Streets of Rage 4 doesn’t exactly change this either but it’s an accomplished and lovingly-crafted celebration of the genre’s history. Everything you remember about the franchise is intact, the roast chicken health pick-ups, that irritating enemy who barrels at you with a knife outstretched, and the AI’s tendency to flank behind you for cheeky punts to the temple.<\/p>\n
It’s a testament to series pinnacle Streets of Rage 2 how little has changed, although new minor gameplay mechanics and a stunning visual overhaul make this package more inviting and accessible. <\/p>\n
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A key change is how super moves are handled in Streets of Rage 4. Along with your standard attacks, each character has super moves which now cost you health to execute. Health lost using these moves can be regained if you follow-up with standard attacks without getting hit, rewarding tactically aggressive play.<\/p>\n It adds another layer of consideration to what is a mechanically simple game, with the key to many boss encounters about knowing when to strike and follow-up with punishing blows between their frantic attack patterns. <\/p>\n The game is also incredibly flexible when it comes to difficulty. The story mode, which spans 12 stages total, has five difficulty options ranging from Easy to Mania. If you die, you’ll be given the option to jump back in with numerous assist buffs; offering additional lives and stars for extra powerful attacks at the expense of a cut to your stage score. It accommodates both high score chasers and those who simply want to burn through levels, while encouraging players to keep coming back through unlockable characters tied to overall score milestones.<\/p>\n It makes the package more robust than it initially appears. You only have Story mode accessible from the outset, which once completed unlocks other modes. There’s the customary Boss Rush and Arcade, which challenges you to beat all the levels in one sprint without dying.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Battle also returns where you can face human players in a competitive brawl – supporting two players online or up to four players locally. It isn’t as compelling as drop-kicking goons with a co-op partner but it’s a welcome addition for comical face-offs nonetheless. <\/p>\n There’s stacks of fan service too ranging from original character sprites (complete with the police rocket launcher super move), adjustable graphic options, and the return of OG chiselled meathead Adam Hunter.<\/p>\n You can also switch to the original game’s soundtrack, although the new score from Olivier Deriviere and series composer Yuzo Koshiro is equally brilliant – with a mix of pulsating electronics capturing exactly how you’d want Streets of Rage to sound in 2020. <\/p>\n
\nStreets of Rage 4 plays like an arcade title in the best way (Picture: Lizardcube)<\/span><\/p>\n
\nSpecial moves are used differently in Streets of Rage 4 (Picture: Lizardcube)<\/span><\/p>\n