Dead or Alive 6 Review (PS4)

good
key review info
  • Game: Dead or Alive 6
  • Platform: Playstation 4
  • Show system requirements
  • Gamepad support: Yes  
  • Reviewed on:
Dead or Alive 6

While Mortal Kombat may have the edgy atmosphere and gruesome X-Ray Moves and Tekken has a wide variety of exotic looking characters, the Dead or Alive series has always made itself noticed with the fan service it brought, and the fun atmosphere that the combat instilled.
Dead or Alive 6 does not break tradition in any way, bringing the same game style we know and love.

Not too much of a budget in the story department

The latest entry in this 23-year-old game series comes with a fresh coat of paint, and the promise of better, more fluid combat, while not shying away from the tropes that made it special. But if you're interested in DOA 6 for the story, then you'll be in for a let-down, as the latest title doesn't have much of a main plot to revolve around, and most of the campaign looks like a big excuse so that every character can be relevant and have a bit of screen time.

Dead or Alive 6
Dead or Alive 6
Dead or Alive 6

New to DOA? Not anymore!

This latest entry introduces a new way of bringing new-comers to the franchise. While your generic fighting game tutorials may pit you against an AI opponent and casually give you directions on what buttons to push for you to punch, kick, dash or jump, DOA 6 brings you an interactive experience where the frame freezes and gives the proper hints during key moments. This not only lets you learn the basics but also get you started in chaining together the elaborate combos that some characters are well-known for.

Dead or Alive 6
Dead or Alive 6
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Plenty of characters already have signature moves associated with them since the start of the franchise,  so each of them has a unique feel to them. Mastering them all can thus be quite a headache, so DOA 6 brings a new game mode called "DOA Quest" where you basically have to complete mini-missions with certain characters (all of which involve fighting), and you have to complete specific objectives, such as finishing a match with a given amount of health or performing a signature move belonging to that character. If you couple this with the Story Mode where you don't have to focus solely on winning, as well as the loading-screen tips that appear during preparation times, you will surely get accustomed to the fighters in no time.

Dead or Alive 6
Dead or Alive 6
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Making combat more manageable

The developers acknowledged the fact that among the AAA fighting titles, DOA was among those with the steepest learning curves. Because of this, players would usually fall into one of two categories: those who didn't have the patience to figure out what was happening on the screen (probably because of the cleavage) and would resort to button-mashing, and those who were so good at the game that they would pummel the first category so hard they would rage-quit.  This was especially the case whenever they would manage to successfully pull off a hard combo and leave their opponent wondering where half their HP had gone. One thing I noticed is that there are situations you'd best try to avoid,  for example getting cornered since those are usually a self-sentence towards losing the match most of the time.

Dead or Alive 6
Dead or Alive 6
Dead or Alive 6
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New combat mechanics

Traditionally, DOA had a rock-paper-scissors approach (shortened to RPS by the community) when it came to how moves interacted with each other, where Blows would beat Throws, Holds would beat Blows, and Throws would beat Holds.

This latest title introduces two new mechanics, known as Break-Holds, and Break-Blows. These two mechanics are meant to go head-to-head against one another, in that a break-blow is an elaborate and extremely devastating strike made by the character, and a break-hold is a means of breaking out of such combos. The difference between these two mechanics and the previous three is that these two are gauge-based, and each of their respective gauges is filled up by doing well in combat.

Dead or Alive 6
Dead or Alive 6
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The environment isn't your friend

DOA was never a game to be taken too seriously, and this is reflected in how they seem to have handled the environment of the game. During fights, you can now use the various hazards on the map to your advantage, not just the skills and moves of your character, so it a flurry of punches or kicks don't seem to be enough, then maybe the pterodactyl from the "Lost Paradise" will do.

Dead or Alive 6
Dead or Alive 6
Dead or Alive 6

Dead or Alive haute couture

The 6th installment in the series brings the widest wardrobe variety so far in the franchise, and not only can you chose between base costumes, you even get minor adjustment options as well. You love that maid outfit Marie Rose sports, but are wondering what she would look like with a different headband, or if the outfit were deep-sea blue? There you have it. Of course, most options are locked at the beginning of the game, so you'll have to spend in-game currency to unlock them all.

Rip your opponents to shreds, or at least their clothes

Have you ever seen a real-life catfight where the clothing, accessories, and hair escaped unharmed? Well, fashion divas out there will be outraged when they learn that DOA 6 kept the "cosmetic damages" feature the developers introduced in DOA 5. This means that during a match, the more you mercilessly hit an opponent, the more pieces of his or her clothing will start falling off or end up getting ripped. They can even lose their accessories altogether, and even their hair can get all messy if they take too many sucker punches. Additionally, they finally made it so that characters can get bruised, and even bloody, but not too much, since this isn't MK.

Fan service galore

If you buy the title for the chance to see some skin, then you don't have to mercilessly beat the living daylights out of the female characters so that the clothes would come off, as they are already as skimpy as ever. Even if you do choose the path of the prude and select a character and outfit that shows next to nothing, the various fighting moves will put your character in positions where you'll get to see some "interesting" angles. Not only that, but the ever-present physics that dictate the movements of certain female body parts will also remind you that this is indeed a DOA title.

Dead or Alive 6
Dead or Alive 6
Dead or Alive 6

The Good

  • The expanded wardrobe options
  • The cosmetic damage
  • Improved combat mechanics with the introduction of new moves
  • Improved fighting tutorial for beginners
  • The graphics
  • The fan service
  • The DOA Quests

The Bad

  • The Story lacks in depth
  • The combat may seem one-sided at times
  • Poor audio dubbing

Conclusion

DOA brings justice to a fighting game series that has stood the test of time, bringing a perfect mix of fun combat, the same interesting characters we all know and love, and clothes not suited for colder seasons. The graphics are good, the combat mechanics are polished and revitalized with the introduction of the Break-Holds and Break Blows, and the outfits are plenty and more customizable than ever. In fewer words, DOA 6 is the "DOA-est" entry in the franchise so far, and the new tutorial system is perfect for introducing new generations of players to the game.
story 5
gameplay 8
concept 8
graphics 9
audio 7
multiplayer 8
final rating 7.5
Editor's review
good
 
NEXT REVIEW: Devil May Cry 5

Dead or Alive 6 Gallery (30 Images)

Dead or Alive 6
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