‘Double Kick Heroes’ Review (Nintendo Switch)
While I tend to do badly with rhythm games, I have fond memories of playing the guitar on Guitar Hero. It was well made, and the use of a good choice of music really invested the player in the experience of the game. Double Kick Heroes looks to bring back the fun of pressing buttons in time with the music, and adds some zombies and other apocalyptic monsters into the mix.
Coming with a number of difficulty levels and plenty of options for how to play, there is plenty to keep the longevity of Double Kick Heroes going. The main mode though is of course the story mode. With some nice cameos by recognisable rock stars, there is a good story to keep the player invested. The story for the game also works to give your fingers somewhat of a break from the game, as it can get tiring at times, and this is of course because of the style of gameplay.
For the most part, Double Kick Heroes is about pressing buttons at the right time, and using different ones to shoot the zombies whether they are closer to the top of the screen, or lower. When there are bosses, the player also has to control the car moving it up and down the screen to get the most damage possible on the pursuing monster. It’s all good fun and is easy enough to learn so that the player can concentrate on those finger presses.
The main mechanics of the game is to press the buttons at the right time, this will get you a grade on your performance (perfect for example being you pressed it at just the right time). If you keep progressively keeping up with the rhythm then you’ll get more of a multiplier which will then boost the type of weapon you are using, and the amount of damage it will do.
Keeping up with the song is easy enough, as long as you can keep those presses coming at the required speed. Sometimes this feels almost too hard to do, but the key is of course to not just concentrate on one of the buttons, but to use a combination. There are times though when this is just too hard, but that is okay. This isn’t a game about being perfect, but to be good enough to defeat the monsters that are chasing you.
What is important is that Double Kick Heroes takes the rhythm game and makes it fun again. With story modes, arcade modes and other styles of play, it keeps you invested and makes you want to play on, though it can be tiring on the hands at times. It’s definitely a game that I will keep on coming back to, and that of course is the sign of a game that has done it’s job well and won the gamer over.
**** 4/5
Double Kick Heroes is available on Switch, PC and Xbox One now.