Dead or Alive 5

Dead or Alive 5 (also known as DOA5) is the fifth main versus-fighting installment in the Dead or Alive franchise. It was the first main title of the series to be released in seven years, following Dead or Alive 4 in 2005. It is the 14th game in the series, overall. Dead or Alive 5 was developed and produced by Team Ninja for the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360. Due to a new partnership formed between Tecmo Koei and the Sega Corporation, Sega is handling the publication and distribution of the title in Europe, while Tecmo Koei is publishing it in all other regions.

Announced on September 14, 2011, it was originally stated that Dead or Alive 5 was going to have a September 2012 simultaneous release in both NTSC and PAL territories. However, this was later changed. The game was first released in North America on September 25, 2012, later released in Japan on September 27, and then in Europe on September 28.

On December 1st, 2012, a version of the game for the PlayStation Vita, called Dead or Alive 5+ (デッドオアアライブ5+), was announced with a March 2013 release date. This portable version will support new gameplay features such as touch-screen controls and a first-person view.

There is a possibility that the game might be released on the upcoming Nintendo console, the Wii U, but it has yet to be confirmed.

A new version, titled Dead or Alive 5 Ultimate, including the new features from Plus as well as new/returning characters and stages, was released in September 2013 for the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360. Another version was later released on February 2015 titled Dead or Alive 5 Last Round.

Plot
Two years after the events of the fourth Dead or Alive World Combat Championship, Helena Douglas has taken full control of the Dead or Alive Tournament Executive Committee from the devious Victor Donovan and is re-building the company for the better. To inform the world of the return of DOATEC, Helena has make plans with Zack to host the fifth Dead or Alive Tournament and put on a show no one will forget.

However, the threats of the past have not gone away: Donovan is still continuing his research for Project Alpha with his new organization MIST, and Kasumi is on the quest to take down her weaponized clone, Alpha-152, once and for all.

Characters

 * See also: List of Dead or Alive 5 Characters

Returning playable characters

 * Kasumi, a former member of the legendary Mugen Tenshin clan. After a certain incident involving her older brother and uncle, she abandoned her clan and became a runaway shinobi. Since the previous tournament, Kasumi has been on a quest to find and destroy her clone, Alpha-152.


 * Ayane, the brilliant master of the Hajinmon sect, the "dark side" of the Mugen Tenshin clan. Following the orders of her clan master and older half-brother, Hayate, Ayane pursues her half-sister, Kasumi, in the shadows.


 * Hayate, the older brother of Kasumi and the respected eighteenth leader of the Mugen Tenshin clan, with techniques fit for his ordained position. After the destruction of DOATEC, Hayate now seeks to find Victor Donovan, the man behind his and his family's previous misfortunes.


 * Ryu Hayabusa, a super shinobi of the ancient Hayabusa clan with a strength that has been recounted in numerous tales. A longtime friend of Hayate, Hayabusa is now assisting him and Ayane find Donovan.


 * Helena Douglas, the youthful leader of the enormous DOATEC conglomerate. Though the company was once involved in the development of terrifying biological weapons, Helena is seeking to start anew by hosting the fifth Dead or Alive Tournament.


 * Christie, a woman who is cold-blooded, ruthless, and an expert in the shequan style. With the perfect qualities for her profession as an assassin, Christie has once again been hired by Donovan, this time as an agent for his new organization, MIST.


 * La Mariposa, an acrobatic luchadora and Tina's main rival during her professional wrestling career. In reality, thought, she is a former DOATEC researcher named Lisa Hamilton, and she and Tina are close friends. Though fighting against him in the previous tournament, Lisa is now, for unknown reasons, working as a MIST scientist for Donovan.


 * Hitomi, a beautiful world-class fighter born to a Japanese mother and strict German father, who taught his daughter karate from an early age. Two years ago, she fell in love with Ein, the persona Hayate took on when he lost his memory. However, after he recovered his memories and returned to being Hayate, Hitomi's love has seemed to be no more.


 * Bayman, a man of few words who used to be an assassin. Being a man who carries out his tasks with the utmost perfection, Bayman now works as a mercenary soldier on the battlefield. During his latest mission, Bayman and his men were attacked by an unknown cloaked figure, and though Bayman was left with just a permanent scar, his men were murdered. Believing his attacker to be connected to either DOATEC or Donovan, Bayman now seeks to find the culprit.


 * Kokoro, a positive and cheerful young lady who has mastered the martial art Ba Ji Quan. Her performance of the various forms of the art display a unity of suppleness and strength. When not fighting, she devotes herself to training as a . Unbeknownst to her, Kokoro is the second illegitimate daughter of Fame Douglas, thus making her the younger half-sister of Helena.


