4. Critical Bursts + Other Gameplay Changes
This is a good topic to talk about after talking about the hold/counter system.
DOA 5 will feature quite a few new gameplay elements to help spice up fights and make for an overall more rewarding experience. One of these features is known as a Critical Burst. Critical Bursts are essentially special attacks that every character has that will allow them to do guaranteed follow-up damage on their opponent. To use a Critical Burst, you have to first land 3-4 successful strikes on your opponent (depending on character), at which point you can then use a Critical Burst which will stun your opponent and leave them open to a free juggle combo, Power Blow or other high-impact moves. This is a great addition as it allows the attacker more options to combat the defending players ability to use holds/counters. Another gameplay addition is Power Blows. Power Blows are special attacks that deal heavy damage and look especially flashy. Power Blows allow you to choose where to hurl your opponent to inflict extra damage on them. It's slow to execute, so not overpowered, but a welcome addition to promote mind-games. Side-stepping will be a major gameplay mechanic too. Previous
DOA games have never fully utilised the side-step mechanic, but
DOA 5 will. It adds another level of gameplay depth as avoiding attacks and stage positioning can be executed manually rather than by luck. These additions and other changes will also have the indirect benefit of putting newcomers and experienced players on equal footing. Everyone will have to learn and get used to these new mechanics. Experienced players can't just rely on prior knowledge gained in the
DOA series, as refusing to adapt to the new system will be very detrimental.