Streets of Rage is a 2D beat em ups game for PS4, XBONE, Switch, and PC which was developed by Lizardcube and Guard Crush Games, and published by Dotemu. It is a continuation sequel of SEGA's Streets of Rage series since 1994.
It's been for 26 years since I've played these classic beat em ups trilogy on SEGA Genesis/MD as I been waiting for the fourth installiment of the series for very long time because I grew up playing Streets of Rage 1 and 2 as a child which is the reason why it is one of my favourite beat em up titles on the system thanks to cast of brawling characters, wicked fighting mechanics, and has the most recognisable upbeat soundtrack that I will never forget how amazing the game plays on the SEGA's 16-bit machine and I got to say the third installiment is not my favourite title in the series, but it's still a decent game on the SEGA's library.
And now I finally get to see a return of the SEGA's bare knuckles title Streets of Rage 4 which I been wanting this game to be happen for modern day gaming featuring a well drawn animation on levels and characters, retaining a similar style as the previous entry, up to 4-players co-op both locally and online, couple of game modes been added to the game, and includes your favourite returning characters as well as two new playable casting that gives the game a solid returning sequel that plays absolutely just like what you are expecting from your favourite beat em up classics that been originated in early 90's.
So without go further do, lets start the review.
Presentation
The game takes place 10 years after the event of Streets of Rage 3, the whole city falls under the control of the new crime syndicates led by Mr.X's children known as the Y Twins, who seeks avenging their father's death, plans to brainwash its citizens with hypnotic music.
So you take control of three ex-police officers as well as newer two joins the mission to take down the Twins and the syndicate gangs.
The game doesn't require a much in-depth story to make it sound better because it started out a simple opening intro with the texts scrolling through which is kinda like what you seen in first Street of Rage as well as you get to see a small short sequence after beating each stage in the game which adds up the plot nicely.
Aside with easy to follow story, you will have an awesome cast of brawlers like the returning such as Axel and Blaze are major two in the series as well as Adam makes his comeback since the first original game, while introducing his daughter Cherry making the first appearance in this game and then you have Floyd who is the cybernetically enhanced apprentice of Dr. Zan, a character from the third game.
I got to say I really liked the opening sequences at the beginning where Axel and his friends start beating shit out of the thugs in animated form which is really cool to watch because it feels very stylistic and intense that's like coming from the animated TV shows.
I also liked the locations in each stage such as the city streets where bunch of thugs lived in hiding places, there are prison and office room in police station, fighting in the cargo ship, underground filled with poisonous waste, fighting inside the temple of chinatown, non-stop train ride, art gallery museums, the music concert and some more featured in the game.
Overall, it has awesome opening sequences, simple story, memorable characters, and great locations.
Gameplay
The game has story mode for both single-player and co-op which gives you an option to play locally or online, while arcade mode focused on one credit only and does not save your progress after beating stage giving a full ultimate experience.
You get to select any of playable characters on the selection screen which each of them has different fighting style, specials, and overall stats.
Axel is balanced fighter, Blaze has better technique, Adam is all-rounder, Cherry is weak but faster, and Floyd is slow but powerful.
During the gameplay, your goal is to beat the stage by taking down all the thugs while heading straight to the boss battle to fight and defeat the bosses to get through the next stage.
You have basic attack by tapping the attack button which hits the enemy, but you can use strong attack by holding the attack button to charge up your attack.
You can hit the enemy from behind by pressing the back attack button and you can attack them in mid-air by pressing the jump button then attack button.
You can perform blitz move that combined with dash forward as well as special moves allowing characters to perform stronger attacks such as Axel's bare knuckle, Adam's spin kick, Blaze's somersault kick, Cherry's guitar attack, and Floyd's launch grab which deals with heavy damage on enemies, but these special moves can also drain your health points in which you may need to keep an eye carefully on your health bar when frequently using the special moves.
A star move may requires a star item which appeared on the stage's objects, so what it do is that it will allow you to perform even more powerful attacks on all-enemies on-screen dealing with even more heavy damages, but it also may affect on your overall scoring system too if wasting all the star points you used during the battle.
The various of weapons and items can be found on stage by destroying the objects, so you will need a food item that replenished your health bar such as apple gives you small amount your health and chicken helps refills your health fully, the money item that boost up your scoring points giving a nice extra bonus, and these weapons that you can use them to stab, hit or throw at enemies that may come in handy, but it breaks off after 5 or 6 hits.
Each of the enemies had different fighting styles such as mob agent that shoots you with pistol, big fat dude can burst the flames out of his mouth, street lady just bitch-slaps you, big karate guy launches you with hard-fist strike when deflecting your attack, shirtless dude performs spin kicks, police stuns you with taser as well as swat team welds their shields. fat biker lady can headbutt you far distance, punk lady threws bunch of chemicals or grenades, and these macho guys just throwing pack of punches.
Like most of the enemies, it had several of mid-bosses and main bosses in each stage such as Koobo that uses telekinesis ability that sends all the weapons, Diva armed with electrified snake, Commissioner is the tough old f***er can throw you off like beast, Nora lashes you with whip, Estel is a Ronda Rousy like officer can knock you out as well as shooting out fire rockets, Barbon looks like Freddie Mercury likes to spin his kicks around, Shiva is a familiar guy who previously appeared in Street of Rage 2 and 3 likes to challenge you once again, Max is one of the ally from first two game has been hypnotised by syndicate's cult music, and couple more of the bosses being featured in the game.
So far, I wasn't being disappointing with the game because it feels like it is another great beat em ups sequel that does not need to change everything to make it look better instead it keeps the whole personality of the game being close and faithful to the classic series.
