Double Dragon Gaiden: Rise of the Dragons Review

GAMING

7/10 Review

Double Dragon Gaiden: Rise of the Dragons – An Action-Packed Beat ‘Em Up with a Twist

Double Dragon Gaiden: Rise of the Dragons is an action-packed beat ’em up game that offers a unique blend of roguelike elements and tag-team combat. In this blog post, we’ll explore the exciting features of the game and discover why it stands out among other classic side-scrolling beat ’em ups.

A Dubious Offer and an Unconventional Team

The game starts with a mysterious man walking into your office, holding your friend captive, and claiming to be the new mayor seeking your help to restore peace to the fallen city. A valuable lesson is learned early on – trust should not be granted easily to strangers with dubious claims. However, this encounter marks the beginning of an epic adventure.

Double Dragon Gaiden excels in combining straightforward combat mechanics with tag-team dynamics reminiscent of games like Marvel vs. Capcom. The controls are simple and intuitive, making it easy for both newcomers and fans of platform fighters to enjoy the game. The joy of executing flashy combos and powerful special moves with just a single button press is highly satisfying. The tag system adds an exciting twist, allowing you to choose a pair of characters to team up with, doubling the fun and the chaos.

Diverse and Distinct Characters

One of the game’s strengths lies in its diverse roster of fighters. With 14 characters to unlock and choose from, each one brings a unique set of abilities and playstyles to the table. Some characters can wield enemy weapons, while others excel at aerial combat, and some are masters at using the environment to their advantage. The variety ensures that every character feels distinct, offering players a wide range of choices for their tag team combinations.

Tactical Decision Making and Mission Structure

The game adopts a mission-based structure, allowing players to choose from four missions, each associated with a specific gang boss and color-coded to match the zone. This open-ended approach to mission selection lets players tackle the challenges in any order, similar to the classic Mega Man games. As you progress and defeat bosses, subsequent missions become longer and more challenging, requiring strategic thinking to decide which boss to face first and which to save for later.

Aesthetics and Level Design

Visually, the game features creative and immersive backdrops. Fighting amidst the glitz and glamour of a casino floor or in dark and mysterious locations adds to the overall experience. However, some levels suffer from lackluster design, which can be disappointing. Occasionally, levels introduce gimmicks that may not translate as well into enjoyable gameplay, leading to frustrating experiences.

Roguelike-Style Buffs and Customization

At the end of each stage, players have the opportunity to spend their hard-earned money on roguelike-style buffs. These buffs can enhance various aspects of your characters, such as increasing maximum health or boosting specific special moves. While the buffs provide a degree of customization, the decision-making aspect of this feature may not be as intricate as in dedicated roguelike games.

Fierce Enemies and Evolving Boss Battles

Enemies in Double Dragon Gaiden swarm relentlessly, escalating in strength and numbers as you progress through the missions. While enemy variety could be more diverse, the game compensates by presenting engaging boss battles. Bosses evolve as you choose to face them later in the sequence, gaining new abilities and transformations. These late-game encounters can be challenging but bring an element of surprise and excitement to the gameplay.

Balance and Difficulty

The game’s balance sometimes wavers, particularly during boss battles. The bosses’ fast-paced and evasive moves can be frustrating, and their recoveries often feel too quick. As a result, landing hits on them becomes a challenging task, leading to a slightly imbalanced combat experience.

Token Shop and Unlockables

Upon completing a run, excess cash can be converted into tokens, which can be used at the token shop to unlock characters, artwork, music, and tips. The shop’s inclusion of tips for higher difficulty levels may seem redundant, but it adds an extra layer of challenge for players seeking to test their skills further.

Conclusion

Double Dragon Gaiden: Rise of the Dragons successfully blends roguelike mechanics and tag-team combat to create an enjoyable beat ’em up experience. While it may not be flawless, its diverse roster of characters, open-ended mission structure, and engaging combat make it a game worth exploring. Whether you’re a fan of classic beat ’em ups or looking for a fresh take on the genre, Double Dragon Gaiden has something exciting to offer