Dead or Alive 6: Last Round Review - A Pricey, Pointless Re-release

I truly do not understand Dead or Alive 6: Last Round. When the Koei Tecmo fighter originally launched on PS4 in 2019, it received a lukewarm reception at best. This repackaged next-gen re-release on PlayStation 5 presented a perfect opportunity to polish those rough edges and restore the title’s reputation. Instead, it seems to have made things worse.

A Content-Light Cash Grab

At a flabbergasting $40, this package offers almost nothing to justify its existence. It is essentially the same game as the 2019 release, sold without a complete DLC bundle. While there are some visual improvements to one stage—with more promised in the future—and a new character, Minato, coming later, the value proposition is non-existent. Even the DLC situation is frustrating; while you can transfer some items from the PS4 version, crossover characters Mai and Kula Diamond require a fresh purchase.

Combat vs. Quality

To give credit where it is due, the core fighting format remains crunchy and satisfying, with each hit landing with real impact. The developers have also made some welcome quality-of-life changes, such as reducing the requirements to unlock additional costumes via the Challenge mode. The online netcode functions adequately, but it falls well short of the standards set by the best fighters in the current genre.

If you look at the single-player cinematic story mode, the experience remains abysmal. It features an incoherent structure paired with truly diabolical voice acting that feels completely out of place on modern hardware. If the goal of this release was to build momentum for an all-new entry in the series, Koei Tecmo has utterly failed.