Double Dragon Gaiden: Rise of the Dragons Reviews
Double Dragon Gaiden: Rise of the Dragons is the revival we’ve long yearned for. It’s sleek, with crisp visuals and, excuse my pun, a punchy combat mechanic. Nothing felt sluggish, with zero stutters or freezes to speak of. The optimization is pristine, and the soundtrack is, as the kids say, lit.
As a longtime fan of beat ‘em ups, I absolutely adored Double Dragon Gaiden: Rise of the Dragons. The combat system is extremely in-depth and addictive, the huge roster of characters is fun to play with and the roguelike elements massively improve the replay value. I highly recommend this game if you’re a fan of Double Dragon or beat ‘em ups in general as this is one of the best examples of the genre.
Double Dragon Gaiden: Rise of the Dragons' roguelike structure might take a while to get used to, and the game can get absurdly tough in Mission 3 and onward. And it'll take you a while to get used to each character's recovery animations as it's purposely made like this to make you think twice before you button mash. Still, you won't find a worthy remake and beat-em-up revitalization project like this "side story" filled with so many deep cuts that will make beat-em-up fans of the Technos era smile.
Building on classic roots and updating it with modern gameplay, presentation, and progression, Double Dragon Gaiden is an absolutely fantastic beat 'em up. Near-perfect from start to finish, it is a polished example of just how much you can do with a retro property when you’re willing to innovate and modernize the rock-solid core.
One of the most enjoyable co-op experiences.
It makes you want more. Very dynamic and eager to invite someone to play to unlock everything you have and continue feeding the content that the game itself gives. An imperative recommendation to any lover of the genre.
Review in Spanish | Read full review
Quite possibly, the best installment of the franchise since the original game. The small rhythm problems do not diminish a nostalgic, fun and much more varied experience than it seems at first.
Review in Spanish | Read full review
The most interesting part of Double Dragon Gaiden's legacy is that it arguably shows there is a whole lot of untapped creative latitude when it comes to freshening up traditional concepts and mechanics. Most commendably of all, late game difficulty spikes notwithstanding, Double Dragon Gaiden manages that rarest of feats by fashioning an irresistibly engaging genre effort that cribs both from the old and the new to give wannabe brawlers one of the best genre entries since Streets of Rage 4 punched its way into our hearts.
Double Dragon Gaiden: Rise of the Dragons comes during a time where we wouldn't mind some good ol' fashioned beat 'em up side scrolling games. A huge roster of characters and a great new tag team feature really push the franchise forward. While it gets everything right, it baffles me that we have to wait for online co-op. Still, that shouldn't deter you. Double Dragon fans should grab this right now.
Have no doubt, Double Dragon Gaiden: Rise of the Dragons is one of the best beat 'em ups of recent times, and considering the great quality we have had in the genre today, this is more than a compliment.
Review in Spanish | Read full review
Double Dragon Gaiden: Rise of the Dragons carves out its own unique character against its predecessors and provides a fantastically edgy game that consistently calls you back for more!
A solid sequel in the beloved beat 'em up series with some roguelite elements
Double Dragon Gaiden: Rise of the Dragons succeeds in standing out from its peers with the implementation of roguelike mechanics, a stylish and deep combat system, and a wide variety of playable characters armed with unique fighting styles. However, its lack of a training mode, tutorial mode, or versus mode (all modern-day beat ’em up staples) or any real gameplay innovations makes for a somewhat quick and empty experience. Even so, the Double Dragons are back and more than capable of putting up a fight.
It’ll be interesting to see what other beat ’em ups get the modern retro treatment, maybe ‘Golden Axe’ or ‘Final Fight’? For now though, it’s time for the Dragons to rise from the ashes and beat down the streets once again, with hours upon hours of old-school couch co-op fun and soon, online as well. Double Dragon Gaiden: Rise of the Dragons is the long overdue modern classic that fans have been waiting for.
Double Dragon Gaiden: Rise of the Dragons is one of the best games in the series, combining elements of a beat 'em up with those of a roguelike while maintaining the challenge for which Double Dragon is known. The sprite animation is superb. It's a decent buy for the price of $25. You can get a fantastic time on the standard difficulty. This game will put your understanding of beat 'em ups to the test on the more challenging modes.
Double Dragon Gaiden is the breath of fresh air this franchise needed. It does just enough to modernize the graphics and gameplay while preserving many of the best elements that make Double Dragon the revered fighting game series it is today.
Double Dragon Gaiden: Rise of the Dragons convincingly declines the experience gathered with Streets of Red, giving new and interesting mechanics to the eternal Lee brothers' fight. A good number of extras and a roguelite structure are the pass for good longevity, penalized only by the absence of online play.
Review in Italian | Read full review
Either alone or with a buddy, Double Dragon Gaiden: Rise of the Dragons is a good time. It updates a decades-old beat ’em up franchise by adding roguelike mechanics that actually harmonize pretty well. The gameplay is accessible but plenty challenging, and the large roster of unlockable characters keeps things interesting.
Double Dragon Gaiden is a new take on a beat ’em up series that refuses to go away and is one of the better Double Dragon games released in a while. While some will be tired of the pixelated look that many retro games have adapted, it fits, and the combat is as apparent as a punch to the face. Tossing in a pinch of nostalgia with some new roguelite elements that don’t break the game, you have a beat ’em up that fans of the genre will gobble up and ask for seconds.
Double Dragon Gaiden: Rise of the Dragons lives up to the legacy of its predecessor, Double Dragon: Neon, while offering a unique and captivating experience. While it may lack the bold and bombastic soundtrack of Neon, Rise of the Dragons compensates with incredibly varied gameplay that keeps players hooked.