 * Jann Lee, a master of Jeet Kune Do who has been nicknamed "the Dragon" due to his excellent strikes. Jann Lee constantly seeks to test himself against the most fearsome opponents and has once again entered the tournament to do such a task.


 * Leifang, a master of T'ai Chi Quan who was raised in a wealthy family. Known for being quite stubborn, Leifang constantly trains herself to defeat Jann Lee, the man who once saved her from harm eight years ago.


 * Tina Armstrong, the daughter of legendary professional wrestler, Bass Armstrong. Despite her father's intentions to raise her as a champion wrestler, Tina has pursed her own dreams in life, becoming a model, actress, and rock star. Recently however, after her encounter with MMA fighter Mila, Tina realizes that she misses the thrill of the ring, and enters the tournament to quench this feeling.


 * Bass Armstrong, an immensely powerful former professional wrestler who always worries about his only daughter Tina, born to his late wife Alicia. Whilst working as an oil platform engineer at DIG, Bass discovers that discovers is entering the fifth tournament. Possibly worried that Tina is up to her odd tricks again, Bass enters the tournament as well, but this time as the masked wrestler Mr. Strong.


 * Zack, a funky DJ with a positive attitude and original sense of style, Zack has incredible fighting instincts and learned Muay Thai just by imitation. After saving Helena from death, Zack is working beside her to rebuild DOATEC and organize the fifth tournament.


 * Eliot, Gen Fu's only apprentice and a practitioner of Xing Yi Quan. Aware of his immaturity as a fighter, Eliot has left his mentor and set out on a journey of self-improvement. When the fifth tournament is announced, Eliot's unwanted traveling companion, Brad Wong, convinces him to enter.


 * Brad Wong, a master of the Zui Quan style who is usually found propping up a bar somewhere. For some unknown reason, Brad has tagged along on Eliot's journey of self-improvement, much to the latter's annoyance.

New playable characters

 * Rig, a natural born fighter who has used his powerful instincts to master his own style of taekwondo. Having no clue about his real name or where he came from, his colleagues simply call him "Rig". Running the DIG oil platform from a young age, Rig happily works side-by-side with his colleagues, especially the newest worker, Bass. Recently, a mysterious woman named Christie has entered Rig's life and seems to know about his past.


 * Mila, an up-and-coming mixed martial arts champion who has scored spectacular victories all over the world. Since her youth, Mila has been a big fan of Bass, who she feels an intense admiration towards, and her dream is to take on her idol in the ring. Whilst working as a part-time waitress in New York City, Mila meets Zack, who conveniences her to enter the tournament.

Story Mode characters

 * False Kasumi, a clone of Kasumi who was created by Donovan and MIST. Unlike the previous clones made from Kasumi's DNA, this clone truly believes that she is the real Kasumi and just like the original, desires to seek out Alpha-152.

Unlockable characters

 * Note: The characters become fully playable in Dead or Alive 5+.


 * Akira Yuki, a descendant of the founder of the Yuki Budokan, Akira has been taught his own unique style based on Ba Ji Quan. Akira spends his days training to become the greatest martial artist in the world, and has always entered the World Fighting Tournaments as a way to test himself.


 * Sarah Bryant, a young woman who whilst attempting to investigate the accident involving her older brother, Jacky Bryant, she was captured by J6 (Judgment 6) and brainwashed. Although she was later rescued by Jacky, the effects of J6's brainwashing remain buried deep within the recesses of her mind.


 * Gen Fu, an old mentor who was once considered to be a fighting legend. After earning enough money to pay for his granddaughter's medical treatment, Gen Fu agreed to take Eliot on as an apprentice. One day however, after noticing his student's self-doubt, Gen Fu sends Eliot off on a journey of self-improvement.


 * Pai Chan, a famous actress from who has received special instruction in martial arts from her father, Lau Chan, since early childhood. Though she once hated her father, Pai's attitude towards him has softened after she watched him suffer with illness in his twilight years.


 * Alpha-152, an artificial life form given the shape of a transparent woman. This hyper clone of Kasumi was created under the orders of Donovan and after fleeing from DOATEC during the fourth tournament, the clone is currently being pursued by Kasumi.

Non-playable characters

 * Miyako, the leader of DOATEC Japan and the mother of Kokoro. Though having a high position of power at DOATEC, Miyako seems to have mysterious connections with MIST and may be working against Helena and the company. To this day, Miyako still keeps secret from her daughter the truth about her work and the identity of Kokoro's father.


 * Muramasa, a legendary weapon smith and shop owner who has aided Hayabusa in the past. Throughout the fifth tournament, Muramasa looks after the real Kasumi in secret until Hayabusa sends for her.


