Dead or Alive 6: Last Round Review (PS5)

July 2, 2026 - 09:43

Despite having a lot of fun with Dead or Alive 6: Last Round on PlayStation 5, I am not sure who this release is actually for. Those who already own the original game have almost no reason to spend more money on what is essentially the same experience. The visual upgrade is minimal, and the performance boost does not change how the game plays. It runs smoothly, sure, but it ran fine on the PS4 Pro as well.

Players who missed the game the first time around will still find a solid fighting game here. But that would have been just as true if they picked up the previous version a few weeks ago. The core combat remains fast, responsive, and satisfying. The rock-paper-scissors counter system still rewards smart play. The roster is fun, and the stages are full of interactive hazards that keep matches unpredictable.

The problem is everything else. The single-player modes are weak. The story is forgettable. The online matchmaking works but feels dated. And the monetization is aggressive, even by modern standards. Underneath the weak modes and this questionable rerelease, Dead or Alive 6 is still a genuinely good fighting game. Fans of the genre should play it in some form. But this Last Round version on PS5 does not make a strong case for itself. It is a fine port, but little more.