It's time to take over New Libertis and dominate the fight in Diesel Legacy: The Brazen Age! Read our review to see what it did well, what it didn't do well, and if it's worth buying.
Diesel Legacy Review Overview
What is Diesel Legacy?
Diesel Legacy: The Brazen Age is an indie fighting game set in a fictional dieselpunk world of New Libertis. The game has a distinct hand drawn and steampunk aesthetic, which is realized by the game’s animations and comic book-like appearance.
The game allows for 1-4 players in a unique three-lane and two team stages which combines fighting games and beat ‘em up gameplay. Diesel Legacy also features 10 different characters with varying archetypes, which suit many different playstyles for each player.
The game features a lengthy Story Mode for each character, an arcade mode, a robust training mode, and local and online versus. It also features several match types like 1v1, 1v2, 2v2, and free-for-all, which allows for a variety of gameplay.
Diesel Legacy features:
⚫︎ 2D Fighting Game and Beat ‘Em Up Fusion
⚫︎ 3-Lane 2v2 or FFA Match Types
⚫︎ 10 Playable Characters
⚫︎ Steampunk and Comic Book Style Aesthetic
⚫︎ Local and Online Co-op and Versus
⚫︎ Online Rollback
⚫︎ Traditional Fighting Game Inputs
 Diesel Legacy: The Brazen Age |
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|---|---|---|---|
 Steam |
 PSN |
 Switch |
 Xbox |
Diesel Legacy Pros & Cons
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
 Amazing Audiovisuals Good Variety of Characters Unique Gameplay Fusion Surprisingly Lengthy Story Mode |
Extremely Chaotic Gameplay Certain Characters Are Oppressive |
Diesel Legacy Overall - 80/100
Diesel Legacy: The Brazen Age is a very unique indie fighting game that’s clearly made with passion from people in the fighting game community. Not only are the visuals top notch, but also the music and gameplay make the game fun and hard to put down. To add to this, the game also has a good amount of content that can be enjoyed solo or with a partner, specifically in the game’s story modes.
There are a few things holding this game back like some characters being a little too oppressive and the chaotic pace of 2v2 or free-for-all matches. Nevertheless, this is the type of game that should be given a chance by fighting game players. It has great visuals, snappy animations, catchy music, and unique gameplay which encapsulate a bold title in a niche genre.
Diesel Legacy Story - 7/10
The game’s story isn’t all that amazing, as you could even say that it’s pretty predictable and cliché when it comes to storytelling. However, the length of each story is quite surprising. It’s not new for fighting games to have a story mode, but Diesel Legacy made it a point to flesh out each character’s back story and build the game’s world through the characters. It’s not the best, but the effort is clearly seen from the details.
Diesel Legacy Gameplay - 8/10
The game’s core foundation is built on being a 2D fighter down to the game’s inputs, but functions similarly to a beat ‘em up game with how characters move and face different directions. It’s a basic 4-button fighter that shares similarities with popular fighting games like Guilty Gear, Skullgirls, and the like. However, the main difference is that the game isn’t built for 1v1s, but rather for its chaotic team play. If you were expecting a traditional fighting game, then Diesel Legacy isn’t for you. But if you were looking to play something more fun and a little crazy with unique characters and crazy mechanics, then this might be something up your alley. It does have its problems when it comes to getting teamed up and a little on balancing here and there when it comes to damage, but the game's chaotic nature is definitely one of it's selling points especially since you can have a bunch of friends over to mess around with the game's versus modes.
Diesel Legacy Visuals - 9/10
In terms of visuals, Diesel Legacy looks amazing. The whole aesthetic combined with clean animations and clean art style makes for a great visual experience. To add to this, even the different settings and stages are also full of life and elevate the game’s overall look and theme. If there’s one thing to complain about it would be the UI and menu being completely unique and different that it took some time getting used to.
Diesel Legacy Audio - 7/10
The music of the game adds so much character and could be familiar to a lot of players especially if they like steampunk-themed games with jazzy tunes and the sort. As for the sound effects, it could be a little better as sometimes they sound muddled along with the voices, but it’s still ok considering the game looks and feels like an old animated film. The voice acting is also hit and miss, as there were some that were a little too soft for what they were actually doing.
Diesel Legacy Value for Money - 8/10
At $29.99, Diesel Legacy: The Brazen Age is a completely unique fighting game with a surprising amount of content and a great foundation for players both new and veterans looking to try it. It’s not your average fighting game as it’s really made for the chaos of a multiplayer game rather than the traditional head-to-head. But it has the core aspects of what a fighting game is, just packaged in a different way.
Diesel Legacy Review: A Unique Fusion of Fighting and Beat 'Em Up!
What do you get when you combine the foundation of a 2D fighting game, a steampunk aesthetic, and the movement of a beat ‘em up game? You might just end up with something like Diesel Legacy: The Brazen Age. For a while now, I’ve had my eye on the game mainly because of seeing the game’s art and animations online. Also because one of my fighting game idols, Justin Wong, was showing the game off in his YouTube channel, which also prompted me to learn more about the game.
Lights, Camera, Action!
Immediately, the game shows off its amazing art style and aesthetic. The game takes you to a pretty short tutorial then into the game’s hub menu. This is where I was a little confused as to how navigating the game worked, but it didn’t take me long to understand that the menu is quite literally a beat ‘em up style navigation. It definitely works in this case, as the game is built on moving around similar to a beat ‘em up game.
