We are living in a time of remakes and reimagining’s of some of the beloved IP’s in gaming like Doom, Resident Evil and Final Fantasy just to name a few receiving big-budget releases, fans of the original games are nostalgic for these games but also to see them updated with modern graphics and some of the clunkier elements updated.
I was a kid of the 90s and played games like Golden Axe, Turtles in time, The Simpsons and Final Fight but among these legendry side-scrolling beat-em-ups one game packed the hardest punch Streets of Rage.
Originally released in 1991 on the 16-bit beast the Sega Megadrive during the console wars. Streets of Rage helped solidify Sega’s reputation as the edger cool console with an attitude. The game was followed up with two sequels that added new moves and characters.
The last entry in this once popular genre was Street of Rage 3 in 1994. The arcade-style beat-em-ups have fallen in and out of favour over the years with games like Scott Pilgrim vs. The World, Castle Crashers and Devolvers darker take with Mother Russia Bleeds. This new entry in the Streets of Rage franchise shows the young’ uns how we busted heads back in the 90s.
It’s been 26 long years and the Godfather of beat-em-ups has returned with Streets of Rage 4.
(Image: Sega)
The plot was always pretty weak and was more like a 90s actions flick. Crime is rampant in the city and three ex-cops stand against kingpin Mr X. This time the antagonist from the previous games has been replaced by his children the Y twins who are trying to take over Wood Oak City.
Original characters Axel, Blaze and Adam return and are joined in their heroic and very illegal fight by new characters Floyd Iraia and Cherry Hunter ready to bust some heads.
The new game’s story is told through still images with text just like the original comic panel inspired storytelling of the original trilogy, which looks great and fits the aesthetic.
The first thing that smacks you right between the eyes is the gorgeous intro cutscene, and once you hit the streets the games beautiful hand-drawn art style makes characters and backdrops look vibrant and sleazy at the same time. Developer Lizard Cube are known for their excellent work on the Wonder Boy remakes have faithfully taken the original 16-bit sprites and lovingly brought them into 2020.
The game has stuck to its 2D roots and looks all the better for it, the animations look great and move fluidly with the characters and streets looking reminiscent of a 90s era cartoon or anime.
Yuzo Koshiro is famous for crafting the original techno-inspired undisputed banger of a soundtrack. However, Streets 4’s music is primarily composed by Olivier Deriviere, with some tracks by Koshiro, and while it’s good music it’s just missing that chiptune magic that was the original score.
You can, however, change the soundtrack to the classic one if your nostalgic for some old school beats to stomp heads to.
The game features simple controls with a Jump, punch and special move button, with a new super special move and mid-air specials, thrown in. The game doesn’t feature a block though meaning you can’t defend yourself and I did find it frustrating that I was unable to sprint like most similar games, meaning it’s difficult to avoid being hit at times.
The game does feel a little slow and like an old school arcade game at times, I expected something more fluid but once I got used to the controls and started making use of specials I really began busting some skulls.
Each character has their own unique special moves while draining a portion of your health Streets 4 give you a chance to earn it back by beating enemies provided your combos aren’t broken by without taking a hit. It is a good update to 3 Special move system and added incentive to play aggressively.
Weapons like pipes, knives and bottles make a return, although this time with good timing you can also catch thrown weapons, making you feel like an utter badass before returning it to sender.
The game features 12 unique stages and the levels are very reminiscent of the classic trilogy with most stages involving travelling in a single direction with a few small surprises here and there.
Other than the pretty short but satisfying story mode the game also features an arcade, boss rush and battle mode. which add some fun but the story mode is by far the best.
Anyone who’s played the first three games knows multiplayer is where Streets of Rage really shines and 4 is no exception.
The game features both online and local multiplayer and can support up to 4 players. Unfortunately, at the time of writing this review, online multiplayer wasn’t available.
Verdict
Streets of Rage 4 is a great fighter and looks absolutely stunning, The game is faithful to the originals to a fault. It is as fun to play as the previous games for fans and newcomers but doesn’t innovate on the core gameplay much. The love for the source material shines on through and makes the game a joy to play. Especially if you and your mates play together while arguing over accidental hits and stealing each other’s chickens.
Street of Rage 4 is out April 30 on PC, PS4, Xbox One and Nintendo Switch
A limited-edition physical version of the game is also available until 10 May from Limited Run Games
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