Taking widespread free-to-play titles and reworking them into preventing video games is changing into a little bit of a development, is not it? Following within the footsteps of Granblue Fantasy Versus, DNF Duel relies on South Korean motion RPG Dungeon Fighter On-line. Its character roster is made up of playable lessons from the supply materials — anonymous adventurers with particular fight types. The tone and design of Dungeon Fighter definitely lends itself effectively to a one-on-one fighter, with a fantastical artwork course and over-the-top battle methods on the coronary heart of the property’s id.
DNF Duel is a cooperative effort from preventing recreation juggernaut Arc System Works (Responsible Gear, BlazBlue, the aforementioned Granblue Fantasy Versus), and lesser recognized Japanese developer Eighting, which has had a hand in a great deal of totally different initiatives over time. There’s loads of expertise right here, and it exhibits in how crisp the sport feels from the second that you simply boot it up.
This will probably be our third point out of Granblue Fantasy Versus in as many paragraphs, but it surely’s laborious to disregard the similarities between the 2020 launch and DNF. Each video games are designed with accessibility in thoughts, that includes easy button inputs in order that gamers of all ability ranges can pull off loopy methods with out spending hours in coaching mode. On this case, every character has a bunch of particular strikes that may be activated by urgent one face button together with one course. Tremendous strikes, that are solely made out there as soon as your well being drops to a sure level, are additionally tied to a single button. Simple-peasy.
Whereas the significance of approachability is one thing that is maybe overblown in terms of making preventing video games extra engaging to a wider viewers, there isn’t any denying that DNF does an awesome job welcoming new gamers into the fray. A decently sized roster — 16 characters at launch — quite a lot of single-player modes, and spectacular visuals go a good distance in heightening the sport’s attraction.
What’s extra, the title nails a very powerful facet of all: it simply feels nice to play. It isn’t fairly as quick paced as another anime-styled fighters — the shortage of an air sprint or air block implies that you are virtually all the time caught to the bottom — and in that sense, the texture is akin to titles like Granblue Fantasy Versus (sorry), and even Avenue Fighter, due to how essential spacing appears to be for many of the forged.
When you land that large hit, although, DNF morphs right into a extra recognisable anime-infused brawler. Combo stress is totally brutal upon getting the momentum and your opponent is trapped within the nook of a stage. We’re speaking large harm if you happen to’re unfortunate sufficient to get clipped by somebody who is aware of what they’re doing, and the sport’s health-sacrificing system makes aggressive play much more oppressive. Certainly, by giving up a bit of your gray well being — that’s, well being that may be healed again over time — you possibly can proceed your combos to the purpose the place your opponent’s guard may be crushed, leaving them utterly susceptible.
After which there’s the vary that almost all of those characters have. Virtually each fighter — whether or not they wield outsized swords, precise firearms, or each, in a single explicit case — can cowl an enormous portion of the display screen with their specials and loads of their normals. Because of this matches can grow to be a little bit of a fishing fest at occasions, the place each gamers are standing at vary, hitting their most secure, longest-reaching buttons with a view to discover a gap.
Would not sound vastly participating, does it? However once more, the sport explodes into motion as soon as that all-important assault lands, and it also needs to be famous that every character comes geared up with a ahead dodge that grants transient invulnerability. You should utilize this method to weave via projectiles or different predictable strikes, closing the hole and retaliating from a way more harmful place.
Though we do have some considerations concerning character stability — even at this extremely early stage — the underside line is that DNF is basically good enjoyable. There is a satisfying chunkiness to loads of the assaults, and it is usually unbelievable to look at due to Arc System Works’ wonderful graphics engine.
Our solely actual fear is the sport’s general movement, which, on the time of writing, closely favours aggressive play. As talked about, it is easy to get locked into combos that appear to final an eternity — even if you happen to’re blocking. There is a reversal mechanic that pushes your aggressor away, but it surely prices a complete lot of meter, and it does not really provide you with a bonus by way of retaliation — it simply resets the play, permitting your opponent to restart their offence whilst you’re sitting there with no assets.
The woke up state is a possible downside as effectively. Whenever you drop beneath a sure low well being threshold, your harm is enhanced, and also you acquire entry to your tremendous assault. Very similar to the craze mechanic In Tekken 7, this woke up state acts as a comeback instrument — a last-chance try at turning the tides. Besides in DNF, it is so highly effective {that a} full combo, full with an excellent transfer on the finish, is sufficient to soften 90 per cent of a well being bar. You possibly can play a good recreation up till that time, and nonetheless have victory ripped out of your grasp after being touched by a single combo-starting assault.
It is truthful to say that this type of excessive shift in momentum will not be to everybody’s style, and mixed with prolonged, comparatively accessible combo routes, it cements DNF Duel as some of the all-or-nothing preventing video games we have performed in a very long time. Once more, that is an undeniably enjoyable fighter, however that enjoyment might dwindle when it looks like one hit is all it takes to win or lose.
Fortuitously, if you happen to can abdomen the aforementioned momentum shifts, the sport’s on-line providing could be very laborious to fault — primarily as a result of its rollback netcode is up there amongst the style’s greatest. Getting right into a ranked match takes virtually no time in any respect, and there is not an ungainly foyer system to cope with. Naturally, connection high quality does begin to dip if you happen to problem gamers from areas afar, however for us, going up in opposition to different European opponents felt nice for essentially the most half. It isn’t fairly as spectacular as Responsible Gear Try’s netcode — which stays one of the best within the biz — but it surely’s not far off, and you will be laborious pressed to discover a match that is unplayable.
Elsewhere, the single-player modes are strong. Story mode provides each fighter their very own storyline, depicted via properly drawn stills, dialogue between characters, and pretty straightforward battles. The plot’s sometimes convoluted and the writing definitely is not going to win any awards, but it surely does assist inject every character with some persona. In the meantime, if you happen to’re in search of easy motion, you possibly can attempt the eight-match arcade mode, or survival. The tutorials are first rate as effectively; every character has their very own strategic overview alongside combo trials.
Conclusion
DNF Duel is an approachable, explosive preventing recreation. Though it does not fairly stand out from the gang by way of having an immediately recognisable fashion, it is nice enjoyable to truly play — not less than whenever you’re the one attacking. Loopy combos, a cool character roster, and a pleasant collection of recreation modes makes for an interesting bundle. We’ve got considerations over the sport’s hyperaggressive gameplay movement, however with nice on-line netcode backed by what’s hopefully first rate post-launch help, DNF Duel might be a shock hit for the style.
