Double Dragon Neon

[Arjak]

In the last few days, a brand new Double Dragon game has come out for X-Box 360 and PS3. Being a fan, I had to check it out, and I'm pleased to say that I am quite impressed for the most part.

The game contains the classic DD gameplay we all know and love, as well as all those new bells and whistles that spoiled modern gamers have come to expect, and the result is actually pretty good.

The thing that probably will be the most controversial about this new entry is the production design. The style of this game is "80's Overload" to the point of pretty much being a spoof of the time period. Personally, I love the cheesiness, but I can see how it might turn some fans off.

I really get the feeling that the developers (WayForward, designers of Contra 4, among other things) had a lot of nostalgia for the original games, while still wanting to make it their own. They have managed to find a balance between old and new that really hit home for me.

The one problem I have so far is the new villain; he is SUPER annoying and a little TOO cheesy and over the top. Other than that though, the character designs are pretty sweet. Marian and Linda are super-hot, Abobo manages to look both tough and ridiculous at the same time, and the Lee brothers are classic 80's action heroes, right down to the absurd one-liners.

It probably isn't for everyone, but personally, I love it. What do you guys think?

[ParanoiaDragon]

I've played a lil' bit of the first level, seems pretty cool so far.  IIRC, everyone seems to have a few lines of speech, rather then just grunts.  Wayforward is a cool company, they tend to stick totally to 2D stuff, maybe even all their games are that way.  Plus, I think they almost always use Virt for music.  IIRC, he's the guy that started making game music, before he even knew how to play anything, he just "figured it out", which is what I do, so I feel a bit of kinship with him....though, I think he's quite a bit ahead of me personally.

[bartre]

just got around to actually buying it, and i totally agree with you, loads of fun, but i can definitely see where it could turn some folks off.
the puns and the mixtapes are my favorite portions of the 80s overload shtick.

[Nando]

the nostalgic part in me wishes it would have been HD sprites at least, not 3D models but oh well. Definite 80's overload...whoah

[RegalSin]

This game is garbage, The character models are in 3d, or over pre-rendered, etc. The whole neon thing is over dones, as that belongs to the 1950's not the 1980's. 1950 was retro in the 80's and the lighting looks too sureal, and too Las Vegas. Honest to gosh, the 1980's in terms of street gangs, had nothing to do with neon-signs.

I think Wayfowards Idea department just reviewed all the games, saw SUper Double Dragon IV,
and decided to model the game after that one. Corner stores, sex shops, arcades, etc this game is so gimmicky. Also I do not like the lifebars being so god damn bright, while the game color is extremly dark colored.

They should have just made an entire new game all together, instead of rehash the original game. Double Dragon on the GBA is good enough remake, also the Milf poison over the "loli"
poison from Alpha sucks.

They ( especially western companies ) rehash everything, I bet they also did to TNMNT, as well, but they revamped them to match the current series, Turned April from a normal supportive character, into a Border Line Lesiban, "If you Giant Mutants can fight big monsters, I can do it too, I take on the shredders daughter, I am equal"

Wayfoward also did Bionic Commando on the gbc, if I am not mistaken. It was a complete fail, because it lacked originalism, of the GB game, and the final boss was just you
dodging a transformation after form, and then held two guns up like Lara Croft.

Oh great double dragon revamp, not an original game, with an original story, but some sorta
remake of the original, with an extra themed title.

[soop]

Looks pretty good to me.  I might well get it.

[Nando]

The main bad dude sounds like Skeletor...

[CGQuarterly]

This looks like fun.  Can you play two-player over XBL?

Chris

[kazekirifx]

The demo was decent.

[soop]

The main bad dude sounds like Skeletor...

I noticed that, I think it's deliberate.

[8bitForLife]

This game is garbage, The character models are in 3d, or over pre-rendered, etc. The whole neon thing is over dones, as that belongs to the 1950's not the 1980's. 1950 was retro in the 80's and the lighting looks too sureal, and too Las Vegas. Honest to gosh, the 1980's in terms of street gangs, had nothing to do with neon-signs.

