DNF Duel Reviews

DNF Duel is ranked in the 75th percentile of games scored on OpenCritic.
8 / 10.0
May 15, 2023

DNF Duel is a fine addition to the rosters of fighting games on the Nintendo Switch. I can only hope that crossplay comes in the future alongside the number of updates and support Arc System Works has promised the other versions. It's a bit of a niche franchise when compared to stuff like Dragon Ball Z and may not quite have the appeal for more casual fans. That said, fans of the genre who fancy an anime fighter with a bit of a difference will find that DNF Duel stands in its league.

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4 / 5.0
May 2, 2023

Overall, DNF Duel was and still is one of the most aesthetically pleasing games I’ve played in a long time and one of the better ports on the Nintendo Switch, taking everything there was to love about the game while still retaining its sleek gameplay and killer sense of style. Sadly, while the characters and animations still look great, and the game runs like a champ, it took a slight hit in terms of graphical fidelity to be able to run the game at its most optimal on the Switch. Nevertheless, while it may not be an entirely new game, it does a phenomenal job showing that an old dog doesn’t need new tricks to be great. So if big beautiful sprites, bone-crunching combat, and vivid visuals are your cup of tea, don’t be afraid to give DNF Duel a try.

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7 / 10.0
Apr 20, 2023

The Switch version of DNF Duel is a wild, ridiculous fighter with some neat systems to keep you invested in each battle. It's still the weakest release among all platforms, though.

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8.5 / 10.0
Jun 28, 2022

DnF Duel is the perfect entry point for people new to the genre, being a decent challenge for the more experienced players. All this with an amazing artwork.

Review in Spanish | Read full review

8 / 10.0
Jul 15, 2022

DNF Duel is a good fighting game, but nothing more. It has beautiful animations between fights and a very rich universe to use to its advantage. Besides that, the gameplay makes combatants use their creativity to the fullest in combos. But still, it seems that all the meticulousness of the mechanics has not been extended to the game modes and all the rest of the experience that a fighting game can give its fans.

Review in Portuguese | Read full review

Loved
Jul 11, 2022

It’s hard to know what DNF Duel will look like in a year’s time, let alone a few months. Fighting games get huge updates so frequently these days it’s impossible to know what form they’ll take in the long term, whether due to the developers deciding to make massive changes or the meta shifting in such a way that pigeon-holes the greater play dynamics. Right now, though, it’s a ton of fun and relatively easy to hop in and just start pressing buttons. Hopefully it can stay that way for a while because it’s nice to have something to just turn on and get some quick sets in without feeling like I need to actually put in actual work to do anything.

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7.8 / 10.0
Jul 11, 2022

A pleasing surprise.

Review in Spanish | Read full review

8.5 / 10.0
Jun 29, 2022

DNF Duel is a beautiful, twisted, and chaotic fighting game that matches style and substance. With a blend of incredible visuals and solid gameplay, DNF Duel aims to be one of the best fighting games in the market, and if it can keep a solid playerbase, it could be a must-have for fans and newcomers alike.

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Recommended
Jul 8, 2022

When Nexon first announced that they would be collaborating with Arc System Works to develop a fighting game based on Dungeon Fighter Online, the response was a bit muted. Arc System Works is arguably the best fighting game studio in the industry right now, but working with an IP that has such a niche audience–no matter how huge that IP may be–didn’t set the fighting game community on fire. Fast forward a year and a half later, though, and there’s no doubt that DNF Duel earns its place as one of the more accessible and polished releases the studio has had thus far.

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70 / 100
Jul 1, 2022

DNF Duel is flashy, easy to get into, and has enough content to keep you entertained. While I feel that the game could use a tad more content beyond Story Mode and a few other challenges that are pretty standard, it's at least a bit more substantial than Guilty Gear Strive's launch version.

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9 / 10.0
Jun 30, 2022

DNF Duel is full of fun with katana flinging actions galore, especially focused on favoring the aggressor. Finding the correct punishes may be tough but the skill curve is not as steep as some of the other traditional fighting games. There is enough single player content to get you right into the DNF universe and even the online playability is equipped with the fan favorite rollback netcode to minimize any latency issues. Those who are not familiar with Dungeon & Fighter can dive straight into the action as it serves its own universe apart from the original IP.

Review in Korean | Read full review

8.5 / 10.0
Jun 29, 2022

DnF Duel proves that publisher Nexon was wise to place their trust in developer Arc System Works, because they know the art of fighting game duels better than absolutely everyone else.

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INVEN
Top Critic
8 / 10.0
Jun 28, 2022

DNF Duel is a fighting game with great respect to its original IP. While the game providing deep sense of duel, its easy control system makes anyone can adapt into the game's mechanic. Though the collectable system and convenience in training mode are not as good as its graphic and sound quality, it is certain that both DNF fans and fighting fans can enjoy this.

Review in Korean | Read full review

7.5 / 10.0
Jun 28, 2022

Overall, DNF Duel is a beautiful anime fighting game that brings together a roster of 16 unique fighters to the arena. While the game is inviting to new players, it doesn’t feel like there is a lot of content for returning players to engage with. While the game is beautiful to look at, there are reasonable questions about how long players will engage with this game.

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7.5 / 10.0
Jun 28, 2022

DNF Duel offers fun and action-packed anime-style combat that's simple enough for new players to jump into without sacrificing too much depth that veterans love. Unfortunately, repetitive single player content with a lack of meaningful unlockables makes the game one that will only retain those who it charms with its flashy fighting.

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