![]() ![]() While not quite as abrupt as the original Genesis titles, you’ll likely complete this game’s 12 stages in around two or three hours. You’ll definitely want to try Streets of Rage 4 on multiple difficulty settings, as it doesn’t take very long to play the game through once. Each character’s limited moveset can be used to chain together some pretty complex combos (check out Guard Crush Games’ Twitter account for some impressive examples) and the game’s higher difficulty settings will put your skills to the test. Streets of Rage 4’s mechanics are simple and accessible, with additional assists available to those who struggle with action games, but there’s also a surprising amount of depth on offer here. ![]() Streets of Rage 4’s combat is perhaps a touch slower than some past entries in the series, particularly SoR3, as most characters can no longer dash around the stage freely (Adam being the exception), but overall, the action feels more fluid and satisfying than ever. It’s a smart risk-reward system that makes specials a much more integral part of the game. Unleashing a special will drain some of your life as in Streets of Rage 2, but now you can earn that life back if you’re able to extend your combo without taking damage. Special moves, which can send pretty any enemy or boss sprawling, also return, although their mechanics have been tweaked a bit. You have a single attack button, which you can mash for simple combos, a throw, a jumping strike, a blitz move you can rush opponents with, and a powerful screen-clearing attack you gain by collecting hidden star powerups (each character has their own one of these now). Once again, the basics of fighting will be familiar if you’ve ever played a Streets of Rage game before. Admittedly, some of the characters’ new voices may be a bit jarring at first, but you’ll get used to them quickly (even if you never stop groaning at their one-liners). Primarily the work of Olivier Deriviere (Assassin’s Creed IV, A Plague Tale: Innocence) with some contributions from original series composers Yuzo Koshiro and Motohiro Kawashima, Streets of Rage 4’s soundtrack lacks that gritty, metallic Genesis edge, but most of the new songs complement the action nicely. The original Streets of Rage games were well-known for their rockin’ tunes, and this new game largely lives up to that legacy. The amount of love that’s been poured into every single screen of Streets of Rage 4 is truly impressive. The references to Streets of Rage history are layered on thick, with familiar enemies, locations, and a million clever Easter eggs popping up one after another. Every level in the game feels unique, with players battling through grungy back alleys, a modern art gallery, the bustling streets of Chinatown, a gleaming high-rise, and many more locations. ![]() ![]() The motion of each character feels totally unique to them – Axel has this great weight to his movements, Adam oozes cool, and Blaze, well, everything about Blaze is gorgeous. Lizardcube did some very nice work on Wonder Boy, but they’ve taken their character animation skills to the next level with this project. When you boot up Streets of Rage 4, you’ll probably spend most of your first play session marveling at just how fantastic the game looks. That’s really all there is to it, but hey, who plays a beat ‘em up for its plot? The story provides a few fun action-movie moments and a steady stream of classic hero and villain cameos (Max, Shiva, Barbon, and more show up) and that’s all it needs to do. The Y twins have taken over Wood Oak City’s underworld and police force, and it’s up to you to set things right by punching a whole lot of people in the face. If you’re expecting a complex plot, well…forget about it. As best I can tell, the time jump only exists so the game can introduce a younger generation of characters, including Adam’s daughter Cherry and Mr. Blaze and Adam haven’t aged a day, and the streets are still awash in neon and spandex. Streets of Rage 4 takes place 10 years after the events of the last game in the series, but aside from Axel growing a dad beard and bod, not all that much has changed. ![]()
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