![]() The feedback in Streets of Rage 4 is very reminiscent of Streets of Rage 2, along with battle tempo, but the combo system and special moves are unmistakable trappings from Streets of Rage 3. The settings are more grounded and urban like the first Streets of Rage, while the combat rests in a happy middle ground right between the second and third installments. Combined, this menagerie of carnage has become one of my favorite repertoires of fight moves that I’ve ever encountered in a brawler.Īs a sequel, Streets of Rage 4 feels like it takes from the best bits of the first three games that came before it. This is especially the case when taking on a huge crowd or a sadistically tricky boss fight. As a resource super specials are quite limited, but when held onto for the most opportune moment to strike, they can be indispensable. What’s more, each character has a unique super special move that’s activated by picking up star tokens off the ground. Being able to volley items and deliver massive damage in conjunction with the regular suite of punches and kicks allows for some wicked combo possibilities. These tweaks might sound innocuous but they make a world of difference to the overall gameplay experience. Land some more punches and that health refills-get hit and it goes away. In Streets of Rage 4, special attacks will deplete the character’s energy, but a risk-reward opportunity instantly presents itself. Players see their health bar diminish, but part of the energy is recovered as time goes by or other conditions are met. Provisional, or temporary, damage is generally utilized in fighting games. In Streets of Rage 4, this convention has been altered by introducing provisional damage into the mix. In my experience, I tend to avoid moves with this sort of splash damage because I don’t think the benefit of the additional strength outweighs the negative of losing some of my life bar. In past Streets of Rage games, players had the chance to expend part of a fighter’s health in order to add extra power to an attack. Enemies will even join in the fun and throw stuff at the player, too, which ratchets up the complexity of these skirmishes.Īnother addition to the fighting mechanics involves the cast’s special moves. This provides for some really kinetic exchanges with foes where punches are tossed alongside bats and bottles, turning fights into swirls of melee and ranged combat. Grabbing weapons and items to use in a fight is par for the course in brawlers, but in Streets of Rage 4 players have the ability to throw them at enemies and then catch them once the objects ricochet back. The difference lies in the broadening of the fighting mechanics. The basics are here with a selection of fighters wielding special moves. The blame rests on those shoddy Final Fight clones I mentioned above, but it’s taken far too long for developers to land upon the notion that when done right, brawlers are as fun and rewarding as any other classic video game genre.Īlthough it likely might have been tempting to stick right to the formula of the first Streets of Rage trio, Dotemu and company instead chose to infuse that recipe with something new. The glory days of taking to the streets to punch crooks and drug dealers in the face have faded into obscurity in the world of video games. Yet, one genre that has been notable for its absence has been the brawler. 2D gaming has been experiencing a renaissance of sorts for the past 10 to 15 years with everyone from Capcom to small indie studios churning out a steady stream of platformers, run and gunners, and other retro-themed releases. Thankfully, developers Dotemu, Lizardcube, and Guard Crush Games have avoided the pratfalls of numerous mediocre beat ’em ups with the release of Streets of Rage 4. For years during the ’90s there was a glut of “Final Fight clones,” as they were often called, and the culprits were frequently licensed games with superheroes, cartoon characters, and so on. That said, more often than not brawlers don’t do much to advance the genre. ![]() The best of these games offer a variety of combo and special attacks, as well as other moves and mechanics to help keep combat spicy and engaging. Usually players move on a 2D plane traveling left to right and beat the lights out of every enemy that crosses their path. Beat ’em ups by their nature aren’t typically very deep. Streets of Rage 4 is a brilliant evolution of the brawler gameplay from the first trilogy of Rage games on Sega Genesis. It’s all been previously revealed in marketing materials, but if you don’t want to know who’s in the game, please read this review later on. Warning: Some minor spoilers pertaining to the roster.
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