 * Phase 4, the human weapon who is a prototype of the Kasumi Alpha Phase 4 project's final model, which is slated for mass production. The clone features a functioning human memory and soul; however, exhaustive testing has shown her to be resigned to her fate, never resisting combat orders. Due to this conflict of conscience, Phase 4's existence is filled with sorrow. It is revealed that Phase 4 was the one who attacked Bayman and his fellow soldiers.


 * Victor Donovan, the man behind all of the misgivings of the Mugen Tenshin clan and the previous tournaments. With the creation of his new organization, MIST, Donovan heads the next stage of Project Alpha, codenamed the "Kasumi Alpha Phase 4" project, and plans to create the ultimate human weapon using Kasumi's DNA.

Early Release Rumors
For about half a decade, Dead or Alive 5 had an uneasy conception and the possibility of the game even being released seemed very unlikely at some points.

In 2006, after the release of Dead or Alive 4, series creator Tomonobu Itagaki stated in an interview with gaming website 1UP.com that he had the first concepts for Dead or Alive 5 in mind. However two years later, in an interview with CVG, Itagaki was asked about the Dead or Alive series and he replied: "This is another area that me and my closest colleagues all agree that we were able to achieve the definitive fighting game with "Dead or Alive 4." So we're not looking to extend the series at this point." Even if he did have Dead or Alive 5 in the planning stages, Itagaki had sued Tecmo and resigned from the company in 2008 along with several other colleagues, stating that this would lead to the end of production for Dead or Alive 5 and its series.

However, Tecmo replied with the announcement that Team Ninja would not be dissolved upon Itagaki's departure, stating that both the Ninja Gaiden and Dead or Alive franchises would remain in production and "some projects were already underway." Two years after Itagaki's departure from the company, Team Ninja released Dead or Alive Paradise in 2010, and Dead or Alive: Dimensions in May 2011.

In April 2011, the current head of Team Ninja, Yosuke Hayashi told Eurogamer that after Dead or Alive: Dimensions received "positive feedback and responses from consumers" there was definitely a future for the series. When asked "Will Dead or Alive 5 appear on home consoles, including the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360?", Hayashi replied that Team Ninja "will take that into consideration," hinting that Dead or Alive 5 or another Dead or Alive game could be developed in the future. To back up the possibility of a sequel, the story campaign of Dimensions finished on a cliffhanger scene.

Official Announcement
On September 9th, 2011, Team Ninja announced on their official Twitter feed that they would be appearing at Tokyo Game Show 2011 for the playable debut of Ninja Gaiden 3 as well as to showcase a new game.

Five days later, on September 14, 2011, Team Ninja revealed Dead or Alive 5 during a pre-TGS press event and showed media personnel a brief gameplay demonstration, featuring Hayate and Ryu Hayabusa fighting in the new stage Scramble, and a promotional image showing the lower half of a female fighter's face, with the text "I'm a Fighter" superimposed over the image. (Most fans believe that the woman in the image is Kasumi. However, others said it could be Hitomi or even the two girls merged together. The identity of the woman hasn't been officially stated.) Team Ninja stated that the game would have a multi-platform release for both the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3.

During the demo, Team Ninja was quoted saying that the stages in Dead or Alive 5 would no longer be "sidekicks" to the action but would be critical parts of the competitive experience with the whole game revolving around the theme "fighting entertainment." At the time of the announcement, the game was only at "pre-alpha" stages of development.

Shortly after its reveal, an official website for Dead or Alive 5 was opened.

September 2011 - November 2011
Due to a misunderstanding or a mistranslation, false rumors got out that the PlayStation 3 version of Dead or Alive 5 would support the console's motion control system, the PlayStation Move. However, there is no official evidence showing that the game will support Move.

On September 18th, 2011, Famitsu, a Japanese gaming publication, quoted the following Yousuke Hayashi and Team Ninja's views of motion control consoles: "Hayashi said that Move is good for 'giving the players the feeling that they are Ryu Hayabusa.' With Kinect, on the other hand, Team Ninja 'felt that it's difficult to give the feeling of swinging a katana.'"

While the quote was obviously about Ninja Gaiden 3 (in which the player-character uses a katana), Andriasang, who are known for publishing English translations of Japanese gaming articles, stated it was about Dead or Alive 5 instead. IGN followed up the story with an article of their own, and N4G soon followed. However, since then, Andriasang and IGN have taken down their articles on the subject.

December 2011 - February 2012
On December 7th, 2011, it was announced in a preview article by Famitsu magazine that Dead or Alive 5 was "15% complete."

On the same day, Team Ninja held a press event in San Francisco to talk about their up-coming games, including Dead or Alive 5, with a playable demo of the game made available for media staff to try out. During the event, gameplay elements including information about Power Blows were given and Ayane and Hitomi were confirmed as returning playable characters. The first demo was released at E3.