I think Wayfowards Idea department just reviewed all the games, saw SUper Double Dragon IV,
and decided to model the game after that one. Corner stores, sex shops, arcades, etc this game is so gimmicky. Also I do not like the lifebars being so god damn bright, while the game color is extremly dark colored.

They should have just made an entire new game all together, instead of rehash the original game. Double Dragon on the GBA is good enough remake, also the Milf poison over the "loli"
poison from Alpha sucks.

They ( especially western companies ) rehash everything, I bet they also did to TNMNT, as well, but they revamped them to match the current series, Turned April from a normal supportive character, into a Border Line Lesiban, "If you Giant Mutants can fight big monsters, I can do it too, I take on the shredders daughter, I am equal"

Wayfoward also did Bionic Commando on the gbc, if I am not mistaken. It was a complete fail, because it lacked originalism, of the GB game, and the final boss was just you
dodging a transformation after form, and then held two guns up like Lara Croft.

Oh great double dragon revamp, not an original game, with an original story, but some sorta
remake of the original, with an extra themed title.

I believe poison is from FINAL FIGHT not double dragon so not sure why your bringing it up. I believe the neon comes from all the hot colored clothes people use to wear back in the 80's and all the crazy amount of neon signs at arcades.

The game is fine the graphics are outstanding. Yes i would of liked 2d but 2.5d is good enough for me. The music is  outstanding. Levels look great and the addition of bonus ones is great. The new character looks are cool.

If you want to keep it old school just enable the mix tapes that only give you original dd moves.

[RegalSin]

I believe poison is from FINAL FIGHT not double dragon so not sure why your bringing it up.

I was thinking about another character in Double Dragon series then, I forget, but I consider her the same character.[/quote]I believe the neon comes from all the hot colored clothes people use to wear back in the 80's and all the crazy amount of neon signs at arcades.[/quote]
I am going to ignore that, because that is BS ( not to offend ). People wore colorful clothing back then because that is how things were, all the way from the roaring twnenties at least. After the lost era, we had fun cars, fun girls, and fun songs. Thanks the 1960's everybody was having a fun sunshine time ( in consideration of the summer of love ), and the world was finall becoming unionized. In fact the whole idea of comunism is what help bring people in the world together. Sometime during the 1970's a famouse actor walked down the red carpet wearing nothing but, a shirt.
That brings us to the 1980's "We are the children".

The 1980's was specail because they ( the MIB ) was trying to washing away all of that peace garbage. It was the restoration of the world. At the same time it was called the commercial 80's, because people did not feel the change at all. Then their was the born again Christians and the Computer people. The 1970's art boom, extended into the 1980's, along with graphic design ( which was a young feild of
work ), along with Graphic Novels ( the enemy of the comic book order ). Then when gangs were also another invisible threath, that replaced communism.

The point being is the 1980's tried to sweep everything under the rug, that occured
in the 1950's. Their was nothing neon about the 1980's. It was all neon, even since the 1930's. I mean, they just took the original game, and make it take place during the night. Hell seriously, it looks more 1990's then 1980's. If they wanted to make 1980's right. they would have a plain old street, trying to look good. It is like right now, how they are making cut backs to my city.

The game is fine the graphics are outstanding. Yes i would of liked 2d but 2.5d is good enough for me. The music is  outstanding. Levels look great and the addition of bonus ones is great. The new character looks are cool.

Of course it all looks, good, but if we compared the original to this game, which one would stand out more? That is my problem. They already remade TNMNTs. Now this

If you want to keep it old school just enable the mix tapes that only give you original dd moves.

I do not want it to stay old school. I want them to make a new game entirely, from the IVth game. Anything or something. Billy and Jimmy do something else. Not just rerelease the same game, and then call it something new.

Nevermind it is just my, mindset. Their are tons of versions of Castlevania, and Super Mario brothers. but never tons of versions beat em up games. I have to keep out of that Stan Mindset, without my computer stuff, that I accumilated, I feel partically empty.

