Skip to content
Home » Dead or Alive 5: Last Round Review – A Flawed Port but Great Nonetheless

Dead or Alive 5: Last Round Review – A Flawed Port but Great Nonetheless

h

Dead or Alive 5: Last Round
Team Ninja

I’ve been playing the Dead or Alive series since way back in 1996, when its first incarnation graced me and my gaming buddies. Well, graced might not be the word in retrospect, since the graphics were pretty rough looking. Since then, each new version of Dead or Alive has stepped up its game, so to speak, and offered not only visual improvements, but also various gameplay innovations as well.

I distinctly remember that Dead or Alive 2 looked a lot better than the first game, but it wasn’t until Dead or Alive 3 that I was truly hooked. Dead or Alive 3’s graphics were simply stunning—way ahead of its time, and quite simply, blew its closest competitors (the Tekken and Virtua Fighter franchises) out of the water. Speaking of which, I’ve always been a fan of the Tekken series as well, but Virtua Fighter always seemed too clunky and floaty to be of interest.

In the past, I’d often wondered if a developer would come along who could take the greatest fight scenes from film—such as those from The Matrix series as well as any great wire-fu movie—and properly translate them into a game. Well, playing Dead or Alive 3 was the closest thing to that I’d experienced, up to that point in time. In fact, I lost hundreds of hours to it while playing long into the nights, along with my equally addicted gaming friends. It was just that magnificent.

11

I considered Dead or Alive 4 a slight update to Dead or Alive 3, but not as groundbreaking, although a few of the stages, such as the rope bridge and Vegas strip, were particularly memorable. Sadly, the series’ developers, Team Ninja, announced that Dead or Alive 5 would be the final swan song of the franchise, and it was released back in 2012 to the console market. I didn’t weep any virtual tears upon hearing the news since I was more into PC games as opposed to consoles. But, when it was announced that Team Ninja was working on a PC port of this last entry in the series, my ears perked up and my expectations began to rise. Couple that with the fact that there just aren’t any decent 3-D fighting games available for the PC, and I was pretty giddy indeed.

So, in 2015 Team Ninja released Dead or Alive 5: Last Round (the PC port) to the gaming masses and I promptly snapped it up. Unfortunately, I hadn’t read the fine print because not only was Dead or Alive 5: Last Round missing a few things, such as a couple of stages and breakable costumes, but also not present was online play. That’s right, Dead or Alive 5: Last Round launched on Steam without online capability, but Team Ninja and their publisher, Tecmo, promised to have the online portion available within a few months. That in turn was extended to many more months, much to the chagrin of us faithful gamers, many of whom had purchased the game specifically for online play in the first place.

2

Finally, in October of 2015, after many gamers had already abandoned the game, they released an online patch. However, disappointingly, their version of an online mode was a seriously flawed one. I purposefully put off reviewing Dead or Alive 5: Last Round until now, since I wanted to see if they’d improved the game’s online mode, but here we are nine months later and it still hasn’t happened, and sadly, probably never will.

Dead or Alive 5: Last Round’s online component is bereft of any matchmaking capabilities (good luck finding a friend to play with) since it doesn’t have any lobbies. Not only that, but many gamers reported having serious issues getting Dead or Alive 5: Last Round to work online at all. I personally didn’t experience any problems with my online play but it wasn’t the greatest experience. Many times, I’d wait to get connected for an online match, only to run into the same few players over and over again.

DEAD OR ALIVE 5 Last Round_20150119144622

This whole cascade of issues is unfortunate, because I consider the series (since Dead or Alive 3 at least) to be the greatest fighting game system out there. Dead or Alive games have always sported some of the most responsive gameplay I’ve ever experienced in a fighting game, and Dead or Alive 5: Last Round is the crowning achievement in that regard. It’s both newbie-friendly, since beginners can learn to string together combos quite quickly, but has so much depth to it that veteran fighting game aficionados will always keep learning new things as well.

The series’ signature rock, paper, and scissors fighting game mechanics, where strikes can contradict throws, and holds interrupt throws, is fully intact in this latest iteration. Moreover, Dead or Alive 5: Last Round’s controls have been tightened up so perfectly that after a while you’ll just get it, and whatever character that you’ve been focusing on will suddenly feel super-intuitive. In a relatively short amount of time you can go from being an awkward newb, to flourishing as a decently-trained competitor, if you put some work into it.

4

Another factor that makes Dead or Alive 5: Last Round such a joy to play is its interactive environments, such as being able to knock opponents into (and over or through) walls, barriers, and other obstacles. This fifth game even gives you the ability to grab onto the edge of a cliff or platform in order to save yourself from falling, for even more intense matches. And don’t let me start about the game’s counter system. You can not only sidestep your adversary in 3-D, but if you trigger a counter at the right time, you can use their momentum against them and punish them with either a reprisal counter attack, or some type of devastating sweep or throw. This makes for truly cinematic martial arts battles that resemble any great action film of the same genre.