In an interview with GamesBeat, published on December 9th, 2011, Yosuke Hayashi talked about using additional downloadable content "as a way to add more stuff and increase the longevity of the title, if [Team Ninja are] adding stuff later [they] think that [...] fans will enjoy," hinting at the possibility of DLC from Dead or Alive 5 for after the game is released.

On February 8th, 2012, it was announced that Team Ninja would be hosting a series of press events over two weeks in various locations across the world, in order to showcase the alpha demo of Dead or Alive 5, as well as Ninja Gaiden 3 and Ninja Gaiden Sigma PLUS. It started on February 9th, 2012, in New York City, followed with European visits to London, Hamburg, Paris, Madrid, Milan, and Stockholm.

March 2012 - May 2012
On March 1st, 2012, Team Ninja released a teaser image of Kasumi's arm via their official Twitter feed, confirming her appearance in Dead or Alive 5, while stating that they will follow up with a proper image of her the following week. The same day, they also confirmed that they will be showing a new trailer and that the Western release of Dead or Alive 5 will feature an English voice cast, making this the fifth game in the series to have English voice acting.

On March 5th, 2012, the official Dead or Alive 5 website was updated, with a page for screenshots and a new gameplay trailer. The first half of the trailer showed a fight in the new Flow stage between Ayane and Kasumi, marking the latter's first official appearance for Dead or Alive 5 and confirming her role as a playable character. The second half moved onto a fight in the same location, between Kasumi and Akira Yuki, the mascot of Sega's Virtua Fighter series. This confirmed that Akira will be a guest playable character for Dead or Alive 5.

On March 5th and 6th, 2012, Tecmo Koei and Team Ninja announced a September 2012 simultaneous release date for the NTSC and PAL versions of the game for both the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3.

On March 14, 2012, a new trailer was released. While it featured the same stage from the first trailer, this time it featured a fight between Ayane and Hitomi. On March 19, 2012, the official website was updated with a basic gameplay manual and a survey to go alongside the demo which was released with special editions of Ninja Gaiden 3.

On April 23, 2012, it was revealed via Team Ninja's Twitter feed that two characters would be revealed during this week. Three days later, on April 26, Famitsu magazine released an article about Dead or Alive 5 revealing Christie and Bayman, confirming them for the game. At 3pm GTM the same day, Tecmo Koei released a gameplay trailer of Christie and Bayman fighting in a new stage called Hot Zone.

On May 10, 2012, an article by Siliconera revealed that Tecmo Koei aim to sell one million copies of Dead or Alive 5 and that they will be releasing paid downloadable content for the title, which they had done for their other core titles, such as Ninja Gaiden 3 and Warriors Orochi 3.

On May 23, 2012, Leifang and Zack were confirmed for Dead or Alive 5 in another Famitsu magazine article. The article showed a render of Leifang and screenshots of the two fighters battling it out in a circus-themed arena called The Show. The following day, at 5pm GMT, Tecmo Koei released a gameplay trailer featuring Leifang and Zack.

Tecmo Koei attended London MCM Expo, which ran for a three-day weekend from May 25, 2012 to the 27th. The company was there to showcase their latest releases, including Dead or Alive 5, with a number of consoles set up so the public may play the demo version of the game. On the 26th, a Dead or Alive 5 tournament was held on the Gamespot stage, with 32 entries. The tournament winner was a player known as Messy, who was also the previous Dead or Alive 4 TGS champion.

June-August 2012
Tecmo Koei attended the Electronic Entertainment Expo 2012, commonly known as E3, which ran from June 5th to June 7th, 2012. In collaboration with the online gaming reviewer IGN, the IGN Pro League Dead or Alive 5 consent was held, with live-streaming of the tournament being hosted on the IGN website and the finals held on the last day of E3. The tournament used an improved demo version of the game, known as the "Beta Demo," which includes improved gameplay, more stages, and more playable characters.

On the first day of the Expo, an online trailer was released at 7PM GMT. The trailer showed off a new stage, and confirmed the return of Kokoro, Tina Armstrong, and the addition of guest character Sarah Bryant from Virtua Fighter, as well as the new stage Sakura. Screenshots also released that day confirmed the return of Bass Armstrong.

On June 6, it was confirmed that a special version of Dead or Alive 5, called the "Collectors Edition" would be released.

On June 8, Team Ninja released a graphic on their official Facebook page announcing their planned release dates for Dead or Alive 5 - September 25th, 2012 in America, September 27th, 2012 in Japan, and September 28th, 2012 in Europe. This is different from the original worldwide simultaneous release they announced.

On June 27, in this month's issue of Famitsu magazine, brand new character Rig was seen for the first time. The magazine also revealed a new mode called "Camera Mode", which will allow players to take in-game pictures of the fighters, in addition to being able to save replay footage. Later that day, a new trailer was released showing gameplay footage of Rig in the new stage Fuel; first he fights against Christie then Bass.

