Many years ago, there was the 80’s. Afro’s were commonplace, David Hasselhoff was cool, and if you wanted to game with your friends you’d go to the arcade with a fist full of coins. It was really the advent of gaming and many games were designed around that. And what’s better that walking down the street with your buddy punching violent-looking guys?
Side-scrolling beat-em-ups were already a thing when Double Dragon came along in 1987, but it is widely regarded as one of the first to be truly successful. With satisfying combat and “awesome” graphics it was an instant classic, finding its way onto home consoles soon after. However, after many years and sequels, times moved forward and both the series and genre became but nostalgia.
…Until 2012, when Double Dragon Neon was released. Un-surprisingly a reboot for the franchise, it came to PS3 and XBOX 360 with a bang, full of nostalgia, bright graphics and wearing its heart on its sleeve. Now released on PC, the Master-Race finally can have a go. Is Neon a nostalgic beauty or a severe case of mutton dressed as lamb?
Like previous entries in the franchise, Neon follows the classic Double Dragon formula. Billy and Jimmy Lee, martial artists, fight through a variety of locations on a quest to rescue the beautiful Marian from the evil clutches of the Shadow Warriors Gang, led by the psychotic super-lich Skullmageddon. As far as story goes, the basic narrative is the same as we’ve seen before. The classic Double Dragon formula, with a new boss-guy. However, as always, it doesn’t really need much else. The fact that everything else is turned up to 11 makes the lack of originality forgivable.
And when I say cranked to 11 I mean it. With more than a little dose of 80’s nostalgia it isn’t just neon by name. When a game advertises itself as a game about “drinking soda and hitting each other”, shouting COWABUNGA at the top of its lungs whilst playing air guitar to the sound of robots and laser beams, you know it’s either going to be amazing or terrible. I mean, you start off in a city and suddenly end up in a rocket to a cyber-dojo.
The heavy 80’s influence goes way beyond just the aesthetic, with the gameplay itself reflecting the feel of the original Double Dragon games incredibly successfully, whether for better or for worse. The side scrolling brawling action work in a similar way to how it always has. In a 2.5D fashion, the player moves around the screen attacking with punches and kicks, operated by respective buttons, and a pre-determined special move. A notable addition to the formula is a dodge button, which somewhat brings the sometimes aged mechanics up to date. However, as it did in the 80’s movement always feels like a chore, with many relics from a bygone age. I mean, I’m all for a retro feel, but when movement is so slow it just feels plain wrong that to run you actually have to bull-charge.
However, with some practice it feels quite fun to beat up the wide variety of bad-guys. The combat is challenging when compared to modern titles, but once you get around the outdated mechanics it can feel very satisfying to overcome, especially when you reach the end of a level and your chosen brother throws out an “AWESOME” air-guitar jam.
Music is central to Neon, both in terms of the overall feel and in the combat. In an RPG-lite fashion you can upgrade your arsenal of “stances” and special moves in the form of Mixtapes. Dropped by fallen enemies and available to buy/upgrade in stores, each tape either gives or upgrades one of your 20 abilities. You can one of each type active; your stance dictating your overall stats and your specials activated on a button-press. There’s a wide variety of each, giving plenty of different ways to play the game. Whilst there are fireballs, health absorption and giant dragons to choose from, I usually opt for the defensive “Training Wheels” stance and a spinning tornado-kick attack; simple, but satisfying.
One of my favourite aspects of this mechanic is the fact that in your menu you can actually listen to the mix-tapes. The entire game’s soundtrack is stellar, and the detail put into the individual tracks just oozes quality. The voice-acting is also awesome, with the big bad’s vocal talent a particular highlight. Neon not only sounds the part though; the graphics are damn good too, melding a retro style with modern HD quality and a mad 80’s feel.
All in all, the Double Dragon reboot is a damn good attempt at bringing something from gaming’s past up to date. The outlandish, nostalgic humour balances with a truly retro feel, making it one of the more successful reboots of recent years. It’s not going to be for everyone, but for £6.99 it’s definitely worth a shot for fans of silly beat-em ups.
Give it a try, or at least watch the trailer; if you like it then you can be sure you’ll love the experience.
Disclaimer:All scores given within our reviews are based on the artist’s personal opinion; this should in no way impede your decision to purchase the game.
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