Double Dragon Gaiden: Rise of the Dragons

The breath of Double Dragon Gaiden: Rise of the Dragons burns hot thanks to clever tag combat and a big roster of diverse characters, but it doesn’t burn very long as you hit some poorly executed platforming, uninspired roguelike elements, and a shallow end game.

Double Dragon Gaiden: Rise of the Dragons has some aggravating design choices that prevent it from reaching the heights of similar comebacks like TMNT or newcomers like Young Souls, but this is a respectable return for the Lee brothers. If you’re hankering to punch goons in the face, a good time can be had as long as you bring a measure of patience.

Slightly above average or simply inoffensive. Fans of the genre should enjoy them a bit, but a fair few will be left unfulfilled.

The tokens you earn from each run can be used for unlocks in addition to respawns, including a host of additional characters you can choose to play as. It’s a nice carrot to chase even after you manage to successfully complete your first run, though ultimately Double Dragon Gaiden hasn’t really kept me hooked. I love the roguelite refresh on paper, but it never really commits to it in the way of something like Hades or its numerous clones. Without that extra depth, there’s not enough to make up for Double Dragon Gaiden’s occasionally floaty feel and less than exacting moment-to-moment combat. It’s not quite the Double Dragon renaissance I was hoping for.

Since it's confined to two player local co-op, it's not as exhilarating as the six player online chaos in Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Shredder's Revenge. It also lacks the consistently updated polish of Streets of Rage 4, yet Double Dragon Gaiden: Rise of the Dragons adds roguelite progression, which makes it a strikingly replayable contribution to the modern side-scrolling beat-'em-up resurgence.

Double Dragon Gaiden is beholden to some unique ideas, and they're fairly well-applied. You can experiment with mix-ups and tag team advantages, and multiplayer makes things altogether more enjoyable, although it's restricted to local co-op. But, being associated with Double Dragon is arguably to its detriment. It's a game that has secrets to uncover, twists to happen upon, and plenty of cash grinding and unlocking to do. While initially fun to work through, how many times you'll feel encouraged to replay the campaign is questionable, especially with its overall pacing and neutered thrill of brutally knee-slamming someone in the face. Still, it's certainly worthy of attention for beat 'em up fans looking for old things in new forms.

Double Dragon Gaiden: Rise of the Dragons gives the series yet another fresh coat of paint and I’m glad to see the Lee boys back in action.

Double Dragon Gaiden: Rise of the Dragons blends experimental elements with traditional Double Dragon gameplay.

Though I love to experience original ideas, I adore a heart-warming blast from the past. Double Dragon Gaiden brilliantly blends nostalgia with a modern edge. Additionally, it can be played alone or with a friend cooperatively. Therefore, this is the perfect opportunity to scratch that retro itch. If you love mindless violence, and you want to kick the crap out of everything you see, this is the ideal game for you. Accordingly, I enjoyed it and I recommend that you buy it here! Can you take out every scumbag? Choose your heroes and unleash hell on everyone you see.

Are you looking for a cute beat m' up? Then this is your game. It's nice to play together and you can unlock a lot of characters.