Side-scrolling beat ’em ups were all the rage back in the early to mid-90s, and the Streets of Rage series was one of the best. Now 25 years after the last game in the series, Dotemu, Lizardcube and Guard Crush Games have released Streets of Rage 4 on PC (Steam), PlayStation 4, Switch, and Xbox One. It’s available for $24.99. Purchase within the first four days of launch to receive a 10% launch discount.
Like the recent Wonder Boy releases, Streets of Rage 4 rebuilds the classic 90s gameplay for the modern era, featuring hand-drawn artwork of Wood Oak City and veteran brawlers Axel, Blaze and Adam, along with new playable characters Cheery and Floyd.
Combat features new combos, a risk-reward system for recovering health, and adjustments to create the smoothest beat ’em up gameplay yet, including five difficulty levels. Multiplayer includes two players online or up to four players locally. Players can progress through a new story campaign, or take on a series of challenges in Boss Rush Mode and Battle Mode.
The Streets of Rage series is also known for its awesome soundtracks, and the fourth entry will be no exception. The game features throwback songs from earlier entries as well as a new soundtrack from composer Olivier Derivière with contributions from series composers Yūzō Koshiro and Motohiro Kawashima.
Streets of Rage 4 is rated T for Teen with Cartoon Violence, Mild Language, and Mild Suggestive Themes.
