DOA being a competitve game has always been rocky. Too much of the system promote the game to a defensive game and also DOA4 was nothing short of an elaborate Rock/Paper/Scissor with Attack/Hold/Grab. Though the DOA series have always been really fun.
DOA5 has some promise from what I have read/heard from people playing the demo. But Hayashi taking over team ninja is really a grim look considering how bad Hayashi games are compared to Itagaki. Just look at ninja gaiden 3 for the latest example.