Dead or Alive 5: Last Round’s graphics are simply stunning, with smoothed out edges, naturally flowing hair and clothes, and a new feature in this fifth game—sweat glands and clothing dirt. You heard that right, characters in Dead or Alive 5: Last Round will develop a sheen of sweat on their bodies and their outfits will get grungier as each round progresses.

If only other fighting games would take note of this and implement these features into their games, we’d have much more immersion in the genre as a whole. The only thing that I’d like to see further is realistic locational damage, such as bruises and cuts, but you can’t have it all, at least at this point. Hopefully, someone will think about including this rather glaring feature omission in fighting games. I mean, punching and kicking a character in the face over and over and there’s no indication of damage at all? Come on.

5

In all, I’m disappointed that Team Ninja dropped the ball with their PC port of Dead or Alive 5: Last Round. It’s as if they really don’t care about the PC gaming market. That’s unfortunate, because there is a huge vacuum of decent 3-D fighting games on Steam. Bandai-Namco just announced that they’re going to be releasing their first Steam version of their equally venerable fighting series, Tekken 7, next year. But until then, gamers can get at least a partial fix of 3-D fighting goodness with Dead or Alive 5: Last Round. Its incomplete online suite somewhat mars the overall package, but with its solid fighting system, outstanding visuals, and over-the-top, cinematic action, Dead or Alive 5: Last Round shouldn’t be passed up on by any true fighting game fan.

SCORE: 81%

Dead or Alive: Last Round has the most impressive graphics I’ve ever seen in a fighting game, but they require you to have a pretty beefy gaming PC in order to play it. So, you may just want to invest in a decent gaming PC:

Visit CyberpowerPC’s website to check out all of the other great deals as well!

 

68 thoughts on “Dead or Alive 5: Last Round Review – A Flawed Port but Great Nonetheless”

  1. outgoings marinus malodorous henn exhumed curling wardroom Yu-Chung Cynde
    buy cole haan online http://colehaan.easyinboxmailer.com

  2. riibklsoltf@gmail.com

    You completed a number of fine points there. I did a search on the subject matter and found mainly people will agree with your blog.
    cheap LK Bennett http://lkbennett.kmmits.com

  3. I’d be inclined to see eye to eye with you on this. Which is not something I typically do! I love reading a post that will make people think. Also, thanks for allowing me to speak my mind!
    ecco shoes uk http://www.londoon.co.uk

  4. Good thorough ideas here.Id like to suggest taking a look at such as something like cheeseburger. What do you think?
    cheap north face jackets http://northface.kmmits.com

  5. I have been meaning to post something like this on my website and you gave me an idea. Thanks.
    cheap arcteryx sale http://arcteryx.hawksportsind.com

  6. mapple technodelic nuptial bilanci photosynthesis storyline perugiho czech mouthpiece d8cd98f0
    rebecca minkoff store http://www.6pmall.store

  7. czprehdypmn@gmail.com

    naturally like your web site but you need to check the spelling on quite a few of your posts. Several of them are rife with spelling issues and I find it very troublesome to tell the truth nevertheless I will certainly come back again.
    vivienne westwood store online http://www.viviennewestwoodstore.cc

  8. I used to be searching for essential information on this subject. The data was important as Im about to launch my very own portal. Thanks for offering a missing hyperlink in my business. Anyway, in my language, there usually are not much good supply like this.
    discount Pierre Hardy outlet http://pierrehardy.ttravelmint.com

  9. Just thought I would comment and say neat theme, did you design it for yourself? Looks superb!
    cheap balmain jeans http://www.frdom.co.uk

  10. Youre not the regular blog author, man. You definitely have something important to contribute to the World Wide Web. Such a wonderful blog. I will revisit again for more.
    cheap new balance sale http://www.newbalancesale.store

  11. keep up the good work on the blog. I love it. Could use some more frequent updates, but i am quite sure that you got better or other things to do like we all do. 🙂
    cheap true religion sale http://www.truereligionsale.store

  12. Ive learned so much online in the past four years. The majority of my knowledge I attribute to reading great blogs like yours. Thank you!
    Ugg Outlet Online Store http://ugg.vidaaposvinte.com

  13. Have a excellent day!. There are some interesting points in that clause but I don’t know if I see all of them middle to center . There is some validity but I will take hold opinion until I look into it further. Good clause, thanks and we want more! Added to FeedBurner too. Hair Loss Treatment
    patagonia in stores http://www.newfashion.store

  14. weird burnet regularly Gabrila passageway Fanchette dill nonviolent deputize
    cole haan cheap http://colehaan.angigreene.com

  15. How are You, you must see those sites property ads and friendship and mobile phones
    mulberry uk http://www.blueheavenboutique.us

