Rage Of The Dragons NEO Review (PlayStation 5)

Rating: 7.4
Author: Jim Smale

by Jim Smale · November 26, 2024

Rage Of The Dragons NEO Review, Rage of the Dragons brings back the adrenaline of 2D battles with refined gameplay, charismatic characters, and a dual combat system that demands strategy and precision. In this game, every blow counts, and every decision can be the difference between victory and defeat. Rage of the Dragons NEO is a PC version of Rage of the Dragons, released in 2002 for arcades. It was a unique and innovative game, mainly due to its highly praised visuals and technical aspects at the time. With beautiful scenery and animations, incredible moves, and an acclaimed soundtrack, it’s a must-have for any fighting game lover.

Rage Of The Dragons NEO Review Pros:

Decent graphics.
566.6MB download size.
Platinum trophy.
Own in-game trophy list.
You get the PlayStation 4 and the PlayStation 5 versions of the game.
Video settings – Screen type (fit/fullscreen/normal), background art, filters (pixel perfect/smooth/scan lines/CRT)
Fighting gameplay.
You can remap the controls.
Display moveset option.
The Jukebox contains the music and sound test for the game.
Five game modes – Arcade, Dragons Challenge, Versus, Training, and Online.
Online and offline leaderboards for each difficulty of the arcade mode, and Dragons challenges.
Ai difficulties are 1 easy, to 8 hard.
Match settings for versus – opponent type (CPU or local), difficulty, CPU level, characters, timer speed, timer, and disabling barriers.
16 characters to choose from.
Training mode is like a free-play tutorial.
9 locations to fight in.
To play with Johan in arcade mode you press and hold the touch pad.
Arcade assistance – health assist, timer assists, tag meter assist, and disable barriers.
Arcade presentation.
Can save and load when you want offline.
Excellent in-game cutscenes.
Tag team-based fighter.
2D game World with animated backgrounds.
Combo counter.

Rage Of The Dragons NEO Review Cons:

Takes a while to get used to how the game plays.
The game feels slower than you would expect.
None of the characters have stats or move sets shown on the character select screen.
It’s weird but the game feels a bit flat, not a lot of life to it all.
Online was nonexistent and didn’t offer any reason to really give it time.
Not a great deal of replay value.
You don’t have anything to earn or unlock.

Rage Of The Dragons NEO:

Official website.

Developer: QUByte Interactive

Publisher: QUByte Interactive

Store Links –

PlayStation

8/10

Graphics - 8/10
7/10

Sound - 7/10
7/10

Accessibility - 7/10
7/10

Length - 7/10
8/10

Fun Factor - 8/10

7.4/10

Summary

Rage of the Dragons NEO offers a mixed bag of experiences for players. The game boasts decent graphics and a manageable download size of 566.6MB. It features a Platinum trophy and its own in-game trophy list, which is a nice touch for trophy hunters. Players get both the PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5 versions of the game, adding value. The video settings are quite comprehensive, allowing adjustments to screen type, background art, and filters, which include pixel-perfect, smooth, scan lines, and CRT options. The fighting gameplay is enhanced by the ability to remap controls and display the moveset, making it accessible for different play styles. The Jukebox feature, containing the music and sound test, adds a nostalgic touch.

The game includes five modes: Arcade, Dragons Challenge, Versus, Training, and Online. It supports online and offline leaderboards for each difficulty level of the arcade mode and Dragon’s challenges. AI difficulties range from 1 (easy) to 8 (hard), and match settings for Versus mode are customizable, including opponent type, difficulty, CPU level, characters, timer speed, and the option to disable barriers. With 16 characters to choose from and nine locations to fight in, the game offers variety. Training mode serves as a free-play tutorial, and players can unlock Johan in arcade mode by pressing and holding the touchpad. Arcade assistance features like health assist, timer assist, tag meter assist, and disabling barriers are available, and the arcade presentation is well-executed. The game allows saving and loading offline, and the in-game cutscenes are excellent, adding to the overall experience. The tag team-based fighter gameplay in a 2D world with animated backgrounds and a combo counter is engaging.

However, the game has its drawbacks. It takes a while to get used to the gameplay, which feels slower than expected. None of the characters have stats or move sets shown on the character select screen, which can be frustrating. The game feels a bit flat and lacks life, and the online mode is virtually nonexistent, offering no real incentive to invest time in it. There is not much replay value, as there is nothing to earn or unlock.

In summary, “Rage of the Dragons NEO” has its strengths, such as decent graphics, comprehensive video settings, and a variety of game modes. However, it also has significant weaknesses, including slow gameplay, lack of character stats, and limited online engagement. While it offers some nostalgic elements and customization options, it ultimately falls short of providing a lasting experience, it does provide short bursts of fun and a great game to play with friends.