Rage of the Dragons NEO review

Although 1987’s Double Dragon wasn’t the first brawler, Nekketsu Kōha Kunio-kun / Renegade’s spiritual successor undoubtedly helped popularize the genre. Across four missions, protagonists Billy and Jimmy Lee pummeled packs of gutsy gangsters. By hammering the coin-op machine’s buttons, players unleashed punches, kicks, elbows, and even weapon strikes, resulting in a rousing good time.

Each hit resulted in a satisfying thud right out of martial art cinema, making arcades sound delightfully unruly. By the time the NES port arrived in July 1988, Double Dragon quickly sold out at Toys “R” Us stores, as players hoped to shift the bout to another venue. And for a few years, Billy and Jimmy became the reigning combatants of the game industry.

The Contender Reemerges

But then Ryu and Ken came along. Soon, one-on-one, multi-button fighting suddenly became the most popular form of interactive pugilism. But the Lee twins were seasoned scrapers and hit back with a NEO GEO-based spin-off that offered progressive techniques like dashing, air throwing and guarding. That haymaker didn’t quite land and an attempt at creating a sequel got thwarted by licensing snags.

But the intercontinental pairing of Mexico-based Evoga and Japan-based Noise Factory remained resilient. In 2002, following just enough modification to earn a lawsuit, Rage of the Dragons strode into arcades. As you probably know, the game didn’t quite perform an underdog upset. But with the release of Rage of the Dragons NEO, it’s evident that the developers unquestionably had a shot at the title fight even if Billy and Jimmy have new surnames.

Dream Teams

Like SNK’s Kizuna Encounter: Super Tag Battle, Rage of the Dragons employs a tag-system allowing participants to swap between two different fighters. But here, there’s no burden of a designated tag zone and there’s some solid synergy that stems from teams of highspeed strikers and weighty hard hitters. Remarkably, selecting seven different pairs of fighters can dish out dual tag-team attacks, which add additional nuance to a sophisticated fighting game.

One of Rage of the Dragons’ other novelties is the incorporation of First Impact attacks. Initiate one of these and you’ll see a quick-time button combo appear over your Super Meter. Enter in these character-specific, ground and air-based sequences correctly and you’ll dish out a punishing five-hit combo that drains a substantial portion of your opponent’s health. Don’t forget to follow-up this up with your partner, who can repeat the First Impact. When used against a nearby opponent, watch out for thrown controllers. I took an Xbox One controller to the shin and that shit hurt.

Learn or Get Burned  

Given Rage of the Dragons’ notoriously aggressive CPU AI, the incorporation of a training arena and an on-screen moveset can help players learn the fundamentals. Undoubtedly, mastering the roster of fourteen fighters and two playable bosses will take time. From Billy Lewis’ rapid-fire lightning strikes to twin brother Jimmy’s blend of fireballs and Guile-esque flash kicks, there’s a robust variety of style rooted in the four-button action. Best of all, there’s a respectable amount of balance. Even after eight hours of play, I hadn’t decided on a preferred pugilist.

Beyond specials and super moves that require quarter-circles and z-motion, Dragons also supplies King of Fighters-style evasive rolls, parries, and a variety of ranged jumps. But arguably the coolest innovation is the ability to surrender. Here, your combatant bows out of the fight, bequeathing any remaining health to their partner.

A Colorful Cast of Fierce Combatants

Fighting game rosters can be contentious, but Dragon’s line-up has plenty of noteworthy personalities. Beyond a rechristened Billy and Jimmy, there’s a rotund wrestler named Kang, huarache-clad Pepe, and Pupa, a Brazilian competitor who uses capoeira as well as a crescent wrench. Even more interesting are the characters who reflect their dispositions in their standing animations. Sullen Annie Murakami is persistently looking downward, stern-faced Lynn Baker distributes some no-nonsense strikes, while Jones’ afro and yellow track suit show reference Game of Death. And this hulking Abubo guy seems oddly familiar.

Although Toshikazu Tanaka’s soundtrack doesn’t supply crisp fidelity, it does explore a variety of different musical genres. From the high energy futurism at the Noise Factory nightclub to the intermingling of classical instruments with modern beats at the dojo, there’s a wealth of memorable melodies. Similarly, QUByte Interactive doesn’t mettle with Dragon’s pixelated visuals. Although players can adjust aspect ratios and apply a few filters, this is unmistakably a twenty-two-year-old NEO GEO fighter and proud of it. While some might bemoan the absence of cross-play, this version makes up for that omission with rollback netcode and the ability to accommodate five-on-five showdowns in versus mode.

Rage of the Dragons NEO was played on PC with review code provided by the publisher.