DNF Duel Reviews
DNF Duel had the potential to be a great fighting game for beginners, but is far too shallow and unbalanced to be competitive in. Even so, it's good for a more casual and laid back experience with some great visuals.
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.
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.
DNF Duel is a fun fighting game suitable even for players who are not fans of the genre or do not have much experience with it. But you won't enjoy the story very much and the online gameplay is quite austere. In addition, the Switch version does not support rollback netcode.
Review in Slovak | Read full review
A visually pleasing fighter that is competent in every aspect, but other than being based on a popular MMO and some of the minutiae of its system, other fighters have offered a better experience, some of them even from the same developer.
Review in Arabic | Read full review
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.
DNF Duel adds and subtracts from a variety of fighting game mechanics to create something strangely unique, fundamentally simple, and undeniably fun.
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 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.
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.
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.
DNF Duel takes a popular but somewhat dated MMORPG and successfully reinvigorates it into a quick to learn but hard to master fighting game.
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.
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 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
A pleasing surprise.
Review in Spanish | Read full review
As an IP-derived fighting game, DNF Duel is up to standard. Each available character has distinctive characteristics and interesting gameplay, and the simple operation makes it easier to attract fans' attention and devote themselves to it. Unfortunately, the deficiencies of storyline and gameplay, as well as the too-simple combat mechanism, make it difficult to really become an addictive fighting game.
Review in Chinese | Read full review
DNF Duel is a 2D fighting game that features an extraordinarily accessible control system and move list that’s certain to put newcomers at ease while welcoming veterans as well. Its Story Mode could certainly have been more developed with such a rich lore, but the sharp, intuitive gameplay experience is going to fit like a glove on anyone who enjoys 2D fighting games.
Review in Portuguese | Read full review
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.
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.