On July 18th, 2012, the latest issue of Famitsu featured more scrrenshots from the game, and revealed Jann Lee as a returning playable character. The following day, a new trailer was released to showcase the Tag Team gameplay for Dead or Alive 5. Not only did Jann Lee appear in the footage, La Mariposa can be seen briefly during the video.

On August 8th, 2012, another trailer was released, focusing around an international televised announcement of the return of the Dead or Alive Tournament Executive Committee and the fifth Dead or Alive Tournament. As well as featuring previously announced characters, the trailer confirmed the return of Helena Douglas, Brad Wong, Eliot, and Gen Fu. The trailer also showed Alpha-152, the final boss of Dead or Alive 4 and the main antagonist Victor Donovan.

On the evening of August 21th, 2012, Tecmo Koei and IGN hosted a free London event for fan to play Dead or Alive 5, with a limited amount of tickets offered. It included tournaments for Dead or Alive 5 related products, a chance to ask questions to the developers, and free food and drink.

September 2012
On September 11, 2012, a trailer was released to officially introduce the new character Mila. The video included Mila fighting against Zack and Tina, as well as a sample of a cutscene.

On September 12, 2012, Famitsu magazine revealed that Pai Chan from Virtua Fighter will be a guest character for the title, making her the third guest character for Dead or Alive 5 to be announced. The article also confirmed that Gen Fu would be returning as a playable character.

On September 19, 2012, the official launch trailer was released worldwide, featuring various shots of fights between different characters at different locations.

Post-Release
Following the game's release, Tecmo Koei released a "Day 1 Patch" to correct numerous issues, most notably several balance tweaks to nearly every character and improvements to the online mode. There was also a bug on the PlayStation 3 version of the game were it will pause mid-match during offline play if Throwdowns are enabled; You need to disable this option after selecting a Fight mode in the main menu to avoid this game breaking problem.

On October 2, 2012, a free DLC costume pack called the "Costume Pack Round 1", which features outfits from past games for eleven of the playable characters, was released on both Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3.

"Make Your Move!" Contest
On October 28, 2011, Team Ninja announced a contest via their official Dead or Alive Facebook page. The contest invited anyone to create and submit examples of their own fighting moves, and from those entered one or possibly more would be picked and be worked into the final version of Dead or Alive 5. The creators of the moves will also have their names in the staff credits.

The contest ended November 18, 2011, although the application form for entry was still active for a few days afterwards. The winners were revealed in the ending credits of Dead or Alive 5.

It's been reported that over 500 entries had been submitted for the competition, and as of the San Francisco press event, two entries have been picked to be placed into the game.

Partnership Between Tecmo Koei and Sega
Tecmo Koei Europe have announced a new partnership with the Sega Corporation for Dead or Alive 5, in which the latter will handle the publication and distribution of the game in Europe. This is due to the costs required for marketing and localization in Europe.

As part of the agreement, Dead or Alive 5 will include Akira Yuki, Sarah Bryant and Pai Chan, characters of Sega's Virtua Fighter series, as exclusive additions to its roster. There is a possibility of other Virtua Fighter characters joining the roster too.

Controls Overview
It has been said that the controls for Dead or Alive 5 feel and play very similarly to previous Dead or Alive titles, so if you’ve played the series in the past Dead or Alive 5 shouldn’t be very difficult to pick up. The overall fighting system is based on the Triangle System and Mid-kicks and Mid-punches can be advanced held, which is being called "Expert Hold." The Expert Hold seems to be standard for all characters. The alpha demo featured 3-point holds (high, mid, and low) but following feedback it has been changed to 4-point holds (high, mid-punch, mid-kick, and low). Compared to previous games however, the timing window for holds has been greatly shortened and the number of moves that can be held has been reduced. The sidestepping system in the game is now similar to that of Sega's Virtua Fighter series. Also, new kinds of moves, dubbed Critical Bursts, add a new way to string lots of combos.

Like in Dead or Alive: Dimensions, the player will have the option to view Move Data on screen during fights and hit effects will be included so the player can tell if a strike hits high, mid, or low by the direction of the effect. However, this feature can be turned off.

Gameplay Modes and Online Play
Alongside the story campaign and the standard one-on-one Fighting Mode, Tag Battle will also be returning in Dead or Alive 5, allowing players to team up in pairs to take on another pair in combat. Training Mode has been given a major re-vamp. It now possessed record functionality, and players will be able to adjust the network speed. There is also a "bonus mission mode" which gives optional missions during Story Mode battles to teach players everything from basic controls to advanced fighting techniques.

