The Dead or Alive series has been dormant for a while now, but it was brought back with the launch of a native PC and console version that skipped its free-to-play release, which was a failure by most accounts. This new release was expected to breathe new life into the series. However, a number of questionable decisions may have instead put the franchise back on hold.
Dead or Alive 6 is a fun 3D fighter when it comes to the fundamentals of its combat. The game is built around a triangle system, a simple mechanic based on three core actions: strike, throw, and hold. These form the foundation of the combat system, with the Fatal Rush mechanic providing an easy way for anyone to chain together flashy combos. There is also some depth to the combat, with the ability to sidestep, use a Break Blow to interrupt an opponent’s combo, and take advantage of a counter system that lets experienced players gain the upper hand.
The stages in Dead or Alive 6 also deserve a mention. Each one features hazards that can be triggered through specific actions or by throwing an opponent into them. These environmental hazards add variety and make fights feel more dynamic, often turning the tide of battle in an instant. Combos are easy to perform, but mastering them takes a lot of practice because every character has a huge variety of moves to learn. The same is true for throws, which depend on your position and directional inputs. All of this helps make the combat feel fun and unpredictable, rather than relying on the modern 50/50 design.
The animations are admittedly quite dated and don’t look as smooth as those in modern 3D fighters like Tekken 8. Attacks also lack the weight and impact you would expect, especially if you’re coming from playing Tekken 8 extensively. The combos are not as satisfying either and quickly become repetitive. While the large moveset can seem overwhelming at first, I found that I only needed to learn a handful of combos. That might be different in a more competitive setting.
The biggest mistake Dead or Alive 6 commits is that it simply asks too much for such an old game. Its launch price is steep, and it does not even include all of the DLC. Mai and Kula are still locked behind separate paid DLC, each available for an additional fee. Koei Tecmo has also announced that more DLC characters are on the way, which is unlikely to sit well with long-time fans who were expecting a complete package.
Visually, the game feels incredibly dated by current-generation standards. The image quality is crisp and, in my experience, performance has been flawless. However, the character models look like they belong on the PS4, with skin that has an artificial, plastic-like appearance. The game also relies heavily on exaggerated jiggle physics, which feel like unnecessary fan service. The character roster is decent, but the bigger issue is how much content is locked behind paid DLC. While there are plenty of costumes to unlock for every character through gameplay, many more are still sold as microtransactions, which feels difficult to justify for a game of this age.
If Koei Tecmo’s plan was to bring the series back for one last hurrah, it did not succeed. While the gameplay is the game’s biggest strength, the overall package feels bare-bones. Multiplayer is held back by poor netcode, meaning most players will likely spend their time in the single-player content, but even that lacks engaging offline modes. Quest Mode offers the most content with plenty of challenge stages, but it does not make up for the absence of a proper story mode. There is no Tag Mode either, only a basic Arcade Mode with multiple difficulty options. I first played on Normal, which felt far too easy, then switched to the highest difficulty, which still was not particularly challenging outside of a few fights. The problem is that the CPU can often be beaten by repeatedly using a few combos, while the disappointing multiplayer experience hurts the game’s replay value.
On the positive side, the training mode is well designed and does an excellent job of teaching the fundamentals of the combat system. The character roster offers a good variety of fighters, which helps extend the game’s replay value. A Photo Mode is also included, and for players who enjoy taking screenshots of their favourite characters, it serves its purpose well.
Overall, I would not recommend buying Dead or Alive 6. It is better to wait for the next Dead or Alive game, which will hopefully be a stronger release and a much more accessible experience for everyone.
DEAD OR ALIVE 6 Last Round Game Information
- Price: $39.99
- Publisher: Koei Tecmo
- Developer: Team NINJA
- Platform: PS5 (Reviewed)
- Disclaimer: A review code was given by the publisher
