Look, this is going to be a fairly short and straightforward review. There’s not much to talk about when it comes to beatem-ups. I was a Sega kid, so when I heard that Streets Of Rage 4 was announced, I was awash with glee!
RETURN OF THE KING
Twenty-six years. How long we have waited since Streets Of Rage 3. Sure, we’ve had the Yakuzas, and Scott Pilgrims to keep us company, but the Prodigal Son makes it’s triumphant return to the proverbial throne.
Developer DotEmu takes the reigns from Sega here, arguably creating the finest 2D beat-em up of the HD era. Not only is Streets Of Rage 4 visually striking, it plays like a dream. There’s not much to complain about here, save for a couple missing characters(RIP Roo) and a couple of cheap hits off screen.
CRUCIAL CABINET CONFLICT
New to the cast are Cherry(Adam’s Daughter) and Floyd, a heavy metal brawler and cyborg titan, respectively(the former being my favorite in the game). Move variety is about what you’d expect; grabs, jumping attacks, specials and the like. What makes this entry of Streets Of Rage special though is the feedback. Each blow provides a satisfying hit of dopamine that others games in the genre(and this series) seem to lack. What surprised me about this entry was its’ uncanny ability to be tactical. Do I go straight after the knife-wielding goons or the heavy fire-breathers first? It’s a game the forces you to make quick decisions on the fly. Particularly if you want high scores.
IT AIN’T FUN IF THE HOMIES CAN’T HAVE NONE
Surprisingly, many brawlers and beatem-ups lack cooperative campaign support. Streets Of Rage 4 has got your back. Split screen, online cooperative and competitive modes are all on deck here. You’re getting a fairly impressive amount of content here. Best of all, it won’t break the bank.
CONCLUSION
What are you doing?! Stop reading this review and go play Streets Of Rage 4!!
Platforms: PS4, Switch, Xbox One, PC
Genre: Beatem-up
Available: NOW
PrIce:$39.99
DEVELOPER: DotEmu
Purveyors Of Pixels 