It’s hard not to see the similarities between DNF Duel and Granblue Fantasy Versus in 2020. Both are 2D fighters developed by Arc System Works. Both are based on franchises that are very popular abroad, but are less well known in North America (in this case Dungeon Fighter Online). And most notably, they are both seemingly complex. Simplified controls and guard buttons tend to be the secret to death in a true fighting game, but ArcSys and 8ing (the team behind Marvel vs. Capcom 3) add them at the expense of skill. I have not. Instead, DNF Duel is a resource management, patience, creative problem-solving game, wrapped in a beautiful package, but may not be as friendly to beginners as intended.
DNF Duel uses simplified inputs to participate in an ever-growing fighting game and facilitate control schemes. Special movements can be performed by simply pressing a button or performing the button in combination with a direction, but if you use the extra length that uses the traditional 1/4 yen movement, it’s a better resource. You will get a recharge. It’s great to have a quick option while being given a boost to put extra effort into it. Simplified input means that the battle understands what each character’s move set can really do.
For example, a striker can chain special attacks in ways that other characters can’t, and she’s particularly good at continuous pressure, tricking enemies into thinking it’s safe to fight back when they’re not. I often think about it. Many characters also have invincible reversals of awakening, quick pork that can be converted into heavy damage, giant screen-filled objects such as the Inquisitor’s giant wheel and Kunoichi’s Fire Tornado. These are some really wild characters with some really nonsense movements, and much of the difficulty curve consists of learning how to deal with these attacks. Getting one beatdown gave me a specific goal for doing a lab in training mode, and I was very happy when I didn’t let someone stop it later. However, connecting many of each battle to learn these tricks can be difficult to deal with until you know what to do in a given situation.
DNF Duel ties MP skills and guard cancellations to the MP meter, rather than assigning inputs to cooldowns like Granblue Fantasy Versus. The most powerful screen clearing movements often consume the most MP. The twist of this comes from the ability to convert white damage (temporary damage you get from being hit by a weaker move you block) to MP. Performing a conversion allows your character to return to a neutral state, chaining normally impossible movements, or blocking certain dangerous movements when normally punished. Finding a creative way to use my MP and knowing when to convert white damage often meant the difference between victory and defeat, and I really liked the flexibility the system offers.
It took some time for the movement to wrap around my head. At first, I found the DNF Duel to be heavy and unwieldy. Although it is an anime fighter, the action is relatively stable because there are no air guards, double jumps, and air dashes, except for the movements peculiar to the character. There is also a feeling of fatigue to consider. MP-specific skills will not work when you enter when MP is insufficient. Combine it with a character that can harass you away from the full screen and lock down completely when all MPs are used up. Learning the system and roster can be a pretty frustrating ramp. But once DNF Duel starts clicking and learns notable moves, when to hit a counterattack, when to bet everything on conversions, that quick decision can be a really fun and satisfying moment that can take a lot of time. Will lead to greater risk of return.
Thankfully, DNF Duel has several products for those who prefer to fight alone, so there are some offline options to help you learn these myriad systems. Arcade mode and survival mode are standard fighting game fares. In survival, you can use your accumulated scores to buy more offensive power, health recharges, or increased guard crashes to break through your opponent’s defenses. Arcade mode is simply a series of eight one-on-one battles that can be quite demanding on the most difficult difficulty levels. It was a good way to get familiar with the character and understand how to protect yourself from bad situations.
I think it’s a bad situation to block the wheel.
Unfortunately, DNF Duel Story Mode is pretty dull when it comes to fighting game standards. All 15 starting characters have a series of visual novel-like vignettes. In the meantime, little interesting happens before you are forced to fight someone else for the thinnest possible reason. Each character’s story can be completed in about 30 minutes, completing more than necessary to unlock a secret character, except giving naked insights into the personality and relationships between the casts. There is little reason. Each story comes with some cool custom art, but you can also unlock the art in the gallery with a small amount of in-game currency earned by playing different modes.
Training mode options are at least fairly widespread to make up for this. Even if the menu had to be messed up every time to set the required conditions. There’s a breakdown of how the gameplay works, character-specific tutorials, and combo challenges. All of this was valuable when I learned the details of each system. I especially liked reading the information panes for all the characters. The information pane provides useful insights into how a particular move was intended to be used by the developer.
After Guilty Gear Strive’s great rollback net code, I was hoping that DNF Duel would work really well online, but thankfully it seems so far. Most of the matches I played felt smooth, even against Asians, despite some rollback frames. Arc System Works works on in-game arcade machines that walk to take part in matches at Dragon Ball FighterZ and Grand Blue, a little too cute in the physical lobby to my liking, but in the Player Matchroom. It’s a breeze. After purchasing various options in in-game currency, or unlocking them through certain challenges, you can also set the lobby character, player card, slogan, and information to display and customize it a bit. ..
“”
You can wait in training, tutorials, arcades, and survival modes while queuing ranked matches. This is a great way to reduce long queue times, as unfortunately there is no cross-play between the Steam and PlayStation versions. The queuing issue hasn’t happened yet, but DNF Duel has just been released and is already a bit niche title, so the player pool is active enough so that lack of cross-play isn’t an issue. I hope it remains.
DNF Duel continues the Arc System trend of having great 2.5D art. If the developers hadn’t solidified their position as leaders in this space after Granblue Fantasy Versus and Guilty Gear Strive, their reputation should now be solid, as both the character and the stage are simply gorgeous. is. Each member of the cast has a unique look and can be easily distinguished in the heat of action. It’s impressive considering their movements are amazing, with their clothes buzzing, colorful effects flying around, and supermarkets unique to them. Skill sets because they are exaggerated.
Sadly, the music never hits the same bar. It’s an almost unobtrusive rock, with some fun highlights here and there. However, all art, music, and character voice lines can be viewed in gallery mode after purchasing in in-game currency. Original DFO fans will have to find a lot of love here as well, as there are many pieces to go through and art options aren’t limited to DNF Duel alone.
