Dead or Alive 5 Last Round is a 2015 fighting game developed by Team Ninja and published by Koei Tecmo for the PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, Xbox 360, Xbox One, Microsoft Windows, and Arcade. It is the third updated version of 2012's Dead or Alive 5, following 2013's Dead or Alive 5 Plus and Dead or Alive 5 Ultimate. Notable changes from Ultimate include two additional characters and a graphical upgrade for the new generation of consoles. Unlike the original Dead or Alive 5, as a download update for PS3 and Xbox 360, the game can convert either the digital versions of Ultimate or Ultimate: Core Fighters into Last Round.
Gameplay
Dead or Alive 5 Last Round features all the content from Dead or Alive 5 Ultimate, adding new costumes and customizable hairstyles for outside PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 versions, as well as two new characters and two new stages for PlayStation 4 and Xbox One. The PlayStation 4 and Xbox One versions received upgraded graphics, running at 1080p resolution and 60 frames per second. These two versions also use the new game engine called Soft Engine and designed to better depict "softness" of character's bodies. Since the appearance of the Senran Kagura DLC costume pack, the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One versions have clothing breaker mechanisms for certain DLC collaboration outfits, including female characters' Valentine's Day DLC outfits when using a Critical Burst finisher on the opponent who wears some DLC collaboration outfit, similar to the Armor Breaker from other Sega AM2's Fighting Vipers.
Characters
Last Round retains all 32 characters featured in Ultimate, including the four guest characters from the Virtua Fighter series (counting Ultimate's Jacky Bryant) and the three characters who first appeared in the arcade version and then as DLC (Marie Rose, Nyotengu and Phase-4), along with over 300 costumes for them. In addition, the game adds four new characters, including bringing back the original Dead or Alive game's boss Raidou to life and introducing a new female fighter named Honoka, for a total of up to 36.
- Honoka: An 18-year-old Japanese schoolgirl who uses has her own style that she calls "Honoka Fu". Although she does not have any experience in combat, she uses some fighting moves from other characters and also a mysterious power.
- Raidou: An evil ninja and Ayane's biological father using techniques he has stolen from other fighters. Killed in the first Dead or Alive game, he returns as an undead cyborg with the memories on what's good left in him from his past no longer exist, leaving only his obsession to copy the fighters' fighting skills remains.
- Mai Shiranui: A guest character from the Fatal Fury/King of Fighters series. She was announced at the 2016 Dead or Alive Festival and arrived on September 13, 2016.
- Naotora Ii: A guest character from Samurai Warriors. She was announced in December 2015 to arrive on February 25, 2016 on Arcade version, and as downloadable exclusive to PlayStation 4 and Xbox One on March 17, 2016 and Microsoft Windows on March 29, 2016.
Dead or Alive 5 Last Round was announced on August 31, 2014, said to arrive during spring of 2015. On January 13, 2015, the new character Honoka was revealed in Famitsu. The game was released on 17 February 2015 in North America, following by Japan on 19 February and Europe on 20 February. It has a digital-only English release for the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360. North America and South America PlayStation 3 release was moved to the February 24 due to the PlayStation Store issues. The "Beach Party" DLC has been available for free for four weeks after launch for North American and South American PlayStation 3 owners.
Pre-ordering the retail version at GameStop and GAME for the PlayStation 4 or Xbox One rewarded the exclusive costume pack containing the "Ninja 2015" costume set (for Ayane, Ryu Hayabusa, Hayate and Kasumi), and "Aloha" costume set (for Ayane, Hitomi, Kasumi and Mila). Pre-ordering at Amazon.com, Best Buy and ShopTo rewarded access to exclusive costumes sets "Showstopper" (for Christie, Helena, Lisa and Tina) and "Beach Party" (for Kokoro, Leifang, Momiji and Rachel). In Japan, there are two special editions for the PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One: the Collector's Edition and the Strongest Package, containing various digital and physical bonuses.
