DOA6 is a great fighting game but female still sex objects despite efforts to clean up

DOA6 is a great fighting game, but have those behind the franchise done enough to address issues of sexism in the game’s design and plot? Alice Clare investigates.

A screen shot from the video game DOA6.

Last year, when the first DOA6 trailer was released, everyone made a big deal about how this game was different to the others — it almost treated its female characters like more than just sex objects.

The DOA series is, of course, famous for its unsavoury “jiggle physics”, being able to upskirt the female characters after a fight, that truly terrible movie with Holly Valance, and being one of the best fighting games around.

So, clothing the female characters and keeping the roaming camera above the belt was big news. The game did not live up to this hype.

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The story mode is written with more innuendo than plot.

And, while I understand that it must be difficult for these fighters to find a good sports bra above an FF cup size, surely a sponsor could make one for them?

What’s worse is that most of these characters appear to have been made with the same intention as manufactured early 2000s band T.a.T.u.

The women are mostly clothed as a default now (though, their main goal is still to titillate), but having them less clothed is just a DLC purchase away.

A screen shot from DOA6.

What I’m saying is that the character design and scripts are bad, and the people who made them should feel bad.

The good news is that the fighting is still excellent and easy to understand, and the quest mode is enjoyable. DOA has lasted this long, and is possibly about to become an e-sport for a reason.

There’s hours of fun to be had in couch battles, online multiplayer and in solo quests. What makes DOA so accessible is that while skill will certainly take you a lot further, new players can pick up a controller and compete competently very quickly (plus there’s an excellent tutorial).

You can skip the “story”.

Aside from the issues stated above, the game looks amazing, too, though I question the wisdom of giving an MMA ring marble flooring.

Bottom line: DOA6 is a great fighting game with a clear misogyny problem that is better in this iteration, but still has a long way to go.

Dead or Alive 6

Overall: 3/5

Available now on: PS4, Xbox One, PC

Price: $99.95

Rating: M

Reviewed on: Xbox One S

Out now.