  16. Hello, I am a big fan of Justin Bieber One Less Lonely Girl, do You love dancing to it too? Laters!
    birkenstock shoes online http://www.birkenstockstore.cc

  17. A fantastic blogpost, I just given this onto a student who was doing a little analysis on that. And he in fact bought me breakfast because I discovered it for him. :).. So let me reword that: Thanks for the treat! But yeah Thanks for taking the time to discuss this, I feel strongly about it and enjoy learning more on this topic. If possible, as you gain expertise, would you mind updating your blog with more details? It is very helpful for me. Big thumb up for this post!
    stuart weitzman shoes online http://www.dolux.co.uk

  18. Fascinating articles, I saw something similar at Blog and Recommendation and here This Blog, laters!
    cole haan sale shoes http://colehaan.hartlaubinsurance.com

  19. Im impressed, I must say. Very rarely do I come across a blog that is both educative and entertaining, and let me tell you, you have hit the nail on the head. Your idea is important; the issue is something that not enough people are talking intelligently about. Im really happy that I stumbled across this in my search for something relating to this.
    stuart weitzman womens shoes http://www.ebaoy.co.uk

  20. As a Newbie, I am always exploring online for articles that can aid me. Thank you
    mont blanc watches sale http://www.shoopmall.co.uk

  21. When I open up your RSS feed it gives me a bunch of garbled text, is the malfunction on my side?
    ecco mens shoes online australia http://www.napfashion.co.uk

  22. Super-Duper website! I am loving it!! Will come back again. I am taking your feeds also
    ugg classic boots on sale http://www.uggsaleu.cc

  23. I learn something new on various blogs everyday. It is always stimulating to see content of other writers and learn a little something from them. Thank you for sharing.
    roberto cavalli outlet orlando http://robertocavalli.easyinboxmailer.com

  24. spermaceti siddone flooring nuri unwitting santis stannie muskett sullen
    vibram five fingers sale womens http://vibramfivefingers.unilorites.com

  25. Thought I would comment and say cool theme, did you design it for yourself? Looks really good!
    patagonia nano sale http://www.patagoniaonsale.cc

  26. Very good written post. It will be valuable to anybody who employess it, including myself. Keep doing what you are doing canr wait to read more posts.
    pierre hardys http://www.pierrehardystore.cc

  27. qkocckxwao@gmail.com

    Valuable information and excellent design you got here! I would like to thank you for sharing your thoughts and time into the stuff you post!! Thumbs up
    sergio rossi outlet online http://sergiorossi.ttravelmint.com

  28. igemimthdh@gmail.com

    I’m nevertheless learning from you, as I’m trying to achieve my goals. I truly liked reading everything which is written on your website.Keep the stories coming. I enjoyed it!
    balmain jeans h&m http://www.geous.co.uk

  29. wethxdhvphs@gmail.com

    How is it that just anyone can create a blog and get as popular as this? Its not like youve said something incredibly impressive more like youve painted a quite picture around an issue that you know nothing about! I dont want to sound mean, right here. But do you actually think that you can get away with adding some pretty pictures and not really say anything?
    balmain jeans kid cudi http://www.moother.co.uk

  30. Currently its good time to create a few plans for the longer term and it is the moment to take a break. I have learn this post and if I may just I wish to recommend you few interesting issues or advice. Maybe you can post subsequent articles referring to this blogpost. I hope to study more issues of it!
    cheap belstaff sale http://www.belstaffstore.cc

  31. I am impressed, I have to say. Very seldom do I see a blog that is both educative and entertaining, and let me tell you, youve hit the nail on the head. Your idea is important; the matter is something that not a lot of people are talking intelligently about. Im very happy that I stumbled across this in my search for something relating to this.
    nars pierre hardy http://www.pierrehardysale.cc

  32. you are aware of if facebook or twitter would just deal with their server tempo they would resolve like 905 of the issues, how tricky can it be?
    stores that carry hunter boots http://hunter.kmmits.com

  33. Just thought I would comment and say cool theme, did you create it for yourself? Really looks superb!
    moncler outlet online http://moncler.kmmits.com

  34. hfqpgcybdw@gmail.com

    Excellent blogger, Thankx for posting the outstanding article. I found it handy. Kind regards !!
    patagonia baby sale http://www.amapparel.co.uk

  35. Youre so cool! I dont suppose Ive read something like this before. So good to find any person with some unique ideas on this subject. realy thank you for starting this up. this website is something thats needed on the web, somebody with a little bit originality. helpful job for bringing something new to the internet!
    shop victoria’s secret outlet online http://www.victoriassecretsale.store

  36. Thanks for putting this up, it was quite helpful and helped immensely
    lafuma聽shoes price http://www.lafumasale.cc

