See the world of Arad in a new light

DNF Duel is an action video game wherein you get to enter a world full of combat and anime-style art. Co-developed by Arc System Works, EIGHTING Co., Ltd., and NEOPLE Inc., this fighting game is a spin-off title of the Dungeon & Fighter series or Dungeon Fighter Online (DFO).

Featuring 2.5D graphics, DNF Duel offers classic beat-’em-up gameplay mechanics without all of the complicated controls involved—perfect for new players. However, it also comes with a unique combat system that makes it stand out from other fighting games and has RPG elements not usually seen in them.

Is DNF Duel crossplay?

Dungeon Fighter Online (DFO)—also known as Dungeon & Fighter (DNF)—is a 2005 multiplayer side-scrolling beat-’em-up action RPG title for PC. Bearing the art style of an arcade game, it’s an MMO with players traversing 2D screens while fighting hordes of monsters using their flashy skills. Its success led to being one of the highest-grossing video games and even getting several media adaptations.

One of these is DNF Duel, which is basically the same characters and world of DNF but in the form of a 2.5D fighting game. Here, you can play as 16 different characters and classes—including an unlockable hidden character. They all have distinct personalities and skills and will require different tactics to use and defeat. The combat system itself has a regenerating MP bar for repeated use of skills.

There are four main modes available. Local Mode has free battles, the Story Mode, Arcade Mode, and Survival Mode are under it. Online Mode has casual and ranked matches—although crossplay is only available between the PS4 and PS5 platforms. Practice Mode is where the tutorial is at. Meanwhile, the Collection feature has the player profile, replay library, gallery, and additional content such as exclusive wallpapers and soundtrack. 

A fighting game spin-off worth a try

All in all, DNF Duel is a nice little spin-off to try out if you’re a fan of the original DNF game or if you’re new to fighting games. While it lacks some features that would’ve been nice for online matches, the core gameplay itself is enjoyable and is still a great way to get introduced to Dungeon Fighter Online. This is a highly recommended fighting game to try out.