Struggling to find an identity

Double Dragon is one of the first games I was obsessed with in arcades. I can still remember when it launched on NES and I scrambled to obtain a copy so I could relive my obsession at home. The history of the series has a lot of ups and downs, but I have remained infatuated with it since inception. The latest game in the series brings some familiar ideas and characters while injecting some modern nostalgia and mechanics to create a mixed bag of entertainment. There are parts of it I love, while others have me scratching my head. This game walks a fine line between being a classic and something I just didn’t want to play anymore. Still I had a lot of fun with it despite its flaws.

Lots of familiar characters make a return including Bimmy and Jimmy respectively. Marian is no longer a damsel in distress and is now a playable character with ranged weapons while newcomer Uncle Matin rounds out the initial cast. What is cool is that there are a host of unlockable characters, including the bosses that can be used. This game is designed for multiple playthroughs so being able to expand the roster is a welcome addition.

MSRP: $24.99
Platforms: Xbox (reviewed), PlayStation, Switch, PC
Price I’d Pay: $19.99

The game lets players pick two characters and the combat is designed around this mechanic. Tag team combos are where the depth of the fighting comes from. Mixing and matching characters becomes a puzzle in and of itself as you figure out which ones mesh together the best. Base combat is fairly simple with attack buttons and a grapple that also doubles as the item pickup, which causes more issues than I would prefer. The real complexity comes in combining tag moves making it feel more like a versus fighting game.

Experimenting with each character is fun and I love that there are various styles. Using Marian for ranged combat then switching to Billy for some up close action is addictive. Sadly the enemies can stun lock you into place which quickly becomes frustrating. I love that the game rewards aggression though by rewarding players with health when taking out multiple enemies at once. Playing the game can be a lot of fun at its core.

The structure is interesting. There are four gangs with their own set of stages, but they can be played in any order. This changes what players get to see on any given playthrough. For example if you start with the Okada clan, there is only one level before the boss fight. After defeating them the rest of the gangs up their game and each one you tackle next gets longer and longer. This works depending on which one you choose, so if you picked Okada last, there are more stages which means it will take multiple playthroughs to see all the game has to offer. It is a neat concept that encourages replaying each one all while unlocking new characters to use.

Then we have the roguelike elements. I am rarely a fan of these types of games and the normal tropes are here. Boosts are randomized as you progress through the stages. Sometimes these are extremely helpful, while other times they are useless. Coins are the currency and they can be used to continue on a game over or upgrade characters in between runs. Every time I died the cost of continuing would also increase. These are just elements that suck the fun out of games for me. Why this title didn’t go the same route as Streets of Rage 4 or TMNT to revive the classic beat ‘em up is beyond me. I would have loved that idea for a Double Dragon revival.

Visually the game has a very familiar look to it. It reminds me of the Scott Pilgrim game, which I am not the biggest fan of. The large heads on small bodies just don’t look great. The pixel work is fantastic though and the animations are really impressive. The music feels familiar, yet forgettable sadly. The new character designs are also not as iconic as they should be and the new entries feel uninspired.

Playing with friends makes things a little better. Sadly right now it is only available locally. There is online coming down the line, but at launch it is just local co-op.

Double Dragon Gaiden continues the trend of the series’ ups and downs. While it has some truly great designs, it has a lot of frustrating choices that hold it back. I was really excited to see a new game in the series, but it feels like they just want to build something new with each entry instead of capitalizing on what made the original so great. With the recent revival of so many classic beat ‘em up franchises, Double Dragon Gaiden just doesn’t impress nearly as much as it should have.

Review copy of game provided by publisher.