Streets of Rage 4 is a side-scrolling beat 'em up that continues the series following the original trilogy. Players fight through Wood Oak City using a mix of returning and new characters, each with their own combat styles and special moves. The game builds on the classic formula with new mechanics while maintaining the responsive, straightforward action the series is known for. Featuring hand-drawn visuals from the team behind Wonder Boy: The Dragon's Trap, it supports both solo and cooperative play locally or online across multiple difficulty levels.
Streets of Rage 4 expertly revives a beloved beat-'em-up franchise with great music, visuals, and most importantly, solid gameplay.
Streets of Rage 4 on Switch is still the perfect sequel, and perhaps dedicated servers is just too big of an ask for a game like this one, so really, the Switch is the ideal way to play the game. Fantastic.
For anyone hoping it would bring a little modern fluidity to a long-stagnant genre, you might have to moonwalk upwards from this one. But for Ragers, it’s a sturdy score-attacking blowout to while away some hours, perfecting your flying knees and enflamed uppercuts, arguing over who deserves the trash salad.
Streets of Rage 4 kicks the series out of hibernation with a passion for reinvigorating its legacy.
A dive into the past, of course, but which does not bask in simple nostalgia, trying to offer the best of side-scrolling beat'em up genre, not just the Streets of Rage saga. A quarter century later, walking around a city full of thugs has probably never been this fun.
