Dead or Alive 6 review – fabulous fighting with an unwelcome soft-porn vibe

PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PC; Team Ninja/Koei Tecmo
Impressive graphics and an innovative story mode make for faultless gameplay in the latest instalment of this series, but its hyper-sexualised characters feel out of touch

Half a decade since the release of Dead or Alive 5, the sixth instalment of this well-known fighting game arrives in a world that has moved on in some respects. Recent times have been good for fighting game fans, thanks to games such as Injustice and Mortal Kombat, along with Dragonball FighterZ and Super Smash Bros Ultimate. So Dead or Alive 6 doesn't lack competition.

But developer Team Ninja has 22 years' experience in fighting games and that shines through. It looks fabulous - it might be the most graphically impressive beat-'em-up ever. Its gameplay can't be faulted: the franchise's trademark triangle system - in which holds counter strikes, which in turn counter throws - generates absorbing, tactical bouts. Its balance of characters is effective: between them, they represent just about every fighting style, from WWE-style wrestling to Jeet Kune Do, plus some that should be invented, such as Brad Wong's tipsy headstands in his drunken master method.