Dead or Alive 5 Last Round
Final updated version of Dead or Alive 5 with four new fighters
Dead or Alive 5 Last Round, a fighting game from Team Ninja and Koei Tecmo, hit consoles in 2015. It's the third and last major update to 2012's *Dead or Alive 5*, coming after *Plus* and *Ultimate*. You could play it on PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, Xbox 360, and Xbox One, with arcades in Japan and a Windows version also arriving that year. The big changes from *Ultimate* were four extra fighters and a graphical polish for the newer systems.
Unlike the original *Dead or Alive 5*, this version could be downloaded as an update on PS3 and Xbox 360, turning digital copies of *5 Ultimate* or *5 Ultimate: Core Fighters* into *Last Round*. Like its predecessor, a free-to-play version called *Dead or Alive 5 Last Round: Core Fighters* came out alongside the full retail game on PS4, Xbox One, and Windows.
**Gameplay**
*Last Round* packs in everything from *Dead or Alive 5 Ultimate*, plus new costumes, customizable hairstyles, four fresh characters, and two new stages—though those stages are only on PS4 and Xbox One. Those two versions also got a graphics boost, running at 1080p and 60 frames per second (menus and cutscenes stay at 30 fps). They use a new "Soft Engine" to better show off the softness of character models. After the *Senran Kagura* DLC costume pack, these versions also added clothing-breaker mechanics for certain collaboration outfits—like the female characters' Valentine's Day DLC—when you land a Critical Burst finisher on someone wearing them, similar to the Armor Breaker in Sega AM2's *Fighting Vipers*.
**Characters**
The roster keeps all 30 base fighters from *Ultimate*, plus three DLC characters (Marie Rose, Nyotengu, and Phase-4) and four *Virtua Fighter* guests (counting Jacky Bryant), along with over 300 costumes. *Last Round* adds four more: it brings back the original *Dead or Alive* boss, Raidou, as an undead cyborg, and introduces a new female fighter named Honoka, bringing the total to 34.
**New Fighters** - **Honoka**: An 18-year-old Japanese schoolgirl who uses her own style, "Honoka Fu." She has no combat experience but borrows moves from other characters and wields a mysterious power. - **Mai Shiranui**: A guest from *Fatal Fury*/*The King of Fighters*, announced at the 2016 Dead or Alive Festival and released on September 13, 2016.
Quick Facts
- Developer
- Team Ninja
- Publisher
- Koei Tecmo
- Series
- Dead or Alive
- Producer
- Yosuke Hayashi
- Director
- Yohei Shimbori / Tom Lee
- Genre
- Fighting
- Modes
- Single-player, multiplayer
- Arcade System
- Sega RingEdge 2
- Platforms
- Arcade / PlayStation 3 / PlayStation 4 / Windows / Xbox 360 / Xbox One
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
Dead or Alive 5 Last Round retains the 30 base characters from Ultimate, plus three DLC characters (Marie Rose, Nyotengu, and Phase-4) and four Virtua Fighter guests. It adds four new characters: Honoka, an 18-year-old Japanese schoolgirl with a self-taught fighting style; Mai Shiranui, a guest from Fatal Fury/The King of Fighters (originally DLC for Ultimate Arcade); Naotora Ii, a guest from Samurai Warriors; and Raidou, the original Dead or Alive boss returning as an undead cyborg. This brings the total roster to 34 characters. The PlayStation 4 and Xbox One versions feature upgraded graphics at 1080p and 60 frames per second, using the Soft Engine to depict character body softness, and include two new stages not present on other platforms.
Reader's Guide
Dead or Alive 5 Last Round is significant as the definitive version of Dead or Alive 5, offering all prior content plus new characters, costumes, and graphical enhancements for eighth-generation consoles. Its free-to-play Core Fighters version expanded accessibility, and the Windows port marked only the second series game on PC. The game received long-term post-release support with numerous DLC costume packs, including collaborations with Senran Kagura, Falcom, Square Enix, and others. The addition of clothing breaker mechanics for certain DLC outfits, similar to Fighting Vipers' Armor Breaker, added a unique gameplay element. The game's arcade version was updated via a free patch, and its console versions allowed digital conversion from Dead or Alive 5 Ultimate. Despite file size limits ending DLC for PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360, the game remained active with balance adjustments and new stages. Its legacy includes influencing later series entries and crossovers, such as Ayane, Marie, and Honoka appearing in Senran Kagura games.
Did You Know?
- The PlayStation 4 and Xbox One versions run at 1080p and 60 frames per second, with main menu and cutscenes at 30 frames per second.
- The Windows version lacks the two new stages exclusive to PS4 and Xbox One and does not feature the Soft Engine breast physics.
- Pre-ordering at GameStop or GAME for PS4 or Xbox One rewarded the 'Ninja 2015' and 'Aloha' costume sets.
- The arcade version of Last Round was delivered as a free upgrade patch for the arcade version of Ultimate.
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