When Double Dragon Revive was first revealed, the reception from gamers was not positive and that is putting it mildly. It did not help that the game was coming after the very well received Double Dragon Gaiden Rise of the Dragons and had an art style that seemed to imply the game would be all flash and no substance, and not everyone was even sold on said art style. Initial impressions of the game have been very negative, but after playing myself after receiving a review key from Arc System Works, I have to say I am confused by what has been said about the game.
I need to note that I am reviewing the Nintendo Switch version of the game (albeit on Switch 2) so the game does not look as good as the versions on PC, PS5 and Xbox Series. That being said, Double Dragon Revive is not a bad game in any way, and I have been having a blast with it. Yes the visuals are meant to be flashy ( although the Switch version is not the best looking), but there is plenty of substance here, and a rather deep combat system. This is no mere button masher, but a game you need to actually learn and pay attention to.
Double Dragon Revive once again touches on the post-apocalyptic setting the series is supposed to have, but does make some tweaks to the usual story narrative so that things remain fresh. Jimmy and Billy Lee are back, but they are not the only playable characters this time, and each character feels unique. With fighting game style inputs, Double Dragon Revive has a much more in depth combat system than previous entries in the franchise, and while there are definitely many flashy moves, there is proper weight to the combat and it feels extremely satisfying.
Right from the start, Double Dragon Revive makes it clear that you need to understand its mechanics or you will get beaten down repeatedly. Mechanics like parrying and blocking need to be mastered or bosses will make short work of you, and learning how to use the environment properly is key to success. And keep in mind that every mechanic you have to use, so do your enemies, including parry attacks.
Be mindful of opponent placement, and your environment and you will find yourself pulling off some truly incredible moves while making full use of the background.This includes, traps, parkour elements and cinematic moves to take out foes. The biggest thing to keep in mind though, is that the 3D environment can throw you off at first in terms of how you move in the environments and how much space you have to work with.
I need to stress that as fun as Double Dragon Revive is when playing alone, it is so much better when playing with friends. Double Dragon Revive is one of the best co-op brawlers in recent years, and elevates the experience to new levels. Even if you do not like playing games with friends and are just a solo gamer, this is a game you need to try with friends.
So is everything good? Well, the controls are a bit finicky at times, and the 3D environments can cause some confusion, but the end result is still a good experience. I need to stress that while I am praising Double Dragoon Revive, this is not the best beat ’em up in recent years, but it does not need to be. This is not trying to be a back to basics game as some have claimed, but a title that tries to modernize Double Dragon by taking influence from the best of modern fighting games, and expanding the lore. It may not all land, and the story may fall flat at times, but that is honestly fine, because the experience just feels fun.
I suppose what I am trying to ultimately say is that Double Dragon Revive feels like an experimental indie revival, the kind of which you would see a lot of in the early 2010s, but on a bigger scale. The best title to compare it to, is actually Double Dragon Neon, and Double Dragon Revive feels like a successor to that title in many ways, especially in how it expands on the formula. Hopefully Double Dragon Revive will catch on with fans the way Double Dragon Neon did, because the game really does provide much of what fans have wanted. It may not be a perfect game, but Double Dragon Revive is definitely a treat for beat ’em up fans and fans of the Double Dragon franchise.
Disclaimer: A review key was provided
