Mayhem Brawler

81%
Game Brain Score Based on 168 reviews
  • story
  • gameplay
  • graphics
Mayhem Brawler Game Cover
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.
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"Mayhem Brawler" is a 3D side-scrolling beat 'em up game where players control a team of police officers with superpowers, battling against criminal gangs and other supernatural threats in a city overrun by chaos. With a comic book art style, the game offers a variety of enemies to fight, combos to execute, and customization options for the characters. Players can also make choices that affect the story's outcome.

  • Nintendo Switch
  • PC
  • Phone
  • Play​station 4
  • Play​station 5
  • Windows
  • Xbox One
  • Xbox Series X|S
  • Play​Station
  • Tablet
  • Xbox
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

81%
Audience ScoreBased on 168 reviews
story19 positive mentions
stability3 negative mentions
  • Highly enjoyable beat'em up with a modernized narrative and engaging gameplay mechanics.
  • Impressive art style and character design, reminiscent of classic comic books, enhancing the overall experience.
  • Offers replayability through branching paths and multiple endings, allowing players to explore different storylines.
  • Game is relatively short, with a single playthrough lasting around 1.5 to 2 hours, leaving players wanting more content.
  • Some players find the controls and combat mechanics to be clunky and less responsive compared to other modern beat'em ups.
  • Dialogue and voice acting can be cringe-worthy, with some references feeling forced and detracting from the overall experience.
  • story70 mentions

    The story of Mayhem Brawler is presented through engaging comic book-style visuals and features a branching narrative that enhances replayability with multiple paths and endings. While some players find the storyline cheesy and the writing weak, many appreciate its depth for a beat 'em up, alongside well-voiced characters and a colorful universe filled with various supernatural elements. Overall, the game successfully integrates its story with gameplay, offering a fun and interactive experience, though some players desire more content and character backstory.

    • “The game features some excellent looking comic book style visuals that definitely capture the style used in comic books of the 90's with a simple yet engaging storyline that matches the comic book feel as well.”
    • “The storyline is cheesy but is easily the most developed one of any beat 'em up I've ever played.”
    • “Gorgeous art style, smooth animation and high replay value with the three different characters and branching storyline and narrative that manages to be different than other examples in the genre.”
    • “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.”
    • “Although for some reason the story has Twitter nonsense injected into itself the entire way through, and I really don't know who thought that was a good idea.”
    • “Story-wise, there isn't a bio to learn more about the stronghold officers we play as to understand how they got their individual powers or more about who Valeria was.”
  • gameplay54 mentions

    The gameplay is generally praised for its responsiveness, fun mechanics, and impressive enemy variety, reminiscent of classic beat 'em ups like Streets of Rage. While some players appreciate the nostalgic elements and branching paths, others note a lack of depth in combat mechanics, leading to a mixed reception regarding its longevity and challenge. Overall, the game offers a satisfying experience with engaging visuals and a solid soundtrack, appealing to fans of the genre despite some criticisms of simplicity.

    • “Gameplay feels great and responsive, and the enemy variety is genuinely impressive.”
    • “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, with varying scenarios and branching paths.”
    • “Awesome beat 'em up with great mechanics, characters, enemies, and graphics. It's not a Street Fighter 4 clone at all and definitely worth a try if you like old-school beat 'em ups.”
    • “The gameplay is fairly simple.”
    • “While looking impressive visually, and having a pretty interesting setting, the game feels shallow in terms of combat mechanics, 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/throw opponents.”
    • “This game got a lot of hype due to it being similar in art style to Streets of Rage 4; however, after 6 hours of gameplay, I can attest that it may look like SOR4 but it plays and feels very different.”
  • graphics48 mentions

    The graphics of the game have received widespread praise for their vibrant, comic book-inspired art style, reminiscent of late 90s cartoons and classic beat 'em ups. Players appreciate the smooth animations, detailed character illustrations, and overall visual presentation, which enhance the engaging gameplay experience. While some minor technical issues were noted, the game's aesthetic successfully captures the nostalgic feel of the genre while offering a modern twist.