The game will support both local and online play but it has been stated that the online lobbies from Dead or Alive 4 - which allowed players to interact with one another via avatars - will not be returning. This was decided because the Dead or Alive 4 interactive lobbies actually had a huge impact on the game's netcode and caused gameplay to lag. To ensure everyone has lag-free matches, Team Ninja decided to remove the lobbies altogether.

Power Blows
One new gameplay feature in Dead or Alive 5 is the Power Blow or Power Move. By holding the corresponding button on the controller, a unique attack can be charged up that will unleash a slow-motion cinematic combo that ends by allowing the player to “aim” where they would like to launch their opponent, including into Danger Zones. Players are able to hold the control for a while to charge the attack.

At the San Francisco press event, it was revealed that during this cinematic event, while the attacking player could influence where the move would hit, the defending player could react in a way to lessen damage. It was later revealed in Team Ninja's twitter that Power Blows would be un-holdable except by Expert Holds.

Selection Screen Stats
As seen in Alpha demo gameplay footage, while waiting for highlighted characters to load up in the character selection screen, a silhouette of the characters will be shown, with stats over the top - Attack, Throw, Hold, Power, Speed, and "Technic" - which shows what the fighters are capable of in battle. The final version of the game changed these stats slightly to Strike, Throw, Hold, Power, Speed and Moves. Strike, Throw and Hold relate to the character's preference for or reliance on those areas. Power and Speed indicate how much damage and how fast their moves are, respectively. Moves relates to the number of special moves and manoeuvres the character can perform. For example, Ayane ranks high in Moves as she has many unique ways of confusing and misleading her opponents.

Interactive Stages
In Dead or Alive 5, stages will not only act as visual backdrops to accompany the fight but also play to a fighter’s strengths. As a fight progresses, the backdrop will change and interact with players, giving them a different challenge. Changes to the stages will happen as scripted events and be triggered by player actions, such as one of the fighters being thrown against a Danger Zone.

There will be a new type of Danger Zone called a Cliffhanger. As opposed to simply falling when you get knocked down near empty footing, (e.g. over the edge of a cliff), the opponent has minimal time to recover, while their foe can choose to attack, sending them falling anyway but with additional damage. These cliffhangers will only appear in certain stages while featuring multiple levels.

Improved Graphical Detail
Character models have been greatly improved in comparison to previous Dead or Alive titles, moving away from the previous anime-like style, with unrealistic proportions such as very large eyes, and now character designs in Dead or Alive 5 look very similar to those in current Ninja Gaiden titles, with a more realistic look.

Female bodies are now distinguishable with different curves and hair is now realistically rendered, with more strands visible and the feature of dampening when wet. Hair is also now semi-transparent, and some of the females' hair are now noticeably shorter. As for the male characters, muscle build is also realistically seen, with more natural pectoral muscles, arms and abdominals, instead of the anime styled muscular physiques in the older installments.

Toning Down the Sexuality?
GamesRadar pointed out a notable change on new character models; that the female characters were bearing more modest bust sizes and the "breast physics," which make the girls' breasts move and bounce, had been toned down. Formerly, most of the women in the series were sexualized to the point of ridiculousness - especially in the Dead or Alive Xtreme sub-series - however, the girls seen early on seemed to have smaller breasts and were wearing new clothing that was less revealing compared to some of their old costumes.

However, it is more likely that early on less effort had been put into these details and the game ultimately has an even more detailed physics system than previously, although bust sizes do seem more modestly proportioned. There are also special "sexy costumes" available, including swimsuits.

Director Yohei Niibori had stated in an interview with Famitsu magazine on April 29, 2012, that the movement of the female's breasts will differ depending on which costume they happen to be wearing at the time; e.g. a tighter costume or a costume fitted with a bra will result in less movement.

Sweat and Dirt Physics
All character models will also visibly "sweat" as they fight. The more energy they put into a fight, the more sweat will appear. This could result in costumes becoming transparent but levels of transparency will differ by costume. This cosmetic design is meant to make players feel more involved in the action and give the fighters on screen a grittier, more realistic design that adds a new layer of depth to the series.

During the San Francisco press event, it also showed fighters becoming dirty during the course of the fight, with mud and dust covering their clothing and skin.

Different Versions of Title
So far, two retail additions of Dead or Alive 5 have been announced, and one demo version of the game has been publicly released.

Playable Demo Edition
On December 15, 2011, it was announced that codes for the alpha demo version of Dead or Alive 5 would be included in special editions of Ninja Gaiden 3, which was released in March 2012.

The demo is different depending on which edition you buy: the Limited Editions only featured two playable characters - Ayane and Hayate on the Xbox 360 version and Hitomi and Hayabusa on the PlayStation 3 version. The Collector's Edition has all four characters on both consoles.

