The Dead or Alive crew is back and better than ever in Dead or Alive 5, with Team Ninja taking off the gloves to steal the fighting game crown from Namco, who recently released Tekken Tag Tournament 2, at almost the same time as Dead or Alive 5.
Returning characters include Jann Lee, Tina, Lei Fang, Kasumi, Ayane, Hayate and the always-popular Ryu Hayabusa. In addition to the already impressive roster are two brand new fighters named Mila and Rig. Mila is an MMA fighter who takes her fight to the ground with armbars and triangle chokes, while Rig is a Taekwondo stylist whose fighting style includes a flamingo stance and ridiculously vicious roundhouse kicks. The overall character design is awesome, and the ladies are just as beautiful as ever.
One of the newest features is the new Power Blow system. Every time your health drops below 50 per cent, you’ll be able to do an attack that can knock the hell out of your opponent. You also have some control over where they land, and by aiming for one of the stage’s Danger Zones – which range from a circus cannon hidden behind a spooky clown face, to a row of explosive barrels.
With Story Mode, you get a Training room with the usual dummy settings and recording options in addition to the Versus, Arcade, Time Attack and Survival modes. Speaking of Story Mode, playing through it unlocks Gen Fu, who hasn’t been around since Dead or Alive 3, in addition to being able to unlock legendary Virtua Fighter characters Pai Chan, Sarah Bryant, and Akira.
The Tag Match mode has been put back into the game, which a few of you may be happy to hear about. It’s not as sophisticated as Tekken Tag Tournament 2, but in terms of letting you combo back and forth between your two chosen characters, the system is pretty nice.
Dead or Alive 5’s online modes feature customizable lobbies, ranked matches, filterable leaderboards and a Fighter List feature that lets you register online players so you can download their AI data and fight them in the future.
Ultimately, Dead or Alive 5 is without a doubt, the best game in the series. It keeps its identity as a fast-paced, visually stunning 3D fighter while shedding much of the baggage that previously held it back. While there is still plenty of eye candy for both men and women, it has taken a back seat to the true purpose of fighting games: fighting. It gives a fighting experience that is both easy to understand and exciting to watch for casual fans, while also providing more serious players with the depth and features they need to stay engaged.
If you’re a fan of the Dead or Alive series or fighting games in general and want to add some ass-kicking goodness to your library, then you should definitely give Dead or Alive 5 a chance, and you’ll find a powerful, highly entertaining fighter that will keep you busy for a long time.
