Streets of Rage 4 Thread.

[BrawlMan]

I used to play tons of Streets of Rage 2 on my PC back when I was in high school(around 2001-2004).

Just to give you an idea of how much I loved that game, I didn't own a controller for PC back then so I had to play it exclusively with the keyboard.

I've played all of the SOR games on keyboard too and is surprisingly doable. Though I always prefer a gamepad or arcade stick. I might buy the steam version so I can use my 6 button Genesis controller on my PC and Switch. They are the special ones made for a Sega Genesis Mini, Switch, PS3, or PC.

 

[CriticalGaming]

This comes out tonight right? I'd be interested to see if it's any good.

 

[BrawlMan]

This comes out tonight right? I'd be interested to see if it's any good.

April 30th is the release date. Though I'm not sure they're going to release it midnight on the dot.

 

[BrawlMan]

The first review is up!

 

[CriticalGaming]

Ign and kotaku also have reviews up which is what made me ask about it earlier.

 

[CriticalGaming]

Ok so I've played about two hours of Streets of Rage so far and it's an okay beat 'em up. It's definitely fun to play and remember how things used to be back in the Genesis/Mega Drive days. The side scrolling beat 'em up is not a genre that gets made enough imo, and that's a shame.

That being said, Streets of Rage 4 feels like you are playing an old school Streets of Rage game again and it's remakably faithful. If you pixelated the graphics to low rez, you'd say this is straight out of 1993. But with that feeling comes a huge problem, Streets of Rage 4 has made no updates to modernize the game. Which means the combat feels slow and very very basic.

There is no block, no dodge, no quick step, nothing. In fact there are no defensive abilities at all (that I've found so far). This is a problem as enemies come at you from all sides and levels of the map. Some are very very fast and their attacks feel cheap when you just take damage because you can't get out of the way or block.

There is no sprint either, which means you are always very slowly walking back and forth or up and down. Which can make chasing down some of the enemies just annoying. This is a strange thing to not have because I know for a fact Streets of Rage 3 had a sprint when you double tapped a direction. That skater kid was fast as fuck when you did it.

I might not be far enough in the game, but there doesn't seem to be any upgrades for your characters either. I would like to be able to unlock new moves, combos, outfits, and such, and maybe it unlocks later but I actually don't recall seeing anything about it mentioned in other reviews so I don't think there is one. Could be wrong though.

Streets of Rage 4 is fun, but all the things it lacks makes it seem so bare bones and cheap that you have to wonder why they even bothered.

 

[Smithnikov]

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.

 

[ObsidianJones]

Two thoughts.

1.) There's a giant black man with metal arms yelling "Gotcha" every time he grabs someone. Ed Boon gonna sue somebody.

2.) Adam Driver just did a Power Geyser. Possibly my favorite of all moves. You may have all of my money.

 

[BrawlMan]

There is no block, no dodge, no quick step, nothing. In fact there are no defensive abilities at all (that I've found so far). This is a problem as enemies come at you from all sides and levels of the map. Some are very very fast and their attacks feel cheap when you just take damage because you can't get out of the way or block.

There is no sprint either, which means you are always very slowly walking back and forth or up and down. Which can make chasing down some of the enemies just annoying. This is a strange thing to not have because I know for a fact Streets of Rage 3 had a sprint when you double tapped a direction. That skater kid was fast as fuck when you did it.

An easy answer to solve your problem.

I might not be far enough in the game, but there doesn't seem to be any upgrades for your characters either. I would like to be able to unlock new moves, combos, outfits, and such, and maybe it unlocks later but I actually don't recall seeing anything about it mentioned in other reviews so I don't think there is one. Could be wrong though.

Not every brawler needs a DMC/Viewtiful Joe/Battle Circuit upgrade system. The Takeover and Fight N' Rage (you can't block or parry in those either) didn't need one and no one else had a problem. You make do with the tools you a given. Learn to use them and take the advantage. Learn your characters' weaknesses and strength. Just like in the old-school.

1.) There's a giant black man with metal arms yelling "Gotcha" every time he grabs someone. Ed Boon gonna sue somebody.

If he does, he in a biiigggg trouble. I have always had more love for SOR than MK. I like MK, but always been more of a beat 'em up fan in general. Besides, you can't copyright a black man yelling "Gotcha!". According to my big bro, there were black ppl doing that before Jax was ever thought of or created. Minus the whole metal arms. Ha!

 

[CriticalGaming]

Not every brawler needs a DMC/Viewtiful Joe/Battle Circuit upgrade system. The Takeover and Fight N' Rage (you can't block or parry in those either) didn't need one and no one else had a problem. You make do with the tools you a given. Learn to use them and take the advantage. Learn your characters' weaknesses and strength. Just like in the old-school.

That's fine if they made a deliberate choice to make that the design. But i don't have to agree or like it.

The things i have a problem with are not solved by learning the character better. I don't see how Blaze's toolkit will help avoid the Police Chief's screen crossing charge attack. Or his hammer fist that tracks you up and down the fighting planes. He isn't unbeatable of course, I got him. I just feel like the toolkit on characters is way more limited than it should be for a modern title, regardless of trying to be old school or not, there is no reason to make your game feel bad on purpose. And Streets of Rage 4 purposefully feels bad in that regard.