Apart from character choices, all versions of the demos are the same. The demo includes a controls guide via the title screen and limited changeable options, including choosing between English and Japanese voices in Western versions. Only one-on-one Versus Mode is playable, with all other gameplay modes being locked out.

Since the day of release, to April 29, 2012, there was an online survey active on the official Dead or Alive 5 website, in which Team Ninja asked for feedback from players who had tried out the demo, in order to improve the game for its final release. Questions on the survey included impressions of the fighting system, as well as the demo's graphics and aesthetics.

It's unknown if a free demo will be released for Xbox Live and the PlayStation Network, as it was the case with previous Dead or Alive titles.

Standard Edition
The standard edition of Dead or Alive 5 will just include a copy of the game. However, the first batch will also include download codes for "Kasumi and Ayane Sexy Costume"; two additional costumes for Kasumi and Ayane. This DLC can also be downloaded without a code as paid DLC.

Collectors Edition

 * Main article: Dead or Alive 5 Collectors Edition

The announcement of a "Collectors Edition" of Dead or Alive 5 was placed on the Japanese website for the title. Later on, it was announced that the Collectors Edition will be available from selected retails in America and Europe. The current price for the Collectors Edition is $79.99 and will include:
 * A copy of Dead or Alive 5
 * A copy of the official visual book
 * A copy of the original soundtrack
 * A full-color wall poster
 * Download code for "Premium Sexy Costume"; twelve female character costumes
 * A high-quality embossed metal case packing

The Japanese version of the Collectors Edition is slightly different; include of the wall poster, it features postcards and "metal plates".

Dead or Alive 5+
On December 1st, 2012, Dead or Alive 5+ was announced for the PlayStation Vita with a March 2013 release date.

While the basis of the game remains unchanged, this portable edition of the game will support new gameplay features that were not seen in the previous PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 versions. These features will include new touch controls - using both the Vita's touch screen and rear touch pad - which will allow players to control their fighters with a variety of swipes and and taps. Also, holding the screen vertically will also switch to a first-person view; this will be the first Dead or Alive title to use this view. The Vita version will also offer enhanced training tools and a tutorial mode.

Dead or Alive 5 Ultimate

 * Main article: Dead or Alive 5 Ultimate

On May 7th 2013, Dead or Alive 5 Ultimate was announced for PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360. The game will be out in September 2013, and will include the new additions from Plus, including the tutorial mode, custom soundtracks, and new costumes. It will also feature new characters and stages, including Momiji from Ninja Gaiden, Jacky Bryant from Virtua Fighter, and the return of Ein and Leon.

Dead or Alive 5 Last Round

 * Main article: Dead or Alive 5 Last Round

On September 1st, 2014, Dead or Alive 5 Last Round was announced for PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, Xbox 360, Xbox One, and PC. It will be released in February 2015.

Downloadable Content

 * Main article: Dead or Alive 5/Downloadable Content

A number of downloadable costumes packs have been made available for the playable characters of Dead or Alive 5 via Xbox Live and the PlayStation Network.

Two of the notable packs both included swimsuits for the female playable cast, which were originally released as pre-order bonuses. First, two sets of bunny-girl swimsuits were available as a bonus for pre-ordering the game from selected retailers. Some retailers offered a pack called "DOA Angels" which contained white swimsuits for Kasumi, Hitomi and Leifang, while others offered the "DOA Devils" pack which had black swimsuits for Ayane, Christie and Tina. Despite the color change, all the swimsuits were the same style: a strapless fur-lined bikini with beach saddles, ear accessories, and tails on the back of the shorts. It appears this costume was based on Kasumi's Rabbit outfit from the Dead or Alive Xtreme sub-series.

Secondly, there was the "Premium Swimsuits" that was packaged with the Collectors Edition. This pack included a swimsuit for every female playable character, bar Alpha-152. The costumes' designs were taken and improved from Dead or Alive Xtreme 2. Both of these DLC packs were later made available as paid DLC.

10 DLC costumes packs have been made available for download.

More Character Announcements After Release?
According to Tecmo Koei, there could be more character announcements after the game's release.

In an interview with Famitsu.com, Yousuke Hayashi said that the game has unannounced characters, as of August 20, 2012. Asked if these unannounced characters are from Dead or Alive or Virtua Fighter, Hayashi said that there may be some of each. Some characters have to be unlocked through play, so Hayashi feels that it's okay to not reveal all the characters in advance.

Hayashi has also stated that he would like more cameos in Dead or Alive 5 after launch, saying that his ideal cameo would be Ryo from Sega's 1999 adventure game Shenmue.

Voice cast
* Not credited in the production credits.

