Double Dragon IV Reviews
Double Dragon IV continues the franchise’s legacy with possibly its best home game to date.
It does seem as though Arc System Works were relying entirely on the nostalgia to sell Double Dragon IV. And while it captures the essence of those original games it falls short of being a good game today simply because the original hasn't aged well. It would have been pretty rockin' back in the 80s though.
You’re either going to love or hate Double Dragon IV and its old-school vibe. If you’re a fan of the NES releases in the series and have always wanted more, then you’re going to love this new one. If, on the other hand, you didn’t grow up playing 8-Bit games and favor flashy 3D graphics and games that are 12+ hours long, then you better stay far away from this one. As someone who enjoyed the Double Dragon games back I the day, I had a lot of fun with this new one and I look forward to seeing what Ark System Works does with the series.
Even with pixelated rose-tinted glasses, it’s difficult to recommend Double Dragon IV to anyone but the most die-hard fans of retro games and the series in general. It brings back all the frustration, but does nothing to improve upon the formula. It does offer around an hour of fairly entertaining co-op with a buddy, but your time could still be spent better elsewhere. If you want your Double Dragon fix, Double Dragon: Neon is a far better investment and holds true to the retro style gameplay with modern day improvements and online co-op.
Complaints and level design grumbles aside, Double Dragon IV is a proud throwback to gaming’s yesteryear and if you’re a fan of the series you can do a lot worse than picking this up. Just watch out for the disappearing bits near the end, the timing on those things are murder.
Double Dragon IV doesn’t quite live up to its potential. Those looking to scratch that beat-em-up itch are better off playing WayForward’s Double Dragon Neon or waiting for the upcoming River City Ransom: Underground.
Double Dragon IV is, for better or worse, a direct sequel to Double Dragon II. In terms of mechanics, it's practically a carbon copy, but it goes the extra mile by including a number of new moves and enemies. The tower mode and massive selection of unlockable characters are also really nice. However, this game is trapped in an odd limbo. It doesn't do enough to compete with more modern beat 'em ups, and it isn't as iconic as its predecessor. Its appeals to nostalgia don't quite hit the mark. Perhaps the second game gets a little too much credit; some fans probably haven't played it in decades. Comparing a newer entry to fond memories is a little unfair, but maybe more could have been done to make this one really stand out.
I enjoyed my time with Double Dragon 4, it looks, sounds and plays exactly how I remember it back when I was a kid. The addition of new modes, being able to customize the controls and fun local multiplayer will make this one I most certainly will break out when friends are over. I mean how often do you get the chance to show somebody a purple version of Abobo getting tornado kicked.
Double Dragon IV is a return to the good old days of beat 'em ups that fans may enjoy but it's also a flawed experience that modern gamers will likely be baffled by.
For fans of the series I suppose this could be a good time if you're looking to relive the magic, but this game feels ancient without any regard for advances in gaming since the earlier games.
Double Dragon IV clings to its retro inspirations just a little too tightly. Fans of the old 8-bit titles will likely enjoy their romp here for what it is, but Arc System Works could have taken some more chances and delivered a brawler that had more to offer. Instead we get a fighting game that is simply average, despite my deep nostalgia for the series.
If you are a fan and still play retro: worth your time, it's very faithful to the series, almost too much If you are not: probably pass on this one, you'll just be angry.
"If the developers were looking to take Double Dragon IV back to the series' roots, great. It's just that the formula does not translate well after nearly thirty years. What was the standard then isn't the standard now. Having enemies who can move faster than you while your stuck with middling delays was not enjoyable in the slightest. The graphics and enemy design choices were nice but a side scrolling beat'em up is hardly judged on those alone. Absolute die-hard fans of the genre or the Double Dragon name may find something to like here, but anyone else should steer clear."