The King of Brawlers is back! | Full Review - Streets of Rage 4

Streets of Rage 4 is a side-scrolling retro beat 'em up game that truly captures the essence of the original series while also bringing modern elements to the table.

🟩Pros

+Beautiful art style and 2D graphics

+Simple but fun gameplay

+Controller Support

🟥Cons

-No cons

As someone who never played the 90s classics during its heyday but have played, watched, and experienced them as a “retro” game status throughout the recent years, It is quite a delight to finally play Streets of Rage 4, the latest installment in the Streets of Rage series after almost 30 years of hiatus.

Streets of Rage 4 is currently available for PC, Switch, Playstation and Xbox platforms, but has been released for mobile platforms (iOS, Android) as well last year 2022. This article will be focusing on the mobile version, which plays exactly the same as their PC/Console counterparts, save for a touch screen control option.

A beautiful game

One of the first things that struck me about Streets of Rage 4 was the art style. The game features hand-drawn graphics with super vibrant colors and detailed backgrounds that are a true feast for the eyes. The character designs are faithful to the original games while also adding some new HD vibrant touches to keep things fresh and pleasing to the eyes. Each character has their own unique style, fighting moves, and they all look striking in action.

Despite having a mobile version, Streets of Rage 4 still opted to display at a fixed 16:9 resolution, not fully utilizing mobile phone displays, which are usually at a very wide aspect ratio of 18:9 and above, leaving emulator-style bars at the sides.

The soundtrack for Streets of Rage 4 is well made and fits the setting quite nicely. It features a range of electronic and techno tracks that are both catchy, atmospheric, and nostalgic for old-timers. The music sets the tone for each level very well, accentuating the brawler-filled action. It's also worth noting that the game includes an option to switch between the original and retro soundtracks, providing a fun nod to fans of the original games.

Gameplay Analysis

The gameplay in Streets of Rage 4 is smooth and satisfying as far as retro beat ‘em ups go. Players can choose from a variety of characters — starting for four available — each with their own strengths and weaknesses. The combat system is simple to learn but has enough depth to keep things interesting, with a variety of specific moves and combos to master. The game also features a range of breakable weapons and items that players and enemies alike can pick up and use to devastating effect, adding to the fun and chaos.

Its simplicity comes from the characters’ offensive capabilities which just comprises mostly of a singular attack button as the main damage dealer. You can do a power move, at the cost of health points. However, this health point deduction isn’t a final one as long as you don’t get damaged, you can still reclaim the lost HP by doing combos one after another, if you get hit, then the damage is finalized.  Aside from the power move, there is an ultimate move indicated by a Star that does incredible AOE damage and can turn the tide of battle.

While there are plenty of callbacks to the original games, such as familiar enemies and environments, the game also introduces new elements. For example, some levels feature interactive elements such as cars that players can use as weapons or obstacles to take cover behind. The game also introduces new enemies with attack patterns and abilities, keeping players on their toes.

As retro game with retro mechanics, it is still accessible for a modern audience

In terms of difficulty, Streets of Rage 4 strikes a good balance between cakewalk-easy and frustratingly unforgiving. The game starts off relatively simple, allowing players to get used to the combat system and mechanics. However, as the game progresses, the challenge ramps up considerably, with tougher, numerous enemies; more unpredictable attacks, and more complex levels. It's a satisfying progression that keeps players engaged without feeling overwhelming.

Worry not, as players can definitely decrease the difficulty even more by using the “assist” options, adding more lives and special moves at the expense of reduced score. Perfectly tailored for players who don't care about the scoring system at the end of the stages and just want to experience a fun beat ‘em up gameplay.

A sub-five hour main campaign

There are multiple game modes in Streets of Rage 4, but the flagship feature is definitely the Story Mode, where players progress through 12 succeeding stages together with a unique boss fight at the end of the stages. At every stage clear, the amount of lives you have resets, making it highly accessible and not too frustrating. Players also have the option to heal their current health points by picking up food items on the ground.

As with side-scrolling beat ‘em ups, the genre has its own distinct mechanics when it comes to the combat system. Players can easily be swarmed to death if they’re not careful about their position, but can easily cheese this side-scrolling nature to easily avoid many attacks by just moving up or down.

Post-story bonus content

The other modes are just based on the Story Mode, with Arcade mode being a challenging mode that replicates the experience you would get playing it in an arcade, having limited lives to complete the entirety of the game; and Boss Rush Mode focuses on the playing the boss fights in succession, skipping the entirety of the henchmen levels.

The game also includes a range of unlockable content and hidden secrets to keep players on the lookout. There are additional characters to unlock (more with the DLC), as well as a range of alternate retro costumes and hidden levels. The game also features online co-op , allowing players to team up with friends for some chaotic beat 'em up action. (originally not present, but was added in an updated last year)

Controller Support

I also had the luxury of trying out the Android version with my Razer Kishi, and can indeed confirm that the game has proper controller support, complete with correct button prompts and bindings. It’s even more fun to play with physical buttons with these types of games where accuracy and total control is tantamount to success.

Conclusion:

Streets of Rage 4 is a fantastic premium game that manages to capture the spirit of the original series while also introducing new elements to keep things fresh. The graphics and soundtrack are exceptional, and the gameplay is satisfyingly challenging but accessible. While the game may be relatively short – the story mode beatable in under five hours – it more than makes up for it with its fun factor, replay value and extra content. I highly recommend Streets of Rage 4 to fans of the original games as well as newcomers to the series.