Double Dragon II: Wander of the Dragons

 Xbox 360
  • Publisher: CFK
  • Release Date: Apr 5, 2013
Metascore
17

Overwhelming dislike - based on 19 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 0 out of 19
  2. Mixed: 0 out of 19
  3. Negative: 19 out of 19
  1. Multiplayer.it
    May 6, 2013
    30
    One of the worst Live Arcade titles ever released. An ugly remake that does not deserve anyone's money, cast it forever into oblivion.
  2. Everyeye.it
    May 6, 2013
    30
    A game that should not exist. Even if it were distributed free, no one would advise you to invest even a few moments with a product so indefensible from any point of view.
  3. Game Informer
    Apr 6, 2013
    30
    There are absolutely no redeeming qualities to Double Dragon II. The only people I can recommend this to are gamers that enjoy hate-playing the worst stuff just to make fun of it or Double Dragon fans who can't help but play every release no matter how terrible.
  5. Official Xbox Magazine
    Apr 13, 2013
    25
    XBLA’s Double Dragon II: Wander of the Dragons pulls the beating heart out of Technōs’ 1988 coin-op Double Dragon II: The Revenge and stomps on it until it barely resembles the sequel we once loved.
  6. SpazioGames
    May 3, 2013
    20
    Simply the worst game of this gen.
  7. IGN Italia
    Apr 30, 2013
    20
    Wander of the Dragons puts a glorious name in a pit of shame. Nothing's working in this Korean remake of a '80s classic: the game is so broken that it is almost unbearable. Forget its existence as soon as possible.
  8. Eurogamer Italy
    Apr 26, 2013
    20
    The worst Xbox 360 game ever. If you're planning to buy it, please, change your mind. You deserve something better.
  9. Hardcore Gamer
    Apr 19, 2013
    20
    This is the video game equivalent of Rebecca Black’s Friday, something so terrible that its existence is nothing short of a miracle.
  10. Machinima
    Apr 15, 2013
    20
    A pitiful remake of a classic game and a damn shame for gamers. Double Dragon II on the NES deserves a better remake than this. Broken gameplay, boring combat, and no replay value make this one of the worst games I’ve played.
  11. Post Arcade (National Post)
    Apr 9, 2013
    20
    Humiliatingly wretched, but still more or less playable (...) Sometimes it takes a bad game to teach us just how good other games really are.
  12. InsideGamer.nl
    Apr 16, 2013
    18
    This game just screams lazy, or ignorance: I haven't decided yet. No, leave this game to rot in a dumpster. Get Double Dragon: Neon, if you want a game that's a great homage and made with love.
  13. COGconnected
    Apr 16, 2013
    15
    Boring, uninspired, glitchy, unfinished….those are just a few of the words I’d use to describe a wholly unenjoyable gaming experience in Double Dragon II: Wander of the Dragons.
  14. Games Master UK
    May 30, 2013
    10
    The fighting system is more broken than Back Mountain. Avoid. [July 2013, p.75]
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  15. The Digital Fix
    Apr 26, 2013
    10
    Wander of the Dragons is a disgrace; an unfinished, untested, unenjoyably wretched excuse for a gaming experience. There is literally nothing to recommend here.
  16. Gamereactor Sweden
    Apr 24, 2013
    10
    Listen, we are not exaggerating. Not one bit. This is the worst game of the generation.
  17. Meristation
    Apr 15, 2013
    10
    Double Dragon II doesn't deserve this aberration. 1200 Microsoft Points for a short and repetitive sequence of levels where again and again you must press the same buttons. Its gameplay is worse than 25 years ago. In addition, its graphics and sound are very poor.
  18. Metro GameCentral
    Apr 15, 2013
    10
    The interactive equivalent of irritable bowel syndrome and one of the most bizarrely awful video games ever made.
  19. Official Xbox Magazine UK
    Apr 12, 2013
    10
    Between getting stuck on invisible walls, being forced to watch awkward cut-scene transitions, and having to repeatedly restart at a checkpoint due to a horribly executed platform sequence I can honestly say I didn't enjoy a second of it. Everything about it feels cheap and hastily thrown together.
  20. NowGamer
    Apr 9, 2013
    5
    It's hard to describe just how shockingly awful this is. From the ridiculous difficulty to the broken combat to the lack of online co-op, Double Dragon II: Wander Of The Dragons fails in every way possible.

Awards & Rankings

68
#68 Most Discussed Xbox 360 Game of 2013
56
#56 Most Shared Xbox 360 Game of 2013

User Reviews

All reviews »
User Score
1.6

Overwhelming dislike- based on 60 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 8 out of 60
  2. Mixed: 0 out of 60
  3. Negative: 52 out of 60
  1. Nyxx
    Apr 7, 2013
    1
    Double Dragon 2: Wander of the Dragons. You know you're in for a treat when the title is in Engrish.

    DD2 is an "updated" version of DD2:    Double Dragon 2: Wander of the Dragons. You know you're in for a treat when the title is in Engrish.

    DD2 is an "updated" version of DD2: The Revenge, on the NES, and in the Arcade. How to begin?

    Let's start with the graphics. This is one of the ugliest downloadable games I've ever seen. The textures, models, special effects...all of them are done poorly.

