Double Dragon IV
Double Dragon IV (Japanese: ダブルドラゴン Ⅳ, Hepburn: Daburu Doragon IV)[1] is a beat 'em up video game in the Double Dragon series for PlayStation 4, Microsoft Windows, Nintendo Switch, and Xbox One.
Double Dragon IV | |
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Developer(s) | Arc System Works |
Publisher(s) | Arc System Works |
Director(s) | Yoshihisa Kishimoto |
Producer(s) | Takaomi Kaneko |
Programmer(s) | Kei Oyama |
Artist(s) | Koji Ogata |
Composer(s) | Kazunaka Yamane |
Series | Double Dragon |
Engine | Unity |
Platform(s) | PlayStation 4 Microsoft Windows Nintendo Switch Android iOS Xbox One |
Release | PlayStation 4
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Genre(s) | Beat 'em up |
Mode(s) | Single-player, multiplayer |
Gameplay
In addition to a story mode, the game includes a two-player duel mode and a tower battle mode.[2][3] Enemies and bosses as well as hidden characters can be unlocked for Story and Duel modes through Tower Mode.
Plot
After the defeat of the Black Warriors in Double Dragon II, Billy and Jimmy Lee look to spread their Sōsetsuken martial art by establishing dojos around the country. However, they soon face a new threat in a gang called the Renegades, who have teamed up with the Black Warriors to put an end to Billy and Jimmy once and for all.
Development
Unlike earlier games in the series, this sequel is developed by Arc System Works, who bought the series rights in 2015 after acquiring original publishers Technōs Japan. Several series developers continued to the project, including the original director, character designer, and composer with production led by Arc System Works designer Takaomi Kaneko.[4][5] The game was announced in late December 2016 via a gameplay trailer. GameSpot had expected a graphical update, similar to Double Dragon Neon, but the new sequel's gameplay and graphics are more akin to the ports made for the Nintendo Entertainment System, with several character sprites taken directly from those titles,[2] rather than the arcade original.
The game was released digitally on January 30, 2017, for PlayStation 4 and January 31 for Microsoft Windows.[6] A version for Nintendo Switch was released digitally on September 7, 2017. [7] The game received a limited physical release on the PlayStation 4 on December 8, 2017 by Limited Run Games.
Reception
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Double Dragon IV received negative reviews. According to video game review aggregator Metacritic, the PS4 has a score of 49, while the PC version has a score of 50.[8][9] Destructoid gave it a 6/10, stating "Arc System Work's staunch dedication to the retro aesthetic for Double Dragon IV is admirable, but still falls short of the mark even when juxtaposed to several of the series' own entries."[10] IGN awarded it a score of 3.5/10, saying "Double Dragon 4 is a retro brawler that leans too heavily on elements that haven't aged at all gracefully."[14]
References
- "『ダブルドラゴン Ⅳ』(PlayStation®4ダウンロード専用ソフト/STEAM) 配信決定!!" (in Japanese). Arc System Works. Retrieved December 27, 2016.
- Haywald, Justin (December 26, 2016). "Double Dragon 4's Gameplay Looks Unbelievably Old School". Retrieved August 11, 2017.
- Wesley Yin-Poole (January 27, 2017). "Double Dragon 4 looks like a proper good Double Dragon sequel". Eurogamer. Retrieved January 27, 2017.
- O'Kane, Sean (December 26, 2016). "Double Dragon IV is coming January 30th, 2017". The Verge. Retrieved August 11, 2017.
- Good, Owen S. (December 26, 2016). "Double Dragon coming back in 2017". Polygon. Retrieved August 11, 2017.
- Salamanca, Gail. "Double Dragon IV Coming to PlayStation®4 and Steam (PC) in January". Arc System Works Universe. Arc System Works. Retrieved December 30, 2016.
- "Double Dragon IV". Arc System Works. Retrieved August 28, 2017.
- "Double Dragon IV for PC Reviews". Metacritic. Retrieved January 31, 2017.
- "Double Dragon IV for PlayStation 4 Reviews". Metacritic. Retrieved January 31, 2017.
- Carter, Chris (January 31, 2017). "Review: Double Dragon IV". Destructoid. Retrieved January 31, 2017.
- Carsillo, Ray (February 7, 2017). "Double Dragon IV review". Electronic Gaming Monthly. Retrieved February 7, 2017.
- Tack, Daniel (January 29, 2017). "Nostalgia Is Not Enough - Double Dragon IV - PlayStation 4". Game Informer. Retrieved January 29, 2017.
- D'Aprile, Jason (February 9, 2017). "Double Dragon IV Review". GameSpot. Retrieved February 9, 2017.
- Ingenito, Vince (February 1, 2017). "Double Dragon IV Review". IGN. Retrieved February 1, 2017.
- Musgrave, Shaun (January 9, 2018). "'Double Dragon 4' Review – A Pass From the Past". TouchArcade. Retrieved March 17, 2020.