You got great cast of brawlers that has different fighting ability and strengths that benefits the whole game such as Axel and Blaze are two of my main favourites that I would play as them because it had better fighting style and techniques, while I say Cherry is good fighter but I think her dashing attack is kinda overdone that adds up the combo scoring system too quickly which is not really bad thing.
Adam did share with amazing moves he pulls off, while I say Floyd is rather slow which takes sometime to get used with him but his powerful punches and throwing is pretty done a job right.
You can also play as the retro characters based off from previous entries which requires unlocking by gaining enough lifetime score which is kinda cool to have these guys being included in the game.
The stage segments are pretty fun that involves stuff like evading obstacles in train stages, avoiding radiation in sewers, trying not to be thrown off the elevator, swinging the wrecking ball forwards and backwards, and fighting with the Y twin's machinery that really adds up the fun factor of the whole game.
The boss battles are the best part in the game because it involves tactics and strategy where you need to memorise their attacking patterns as well as evading their projectiles that made the whole battle quite entertaining to play giving a extra challenge.
I liked the story modes for its original single play and 4-player co-op, while arcade mode does give a full arcade action and then you have the battle mode which is a versus duel match where the player fighting against their opponents which I got to say it is a great addition for beat em ups title that needed to add up a tons of extra fun.
There are some dumbest parts that I wanted to point out is that couple of the enemies such as police are quite a dumbasses because they not aimed to just attacking you but also attacking a thugs who are also aimed to attack you just the same way as the police does which feels more of the triple threat.
It's like three stooges that likes to slap one and another which is the same way did with the police, thugs and players which I thought the enemies are supposed to attack players not their ally.
Thank god it didn't happened in the 4-player co-op where you have the option to turn off the friendly fire which really helps the game a lot without attacking your teammates.
There are one thing that kinda cuts me off is that most of the enemies can able to break your combo scoring system when trying to reach over tons of combo hits that adds up to your score, but when the combo breaks then you will lose your combo points which I finding it quite aggravating because I just wanted to add up my scoring points to get a better overall ranking.
Aside with two disadvantages, I am happy that the game turns out being playable for most part thanks to fighting controls with tons of brawling moves, an entertaining boss battle between the player and the boss, and it does share with fun game modes that really adds up a positive parts in the game.
I also want to mention the controls in the game did give you option to re-config such as modern that is designed for the newcomer of the series, while legacy are based on the SEGA Genesis/MD layouts which is really good for beat em up veterans can able to choose their preference to fit their style of the game.
Overall, it has solid controls, excellent boss fights, and has great game modes.
Graphics
The graphics is amazing with fully hand-drawn animation looks absolutely stunning on characters sprites with many frames that executes pretty well in 2D form.
I also liked the stage design in every locations featuring astonishing background layouts and environmental objects on foreground as well as the colourful details and the use of special effects on whole levels looks fluid and well drawn that really delivers perfectly to this quality game.
I am so glad that the visuals is looked so much different from the previous entries of the series that brings the new environment to this series that needed a modern-day treatment to keep the game more up to date.
You have the options to customise your visuals through option menu lets you change your personal preferences such as filters, shaky screen, details, and ambience.
Overall, it has stunning characters sprites, astonishing background layouts, and colourful visuals.
Music and Sounds
I got to say the whole soundtrack is just as epic as the classic beat em up titles with upbeating style of electronics and dance that delivers a similar vibes as first two Streets of Rage.
It was composed by Yuzo Koshiro, a veteran Japanese composer behind the whole series, did such amazing job while collaborating with other two such as Motohiro Kawashima and Olivier Deriviere are also joins in to create a unique 80's/90's styled music that feels just like any of Streets of Rage games.
You can also set retro soundtrack on the option menu to play a music based on classic Streets of Rage games.
The sound effects in the game is nicely made featuring a enemy's grunt voice, cracking barefist sounds, and environmental noise on every locations, but I also liked the use of the classic sound effects from previous game when playing as retro characters.
Overall, it has upbeating soundtrack and great sound design.
Special Features
The game includes unlockable retro characters based on classic series and gallery art of characters and stages, but for those who owns the physical copy of the game includes the keychains, artbook and reversable cover being packaged as the original edition, while the signature edition adds five characters pins, numbered art card, original soundtrack, and Axel's blue headband which I call it a fantastic bundles for video game collectors.
Overall, an excellent goodies.
Advantages
Recognisable characters
Excellent presentation
Solid gameplay
Entertaining boss fights
Great game modes
Astonishing visuals
Upbeating soundtrack
Cool features
Disadvantages
Stupid enemy attacking their ally (like most of the police officers)
Enemy's cheap combo breaking
Final Verdict
Presentation 9/10 - awesome opening sequences, simple story, memorable characters, and great locations.
Gameplay 8.5/10 - solid controls, excellent boss fights, and has great game modes.
Graphics 8.5/10 - stunning characters sprites, astonishing background layouts, and colourful visuals.
Music and Sounds 9/10 - upbeating soundtrack and great sound design.
Special Features 8.5/10 - unlockable retro characters, gallery art, and amazing physical edition goodies.
Overall 8.5/10 - I was so glad that the developers are able to bring back our childhood favourites to the modern-day gaming featuring an appealing visuals design, recognisable characters, memorable soundtrack, and strong fighting gameplay is what made Street of Rage 4 so faithful to the series since 26 years.
The fans will be pleased to see a triumph return of the SEGA's classic series that we all love back then, so I say this is must play because it is the quality beat em ups title that are totally stepped in the right direction.
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