Double Dragon Neon

About

"Double Dragon Neon" is a comedy hack and slash game that offers both single-player and multi-player options, with a focus on co-op play. Battle your way through hordes of enemies and bosses with stunning gameplay, excellent graphics, and good music. Despite some bugs, the intriguing story, humor, and replayability make it a worthy addition to the classic beat 'em up series.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

77%

Audience ScoreBased on 1,383 reviews

music259 positive mentions

stability45 negative mentions

The game captures the nostalgic essence of the original Double Dragon series with vibrant graphics and a fantastic 80s-inspired soundtrack.
Gameplay is fun and engaging, with a variety of special moves and abilities that allow for different playstyles.
The humor and self-referential jokes throughout the game add a lighthearted charm, making it enjoyable for both fans of the series and newcomers.

The game suffers from frequent crashes, particularly on modern systems, making it frustrating to play.
Controls can feel clunky and unresponsive, leading to cheap deaths and a lack of fluidity in combat.
The grinding required to level up abilities can become tedious, detracting from the overall enjoyment of the game.

music
452 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
57%
42%
1%
The music in "Double Dragon Neon" is widely praised as one of the game's standout features, with many reviewers highlighting its nostalgic 80s vibe and catchy tunes. Composed by Jake Kaufman, the soundtrack includes both original tracks and remixes of classic themes, effectively enhancing the game's retro aesthetic and humor. Overall, players find the music to be a significant draw, often recommending it as a reason to experience the game, even if the gameplay itself has its flaws.
- “The soundtrack is fantastic for what it's going for and the enemy designs are on point.”
- “The music is the heart and soul of this game and is worth a purchase for that alone.”
- “The music is just spectacular too.”
- “They put more effort on the soundtrack than in the gameplay and game design.”
- “To me the biggest problem with this game is that it seems that the devs put more focus on the art and music than on the actual gameplay, and that they were looking to make a great looking game instead of a great playing game, which hurts it in my book.”
- “The only redeeming factor for this game is the soundtrack; the game itself, not so much.”
gameplay
283 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
35%
58%
7%
The gameplay of "Double Dragon Neon" is a blend of nostalgic elements from the original series and modern mechanics, featuring a mix of punches, kicks, and dodging that some players find engaging while others criticize for being slow and clunky. While many appreciate the humor, vibrant visuals, and cooperative gameplay, others point out issues with hit detection, enemy design, and a reliance on RPG mechanics that can lead to frustrating experiences. Overall, the game offers a fun, albeit imperfect, homage to classic beat 'em ups, appealing primarily to fans of the genre.
- “It brings fun aspects from older Double Dragon titles while also introducing new mechanics and fun special moves.”
- “Overall, I love the gameplay and the combat is fun along with the lightheartedness of it all and the whole rad 80s vibes it gives.”
- “The gameplay is fresh.”
- “The gameplay is slow and clunky.”
- “The main downside for me was that the gameplay just isn't that fluid.”
- “The gameplay is difficult in the worst way possible, the totally unfair way.”
graphics
234 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
41%
53%
6%
The graphics of the game receive mixed reviews, with many praising the vibrant, colorful art style and 80s aesthetic that enhances the nostalgic experience. However, some users criticize the visuals as feeling outdated or overly cartoonish, likening them to low-quality titles from previous generations. Overall, while the graphics are generally considered polished and appealing, opinions vary on their suitability for a modern remake of a classic series.
- “The visuals are stunning with the addition of supers that take over the whole screen; this game is spectacular!”
- “The graphics are bright, colorful, and varied.”
- “The graphics are polished, although the story and background of the brothers feels shallow.”
- “This game does not hold up in the visuals department at all; it looks like a cheap Xbox Live game from 2008.”
- “The graphics are poor; the 3D models of the characters look bland and have no personality.”
- “Double Dragon Neon tries to pay homage to the original Double Dragon but fails miserably; the combat is half broken, animations and graphics are poor, the upgrade system is terrible, and the bonus levels are uninspiring.”
humor
145 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
99%
2%
The humor in the game is widely praised for its self-aware, over-the-top style that embraces 80s nostalgia, featuring hilarious dialogue, absurd character interactions, and memorable one-liners. Many players find the comedic elements, particularly the villain's antics and the game's playful tone, to be a highlight, contributing to an enjoyable co-op experience. However, some critiques mention that while the humor can be entertaining, it occasionally falls flat or feels forced, leading to mixed reactions among players.
