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Mayhem Brawler

When it comes to the side-scrolling beat ’em up genre, Streets of Rage 4 is king. But Mayhem Brawler is snapping at its heels.
Mayhem Brawler Game Cover
80%Game Brain Score
story, gameplay
optimization, grinding
87% User Score Based on 242 reviews
Critic Score 72%Based on 11 reviews

Platforms

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Mayhem Brawler Game Cover

About

Mayhem Brawler is a single player and multiplayer arcade hack and slash game with a fantasy theme. It was developed by Hero Concept and was released on August 19, 2021. It received mostly positive reviews from critics and positive reviews from players.

Mayhem Brawler is an urban fantasy themed beat 'em up that brings back the 90s arcade vibe to the present day. With comic book style art and kick-ass soundtracks, it offers a unique experience that you can tackle solo or as co-op with friends while defining the next step in the story with your choices. The game is developed by Hero Concept studios.

Genres & Tags
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Mayhem Brawler screenshot
Mayhem Brawler screenshot
Mayhem Brawler screenshot
Mayhem Brawler screenshot
Mayhem Brawler screenshot
Mayhem Brawler screenshot
Mayhem Brawler screenshot
Mayhem Brawler screenshot
Mayhem Brawler screenshot
Mayhem Brawler screenshot
Mayhem Brawler screenshot
+9
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87%
Audience ScoreBased on 242 reviews
story29 positive mentions
grinding2 negative mentions
  • Mayhem Brawler features fantastic, vibrant comic book-style visuals and well-executed hand-drawn art that brings a superhero comic book to life.
  • The game offers engaging, accessible combat with a solid mix of combos, blocking, dashing, and unique character abilities, suitable for both newcomers and genre fans.
  • Multiple story branches, alternate paths, and three different endings provide good replay value, encouraging multiple playthroughs to experience all content.
  • The soundtrack and sound design complement the gameplay well, with energetic tracks adding to the atmosphere.
  • Co-op play supports up to three local players, enhancing the fun and chaos, although online co-op is missing.
  • Characters are distinct enough in stats, moves, and playstyle to keep gameplay fresh, and the addition of unlockable characters adds variety.
  • The game has a strong nostalgic appeal, reminiscent of 90s beat 'em ups and retro comic books.
  • The game is relatively short, with most playthroughs lasting around 1-2 hours, which may limit long-term appeal.
  • Combat can feel somewhat basic or clunky to players accustomed to deeper systems, with critics noting limited combo variety and occasionally stiff or slow animations.
  • Some players find enemy design frustrating due to tanky foes, repetitive enemy patterns, and occasional imbalanced or spammy attacks.
  • The story and dialogue are cheesy and polarizing, with some players disliking the inclusion of modern social media references and voice acting quality.
  • Lack of online co-op is a notable drawback for players looking to play remotely with friends.
  • Technical issues such as minor hit detection quirks, occasional lag on certain systems, and control responsiveness have been reported.
  • The absence of checkpoints in some modes can lead to frustrating restarts, and some players desire longer levels or more content variety.
  • story
    123 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The story in Mayhem Brawler is presented in a vibrant comic-book style with branching paths that offer replayability through multiple endings and character unlocks. While the narrative is relatively simple and somewhat cheesy, it is well-integrated, engaging, and complemented by strong worldbuilding and voice acting, creating an enjoyable experience for fans of comic-inspired beat 'em ups. However, some players found the story short or lacking depth, and the inclusion of social media elements was occasionally distracting.

    • “A great feature is being able to choose different paths, with your choice affecting the story and different enemies appearing.”
    • “Firstly, Mayhem Brawler has a comic-book style aesthetic it sticks to not just in terms of its graphics, but presentation as well—stories are told through comic panel cutscenes, and at the end of each mission you'll be given a choice between one of two branching paths, each with their own illustrated comic book cover letting you know what kind of action you'll be up against for your encounter with the boss of that area.”
    • “The gameplay is perfect, you have complete control over your characters and they are very responsive, the enemies are smart and will use a lot of tactics to take you down, varying scenarios and branching paths (not to mention the excellent soundtrack that you should buy) and three different endings to a surprisingly good story.”
    • “The main thing I find mediocre about the game is the story, the distracting chat feed that runs along the side, and the relatively uninteresting heroes.”
    • “But yeah, voice acting and story are pure garbage.”
    • “Bad things: whoever wrote the story needs to stop doing so, forever.”
  • gameplay
    95 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    Mayhem Brawler offers fast-paced, accessible beat-'em-up gameplay with solid combo systems, a block and counterattack mechanic, and multiple characters and branching paths that provide decent replay value. While it closely resembles Streets of Rage 4 in mechanics, it adds its own flair and challenges, though some players find the combat lacks depth and impact compared to top-tier brawlers. Overall, the gameplay is engaging and responsive, appealing to both genre newcomers and fans seeking a fresh, comic book-styled beat-'em-up experience.

