DNF Duel Reviews

DNF Duel is ranked in the 75th percentile of games scored on OpenCritic.
80 / 100
Jul 8, 2022

DNF Duel is a good game with beautiful graphics and accessible mechanics. The cast of characters is relatively varied and the modes are what we currently expect from a fighting title. Online is great with its netcode via rollback, although there is no cross-play. DNF Duel's biggest problem is perhaps its lack of innovation and being too simple in its essence.

Review in Portuguese | Read full review

PC Gamer
Top Critic
85 / 100
Jul 6, 2022

Deep and unique enough for genre veterans, yet also simple and welcoming enough for newcomers.

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8 / 10
Jul 4, 2022

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.

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Wccftech
Top Critic
7.5 / 10.0
Jul 3, 2022

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).

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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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8 / 10.0
Jun 30, 2022

The guys of Arc System Works have hit the target again, packaging an articulated combat system, unbridled and fun but also accessible and innovative.

Review in Italian | Read full review

8 / 10
Jun 30, 2022

A robust fighting system and brilliant online play make DNF Duel a worthy new contender.

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TJ Denzer
Top Critic
8 / 10
Jun 30, 2022

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.

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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

Metro GameCentral
GameCentral
Top Critic
8 / 10
Jun 30, 2022

Another visually spectacular Arc System Works fighter that is both surprisingly accessible and full of hidden depth and clever ideas.

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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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8 / 10
Jun 29, 2022

DNF Duel may take it's simplification a step too far, but it's still a flashy and satisfying anime fighter that's approachable for players of all skill levels.

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85 / 100
Jun 29, 2022

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.

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70 / 100
Jun 29, 2022

While DNF Duel’s MP system adds a new layer to the fighting game genre, this title plays things far too safe. Fans of Arc System Works’ other fighters will enjoy throwing down as wind wielders and puppet masters, but the studios’ other titles manage to do everything on offer here.

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8 / 10.0
Jun 29, 2022

Impressive efforts with a few noticeable problems holding them back. Won't astound everyone, but is worth your time and cash.

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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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Cubed3
Top Critic
8 / 10
Jun 29, 2022

As a huge fan of the original series, there is a lot of style drawn from it. The action is fast and looks good, and seeing the characters in another format is a great surprise. Some caution is warranted as the price tag is hefty and the lack of cross-play between PlayStation and PC might shorten the game's lifespan. While not nearly as tactical as PVP was due to its 3D plane, now condensed down to its 2D linear combat, it's a fun romp and the gallery/glossary of the lore is appreciated. In the end, as good as this game is, it's more of a reminder how much better DFO is.

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Jun 28, 2022

DNF Duel is a fighting game that successfully returns to the roots of the genre while being accessible to new players. Although some features are not present, the future of the game could evolve with DLC and updates. At launch, a well-rounded fighting game is available with unlockable characters and a plethora of content.

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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

CGMagazine
Top Critic
7.5 / 10.0
Jun 28, 2022

DNF Duel takes a popular but somewhat dated MMORPG and successfully reinvigorates it into a quick to learn but hard to master fighting game.

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