Double Dragon Gaiden: Rise of the Dragons

Release Date: July 27, 2023

Action, roguelike, post-apocalypse, 2D, beat 'em up, for 2 players, co-op, side-scroll, splitscreen, multiplayer, singleplayer

85%

Steam

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A spin-off of an iconic beat'em up series, featuring roguelike elements. Double Dragon Gaiden: Rise of the Dragons is set in post-apocalyptic New York City, tasking us with fighting against the gangs terrorizing its ruins.

Plot
Mechanics
Game modes
Technical aspects

Double Dragon Gaiden: Rise of the Dragons is a beat'em up with roguelike elements, and a spin-off of the iconic series originating from 1987. It was developed by Secret Base studio and published by Modus Games, which was licensed to use the Double Dragon franchise by Arc System Works.

Plot

Double Dragon Gaiden: Rise of the Dragons is set in an alternate 1990s New York City. The metropolis was destroyed in a nuclear war. The survivors struggle amidst the ruins overrun by riots, crime and chaos. The playable characters, trying to fix things, declare war on the four gangs terrorizing the city ruins.

Mechanics

Double Dragon Gaiden: Rise of the Dragons is a side-scroller. The game features a wide roster of characters with differing playstyles. It consists of the returning brothers Billy and Jimmy Lee, Marian (a ranged firearm specialist) and Uncle Matin (wielding a large shield).

The player must traverse different locations, beating down hordes of enemies as well as the much more powerful gang leaders. Before starting the game we must pick two characters. We can switch between them at will, make use of their strengths and chain their attacks into deadly combos.Our chosen mission order affects their length, the enemy count and their overall difficulty. The game also features optional permadeath.

Knocking out enemies rewards us with money, while finishing strikes that eliminate many foes at once earn us health. After completing each stage we can spend our money on temporary upgrades or tokens, which can be used to permanently unlock new characters, various bonuses or spent on continues in case of a game over.