Platforms: PS4, Xbox One, PC
How do you solve a problem like Marie Rose? The (officially) 18-year-old Swedish fighter, kitted out in a 'sexy' maid outfit, is emblematic of Dead Or Alive’s longest-running problem – it's all a bit, well, pervy. For this sixth core instalment of Team Ninja's 3D-fighter, one of the big pre-release talking points was that this was the game where the series grew up, stopped trying to sell itself on scantily-clad characters, and showed its credentials as a 'proper' fighting game.
There are movements in the right direction – Kasumi, arguably the most iconic leading character, is actually covered up and now dresses like a ninja about to brawl. The endowments of the female characters are, for the most part, more realistic and less... jiggly. It's a lot of bait and switch though – unlockable costumes can amount to string bikinis, and that jiggle factor can be switched back on in the settings. Dead Or Alive 6 is like a sex addict hiding its credit card receipts from a strip joint bender.
And what better counterpoint to sex, than violence? Dead Or Alive 6 brings in new slow-motion close-up details of brutal strikes, with optional blood features. It's not anywhere close to Mortal Kombat’s notoriously over-the-top gore, but it feels an odd addition to a series known for its colourful combat, as if Team Ninja didn't know what to fill the void left by restrained sexuality with.
Dead or Alive 6’s odd relationship with sex and violence is eye roll-inducing at best.
All of which is a shame, because beneath the juvenile bluster, there's a solid – if unremarkable – beat 'em up here. Dead or Alive’s battle system is perhaps second only to Tekken’s for accessibility, with basic commands reduced to punch, kick, throw, and hold on the face buttons, and 'special' on the R1/RB button. It's easy enough for newcomers to experiment with, but allows combos to ramp up in complexity for more experienced players.
The game also does a better job of onboarding new players than many other fighting games. Playing through the Dead or Alive Quest mode – a series of combat challenges, earning in-game currency to spend on unlockables – you'll be prompted with optional tutorials for any objectives you fail. It's a wonderful way of guiding players, offering specific tips as and when they're needed, rather than expecting players to find the pointer they need in an entirely siloed-off training mode.
More advanced techniques, such as a juggle system to keep opponents literally off their feet so long as you time your strikes well, prevent the game from feeling entirely like button-bashing, while the series' familiar speedy combat and blend of side-stepping dodges, grapples, and counter-throws will keep you on your toes. There's nothing particularly outstanding about Dead Or Alive 6’s overall fighting system – especially when compared to the more consistent and well-rounded Tekken, or the more dynamic likes of Guilty Gear or Dragon Ball FighterZ – but it's competent enough to satisfy for a few rounds at a time.
It's all wrapped up in a gloriously nonsensical story surrounding the staging of the latest in-universe Dead or Alive fighting tournament, weaving together plot threads ranging from the machinations of a mystical Tengu, to corporate conspiracies over the explosive end to the previous tournament, to a schoolgirl with the mysterious ability to mimic other fighters' styles, to a cloning agenda gone awry. It's bonkers and more than a bit campy, but strangely enjoyable. Sadly though, English dubbing for the cutscenes leaves a lot to be desired – you'll want to switch to Japanese and put the subtitles on for a less jarring experience.
Dead Or Alive 6’s odd relationship with sex and violence is eye roll-inducing at best, and there's a nagging feeling that the developers have given up on standing shoulder-to-shoulder with the fighting genre's finest efforts. There's still plenty to like hidden away here, but for many, it's only going to be enjoyable in small doses.