    • “The gameplay feels tight and responsive, with an accessible control scheme that supports strategic depth.”
    • “It's a very fun game with addictive gameplay, tons of alternate routes, cool playable characters, its own separate vibe, and good replay value - which is everything that you need in a beat 'em up.”
    • “Mayhem Brawler represents an excellent second choice, a fighting game that immediately puts its cards on the table, offering a good challenge, decent replayability, and gameplay that does everything to keep your neurons awake between dodges, parries, and relentless enemies.”
    • “While looking impressive visually and having a pretty interesting setting, the game feels shallow combat mechanics-wise, lacking in a lot of areas and thus it went pretty stale fast; the battle itself doesn't have the feel of impact when you hit or throw opponents.”
    • “The comic book aspect and way that the whole thing is framed is spectacular; sadly the gameplay and longevity are less so.”
    • “There is a lack of depth to the mechanics, but some cool features are refreshing to see for the genre, such as enemy conditions and the block button that offer more tools for surviving the challenge of the harder difficulties.”
  • graphics
    80 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    Mayhem Brawler features a vibrant, hand-drawn comic book art style reminiscent of 90s superhero comics, with smooth animations and visually engaging, cel-shaded graphics that capture an urban fantasy vibe. While the graphics are widely praised for their uniqueness and nostalgic appeal, some users note occasional choppiness and minor technical issues. Overall, the stylish visuals strongly complement the game's atmosphere and storytelling, setting it apart among modern beat 'em ups.

    • “Mayhem brawler is a fun and stylish beat ’em up with smooth combat and vibrant comic book visuals.”
    • “The hand-drawn art style stands out immediately.”
    • “Gorgeous art style, smooth animation and high replay value with the 3 different characters and branching story line and narrative that manages to be different than other examples in the genre.”
    • “In fact, the only nitpick I have with the game would be its current title screen and library artwork for the game's banner and grid icon.”
    • “5) Well, there are some technical and graphical issues.”
    • “Looking at the art style, some might even think it's a ripoff of the fantastic Streets of Rage 4 from last year.”
  • music
    42 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The music across reviews is generally praised for its energy, fitting blend of rock, synth, and urban tones, and strong complement to the game's fast-paced combat and comic book style. However, some find the soundtrack forgettable or boring compared to other beat 'em ups, leading a few to prefer playing their own music instead. Overall, the soundtrack is seen as an important and well-executed element that enhances the gameplay experience.

    • “The soundtrack complements this energy with hard-hitting tracks that fuse rock, synth, and urban tones, keeping the adrenaline high during fights.”
    • “From atmospheric tracks to jazz and even some great sounding guitar-driven djenty tracks, the soundtrack is done well, as is the sound design.”
    • “A kick-ass action beat 'em up with good combat mechanics, great comic book style artwork and awesome soundtrack.”
    • “Perfect brawler with a sadly boring soundtrack.”
    • “Unfortunately, I just cannot get into the soundtrack for the game, and I suppose I have been spoiled with music from the likes of SOR and Shredder's Revenge.”
    • “And the music, which for SOR is one of the defining parts of the experience, sucks.”
  • replayability
    24 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game offers strong replayability through its fun, engaging gameplay, branching paths, multiple endings, and choice-driven level progression. Variety in playable characters and adjustable difficulty levels further enhance replay value, although some note the campaign could be longer and desire more character diversity. Overall, the combination of narrative branches, challenges, and gameplay depth keeps players returning.

    • “It's a very fun game with addictive gameplay, tons of alternate routes, cool playable characters, its own separate vibe and good replay value - which is everything that you need in a beat 'em up.”
    • “With seven levels and the freedom to choose the following path at the end of each, combined with the three primary endings, the game offers a variety and replayability that keeps players excited and engaged.”
    • “Each character is unique enough to offer replayability in story mode, while arcade offers near-infinite replayability if you're into challenge runs like legend difficulty no-damage/no-death.”
    • “There is little to no replayability because there are no upgrades or level ups.”
    • “No 2021 year game replayability, there is nothing to unlock (hope for future patches).”
    • “Having 5 characters to choose from expands the replayability factor, however there's not a huge difference between them, except for dolphin, who is a heavier character.”
  • humor
    8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game's humor is widely praised for its unique, lively, and often hilarious character interactions, with memorable moments that evoke genuine laughter. While some find the frequent pop culture references a bit off-putting, overall the humor enriches the story and world, making both protagonists and enemies entertaining.