The presentation of the game also makes it feel like you’re watching an animated comic book film, where for some reason reminded me a lot of the art style of the likes of Disney’s Atlantis and Treasure Planet. Not to mention that the game’s animation is definitely one of the highlights of the game, as characters like Eleanora and Dieselmech are definitely eye-catching characters in motion.
Additionally, the game’s music is certainly memorable. I found it fun to listen to the game’s soundtrack while exploring the game’s mechanics in Training Mode. While some sound effects seem muddled, it’s not that big of an issue since it still kinda fits the 60’s animated movie vibe.
World Building and Character Stories
A lot of fighting games use the single player aspect to expand on their characters’ story and their backgrounds. It’s no different in Diesel Legacy, as the game actually has a full-blown Story Mode for EACH character. It doesn’t seem like a lot, but it took me roughly an hour to complete one of these since the devs even made the effort to even make beat ‘em up style cutscenes where you move around and interact with different characters in certain chapters.
The actual storytelling isn’t exactly amazing or compelling, but I’ll still commend them for making the conscious effort to build the world of New Libertis and the characters in the game. Some of the characters also don’t even appear in each other’s stories, but a good portion of them interact with each other to tie things together.
Embracing Thematic Elements and Archetypes
One of the things that fighting games have are character archetypes, which has been prevalent ever since the likes of Street Fighter 2. Diesel Legacy embraces this and goes all out with how characters function mechanically. Other than Rory, all of the characters seem to have a gimmick tied to their design.
For example, Eleanora has special moves that allows her to have a presence in other lanes with her henchmen. She even has a move where she uses a hostage as a shield, which ties into her mobster image. Other characters like Adrik and Rotwang have their own unique mechanics which involve flight, long range moves, and other traps.
It’s not like these archetypes are restricted per character, as Rory and Ruby are characters that want to get in close, but just have a few gimmicks that separate themselves from each other. It’s also noteworthy that there are characters that are built to be "small", in the sense where certain projectiles would whiff completely due to their stature.
Chaotic, Fun, Fast, and Unapologetic
It's quite clear after playing a few matches of 2v2 that the game is very much chaotic when it comes to fighting each other. There's gonna be a lot of things on screen and there will be times that there'll be one-on-one scenarios on each side of the screen at any given moment. This is what makes it different, however, as it's bold enough to be a game that's purely it's own than trying to be something else. You'll have characters flying everywhere while throwing projectiles, spewing flame, and other characters throwing around objects as a projectile. Its characters are perfectly thematic and the game lets them run free with a lot of them being crazy on their own right.
A Unique Take on 2D Fighting
Certain archetypes and playstyles can be hard to deal with in a 2D setting. Zoners traditionally want to be a threat at longer ranges and Rushdown characters want to be upclose and in your face to get their win condition. With how certain characters have very oppressive long-range and multiple hitting moves, the three-lane system comes into play. Diesel Legacy basically found a way to give sidestepping functional in a 2D setting.
The way it works is that you can dash and move to three different lanes to avoid attacks by dashing or jumping to another lane using specific inputs. Truthfully, I will say that this wasn’t a mechanic that I found myself using a lot, probably because I was mainly just using Rory, but it did come in handy when I found myself against the likes of Adrik, Rotwang, and Eleanora. It’s not perfect, but the idea is something worth exploring in a competitive setting.
This type of design encourages oppressive and "linear" zoning and super aggressive designs in a 2D setting without making it a balancing nightmare. Having a big issue with having to block projectiles for half a match? Move to a different lane to evade everything. Getting dashed in by an opponent? Sidestep to a different lane to make them whiff and punish them. It’s a certainly unique mechanic to have, and something that I hope grows into an idea for other 2D fighting games.
Is Diesel Legacy Worth It?
Worth It If You’re Looking For Something Different!
Diesel Legacy: The Brazen Age is a very, very unique game. It combines the design of a traditional 2D fighting game and a beat ‘em up game while making it into a team-based fighting game. It’s a completely different experience as you can even play with a couple of friends for fun. At $29.99, you’re getting a passion project made by devs who clearly are from the community with audiovisuals that really tie the whole game together. If the price is still steep, then I would still suggest to get it when it’s on sale for that chaotic team fighting experience.
| Digital Storefronts | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Steam |
PSN |
Switch |
Xbox |
| $29.99 | |||
Diesel Legacy FAQ
Does Diesel Legacy: The Brazen Age support crossplay?
No, it does not.
What are the System Requirements to play Diesel Legacy: The Brazen Age?
The System Requirements are as follows:
| Specifications | Minimum | Recommended |
|---|---|---|
| OS | Windows 7 or above (64bit) | |
| Processor | Intel Core i5-7500 | AMD Ryzen 2600 | |
| Graphics | GTX 970 / RX 570 | |
| Storage | 3600 MB | |
| Additional Specs | DirectX 11 | |
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Diesel Legacy Product Information
|
|
| Title | DIESEL LEGACY: THE BRAZEN AGE |
|---|---|
| Release Date | December 4, 2024 |
| Developer | Maximum Entertainment |
| Publisher | Maximum Entertainment |
| Supported Platforms | PC (Steam), PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch |
| Genre | Indie, Fighting |
| Number of Players | 1-4 |
| ESRB Rating | T |
| Official Website | [Diesel Legacy Official Website(https://diesellegacy.com/)] |
