Dead or Alive 5 Ultimate goes free-to-play. But will it be really worth it?

So, you may have already heard the recent announcement from TecmoKoei/Team Ninja regarding the upcoming re-release of Dead or Alive 5 - called, appropriately enough, Dead or Alive 5 Ultimate.

Now, I am aware that some people aren't happy with the announcement, especially those who purchased the portable version, Dead or Alive 5+ released only a few months ago. If you ask me, it's a sound idea to avoid completly going the Capcom way of releasing a remake of a game just months after the original game at retail price. (though a retail version WILL be avaliable if you wish to purchase it)

Myself, being an Xbox 360 owner if the original DoA5 (got the Special Edition version with the art book, poster and everything - go me!) due to a relative lack of support for the 360 after it's release. My main beef being that, due to the Vita's cross-support with the PS3, the DLC released for the Vita could be used on the PS3, but that matter is irrelevant. In their defence, however, they say they have issues when talking to Microsoft about getting DLC/Patches released - the reason the 1.03 patch was initially delayed. I have also heard that other companies have faced similar problems. If you ask me, I think that Microsoft only really care about the Halo's and Call of Doody's (yeah, i called it that, whatcha gonna do, cry about it?) of the universe...

Yes, they are adding new characters to the frey, with Ninja Gaiden's Momiji and Virtua Fighter's Jacky Bryant, along with the return of Ein, as well as teasing Leon. They are also bringing back some classic stages as well. As for everything else that they are gonna confirm/deny, we'll have to wait until E3, but that isn't going to be a long wait as I type this...

So enough of talking about things that were announced weeks ago, and to talk about what was announced a few days ago...
The free-to-play version will initially have access to four playable characters (Kasumi, Ayane, Hayabusa and Hayate) and access to almost every other mode in the game. (only Story Mode is inacessable) Other characters, as well as enabling Story Mode, would require you to pay for them.

Now, for the ultimate question: Is it worth getting the free version and buying all the other things, or would you be better off just buying the retail version?

So, for comparitive reasons, let's assume that the complete game at retail price will be around £40-£45, which is the normal price of a recently released Xbox 360/PS3 on retail.

Note: The pricing of everything I mention here are correct as of 10 June 2013 and is subject to change. Also this is for PS3 only, with the possibility of this idea coming to the Xbox 360 in the future. (But I doubt it...) Details about this free-to-play version of the game can be found on the game's website.

For the remaining 25 fighters (this includes two, as yet unknown, characters) will cost £3.19 each. A quick calculation that 25 x £3.19 = a grand total of £79.75! There is also confirmation that character packs won't be offered. Certain modes will be limited to the core four characters, along with any characters you have purchased. Other modes, (Time Attack/Arcade/Survival as well as online) however, will include characters you haven't purchased yet.

Now we come to story mode... Now if I'm reading this from the website correctly, Story mode if priced at £11.99 per character. Including the Prologue, there are 20 chapters in Story Mode, so this would come up to a total of £239.80!! Though I may be mistaken about how they plan on doing this, and it'll probably just be £11.99 for the whole thing, which would be a more sensible idea.

So, if you ask me, I would probably go for the retail version of the game, and possibly trade-in your copy of DoA5 in doing so.  Why, do you ask? Well:

• All of the titles you've unlocked, as well as any purchased DLC/costumes will be transferred over.
• As there are going to be new mechanics/stages/characters/etc. being implemented into the game, you won't be able to play online with people who have the older game version of DoA5 (you might as well keep DoA5+, if you have that, as the only other portable DoA fighting game is DoA Dimensions on the 3DS)

So there you go, there are my thoughts on the free-to-play thing, though I do wonder if I'm getting things stupidly wrong (i.e. story mode pricing), or if I'm not really getting my point across properly, but I guess that's how I rant about things...