    • “I could not hold back my laughter at this part, and I died more times than I should have to the boss fight simply because I had tears in my eyes from laughing so hard.”
    • “The game shines with its unique humor and runs perfectly on the Steam Deck.”
    • “The world feels more alive and the humor is great.”
  • atmosphere
    8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The atmosphere of the game is engaging and well-crafted, blending supernatural elements like werewolves and vampires seamlessly into a chaotic, immersive city setting. The soundtrack and sound design, ranging from jazz to guitar-driven tracks, enhance the overall mood, while the art style and graphics contribute to a compelling and enjoyable ambiance. Though not flawless, the game's atmosphere effectively supports its plot and lore, creating a memorable experience.

    • “I always loved supernatural creatures such as werewolves, vampires, etc., and this game encompasses all of that, making them all have their place in Mayhem City and fit into such a crazy atmosphere.”
    • “Mayhem Brawler, on the other hand, does plot, lore, and atmosphere great!”
    • “The art style, graphics, sounds, and the general atmosphere of this game are quite good.”
  • character development
    5 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    Character development in the game features well-drawn, solid character designs and smooth animations that appeal to beat 'em up and urban fantasy fans, contributing to an engaging and tasteful storytelling experience. However, character detail and uniqueness can feel somewhat generic, and the voice acting occasionally detracts from the overall presentation.

    • “If you like beat 'em ups, you're in for a good time, and even if you don't, there's a lot else to love here in terms of aesthetics, storytelling, character design, etc. Plus, there's going to be a sequel?”
    • “Well-drawn character designs and smooth animations.”
    • “As a fan of shadowrunner-like urban fantasy worlds and beat-em-up game genres, this game feels like a child of both with a good-looking art style, character designs, well-done animations, balanced gameplay, and a cheesy story that takes you on a tasteful journey. Overall, a great experience for fans of the genre.”
    • “However, there's not much to be said for detail or character design, and everybody kind of looks like the contents of a 'how to draw comic book supercharacters' book.”
  • optimization
    2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game runs smoothly with fast load times on most setups, including the Steam Deck, though its optimization is considered inferior compared to Soulcalibur 4.

    • “It runs smoothly on most setups, including Steam Deck, and load times are fast.”
    • “It is poorly optimized compared to Soulcalibur 4.”
  • grinding
    2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    Grinding in the game is often seen as tedious and slow, making the experience feel clunky and less enjoyable for players.

    • “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
    • “Really wanted to like this game but it just feels so clunky and sluggish; the game can feel more tedious than fun at times.”
  • stability
    2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game's stability is marred by glitches affecting character controls, such as unresponsive turning and running, alongside graphical issues, which detract from the overall experience.

    • “There are weird glitches such as the character not turning around when you want or trying to run but not running.”
    • “Frequent graphical glitches disrupt the gameplay experience.”
  • monetization
    1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The monetization is considered better than that of many low-quality beat 'em up games, suggesting a more reasonable or fair approach.

  • emotional
    1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    Users find the game evokes a strong emotional connection, generating happiness reminiscent of classic titles like Comix Zone, enhancing their overall enjoyment.

    • “I love Streets of Rage 4, but this game makes me feel happy like Comix Zone made me feel.”
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72%Critics’ scoreBased on 11 critic reviews
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10h Median play time
14h Average play time
6-25h Spent by most gamers
*Based on 3 analyzed playthroughs
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Frequently Asked Questions

Mayhem Brawler is a arcade hack and slash game with fantasy theme.

Mayhem Brawler is available on Nintendo Switch, Xbox Series X|S, PC, PlayStation 5 and others.

On average players spend around 14 hours playing Mayhem Brawler.

Mayhem Brawler was released on August 19, 2021.

Mayhem Brawler was developed by Hero Concept.

Mayhem Brawler has received mostly positive reviews from players and mostly positive reviews from critics. Most players liked this game for its story but disliked it for its optimization.

Mayhem Brawler is a single player game with multiplayer and local co-op support.

Similar games include Fight'N Rage, The TakeOver, Streets of Rage 4, Freedom Planet, Final Vendetta and others.