then you also have the decidedly feminine task of considering which type of nail varnish, outfit or hair accessory that will most suit your intended squeeze. And when this is combined with girly squeals, a girly soundtrack and girly dialogue you start to feel that perhaps this game may indeed be more appreciated by the fairer sex.

The sports aspect is where competitive spirit comes back into play.

Volleyball is really an exercise in spotting opportunities and weaknesses in your opponents' play and the essence of this is captured very well. The difficulty level has been tweaked since we last saw playable code and the result is an experience that's incredibly easy to pick up and play but considerably more difficult to master.

You only use two buttons while playing - bumping and setting up the shot with the receive button, and blocking and spiking with the attack button. The variation of action is limited to five different manoeuvres but this game is all about timing, positioning and getting the best out of your computer-controlled team-mate. It plays incredibly fluidly, helped by the top-notch AI of your partner. Rallies between two teams (especially as the game progresses) can last for ages. You're going to love this sport almost as much as Tom Hanks's character in Castaway, whose only friend was a volleyball called Wilson.

But without the volleyball aspect the game feels quite hollow. There are mini-games such as pool-hopping and the quite sophisticated evening pursuits in the casino but apart from that there really isn't very much to do. As soon as you start getting good at volleyball or get lucky in the casino you'll have plenty of cash to buy whatever items you choose. Unless you're really into collecting everything, or you don't get tired of seeing different characters in different swimsuits, you'll have little incentive to replay.

There is nothing to unlock, and quite a scarce number of locations, although to the game's credit the different beach and jungle locales are nearly as gorgeous to look at as the models - who incidentally begin to lose their sex appeal once you get used to seeing them, kind of like Page Three photographer syndrome.

The relationship between you and your partner is not as sophisticated as it could be. There is little interaction between the two of you outside of playing volleyball - this is an overlooked opportunity considering the time spent in courting a prospective candidate.

DOAX Beach Volleyball is a game that you will either love or loathe. On one level it succeeds in creating some of the best Xbox graphics seen so far and combining stunning visuals with a very original scenario. It also creates an atmospheric summery vibe and is ideal for escaping the winter blues. However, with the exception of a two-player exhibition mode there isn't enough to keep a typical European gameplayer returning to it. Zooming in on cleavage will only take you so far and ultimately many gamers may end up thinking, "Is that all you've got?"

1. Fantastic eye-candy!
2. Original concept
3. Dependable AI
4. Great analogue control
5. Captures summer perfectly...

1. ...but lacks depth and sophistication.

Power
You will be hard pushed to find a better looking Xbox game. It's as stunning as Christie in a thong.

Style
Dripping in sunshine vibes and will genuinely make you feel like its a 80 degree day in August.

Immersion
Great analogue interface. You'll want to explore and develop your character as much as possible.

Lifespan
Unless you love collecting items, you may get bored, as the replay value is limited due to hollow gameplay.

Summary
Great to look at and fun to play, but with no online functionality and little replay value it's an acquired taste.