- “The jokes, voice lines, story, and everything had a perfect Saturday morning cartoon vibe that had me and my friends laughing from beginning to end.”
- “The humor is delightful.”
- “It's a genuinely funny game with solid combat mechanics and online co-op mode, which has just received a patch which looks like it addresses the only issue I encountered, which was a horrendously tedious boss which crashed the game.”
- “The only slight joy I can derive from the game are the jokes that are so unfunny that they actually loop around to being funny.”
- “The humor feels forced and often falls flat, making it more cringeworthy than entertaining.”
- “I found the attempts at humor to be more annoying than amusing, leaving me rolling my eyes instead of laughing.”
story
99 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
20%
77%
3%
The story in "Double Dragon Neon" is largely simplistic and serves as a nostalgic homage to classic beat-em-up games, revolving around the familiar premise of rescuing a kidnapped girlfriend from an over-the-top villain. While many players acknowledge that the narrative is not the main draw of the game, its campy humor, 80s references, and entertaining dialogue add a layer of charm that enhances the overall experience. Ultimately, the storyline is minimal but enjoyable, fitting well within the game's lighthearted and action-packed atmosphere.
- “The story is ludicrously over the top and thus amazing.”
- “The jokes, voice lines, story, and everything had a perfect Saturday morning cartoon vibe that had me and my friends laughing from beginning to end.”
- “With an amazing soundtrack, great villains, and a bro-tastic storyline, it's everything anyone could ask for in a sequel.”
- “The story is very simple; in fact, it's literally the same one as the original game.”
- “The plot is paper thin, and that's okay; we're not really here for the story.”
- “There is pretty much hardly any story elements to this game; the only real bit of story you get is at the start of the game and the end, everything else in between is sort of filler and has no real relevance to the plot, which I thought was a little bit of a shame.”
stability
47 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
4%
96%
The game is plagued by significant stability issues, including frequent crashes, freezes, and various visual and audio glitches, particularly in multiplayer mode. Many players report that these bugs severely detract from the overall experience, making it difficult to recommend the game despite its enjoyable gameplay and aesthetic qualities. While some users have found workarounds, the lack of consistent patches leaves the game feeling unpolished and frustrating.
- “It's funny, it's charming, it looks great, it runs great, it plays great.”
- “The game runs great on Windows 10 and NVIDIA; I have an older card too, ASUS NVIDIA GTX 560.”
- “However, when I play it, the screen glitches when the players hit the enemies.”
- “Unfortunately, the game is also pretty buggy.”
- “The game is incredibly buggy.”
replayability
40 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
40%
52%
8%
The game offers considerable replayability, particularly through its RPG mechanics, skill leveling system, and cooperative play options, making it more enjoyable with friends. Players appreciate the variety of challenges, including different difficulty levels and collectible items, which enhance the overall experience. However, some reviewers note that replay value may be limited for solo players, as the game can feel linear and short without the added fun of multiplayer.
- “The game is fun, and has lots of replay value.”
- “There's a great amount of replay value for a variety of reasons: humor, easter eggs, achievements, cassette tape collecting, the awesome soundtrack, and just plain satisfying beat-'em-up action.”
- “Take the usual side-scrolling beat-em-up and add in items you can upgrade and swap out to better fine-tune your playstyle, which allows for lots of replayability, not only from trying different strategies and leveling your mixtapes to buff your stats to take on higher difficulties, but also to play through all the fun and downright silly stages to catch all the in-jokes and odd humor.”
- “Not much replay value beyond normal and hard difficulties.”
- “I'd probably recommend picking it up on sale, because of the limited replayability, with the strong caveat that it's a fantastic party game.”
- “All together - I don't see this having much replay value, but I got the bro-pack on a Steam sale for a great price.”
grinding
33 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The grinding aspect in "Double Dragon Neon" is a mixed bag, with many players finding it both necessary and tedious. While some enjoy the RPG mechanics and the replayability they offer, others criticize the excessive grinding required to unlock abilities and progress through higher difficulties, often leading to a frustrating experience. Overall, the game balances fun combat with a significant amount of grinding, which may not appeal to everyone, especially those less inclined towards RPG elements.
- “The gameplay is slow, at times feels unfair (especially on enemies with weapons and bosses with superarmor) and encourages grinding for upgrade tapes.”
- “But unlocking the full potential of these buffs demands tedious grinding.”
