Tecmo open the 360 era of high fashion 3D fighters with gorgeous animation, precise counters and breakable arenas. The cast is endearing, the flow is unique, and even outside competition this DOA stays a pad-pleasing treat.
Your verdict
Category
Fighting2 players16+
Description
3D fighting game by Team Ninja and Tecmo, December 2005. Fighters with distinct styles clash in varied arenas in the fourth Dead or Alive tournament. Spectacular counter-ripostes, offensive-defensive-throw triangle system, fluid character animations and Combo Tag system. Xbox 360 launch title demonstrating the console's graphical power.
Dead or Alive 4 review
4/5
Art direction
★★★★★
"Striking"
4/5
Music
★★★★★
"Excellent"
2/5
Story
★★★★★
"Classic"
Gameplay
"Excellent"
Fun
"From the very first seconds"
3D fighting in all its fluidity, where tight-timed counters and multi-tier arenas create clashes as spectacular as they are accessible. The beauty of the animations and the snappiness of the exchanges make every duel a rush, even before you master a thing. Elegant, fast and welcoming, a fighting game that bets on spectacle and readability, ideal for two-player fun from the first match.
A Team Ninja 3D versus at the console launch, a technical showcase famed for its fluidity, counters and interactive arenas, a fighting spearhead of the machine's early days. Distributed in the West, its appeal lies in this launch-title status and markedly rarer Asian pressings rather than mass distribution. A piece valued by fans of technical fighting games.
Better with friends
A 3D fighter as spectacular as it is accessible, where the strike-throw-hold triangle keeps duels readable while rewarding reading your opponent. The competition charms beginners and experts alike, carried by interactive arenas that multiply reversals. Local versus stays its strong suit, ideal for evenings where everyone quickly finds their footing and well-placed counters draw cheers.
Is Dead or Alive 4 still worth playing in 2026?
Released in 2005 on Xbox 360, Team Ninja's Dead or Alive 4 launched alongside the console with a 3D fighting game of remarkable fluidity and beauty for its time. The tight timing counter system stays the series' signature, accessible yet deep. The interactive multi level stages, where you hurl the opponent from balcony to balcony, bring a unique dynamic. The snappiness and the spectacle land well. The heavy emphasis on suggestive presentation stays divisive. For fans of 3D versus fighting and rhythmic combat, this launch title keeps a real appeal today.
