DEAD OR ALIVE 6 Last Round Review Summary

Fun gameplay and beginner-friendly combat with great visuals, but DLC must be repurchased at excessive prices and offers little improvement over DOA6.

Photo mode addition: A new photo mode with extensive customization options including free camera, adjustable poses, and expressions has been added. This feature is highly praised for its detail and creativity.

Gameplay is fun: Players widely report that the game is enjoyable, fun to play, and easy to pick up. Many reviews highlight fast-paced and engaging combat as a key strength.

Beginner-friendly combat system: The combat system is described as easy to learn with a triangle system, yet deep enough to master. Beginners can perform cool moves without difficulty, encouraging new players to engage.

Free core fighters version: The free Core Fighters version offers several popular characters and full online access, making it an easy recommendation for new players to try the game before buying.

Great graphics and visuals: High-quality graphics, impressive character designs, and smooth visuals are frequently mentioned. The game looks top-notch with beautiful characters and environments.

DLC content requires repurchase: Players who previously purchased DLC characters and costumes for Dead or Alive 6 are forced to buy them again in this version. This applies to many items including guest characters Mai and Kula.

Excessive DLC pricing: DLC prices have doubled or become extremely high, with some packs costing as much as the base game. The pricing is described as predatory and a cash grab.

No significant improvements from DOA6: The game is widely criticized for offering almost no upgrades or meaningful changes compared to the original Dead or Alive 6, with reviewers calling it a simple re-release. Players see no reason to switch or buy this version if they already own the original.

Specific characters must be rebought: The SNK guest characters Mai Shiranui and Kula Diamond must be purchased separately again even if the player owned them in the original DOA6. This is a major point of frustration for returning players.

Lack of rollback netcode: The game does not include rollback netcode, resulting in poor online matchmaking with delays, jittery connections, and lost inputs. This makes online play nearly unplayable for competitive and casual players alike.

Triangle rock-paper-scissors system: The game features a 3D fighting system where strikes beat throws, throws beat holds, and holds beat strikes, functioning like rock-paper-scissors. This triangular relationship is a core mechanic noted across multiple clusters.

Unique 3D fighting gameplay: The game is a fast-paced 3D fighter with high, mid, and low attack stances, side attacks, and simple combo execution. It stands out from competitors due to its distinct mechanics.

Hold system with timing: The hold system, including hi-counter holds, requires precise timing to counter attacks effectively. It is a rewarding defensive mechanic that works well when mastered.

Break Gauge special mechanics: The Break Gauge fills during battle and enables critical stuns, counters, and a Break Blow move that can turn the tide. It is a key defensive and offensive resource.

Rollback netcode presence: Some reviews mention or speculate about rollback netcode, suggesting improved online functionality. This is important for competitive play but not fully confirmed in all feedback.

Performance improved for some: Despite the complaints, a number of users report that the game runs better than the original on low-spec PCs, with smoother performance, improved resolution, and faster loading times. Some find it runs flawlessly on outdated hardware.

Online multiplayer lag and disconnects: Online play is frequently described as laggy, almost unplayable, with disconnects after a single match and crashes due to opponents' bad connections. The netcode is considered worse than previous titles like DOA6.

Oboro stage performance issues: Multiple users report significant frame drops on the Oboro stage, with FPS falling from 60 to 30 or 40 on recommended hardware like the GTX 1660s. This stage is widely considered poorly optimized, often forcing resolution or settings reductions.

Large disk space requirement: The game's file size has increased by 20-30 GB over the original, with the free version reaching 80 GB. This is attributed to high-resolution texture packs and overall content bloat.

Steam Deck runs poorly: Performance on Steam Deck is notably worse than the original, requiring minimum resolution or FSR2 at 1280x720 for acceptable gameplay. Users also report spike lag and general sluggishness compared to the vanilla version.

Not for DOA6 owners: Players who already own Dead or Alive 6 are strongly advised not to buy this version due to minimal differences and lack of new content. The game is essentially a re-release with few upgrades.

Recommended for newcomers: This game is frequently recommended as a good entry point for players new to the DOA series or those who have not played DOA6. It is considered the most complete version for beginners.

Try free version first: A common recommendation is to try the free Core Fighters version before purchasing. This allows players to test the game and decide if it suits them without committing money.

Wait for a sale: Some feedback suggests waiting for a significant discount or sale before considering a purchase. The game is not seen as worth full price by many players.

Poor for online play: The online mode is criticized, with recommendations to play only locally or with friends. The lack of rollback netcode and crossplay is a noted problem.

Community fair range: $10.00 - $20.00.

Dead or Alive 6 Last Round delivers immediate fun through its deep combat and excellent tutorial system, though grinding to unlock cosmetics and poor online performance create lingering friction.

Friction: grindy unlock system requiring random cosmetic drops; poor online netcode and low population; frame pacing and stutter issues; lack of new stages or meaningful balance changes.

Unlock drivers: comprehensive tutorial system; local multiplayer mode; deep and responsive combat mechanics.

Disenfranchised Veteran: Previously invested significant time in DOA6, now feels alienated by publisher decisions; may still play but avoids recommending purchase. Motivation: Desire to continue supporting the franchise but frustrated by forced repurchase and lack of innovation. Stance: no buy.

Cautious Newcomer: Learning the game through tutorials and training, exploring the roster, playing against similarly skilled opponents or CPU; avoids heavy DLC investment. Motivation: To experience DOA's unique fighting system with a comprehensive, beginner-friendly package. Stance: sale.

Fan Service Enthusiast: Engages with photo mode, local multiplayer, character customization; focuses on fan service and visual appeal rather than competitive progression. Motivation: To enjoy the visual fan service, screenshots, and casual local play without competitive pressure. Stance: deep sale.

Performance varies across hardware tiers: high-VRAM and high-RAM Windows systems generally report smooth gameplay with optimization improvements, while mid-range and lower-VRAM systems experience significant performance issues such as stuttering, frame pacing problems, and heavy Oboro stage penalties.

Windows 12-15GB VRAM / 16-31GB RAM: negative. Frequent stutters, frame skips, and poor optimization dominate, with even recommended reviews noting heavy stage performance drops and a 60fps cap criticized as outdated.

Windows <8GB VRAM: mixed. Some users report smooth performance and crisp graphics, but others experience heavy Oboro stage slowdown, input lag, and frame pacing issues, showing inconsistent results.

Windows 8-11GB VRAM: mixed. Positive reports mention acceptable performance with DLSS and photo mode, but negative reports highlight significant Oboro stage frame drops (dropping to 30fps) and persistent frame pacing problems.

Steam Deck: Dead or Alive 6 Last Round on Steam Deck suffers from performance drops, controller configuration bugs, save transfer failures on Linux, and an offline mode input lock. Upscaling options provide some relief but the experience requires tinkering with Proton GE and manual fixes.

Linux and Proton: Dead or Alive 6 (and Last Round) has mixed Linux/Proton compatibility. Some users report it runs perfectly, while others experience frame drops on specific stages and missing save transfer functionality. The game requires Proton and is officially unsupported, but overall playable for many.

Monetization: Dead or Alive 6: Last Round is overwhelmingly criticized as a predatory cash grab that forces previous owners to repurchase DLC characters at higher prices, includes overpriced costume bundles and even pay-to-dye mechanics, and offers minimal new content. The monetization strategy is designed to extract maximum revenue from existing fans, with many reviews calling it a scam.

Large install size gap: There is a significant install size difference between DOA6 at 58 GB and DOA6 Last Round at 82 GB, which may cause concern for players with limited storage space.