Fans of Streets Of Rage had given up hope that the iconic SEGA Genesis brawler would ever return. That was until developers Dotemu, Lizardcube, and Guard Crush Games decided to answer their prayers with the 2020 release of Streets Of Rage 4.
The new release was critically acclaimed and has performed very well commercially, with players praising Streets Of Rage 4 for delivering a modern take on the beat ’em up genre without discarding the game’s illustrious roots. Its success is a perfect illustration of how developers can reboot long-dormant franchises and appeal to new and old fans alike.
What Streets Of Rage 4 Got Right
Streets Of Rage 4 did not venture far from the gameplay that made its predecessors titans of the 90s console era. The game is still a side-scrolling 2D beat ’em up with gangs of hoodlums assaulting the game’s heroes as they slog their way through dingy alleyways, thug-packed boats, and dilapidated amusement parks. Players still use a jump button, special attack button, and normal attack button to produce a surprisingly large array of moves, throws, and combos, making the game easy to pick up and play but challenging to master.
However, the developers also expanded upon this simple formula to avoid it becoming stale and repetitive. Not only were the combo systems enhanced to incentivize players to perfect their move sets, but they also increased the variety of characters, moves, villains, and weapons at the gamer’s disposal. The game also allows up to four players to play co-operatively or against each other, revitalizing the long-neglected local multiplayer scene. The Mr. X Nightmare DLC even introduced a new Survival mode, giving players even more ways to enjoy smashing endless waves of punks in the face.
A similar-old meets-new approach was taken to the game’s music. The developers correctly recognized that the soundtracks to the original games were an enormous part of their success and longevity and that fans would struggle to welcome a newcomer to a franchise previously scored by industry legends Yuzo Koshiro and Motohiro Kawashima. They, therefore, hired both composers to contribute tracks to the new game, alongside the work of new lead composer Olivier Deriviere (already renowned for his work on games such as Vampyr and A Plague Tale: Innocence). Once again, Streets Of Rage 4 successfully blended classic and modern elements, creating a soundtrack that was not only award-nominated but even worked into the game’s storyline.
Streets Of Rage 4 did, however, make bolder choices in other areas, risking criticism from fans of the original SEGA Genesis classics. One particularly controversial alteration was the change made to the game’s graphical style, with pixelated sprites abandoned in favor of a crisp, cartoonish look that makes Streets Of Rage 4’s characters seem like they’ve burst out of a comic book. Not all fans were happy with this decision, but given how popular retro pixel art has become in the indie scene in recent years, there was a strong case for trying to differentiate. The game’s glowing reception suggests that this was one brawl the developers were right to take on.
The decision to avoid reviving enduring series villain Mr. X was another contentious twist, with the developers instead casting the gangster’s bratty children as the lead antagonists. However, this was wisely offset by the inclusion of other returning baddies like Barbon and Shiva, the latter of whom became a playable character in the Mr. X Nightmare DLC. The inclusion of the ‘Y twins,' coupled with the game’s ludicrous storyline about mind-controlling music, helped to make the title feel fresh and original as well as reinforcing its comic book feel.
With more and more classic franchises being considered for revamps and reboots, Streets Of Rage 4 has proven that even an archaic game in a genre considered dead and buried can be successfully resurrected. Other developers should take note of what Dotemu, Lizardcube, and Guard Crush Games have achieved if they want to mirror their success.
Streets Of Rage 4 is available now for PC, PS4, Stadia, Switch, and Xbox One.