DNF Duel Reviews
Deep and unique enough for genre veterans, yet also simple and welcoming enough for newcomers.
DNF Duel has lots to love for fighting game beginners and experts alike if you can get through a tough difficulty curve, the lack of crossplay, and don't mind a thin story mode.
A robust fighting system and brilliant online play make DNF Duel a worthy new contender.
In an industry slowly and often clumsily stomping towards some nebulous washed out esports future where it feels as though all games must be perfectly balanced with big bucks competitive gaming in mind, I’m happy that some developers like Eighting and Arc System Works remain willing to make games that are still a little jank, still a little busted. DNF Duel is unapologetic - and a lot of fun. For Dungeon Fighter fans this is obviously a great purchase, for fans of the genre the same thing goes.
DNF Duel successfully brings the world of Dungeon Fighter Online to a fighting game arena with all the ingredients that made previous Arc System Works games great.
DNF Duel is an extremely welcoming fighting game that I’d recommend to genre veterans and newcomers alike. The battles are tense, the visuals are out of this world and the inputs and tutorials make it really easy to pick up and play. I never thought I’d truly get into this genre of video game, but DNF Duel managed to drag me into it and I couldn’t be happier.
DNF Duel is a surprisingly deep fighting game, that doesn't require a whole lot of learning to be enjoyed. Mechanically interesting and with a very diverse cast of fighters, this videogame has the potential to entertain both new players and old fans of this genre.
Review in Italian | Read full review
DNF Duel is a ridiculous fighting game in the best way possible. Simple inputs and meaty one-button attacks provide an easy entryway for beginners, but the advanced defensive mechanics and powerful properties of your attacks create fast & frenzied action that I can't get enough of. More importantly, the simplified inputs don't sacrifice the skill-ceiling - this game is full of depth and a ton of fun even at the highest level of play.
Between the well-adapted cast of characters, stages, and music from Dungeon Fighter Online, this is both a love letter to DFO fans, as well as a quality and accessible fighting game to boot. It will be interesting to see how much longevity this game has in it, though. Where some characters have risen to the top in past fighting games with enough exploration and discovery, DNF Duel feels a little too easy to crack. It’s the most unbalanced of any Arc System Works fighter I’ve played in recent memory, and that makes me concerned for its community health. That said, it’s still a fun fighting game to play with good offline modes to boot. If you want a good-looking fighter that doesn’t take too much practice to access and feel good about, or if you just love Dungeon Fighter Online and want to play a game that adapts it well, DNF Duel might be the brawler you’re looking for.
The fact that it is an Arc System Works title makes comparisons with its great games inevitable and DNF Duel is somewhat below, but its combats are solid, intense and spectacular.
Review in Spanish | Read full review
Another visually spectacular Arc System Works fighter that is both surprisingly accessible and full of hidden depth and clever ideas.
Impressive efforts with a few noticeable problems holding them back. Won't astound everyone, but is worth your time and cash.
As it stands, DNF:Duel is not a fighter I will continue to play as it’s not the kind of experience I’m looking for in a fighting game. However, that is not to say that I don’t see the value in having a game where bombastic, overtuned characters do dumb things to each other as I don’t believe every fighter needs to be meticulously balanced and brutally deep to have a place in the FGC. All that really means is that I’ll just be watching instead of playing.
DNF Duel is another stunning fighter from Arc System Works that offers a unique experience setting it aside from other fighters. Its simplified fight mechanics make DNF Duel an accessible fighter whilst still being complex enough to offer a challenging experience for members of the Fight Game Community.
DNF Duel adds and subtracts from a variety of fighting game mechanics to create something strangely unique, fundamentally simple, and undeniably fun.
DNF Duel is a broken fighting game that lives by the philosophy of "Everyone's busted, so it's balanced." The game is going to push the right buttons for a lot of fighting game enthusiasts. At the same time, its mechanics are easily approachable for casual audiences who want to see cool moves executed easily. I believe that the game will be in the same category as games like Fantasy Strike in terms of accessibility (it will also be better than Fantasy Strike overall).
DNF Duel is incredible. Arc System Works has struck the perfect balance: the game is accessible for newcomers, yet includes enough complexity for veterans. On the battlefield, the game offers new ideas that will make you strategize and continually plan ahead. While there is a lot of single-player content, it treads familiar ground and is a little underwhelming. However, with its solid netcode, stunning aesthetic and deceptively deep mechanics, DNF Duel hits the sweet spot.
DNF Duel is an approachable, explosive fighting game. Although it doesn't quite stand out from the crowd in terms of having an instantly recognisable style, it's great fun to actually play. Crazy combos, a cool character roster, and a nice selection of game modes makes for an appealing package. Once we've been able to put the title's online offerings to the test, we'll be updating this review with a score and additional details.
DNF Duel is an 2.5 D Fighting Game with an excellent core and a very interesting roster but very little to offer to new players in terms of contents. In its current state, it can be an easy suggestion for anyone more interested in playing in a more competitive way rather than for a casual player.
Review in Italian | Read full review
While DNF Duel isn't quite able to unseat Guilty Gear Strive, what Nexon and Arc System Works has conjured here is nonetheless deeply worthy of commendation. A welcoming, two-dimensional fighter boasting a honeyed aesthetic that caresses both the ocular and aural senses, DNF Duel makes a great representation as a fantastic entry point for genre newcomers, as well as being a reliable source of instant gratification for brawling stalwarts.