  37. This website has more than enough good information on it, I check on it every few hours. I wish other sites spent as much time as this one does making information to the point to readers like myself. I recommend this site to all of my facebook friends. This website will make some massive passive profit Im sure.
    mont blanc watch sale http://www.asosso.co.uk

  38. Adding to my best bookmarks many thanks, certainly think about a follow up blog post.
    mens balmain jeans http://www.leove.co.uk

  39. fxqgigasgww@gmail.com

    If you are like a lot of people you can simply overlook this. The real truth comes with being honest with yourself and your goals. Generally this will lead to a mistaken and unproductive life.
    cheap uggs online http://ugg.kmmits.com

  40. yclgordl@gmail.com

    Impressive web site, Distinguished feedback that I can tackle. Im moving forward and may apply to my current job as a pet sitter, which is very enjoyable, but I need to additional expand. Regards
    coach factory outlet online store http://www.whistless.co.uk

  41. jlaoxwtczx@gmail.com

    Hello this post is nice and interesting. I’ll use it for my project . Can you say to me some related articles that I can read too? –
    jimmy choo wedding shoes on sale http://jimmychoo.francarrilloguerrero.com

  42. kqhketgyfp@gmail.com

    I have to say I frequently wondered on this subject , never actually took the time to research it, thanks for the post.
    pierre hardy espadrilles http://pierrehardy.francarrilloguerrero.com

  43. xxivkvqfvz@gmail.com

    I really enjoy this template you have got going on in your internet site. What is the name of the theme by the way? I was thinking of using this style for the website I am going to build for my class room project.
    rene caovilla slingback http://renecaovilla.kmmits.com

  44. fqjlwilg@gmail.com

    Wonderful job right here. I genuinely enjoyed what you had to say. Keep heading because you absolutely bring a new voice to this subject. Not many people would say what youve said and still make it interesting. Properly, at least Im interested. Cant wait to see much more of this from you.
    parajumpers long bear sale http://parajumpers.vidaaposvinte.com

  45. tjvopbcbfhf@gmail.com

    Hey cool blog, just wondering what anti-spam software program you utilize for feedback as a result of i get heaps on my blog. Anyway, in my language, there are not a lot good source like this.
    arcteryx outlet sale http://arcteryx.francarrilloguerrero.com

  46. aazwdidszg@gmail.com

    How did you make this blog look this cool. Email me if you get the chance and share your wisdom. Id be thankful.
    sergio rossi paris http://www.sergiorossistore.online

  47. May I post part of this on my personal blog if I place a reference to this website?
    lafuma聽shoes price http://www.lafumastore.cc

  48. emeplqetyov@gmail.com

    Bookmarked this particular web page, will come again for much more. You, my friend, awesome! I discovered just the details I by now explored in all places and just can’t find. What a perfect site. Such as this site your web site is 1 of my new most-loved.I like this information proven and it has given me some sort of enthusiasm to possess good results for some cause, so keep up the very good perform!
    mammut store z眉rich http://mammut.kmmits.com

  49. frcgdinbn@gmail.com

    Just to let you know, this content looks a little bit strange from my smart phone. Who knows maybe it is just my cell phone. Great article by the way.
    marmot jackets mens sale http://marmot.kmmits.com

  50. gfclwbrlsq@gmail.com

    producti cleva kala laddie select rerun patron dispatch niggling
    cheap uggs on sale http://ugg.websila.us

  51. bdgajlhrmfc@gmail.com

    I would like to consider the chance of saying thanks to you for your professional suggestions I have always enjoyed going to your site. We are looking forward to the actual commencement of my college research and the complete prep would never have been complete without dropping by your site. If I might be of any assistance to others, I will be delighted to help as a result of what I have learned from here.
    parajumpers sale http://parajumpers.websila.us

  52. Well I really liked reading it. This tip offered by you is very helpful for correct planning.
    used callaway drivers for sale http://www.callawaygolfoutlet.online

  53. Thought I would comment and say awesome theme, did you create it yourself? Looks superb!
    just cavalli online http://robertocavalli.angigreene.com

  54. jpnxqeyn@gmail.com

    You made certain nice points there. I did a search on the theme and found the majority of persons will have the same opinion with your blog.
    vibram five fingers cheap http://vibramfivefingers.easyinboxmailer.com

  55. znyyrftanj@gmail.com

    Thank you pertaining to sharing the following superb subject matter on your web-site. I came across it on google. I may check to come back once you publish additional aricles.
    belstaff panther sale http://belstaff.websila.us

  56. lvzllubhnfy@gmail.com

    The way you write make it truly effortless to read. And the design you use, wow. It is a really good combination. And I am wondering whats the name of the design you use?
    emu australia boots http://emu.hawksportsind.com

  57. Pingback: Dead or Alive 5: Last Round Review - Casual Gamer Life

Leave a Reply