[Colossus1574]

was a huge DDragon fan and still am but after one of the game review sites trashed the hell out of it, it made me change my mind.
In the end i rather take the opinions of my fellow turbob fans...then a "game critique". So thanks for the mini reviews,  Will give it a try  O:)
Oh, one question, did you guys feel like the gameplay is abit on the slow side? The move pretty slow seems like in the videos...

[bartre]

it's not exactly slow, but it's more technical.
personally, i thought SDD was slow, this is a bit more calculated.

that didn't make sense, oh well, maybe my point will get across...

[esteban]

I guess this is as good as a place as any to post this picture (Double Dragon fans, rejoice!)...

(I was driving in NJ and snapped this photo before the light changed):

_{► /Double_Dragon_II/Track11.mp3}

FOOT LOCKER DOUBLE DRAGON in Elizabeth(?), NJ.

I still haven't looked up to see what sort of business it was.

BONUS: If you didn't recognize the music (click on image), then you need more PCE Double Dragon II.

[Bernie]

Is this a download only, or an actual physical release?  I wouldn't mind picking it up.

[RegalSin]

Thank you Bernie, thank you.

You know what would have been cool, they released this game on the Dreamcast. Their are tons of homemade games being made for it too.

did you guys feel like the gameplay is abit on the slow side?

Ever played fighting force 64 or PSX???? That game was sappose to be the canceled 3d Streets Of Rage.

[turboswimbz]

I guess this is as good as a place as any to post this picture (Double Dragon fans, rejoice!)...

(I was driving in NJ and snapped this photo before the light changed):

_{► /Double_Dragon_II/Track11.mp3}

FOOT LOCKER DOUBLE DRAGON in Elizabeth(?), NJ.

I still haven't looked up to see what sort of business it was.

BONUS: If you didn't recognize the music (click on image), then you need more PCE Double Dragon II.

I once had a conversation with a gentleman about said sign, among many others in that area, I was being towed through Elizabeth/Union at the time. Nice tow truck driver and knew his car stuff.  BTW it's a chinesse Food Place. 

Also if anyone is ever offered a tour of Elizabeth NJ, you can pass, it's not that great.

[esteban]

I guess this is as good as a place as any to post this picture (Double Dragon fans, rejoice!)...

(I was driving in NJ and snapped this photo before the light changed):

_{► /Double_Dragon_II/Track11.mp3}

FOOT LOCKER DOUBLE DRAGON in Elizabeth(?), NJ.

I still haven't looked up to see what sort of business it was.

BONUS: If you didn't recognize the music (click on image), then you need more PCE Double Dragon II.

I once had a conversation with a gentleman about said sign, among many others in that area, I was being towed through Elizabeth/Union at the time. Nice tow truck driver and knew his car stuff.  BTW it's a chinesse Food Place. 

Also if anyone is ever offered a tour of Elizabeth NJ, you can pass, it's not that great.

I can't believe you answered my questions.

No, there is no need to ever spend any time in Elizabeth, NJ (although I do go to an IKEA in Elizabeth, so I guess I misspoke!)

[turboswimbz]

I can't believe a 2 am talk with a tow truck driver the only time I've been in Elizabeth had any relevance 6 months later.

[Colossus1574]

Is this a download only, or an actual physical release?  I wouldn't mind picking it up.

haha, your question seemed to have gotten overshadowed by FootLocker, Bernie
Anyways, far as i know it's a download u can buy on PSN for ps3 or whatever system you own.

[esteban]

I can't believe a 2 am talk with a tow truck driver the only time I've been in Elizabeth had any relevance 6 months later.

Indeed. I meant to post this picture 2 months ago, which would have been even crazier.

YOU KNOW I MUST GO BACK AND GET A MENU NOW!

Seriously.

[RegalSin]

Their is something that crossed my mind about DDN. Usually when gang/youth violence occurs it
is from 12PM to 2PM, during the day. I think the original DD made more sense then this game, taking place at night time. The 1980's did not have so many neon signs, the 1970's did but come on now.

[soop]

It's a Chinese restaurant.  Also OMFG NO-ONE IS DRIVING THAT CAR!