A decent beat-em-up that attempts to add rogue-like elements to mixed results.
The game definitely features a lot of Double Dragon feelings. It's definitely got similar attacks, bad guys, pick ups, and frustrations that you'd find in the original games.
Most of the negative frustrations only start to pop up as the game progresses and the difficulty scaling begins.
You have four bosses to take on in this game and as you defeat them, the other gangs/bosses will grow stronger as they hear about the demise of their counterparts.
The levels get longer, featuring more stages in order to get to the final boss. So if you play one level the first time verses the fourth time, the levels will be longer, with new sub locations and mid bosses added.
Enemies will get stronger, they will take more damage to kill, there will be more things that can hurt you scattered throughout the stages as well. Even the bosses will be joined by more and more additional enemies as you defeat others.
It's a pretty interesting concept and it does help make the game harder and make you take advantage of the skills and strategies found within the gameplay.
Unfortunately, the gameplay isn't all that interesting. It's standard beat em up mechanics and all of it never feels all that satisfying.
The game does feature multiple characters to choose from to start, all with their own pros and cons. All differences are pretty standard, you've got an all around, you've got a character that can only use a gun, you've got bigger, stronger (but slower) characters, etc. etc.
There are additional characters you can unlock as well that also feature pros and cons.
It helps a bit with strategy, especially since you can swap your characters out if both of your selected characters die.
The difficulty scaling though is a bit frustrating. Since a lot of the levels get longer with new areas needing to be cleared in order to get to the actual end boss, these newer areas are usually chock full of easy traps and ways to get knocked off the stage and die and take damage.
A lot of the issues found in the older designed beat em ups are here in this modern version in order to make the game feel retro. These mechanics though are all pretty frustrating. Floor traps can juggle you, as can enemies if they are nearby, you can fly off the ends of stages by simply using a special attack that carries you too far. These things can easily take you down a good amount of health out of nowhere.
While there are ways to earn health items (you have to combo kill multiple enemies and depending on how many you KO, the bigger the health increase will be on the item you earn). Actually trying to pick and use (they don't get automatically added to your health bar upon earning it) these up can be difficult if you're in the heat of an enemy wave.
If you do have both of your characters die, you can revive so long as you have the money to do it. You earn money by picking it up and defeating enemies throughout the levels so you'll usually have some but that money is also used at the end of stages to upgrade your characters so you have to plan accordingly.
These upgrades are your standard rogue-like affair, you'll have the ability to purchase max health upgrades, certain attacks dealing more damage, perks depending on health, etc. etc.
You have the ability to buy these separately for your character but you also have the ability to pass on one and instead earn additional money, so if you're running low and can't buy anything you will still be rewarded, or if you are worried about not having enough money for a revive, you can hold onto the money strategically.
These upgrades are noticeable to a degree, though the final stage usually features enemies strong enough where you might not notice these as the game progresses.
Overall, Double Dragon Gaiden is a decent beat em up. The gameplay frustrations and bland gameplay though will deter some, which is fine because there are better modern beat em ups out there. It's rather short on top of it unless you want to be a completionist or mess around with the characters you can unlock. If you've played those better games though, this isn't a terrible pickup on a discount.
The game definitely features a lot of Double Dragon feelings. It's definitely got similar attacks, bad guys, pick ups, and frustrations that you'd find in the original games.
Most of the negative frustrations only start to pop up as the game progresses and the difficulty scaling begins.
You have four bosses to take on in this game and as you defeat them, the other gangs/bosses will grow stronger as they hear about the demise of their counterparts.
The levels get longer, featuring more stages in order to get to the final boss. So if you play one level the first time verses the fourth time, the levels will be longer, with new sub locations and mid bosses added.
Enemies will get stronger, they will take more damage to kill, there will be more things that can hurt you scattered throughout the stages as well. Even the bosses will be joined by more and more additional enemies as you defeat others.
It's a pretty interesting concept and it does help make the game harder and make you take advantage of the skills and strategies found within the gameplay.
Unfortunately, the gameplay isn't all that interesting. It's standard beat em up mechanics and all of it never feels all that satisfying.
The game does feature multiple characters to choose from to start, all with their own pros and cons. All differences are pretty standard, you've got an all around, you've got a character that can only use a gun, you've got bigger, stronger (but slower) characters, etc. etc.
There are additional characters you can unlock as well that also feature pros and cons.
It helps a bit with strategy, especially since you can swap your characters out if both of your selected characters die.
The difficulty scaling though is a bit frustrating. Since a lot of the levels get longer with new areas needing to be cleared in order to get to the actual end boss, these newer areas are usually chock full of easy traps and ways to get knocked off the stage and die and take damage.
A lot of the issues found in the older designed beat em ups are here in this modern version in order to make the game feel retro. These mechanics though are all pretty frustrating. Floor traps can juggle you, as can enemies if they are nearby, you can fly off the ends of stages by simply using a special attack that carries you too far. These things can easily take you down a good amount of health out of nowhere.
While there are ways to earn health items (you have to combo kill multiple enemies and depending on how many you KO, the bigger the health increase will be on the item you earn). Actually trying to pick and use (they don't get automatically added to your health bar upon earning it) these up can be difficult if you're in the heat of an enemy wave.
If you do have both of your characters die, you can revive so long as you have the money to do it. You earn money by picking it up and defeating enemies throughout the levels so you'll usually have some but that money is also used at the end of stages to upgrade your characters so you have to plan accordingly.
These upgrades are your standard rogue-like affair, you'll have the ability to purchase max health upgrades, certain attacks dealing more damage, perks depending on health, etc. etc.
You have the ability to buy these separately for your character but you also have the ability to pass on one and instead earn additional money, so if you're running low and can't buy anything you will still be rewarded, or if you are worried about not having enough money for a revive, you can hold onto the money strategically.
These upgrades are noticeable to a degree, though the final stage usually features enemies strong enough where you might not notice these as the game progresses.
Overall, Double Dragon Gaiden is a decent beat em up. The gameplay frustrations and bland gameplay though will deter some, which is fine because there are better modern beat em ups out there. It's rather short on top of it unless you want to be a completionist or mess around with the characters you can unlock. If you've played those better games though, this isn't a terrible pickup on a discount.