Just finished my first hour, played on Normal, Floyd main.
It's very much like it's forefathers in most every sense, and if your reflexes still remember SoR from back in the day, you'll have very little issue here.
The art style works, and I'd have been dissapointed if it didn't throw in constant little nods and in-jokes to the old games. (I see you there, Roo). Big Ben/Gourmand even still has that damn laugh. It's not to the heights of Mother Russia Bleeds in terms of style, but gets the job done.
The music is servicable, but I wasn't blown away to be honest.
I actually really love the regaining health after a high powered life draining move, especially since it gives much more of a viable way to counter some of the more notoriously cheap enemy attacks. It's a small but excellent upgrade to the usual formula. The Star moves are fine too, though I strictly saved them for boss encounters to clear their summoned trash mobs. As CriticalGaming above me stated, though, it feels like they didn't go far enough. A block move would have been welcome, and it did feel strange not having a sprint (and playing Floyd that can be your achilles heel a couple of times.) A few more "hidden" moves with the characters would have also boosted the game IMO, something to reward more experimentation. Regardless, what's there works great.
It's not a slog, thankfully, and the levels aren't so long as to overstay their welcome. Level select was also quite a relief to see, so this game also works as a quick smash n go.
Verdict IMO, it's a reliable and polished member of the SoR family, and good for as far as it went. Trouble is, it didn't go far enough. SoR 4 can go toe to toe with the other good modern brawlers, but it should have been the one to pimp slap them and say "THIS IS HOW IT'S DONE." Sorry to say, but Streets of Rage Remake is still the champion of beat em ups IMO.
7/10, solid purchase for SoR fans or beat em up devotees, but not gonna set the world on fire.