    Even though the game looks ugly as all sin, it is PLAGUED with slowdown. The FPS drops to about half if there's so much as four other enemies on the screen with a bit of environmental clutter.

    There are cutscenes thrown around, and they look okay, compared to the actual game. It just makes you wonder why they couldn't put the same amount of effort into the actual graphics.

    What about the sound? I mean, Double Dragon is known for it's pretty catchy music. The tracks are horrible remixes of old DD tracks, and I mean, really horrible. Expect plenty of 5-10 second loops.

    The music in Stage 12 is amongst the worst things I've ever heard in my life. It is literally a 5 second loop of the same thing. Yup. Good decision, there.

    As for sound effects, expect boring hit sounds, the same groans and yells repeated throughout the entire game, nothing to distract you from the horrible music.

    Controls, oh boy. Know what a good brawler needs? Good, responsive controls. That's what separates good brawlers with bad ones.

    This has some of the worst control I've ever experienced in a video game. It feels that your inputs are just...dropped by the game at random, and if they're not dropped, they feel exceedingly delayed.

    You know you have a significant problem when the game pretends you aren't pressing buttons, but that's literally the least of the worries you will have playing this.

    Special attacks are done by holding RT and pressing A. The problem: It's hard to tell when you can actually use them, and for most special moves, the enemies seem to have more priority with their normal attacks than you. You will be knocked out of special attacks all the time.

    The HuD makes it exceedingly unclear when you can use special attacks, as well. There's also another cost to using the special moves, but we'll get into that later.

    Unlike most brawlers, you can attack and be attacked in all directions. You would think this would make attacking more flexible, but instead, enemies will surround you and kill you in mere seconds.

    As for defensive maneuvers, even the most basic one, running away, is done wrong. If you press the opposite direction you're facing, you will do a backwards hop instead of turning around. After a short delay, you will turn around, but it may already be too late by that point.

    You can block, and if you time a block in time with an enemy's attack, you can "Perfect Block" and parry the blow, but the timing on it is very difficult. The enemies attack quickly, and relying on this strategy is sure to cause you more pain than anything else.

    Now, the gameplay.

    At the beginning of the game, you play as Marian in a tutorial level, with a VA unable to read the same text that's on the subtitles. In the end, she's shot dead, and the game really begins.

    95% of the game is you strolling down boring, non-interactive environments. Sometimes there's a random QTE that involves pressing one button, but other than that, repetitive brawling action at it's worst.

    You have a generous amount of continues, at least, and every time you continue, you release a powerful shockwave attack. Death abuse is the most potent offensive move in this game, and you'll be dying enough to take advantage of it.

    If you run out of continues, you have to start at the start of the stage you were on. Making the continues kind of pointless.

    As for enemies, there's three kinds. Male goons and female goons that look ugly and have the same attacks, large goons that will block a lot and deal a ton of damage with one combo, and the fat bosses, which you fight about four or so times.

    The fat bosses have a stamina meter. In order to damage them with normal attacks, you have to drain this meter, which always regenerates. Keep in mind, these bosses won't flinch while they have stamina. The only way around the stamina meter (which is stupid) is to use special attacks, or to death abuse, which is more likely, because they take off huge chunks of HP.

    Special attacks include the hurricane kick, a moving hurricane kick, a fireball, and a super combo. You can only hold one at a time, and remember the "hidden cost" i mentioned about special attacks? Well, if you use even -one- special attack in the whole game, you get the bad ending.

    Try beating this game without the special attacks. You'll smash your controller well before you beat the first boss.

    This game was once cancelled in 2011. With great games like Double Dragon: Neon out there, it should of stayed that way. This should be avoided at all costs. There's nothing good in this game, no online co-op, no interesting game modes. Nothing. Stay away!    … Full Review »
  2. Samuelhayne
    Apr 10, 2013
    2
    If you enjoyed Double Dragon: Neon in any capacity what so ever, then turn and run as far from this title as possible. Everything about isIf you enjoyed Double Dragon: Neon in any capacity what so ever, then turn and run as far from this title as possible. Everything about is broken, from the clunky controls that make you feel as if your input is traveling to the moon and back before registering on your console, to the music that will make your ears bleed. Honestly, I've heard more inspired tunes from my niece on her Casio. I haven't been this irate, disappointed, and just blatantly confused regarding a down loadable game since "Amy".… Full Review »
  3. Equation
    Apr 18, 2013
    10
    Pros: Fantastic atmosphere and graphics, the punch and kicks feel real and really deliver a good feeling, the story is amazing, I have neverPros: Fantastic atmosphere and graphics, the punch and kicks feel real and really deliver a good feeling, the story is amazing, I have never cried at a game before but the ending to this was epic (I wont give spoilers)

    My friend came round at the weekend, and we played this hour upon hour, We didn't even think about playing Fifa or Bioshock Infinite as we were already in gaming heaven.

    Cons: It's only for the Xbox 360!!! My friend has a PS3 and he is so upset he isn't going to be able to play this at his house, that'll teach him for buying a PS3 huh.

    Overall: A fantastic sleeper hit with an amazingly low price for admission, what more could one ask for?    … Full Review »
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