Streets of Rage 4 builds on the game’s original concept, without eroding the unique taste that made it a success in the first place. It’s like the nostalgic feeling you get when you visit a childhood neighborhood several years later. The game features a new set of martial artists alongside several others that make a return. Streets of Rage 4 embraces still the main thrust of the series, tasking players to rid the streets of criminal elements.

There’s a refreshing breath of punching combat, modern environments, and exhilarating adventure. Without a doubt, these features have always had a place since Streets of Rage’s first release almost three decades ago. However, Streets of Rage 4 takes them to an entirely different level.

The Story Is As Thrilling As Ever

It’s been ten years since the Street of Rage 3’s encounters. The main characters remain ex-policemen Stone and Fielding, who join forces with other street fighters for a common purpose – and the purpose is to take down the crime syndicate in the city. The story drives you through the length and breadth of the city that have changed greatly since the last time.

The game incorporates, as much as possible, elements of urban life. That, I suppose, in a bid to rival the modern-life flavor other installment did graciously execute. As the story progress, new characters come to the scene, allowing for more diverse playable characters. The way the old and new characters work in unison is just incredible. 

While all soldiers have the basic attack controls, some have special abilities that put them on a higher pedestal. For example, Adam can execute a dash move that lets him grab a health bar or reach an enemy quickly. This ability, in particular, aids gameplay, and playing characters without them shows you’re missing something.

Streets of Rage 4’s main story mode has single-player and multiplayer options. The multiplayer mode opens up other characters in the game, offering more diverse gameplay. Besides the Story Mode, there are modes you can explore. The Battle mode features several PvP fights, which test your skills and tenacity against other players. There’s also the Arcade mode that dumps every bit of narration for a compelling run of battles and encounters.

Enjoyable Combat In A Beat-‘Em-up Game

Streets of Rage 4’s combat looks so much like what you’ll find in a typical fighting game. The combos give you that badass experience, with wall splats, aerial moves, and juggles all possible. You get a bonus for every execution, boosting your life bar or unlocking a new character. The amazing thing about the combos is that you can explore as much as you want before mastering what truly works.

However, executing a special move puts you at risk of depleting your health bar. The system is quite different from what you’ll find in bet ‘em up games like Zombie Revenge. Here, a part of your life bar turns green when attempting to execute a special move. If the enemy launches a successful attack at that point, you lose the life. On the other hand, if you successfully attack the enemy, the health is regained. As long as your fingers are well-oiled, this system should give you no problem. There’s the freedom to execute as many special moves as you want.

Another area where Streets of Rage 4 bears semblance to fighting games is the way characters deliver high-impact attacks. Characters can bust out deadly attacks by collecting gold stars scattered around in different places and objects. It’s also important to mention the large collection of weapons in the game. There are knives, swords, broken bottles, and shuriken for striking the opponents. These objects become even more valuable in the latter part of the game.

And Then The Extras…

If you’ve ever played the second entry of Streets of Rage, then you should be familiar with its music that thrilled the world. We could equate the bloodshed on the streets to the music, and not many people will score our judgment wrong. Streets of Rage 4 does attempt to keep up with that renown but falls short. However, its music tracks are still very much fascinating. You have classics, electronic dance music, and one-piece compositions. While there are no actual songs you can sing along with, the tracks still make for a great listen.

When playing on PC, you have the option to choose between the legacy and modern controls. With the legacy controls, you have just three buttons, allowing experience the feel of earlier Street of Rage games. You can also adjust the graphic settings to give you the type of immersive experience you desire. 

Our Verdict

The gap between Streets of Rage 3 and 4 looks like forever, but it’s worth the wait. Streets of Rage 4 brilliantly captures the attractive elements of previous installments, while creating a new path for itself. The martial arts, weaponry, and urban madness dazzle through the very core of the game, offering incredible fun. Streets of Rage 4 is even more enjoyable when you play with friends in the multiplayer game mode. While we wait for the next release, we have a gem in our hands to explore.