Dead or Alive 6

Dead or Alive 6 is another entry in Team Ninja's famous fighting series, which has long built a reputation for a fast, technical fighting system and a lighter, visually flashy atmosphere compared to competitors like Tekken or Street Fighter. The game introduces new Break Blow and Break Hold mechanics, giving players access to dramatic, cinematic-looking hits available even without mastering dozens of combos, making the fights easier to read even for viewers who don't play the game themselves. Arenas also go through multi-stage Break Gauge transitions, where the fistfight spills from one scene into another and the changing environment affects tactics too - a player can throw an opponent out of a window, knock them down a staircase, or shove them through a destructible wall. The roster combines long-running series faces like Kasumi, Hayate and Ayane with several newcomers, and the game, for the first time, tries harder to target the competitive scene rather than just the fan service of earlier entries.

On PlayStation 4, the game released simultaneously with the Xbox One and PC versions in February 2019 and uses the classic DualShock 4 controller as well as online rankings via the PlayStation Network. For many players, the PS4 version is the natural choice, because the Dead or Alive series has long had its strongest community on PlayStation consoles, and several previous entries released there first or exclusively. In content and mechanics it's the same game as on the other platforms - no exclusive mode or missing character - the difference lies mainly in the controller, the PlayStation Store's user interface, and the pool of players you can face online, since the platforms don't offer cross-play with each other.

Why play it: Dead or Alive 6 is a good choice for players who want a fast and visually flashy fighting game but don't want to spend weeks learning dozens of combos - the accessible mechanics allow for decent matches even for newcomers, while more experienced players will find plenty of depth in blocking, evade timing and reading the opponent's next move.