But if you don't have a problem with it, then that's great. It just doesn't work for me. I'll play through it once and then never again. No big deal.

 

[dscross]

What's a verdict then? Worth a buy? I did like the old school Streets of Rage a lot but wasn't as keen on the 3rd entry. Is it essentially more of the same?

 

[BrawlMan]

What's a verdict then? Worth a buy? I did like the old school Streets of Rage a lot but wasn't as keen on the 3rd entry. Is it essentially more of the same?

It's worth a buy. it plays more like the second game, but with additional moves. Not to mention all the unlockables. You can play as old versions of the characters. So if you want it you can have a 4-player session with all versions of Axel.

So yes, totally worth it. Especially if you're getting a physical copy.

But if you don't have a problem with it, then that's great. It just doesn't work for me. I'll play through it once and then never again. No big deal.

No worries. And thank you for being understanding. if you want to beat em up that involves blocking or parrying. There is the Ninja Warriors once again for PS4 and switch. There is also Way of the Passive Fist, which is Street fighter 3 third strike in beat em up form.

 

[Smithnikov]

An easy answer to solve your problem.

I also learned the benefits of the Floyd hop early. I can't resist making boing sounds doing it though.

 

[Smithnikov]

What's a verdict then? Worth a buy? I did like the old school Streets of Rage a lot but wasn't as keen on the 3rd entry. Is it essentially more of the same?

Yes, if you want another dose of Streets of Rage, 4 will give you a good helping, though it may not blow you away.

 

[Phoenixmgs]

I watched a review and looks like a fun time, though I'll be waiting for a price drop, I just bought the new XCOM for $10 and this is over $20. I wish the fighting was more fleshed out to like a simple 2D fighting game with like 3-button combos and juggling. I saw that there's some combos and some juggling. The juggling doesn't seem purposeful like there isn't a move or combo string that launches an enemy and it happens more randomly. At least, that's what I got from watching the review.

 

[B-cell]

Im playing as Axel because i found him best character easily. in second stage these police with shield are annoying.
still a good fun game. feel like im playing street of rage again when i played them as kid.

 

[BrawlMan]

I just downloaded SOR4 on PS4. I might do the same on Switch. Still waiting on my physical copies to get in the mail. They probably get here within a week and a half.

 

[BrawlMan]

Finished the game. Holy, shit! That is what I'm talking about!

Pros

• Multiple playable characters.
• 12 stages that don't manage to drag or outstay their welcome.
• The soundtrack is great and it got me dancing! I know it won't be as memorable as the first two games, but there was clear effort. Don't know what people were talking about it being serviceable or forgettable.
• Multiple weapon types.
• So much unlockables.

Cons

• I partially take back what I said. I can see why people were upset of the removal the universal run or dash. I can find easy exploit most of the time, but it does not make it less annoying. Especially when certain enemies or bosses will start moon walking away from you with only Adam or Cherry able to keep up with their dedicated dashes.
• Fuck the knife Galsias! There even worse than the original trilogy. I remember in the dojo section, they all stun locked me after getting an extra life only to lose it. Also, the guys with the cybernetic legs, elite mook patrol officer w/taser that can insta-grab, and the biker chicks can all go to hell. I know how to deal with them, but it does no make it all the more irritating.
• I get why they did the lives system like this, but I wished they stacked like in the old games. After completing a stage in SOR4, you go back to the default 3 lives.
• The game was clearly built for co-op even though you can beat the game in single player.

Overall, great game. I give it a full price or high sale. The game is on a partial sale now on all platforms. So I highly recommend you get this, I have not tried the online yet, so I will wait on that for now.

Spoiler: Boss Battles

Shiva is the best boss fight in the game! He's even cooler than before. He pulls off a DmC/DMC5 Vergil with Doppleganger clones. I did not expect to fight Max later in the game (mind control). Though he wasn't as fun to fight. Hopefully, he's DLC, but he should have been an unlockable too.

 

[dscross]

I got it. It's quite fun so far but it's really just more of the same. It got better when I switched to the retro soundtrack. It's good but it doesn't wow you. I think when I play it on multiplayer it'll be better.

 

[BrawlMan]

I wish the fighting was more fleshed out to like a simple 2D fighting game with like 3-button combos and juggling. I saw that there's some combos and some juggling. The juggling doesn't seem purposeful like there isn't a move or combo string that launches an enemy and it happens more randomly. At least, that's what I got from watching the review.

I've gotten the hang of the juggling and combos and they do serve a purpose. Blaze has exploit with her Fwrd, Fwrd, Atk where she can hit an enemy and launch them again for more damage after landing on the ground. Bounce them against a wall and your combo output can be even higher (wall bouncing a juggling enemy is useful for most of the characters). To the point if you are really good, you can a mook and certain bosses in to a stun loop. Cherry is obviously the best one when it comes to combo juggling, with Flyod being the worst, but at least he has a high damage output. Ironically, the SOR2 & 3 versions of past characters have better combo and juggles than the newer iterations and even Cherry in certain cases, because they play exactly the same when they came out in 1992 & 1994 respectively. SOR4 may not have the best juggle system (brawlers like The Take Over, Fight N' Rage, Alien vs. Predator (1994), and Battle Circuit beats it easily in this field), but it is still useful and fun. Especially when you know how each character works, and how the mechanics work around them.