Originally slated for a summer release in '04, Death by Degrees has finally been perfected enough, at least Namco would hope so, to be available in stores. From the highly popular fighting game series, Tekken, assassin for hire Nina Williams stars in this action adventure. Offering a uniquely different battle system from typical action adventures, some stealth capabilities, and puzzles, Namco has tried to set Death by Degrees apart from the norm. However, the battle system and the mediocrity of the other features make Death by Degrees unsuccessful.

It's a bit ironic that the cold and unsympathetic character of Nina Williams joins forces with the CIA to stop an underground organization. She goes undercover in a fighting tournament while her associates try to uncover things, when something goes wrong and they are all exposed. There's really not much else to the story other than this that really needs to be said. The beginning CG that goes with this description is actually quite good, although a bit long. It's about the only thing that Death by Degrees really has going for it.

The battle system in Death by Degrees puts all your attack functions in the right analog stick of your PlayStation 2 controller. You simply attack in the direction of your enemy to perform a combo. New moves can be earned as you level up your character by defeating opponents. Weapons such as a sword and handgun can also be equipped. This adds a bit of variety but Death by Degrees remains a mindless button mashing fest. When you have powered up your critical strike meter by mashing away at enemies, you can also perform a critical strike attack. An x-ray of your unlucky opponent's skeletal system will appear and zero in on a spot. Nina will then perform a bone crushing attack that may kill your opponent. This feature gets boring and repetitive to watch after seeing it a few times. With this game being a spin-off of the fighting game series, Tekken, it would have been more logical for the fighting system to be based off of that.

Namco attempts to make DbD a bit more varied by allowing you some Metal Gear Solid-like features. You can sneak into a room and take out your enemies by using a choke hold, but it's just as effective and faster to simply mash your right analog stick. Also on your way, you will have to use a pair of night vision goggles to maneuver your way through a motion detector. You will also collect fingerprints that will be used for scanners that will unlock certain doors. These features are fairly basic and mediocre, and if taken out, would not be noticeably different.

The soundtrack of Death by Degrees follows suit to its dull battle system. The music is lifeless, boring, and extremely repetitive. It is a far cry from the soundtrack found in the Tekken series. Sound effects are good but there is nothing that makes it stand out. The other cinematics and dialogue in Death by Degrees sound no better than a bad action movie straight to rental. The voice actors deliver emotionless dialogue, although the bad script is partially to blame.

Graphically, Death by Degrees looks good, but nothing is eye-catching. There is no attention to detail in the backgrounds and the characters look about average. Aside from the beginning CG, the other sequences aren't noteworthy at all.

There are some extra features in Death by Degrees that supposedly give it some replay value. One such feature allows you to play through the game as Nina's disgruntled sister, Anna Williams. Why in the world you would want to even finish this game to play as her sister is questionable, however. Also included with Death by Degrees is a demo of Tekken 5, which is slated for release this March. But fans of the eagerly anticipated fighting game will be disappointed to learn that the demo only allows you to play as the new character Raven and fight Asuka as your opponent. There is only one round available before the demo restarts itself.

Fans of the Tekken series will be thoroughly disappointed with Death by Degrees in all areas. If not for the Tekken logo behind it, Death by Degrees would probably be buried under all the other mediocre action adventures already available. Perhaps at least, Namco will learn from their mistakes and next time can deliver a solid spin-off. But for now, we will all be waiting for the anticipated March release of Tekken 5.