In a somewhat out-of-nowhere announcement, Arc System Works has revealed the latest entry in the Double Dragon series. The new trailer for Double Dragon IV, which dropped on YouTube, shows off the sequel’s decidedly old-school visuals — much closer to the original game’s aesthetic than 2012’s Double Dragon Neon, which offered more proportional characters and an ’80s-inspired color scheme.
The trailer offers a sort of fake-out in that it starts with footage of the original game before switching over to the new stuff at the 1:09 mark — but rather than the expected makeover that often accompanies trailers of this ilk, you might be forgiven for not noticing much of a difference between the old footage and the new (outside of a more vibrant color palette, anyway).
Perhaps after the mixed reception of Neon, which was developed by WayForward, Arc System hopes to take the series back to its roots for the next round — not the worst idea, considering anyone who was able to get their hands on a NES Classic Edition probably has the included Double Dragon II fresh in their mind.
Maybe even more surprising than the game’s NES-esque look, though, is its release date — with the game scheduled to launch in just over a month after its announcement on January 30, carrying a budget-friendly price of 800 yen (about $8 US). It’ll be available on PlayStation 4 and PC via the Steam service, and its official website has already gone live.
Tell us, what do you think of this old-school revival? Are you happy to see Double Dragon again, or do you think the series was better off staying in the classic era? Let us know in the comment section below!