Reception
Before the game's release, Dead or Alive 5 was given the "Best of Fighters" award by the gaming blog Destructoid at Gamescom, hosted from August 15th - 19th, 2012 in Cologne, Germany. Gavin Mackenzie from X360 magazine ranked it number 3 on the list for "Top 10 Sexiest Games Coming Over 2012", just beaten by Lollipop Chainsaw and DmC: Devil May Cry.

So far, Dead or Alive 5 has received positive reviews, with a lot of praise for its gameplay and visuals. Rochelle Hinds from Electronic Gaming Monthly stated "the resurgence and appreciation for [fighting games] has only happened recently with reboots or re-imaginings of cherished titles, and DOA5 is one of these reboots. More accurately, DOA5 is a rebirth."

In its first published review, Dead or Alive 5 received 9 out of 10 from four reviewers in the Japanese magazine Famitsu, giving it a grand total of 36 out of 40. The game is not far behind from Tekken Tag Tournament 2, another recently released fighter title, which got a 39 out of 40.

IGN Editor Vincent Ingenito gave Dead or Alive 5 a 8.8 out of ten, stating while the game is "more over the top than "Virtua Fighter", or less complex than "Tekken", he also said that Dead or Alive 5 is '' "the best entry in the series. It retains its identity as a fast-paced, visually stunning 3D fighter, while shedding much of the baggage that's typically held it back."' ''.

In a more critical review, GameSpot editor Maxwell McGee gave Dead or Alive 5 a 7.5 out of 10, praising the game for its "smooth animation" and "hard-hitting fighting mechanics" while criticizing its "poorly executed" practice mode.

Trivia

 * Dead or Alive 5 is the first Dead or Alive game for the PlayStation 3, and the third title in the series for a Sony home console. It is also the fourth game in the series for any type of Sony platform. In addition, Dead or Alive 5 is the second main game of the series for the Xbox 360.
 * Dead or Alive 5+ will be the fourth game in the series for a Sony platform, and the second versus-fighter for a handheld device, the first being Dead or Alive: Dimensions for the Nintendo 3DS. It will also be the fourth Dead or Alive title for a handheld; the first was Girls of DOA BlackJack for iOS and the second Dead or Alive Paradise for the PlayStation Portable.
 * Due to negative fan reaction, Hitomi's Dead or Alive 5 design was changed. Most notably, her ears were made smaller and her face was made rounder. She is the only character to have to be changed from her first "final design".
 * Ryu Hayabusa and Hayate were the first characters to be revealed, and Scramble was the first stage to be revealed.
 * Due to a misprint, Kasumi was absent in the North American Xbox 360 version of the of the game's box art. This, however has been corrected in the final packaging of the game.
 * Dead or Alive 5 is featured in a Guinness World Record - "The fastest defeat of a computer opponent in Dead or Alive 5 (Team Ninja, 2012)" was 10.61 seconds and was achieved by Phil Joseph at Hoxton Gallery, London, UK, on August 21, 2012.
 * Jann Lee, Bass, Eliot, Kokoro, Leifang, Hitomi, Mila, and Tina are the only characters that participated in the fifth Dead or Alive Tournament.
 * Jann Lee arose as the winner, with Hitomi placing second and Bass placing third.
 * Apart from the unlockable characters, Christie and Lisa are the only characters not to have their own chapter in the story mode. This may be due to their association with M.I.S.T., the antagonistic force of the game.
 * Lisa and Zack have two different renders for two different costumes.
 * Lisa has a render for her main La Mariposa outfit and her unlockable black Lisa outfit. Zack has a render for his unlockable clown outfit and his main outfit.
 * Lisa and Bass are the only characters to have another persona in the game depending on the costume they wear.
 * Lisa's persona is La Mariposa while Bass' is Mr. Strong.
 * Dead or Alive 5 is the first game since the original Dead or Alive to not feature character theme songs.
 * Character themes can still be heard over the course of the story:
 * "Superstar" is the only theme that can be heard that originates from the original Dead or Alive.
 * "Vigaku" from Dead or Alive 2 can be heard.
 * "Monster", "Knifepoint" and "Trip" are the only Dead or Alive 3 themes in the game.
 * The Dead or Alive 4 themes "Mentor", "Purity", "I Feel For You", "Successor", "Zany Zapper", "Tribal Beats", "Moonlit Lady", " B-boy No "B" Remix", "The Wind Is Howling", "Shade", "Alpha - 152", and "Serpent Dance" are present.
 * Helena, Brad Wong, Hayabusa, Hitomi, and Leifang are the only returning characters who do not have a theme anywhere in the game.
 * Zack is the only character to have a new character theme in the game - Cheerful Buddhist Priest.
 * Tina and Alpha-152 are the only characters to have their Dead or Alive 4 themes return as stage themes.
 * In the alpha demo, the lifebars were silver. The final release changed them to blue. In Dead or Alive 5 Ultimate, they are changed again, to gold.