Secret Base’s Raymond Teo discussed the way a brawler with highly replayable roguelite elements counteracted the repetitive nature of the beat-’em-up genre during the game’s July 2023 release.
After defeating four gangs spread across four nuclear war-ravaged stages, players can hoard cash, invest it in tokens for unlockables, or buy upgrades and revival credits to keep going. The later stages expand into three separate sectors, with customized difficulty modifiers, giving players a variety of routes and outcomes.
Marian is no longer the helpless girlfriend saved by two heroic Lee brawl brothers, but a gun-toting start character who maintains distance rather than fighting. As a result, you can tag team with a hulking close-up support character like Uncle Matin.
Special attacks are available as desperation moves, which along with switching to a secondary character like in Jay and Silent Bob: Mall Brawl, allows escape tactics to be used. You get food to replenish your health when you KO three or more enemies with Crowd Control.
Although the cartoon style may be controversial at first, think of it as a homage to Mighty Final Fight, which redrew an arcade game’s art using cute chibi characters. Your nostalgic blood will pump more from the music than from the visuals. There are nods to the Double Dragon series throughout, including the Token Shop’s nine unlockable characters, plus music and art that reference not just the influential 1987 arcade game, but also fan favourite titles as well.
In contrast to Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Shredder’s Revenge’s six player online chaos, it only supports two players local co-op. Also lacking the polish of Streets of Rage 4, Double Dragon Gaiden: Rise of the Dragons adds roguelite progression, making it a strikingly replayable addition to the modern side-scrolling beat-’em-up revival.
Pros:
- A replayable roguelite.
- Gameplay with tag teams.
- Rankings online.
- A Double Dragon reference.
Cons:
- Multiplayer offline.
- Co-op for two players only.
- Artwork that divides.
I’d give this a 7 over 10.