- “When only one or two hits can take you down, you need your abilities maxed out, and that takes hours of tedious busywork.”
optimization
18 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
17%
33%
50%
The game's optimization has been widely criticized, with players reporting significant performance issues such as fluctuating framerates, frequent crashes, and stuttering, even on high-end systems. Many users noted that these problems worsen over time, particularly during online play, where desyncing and disconnects are common. Overall, while the game offers enjoyable gameplay, its technical shortcomings severely detract from the experience.
- “Graphics are nice and colorful, soundtrack is really good, gameplay is straightforward, online play runs smoothly.”
- “Runs smoothly online and it's fun to play with your bro.”
- “The netcode and optimization could use a little work, but for 10 dollars, it's been a very fun and colorful ride.”
- “But it has some flaws... like for example the fact it's performance fluctuating from good to mediocre even with all hardware recommended available.”
- “Game has constant framerate drops (even on my main PC rig!), tons of crashing issues, and optimization issues with newer hardware.”
- “This lazy port is so horribly optimized you can expect to start getting massive slowdowns by the time you get to level 3.”
character development
11 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
45%
28%
27%
Character development in the game is highlighted by its impressive and varied character designs, crafted by genzoman, which effectively capture a vibrant 1980s aesthetic. Players appreciate the engaging dialogue and memorable one-liners that enhance the overall experience, although some note that character development may be overshadowed by a focus on achievements rather than gameplay depth. Overall, the combination of striking visuals and nostalgic elements contributes to a fun and immersive atmosphere.
- “Great character designs, both classic and new, great dialogue, and just a good time all around.”
- “The character design and art is really impressive and is a great choice for the game.”
- “Everything from the music to the character designs to the one-liners smacks of 80s ethos and design.”
- “The devs spent more time on pointless achievements than gameplay or character design.”
- “Everything from the music to the character designs to the one-liners and the first boss (and probably bosses beyond that!) smacks of 80s ethos and design.”
- “Character designs are varied (albeit quite a few are re-used), but really well designed, with some really cool villains as well.”
atmosphere
10 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
20%
30%
The game's atmosphere is a vibrant homage to the 80s, characterized by a fun, retro vibe filled with cringey pop culture references and nostalgic sound design. It combines a playful parody of martial arts and post-apocalyptic themes with over-the-top elements, creating an engaging and humorous experience reminiscent of classic NES games. Overall, players appreciate the game's ability to evoke fond memories while delivering a unique, goofy atmosphere.
- “Great atmosphere, spectacular and very funny music and sound design.”
- “What they have done though is create an atmosphere that reeks of the 80s in every way.”
- “Instead of the serious atmosphere of martial arts films and Hokuto no Ken/Mad Max-inspired post-apocalyptic world, this game feels like a parody full of cringey references to 80s pop culture and other old games.”
- “The over-the-top atmosphere not only taps into your happy memories, but introduces a layer of ridiculousness that wasn't present in the original game.”
- “What they have done, though, is create an atmosphere that reeks of the 80s in every way.”
emotional
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The emotional responses to the game are mixed, with some players feeling nostalgic and connected to their childhood experiences, while others express frustration and disappointment due to technical issues and gameplay mechanics that detract from the overall enjoyment. The sentiment reflects a sense of heartbreak over the game's potential being undermined by its flaws, leading to a reluctance to engage further.
- “As a kid of the 80s, it made me feel right at home playing Double Dragon II with my brother all those years ago.”
- “For what the game gets wrong is heartbreaking.”
monetization
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The monetization strategy of the game has been criticized as a blatant cash grab, with a $10 price tag deemed unrealistic given the game's broken state. Reviewers feel that the developer is exploiting nostalgia for 80s and 90s martial arts culture while failing to deliver a quality product.
- “The developer is deliberately and unethically trying to scam gamers into paying them the completely unrealistic cash grab price of $10 USD for a game they know is broken.”

84%Critics’ scoreBased on 2 critic reviews

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6h Median play time

6h Average play time

6-6h Spent by most gamers

*Based on 1 analyzed playthroughs

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Double Dragon Neon

Platforms

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XBLA Review - 'Double Dragon Neon'

PSN Review - 'Double Dragon Neon'

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