3/5 ★ – RawMetal's review of Double Dragon IV.

System: PlayStation 4 Started: January 29, 2017 Ended: February 12, 2017 Flashback Review After watching the Angry Video Game Nerd’s episode about Double Dragon III long ago and seeing the movie The Wizard, I wanted to get into the Double Dragon games and jumped into it when Double Dragon IV was released in 2017, I managed to play it in co-op mode with a friend and bro twice. To my knowledge, nobody really cared much about this entry. I only know two people in the world who are fans of Double Dragon, and no one has mentioned how great Double Dragon IV was. All I can say is that it’s an average experience, and I believe I should be playing the better titles in the series. I can say that this is a new Double Dragon and part of the main timeline, which should excite 80’s gamers. It features returning characters like Billy and Jimmy Lee and new characters like the Okada Sisters. Unlike many modern remakes, this game doesn’t upgrade its graphics. Instead, it returns to 8-bit glory. The core gameplay remains beat-em-up and cooperative, and there are extra modes like Tower Mode and Versus Mode. Since this was my first Double Dragon game, I found it surprisingly short. The story is decent as you're tasked with fighting a new organization called The Renegades but once you beat the game, the ending is abrupt and underwhelming. It feels rushed, and I expected a higher difficulty to unlock a bonus ending or secret missions, but there are none. That was it Double Dragon IV left me wanting more. It’s debatable whether Double Dragon IV should have used updated graphics similar to Double Dragon Neon or stuck with the original 8-bit NES style. I think the devs played it safe with this one and not being too innovative, possibly to save on budget, but it could have been better. At least some interesting level design would have helped, but most of the levels felt bland and didn’t stand out in the long run. The only memorable parts I played were the casino level and the final boss fight. If you want to experience the franchise, it’s best to start with the earlier titles. Once you reach IV, it’s still worth playing, even if it’s on sale, to get more of what the series has to offer. Double Dragon IV is an okay game, neither terrible nor great, but a welcome addition to the franchise. I bought it digitally for around $8, which wasn’t too bad. The game keeps it simple by emphasizing nostalgia for the 8-bit era and playing it safe without introducing innovative mechanics. This limits its standing as one of the best Double Dragon games. So, if you are willing to waste 6-8 bucks on a game, go for Double Dragon IV.