What you need to know
- The 2D side-scrolling Beat em' Up franchise, Double Dragon, is coming back with a new title called Double Dragon Gaiden: Rise of the Dragons.
- This game will feature an alternative origin story for the main protagonists, roguelite elements, tag-team mechanics, 13 playable characters, two-player local co-op, and more.
- Double Dragon Gaiden: Rise of the Dragons is set to release for Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 4 and 5, PC via Steam, and Nintendo Switch in the summer of 2023.
Today, Modus Games has announced that it is publishing a new entry in the long-running Double Dragon franchise called Double Dragon Gaiden: Rise of the Dragons. Double Dragon is a series of side-scrolling Beat em' Ups that helped define the genre back in the 1980s, and Double Dragon Gaiden: Rise of the Dragons will be the first new major title to be released since 2017's Double Dragon IV.
This game aims to take Double Dragon back to its roots by exploring a reimagined origin story of the series' iconic protagonists, Billy and Jimmy Lee, as they fight to save New York City from evil criminal gangs spreading chaos and destruction.
It will retain the familiar beat em' up formula of its predecessors but this time it will incorporate new roguelite elements that will drastically change the game's difficulty. These include randomized upgrades, the number of enemies frequently changing, different times to complete a mission, and more dynamic elements to ensure that every playthrough will be a fresh and unique experience.
In addition to Billy and Jimmy Lee, Double Dragon Gaiden: Rise of the Dragons will host a huge roster of unlockable playable characters throughout the game, up to a maximum number of 13. On top of that, this game will allow you to pick two characters to play as during a playthrough and swap control between them mid-battle to perform over-the-top tag-team attacks.
Also, Double Dragon Gaiden: Rise of the Dragons will feature local two-player co-op to quadruple the fun as both players will be able to control two, swappable characters as well. Online co-op is currently planned to be implemented through an update after the game launches.
Double Dragon Gaiden: Rise of the Dragons is scheduled to be released later this year during the summer for Xbox One, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Nintendo Switch, and PC via Steam. No word has been given as of yet if this upcoming Xbox title will join Xbox Game Pass's extensive library.
