For 25 years, Sega fans have dreamed of a reboot to one of the most iconic beat-em-ups of the 90s. Now that it is here, fans can hardly contain their immense excitation in Streets of Rage 4.
The developers behind this amazing reboot not only have made it as good as the original but have made it even better! So big props to Lizardcube, Guard Crush Games and Dotemu.
To get the game up to speed, they had to meld the best of “old times” onto the best of modern times. What that means is that we’ve got everything we could hope for in re-inventing what old school beat-em-ups should be in these days.
The developers have gone over the fighting system while keeping the fun part completely intact; they have injected it with a brand new beat-down formula that’s so devastating and satisfying, you would want to keep the relentless rampage going!
How they came up with the new story-line for Streets of Rage 4, we don’t know; but it’s quite amusing to see the old crime syndicate survive. The syndicate is led currently by none other than the Y twins, which it had been passed on from their father, Mr. X, the most notorious boss in the early 90s.
To root out this new form of crime fest, former detectives Axel and Blaze must seek alliance from Cherry Hunter (daughter of Adam Hunter) and Floyd Iraia (one of Dr. Zan’s few proteges).
By going through the story mode, players will unlock various hidden characters with each play-through. These include Dr. Zan, Max Thunder, Skate Hunter and Shiva to name a few.
You will know the characters are retro because they are pixelated. That said, these pixelated versions will have a limited move-set but playing as them doesn’t mean they’re any less exciting.
The gameplay mechanics maybe old-school but it runs like a modern jet-fighter. It feels smooth and precise much like the original. The punches and kicks are strong and potent.
When you complete a combo with finishers, you feel justice is served! Being able to throw enemies across the screen is fun but smashing them into the ground, now that’s an overkill!
There is even a risk-reward mechanic added to the fight, which allows you to do huge damage through special moves. Doing special moves, of course, depletes your health but can be restored, as long as you keep racking up the damage.
What’s going to make Streets of Rage 4 last, in terms of replay value, is its cooperative component. It’s truly a blast to play with other people not just offline but online, up to 4 players!
The graphics in this game are impressive. Streets of Rage 4’s visual production deserves an award, not technologically but artistically! It’s great to see Adam, Axel, Blaze, and others in high resolution.
The incredible design sets an example of how to revive a classic beat-em-up game for the digital age. Everything in the presentation is eye-catching and nostalgic at the same time.
Topping off the outstanding visuals is the great music. You get 12 stages of non-stop intrumental hits! They let you groove to the soundtracks as you find your will to survive the incursion.
The second best feature of Streets of Rage 4 is its sound effects. The sounds deliver a realistic weight to the fighting system, taking the 90’s punches and kicks into the next century.
Dotemu, Lizardcube, and Guard Crush have done a great job to Sega’s beloved franchise. Streets of Rage 4 is truly a tribute to an era we had once treasured. This is a classic hit done right.
