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Character Picking
By Pete Hutter
Dead or Alive® Ultimate™ features all of the fighters from the original game's release, plus a few special unlockables. In a series that's as famous for its stunning characters as it is for its spectacular graphics and great gameplay, it makes a great deal of difference which of these beauties (or brutes) you take online. If you want to know which characters will best suit your style of play (and therefore which characters you'll want to unlock the most costumes for), here's a basic primer on the Dead or Alive Ultimatecrew.
Zack will show you the ropes.
Beginner's Luck
A decent player can do well with any of the Dead or Alivefighters right from the start, but two are especially friendly to newcomers: Zack and Jann Lee. Both blend power and speed (with the accent on speed) to deliver a whole lot of pain in a very short amount of time. Their basic attacks and combos are enough to dance all over most A.I. opponents, and if you can work in a few counters and throws, you'll have the match wrapped up in no time.
However, we do have to note the drawbacks to these two fighters. First, their fast and easy path to victory has earned them a bad reputation among more advanced players. In a nutshell, experiencedDOA gamers feel that even the greenest novice can score a cheap win without employing any real strategy with these two. Jann Lee is infamous for cheap spam hits, like the Blind Elbow, and Zack encourages repetitive kick combos that can turn matches into wild, button-mashing frenzies. Also, Jann Lee's attacks are especially easy to predict and counter, so if you choose to use him, be prepared to face a punishing defense.
Ein and Hitomi are also easier characters to start with, as their moves list contain many straightforward attacks, with a few throws and holds thrown in to keep them competitive. Both rely on speed to deliver solid damage through medium-length combos, but they don't have the depth that makes more complex characters harder to use (but more dangerous in the bargain). There's no shame in using Ein or Hitomi (or Zack or Jann Lee), but you do have to remember that their simplicity cuts both ways: It's easier to execute their attacks, but it's also easier to defend against them. 
Lei Fang makes mayhem graceful.
Bulldozers
The most powerful characters are also the slowest, so you'll need to be more precise and deliberate on both offense and defense with them. Bass, Leon, Bayman, Gen Fu, and Tengu use different techniques (except for Leon and Bayman, who use basically the same move set), but all rely on quick jabs to set up heavier hits and combos, which take longer to execute. With the exception of Gen Fu, who is strong in all categories but excellent in none, their throws are routinely more powerful than the other fighters' as well.
You'll need to have a strong defense against the fastest characters when you're fighting with these powerful players. If you don't time your blocks properly, you'll spend the entire match being stunned without a chance to mount any offense. Counters are also crucial, as they protect you from your opponent's attacks and turn those attacks around to damage them instead. Make the most of their quickest blows to knock your opponent back on their heels (or better yet, into a Danger Zone) so you have time enough to slap a Reverse Power Bomb on them or hit them with an Arm Grenade.
Elegance in Combat
This is the largest batch of characters, and they're the ones with slightly more complexity to their moves list. Ryu and Tina are both quick and can deliver plenty of damage per strike, but they also have several extra-long combos that you'll need practice to master. Ryu's moves change according to whether he's in front of or behind his target, and he has an extra set of attacks and throws that he can execute after he begins his spinning handstand. Tina also has extended throw combos that show off her most devastating wrestling moves as well as her fantasy physique. You can use Ryu and Tina to good effect without relying on their more complicated maneuvers, but if you do, you won't be making the most of your choice—and you're sure to lose mirror matches against players that have done their homework.
Characters like Helena and Lei Fang are fast enough to keep up with the rest, but their basic strikes don't do a whole lot of damage. Also, their fighting styles are based on balance and sweeping, elegant movements that smoothly blend one attack into another. While this extra motion does help confuse your opponent's defense, it also slows down your offense and leaves you open to a quick strike, if your opponent is fast enough. The reward for using these two is in the long, graceful, and extremely powerful combos you can pull off. If you can chain a counter with a hold with a solid strike, you're well on your way to victory. 
Gotta love Kasumi.
The A List
Finally, there are the characters that seem to have it all: superior speed, grace in motion, considerable power, and medium-length combos that deliver significant damage without overloading the complexity. Ayane and Kasumi are the stars of the show this time around, so it's no surprise that they are also two of the most powerful fighters—no matter who is controlling them.
Ayane is a bit quicker and does slightly less damage with her basic strikes. However, she also has a long list of powerful throws and an entire set of unique attacks that she can launch from behind an enemy in addition to being able to execute some nimble-Ninja special moves. The sight of Ayane spinning across the arena like a whirlwind, smacking her opponent all the way, is a familiar one on Xbox Live™.
Kasumi has a more diverse ground attack than her half-sister, adding powerful double-handed blows and spinning round kicks to the equation. Her speed and flashy throws are also just as effective as Ayane's. There's something about a runaway Shinobi running straight up someone's chest to tap dance their face back down to the ground that always gets a cheer from the spectators.
Choosing the right character and making the most of it in Dead or Alive Ultimate is hardly a one-time decision. The game is designed to encourage you to experiment with different fighters and master their different moves, so who you choose will certainly change from fight to fight. Everyone has their favorites, of course, and a good player can take a bulldozer like Leon and wipe the floor with a speed demon like Jann Lee. It's all a question of skill and playing to your strengths.
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