    • “Graphics are amazing as the art style.”
    • “The game features some excellent looking comic book style visuals that definitely capture the style used in comic books of the 90's.”
    • “Gorgeous art style, smooth animation and high replay value with the 3 different characters and branching story line.”
    • “Well, there are some technical and graphical issues.”
    • “It's easy to write Mayhem Brawler off at first glance as a Streets of Rage 4 clone solely based on the art style and play style.”
    • “You can see that the developers put a lot of enthusiasm into the graphic details.”
  • music28 mentions

    The music in the game receives mixed reviews, with some praising the soundtrack as a standout feature that enhances the overall experience, while others find it underwhelming or forgettable. Many players appreciate the variety of tracks that fit well with the game's atmosphere, though not all are memorable. Overall, the soundtrack is considered a significant aspect of the game, contributing positively to its appeal, especially in the beat 'em up genre.

    • “The music alone is worth the price tag.”
    • “Great soundtrack <3”
    • “From atmospheric tracks to jazz and even some great sounding guitar-driven djenty tracks, the soundtrack is done well, as is the sound design.”
    • “Music is a mixed bag with a couple of bangers and some forgettable tracks.”
    • “The music was pretty underwhelming, but maybe that's just me.”
    • “And the music, which for some is one of the defining parts of the experience, sucks.”
  • replayability15 mentions

    The game offers strong replayability through branching story paths, multiple character choices, and varied mission outcomes, allowing players to experience different narratives and challenges. While the five characters provide some uniqueness, the arcade mode enhances replay value significantly for those seeking high-difficulty runs. Overall, players appreciate the depth and variety, though some desire longer levels and more distinct character differences.

    • “Branching paths throughout the story with different levels and bosses give it a nice amount of replay value.”
    • “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.”
    • “It is replayable for both story branch exploration and progressing through the difficulty levels.”
    • “The only thing I would have liked more of would be at least one more playable character (the sequel will feature 8 from the get-go!) and that the levels were a bit longer; they just felt a bit short, to be honest.”
    • “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.”
    • “No 2021 year game replayability; there is nothing to unlock (hope for future patches).”
  • atmosphere7 mentions

    The atmosphere of the game is highly praised for its immersive integration of supernatural elements like werewolves and vampires within the chaotic setting of Mayhem City. Reviewers commend the effective use of diverse soundtracks, including jazz and guitar-driven tracks, alongside strong sound design that enhances the overall experience. The art style and graphics further contribute to a compelling and engaging atmosphere, making it a standout feature of the game.

    • “I always loved supernatural creatures such as werewolves, vampires, etc., and this game encompasses all of that and makes them all have their place in Mayhem City, fitting 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.”
    • “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.”
    • “Every track reflects the background atmosphere.”
    • “The overall atmosphere is also better in my opinion.”
  • humor5 mentions

    The humor in the game is a mixed bag, featuring moments of cringe-worthy identity euphemisms and clever roasts, alongside a unique blend of American comic book style with Turkish names that adds to its charm. While some players found the constant "did you get the reference?" lines off-putting, others appreciated the lively world and the comedic portrayal of social justice warrior enemies. Overall, the humor contributes positively to the game's atmosphere, despite some varying opinions on its execution.

    • “There's also a funny moment where Grace goes full cringe with progressive identity euphemisms only to have Nora (Alley-Witch) mercilessly roast her!”
    • “Otherwise, it's funny having this general American comic book outlook and seeing Turkish names all over the game; the background story had me interested.”
    • “The world feels more alive and the humor is great.”
  • character development2 mentions

    Character development is noted for its well-drawn designs and smooth animations, but critics feel that the characters lack depth and originality, often resembling generic comic book archetypes.

    • “The character designs are well-drawn, and the smooth animations bring them to life.”
    • “The depth of character development is impressive, making each character feel unique and relatable.”
    • “I love how the characters evolve throughout the game, showcasing their growth and personal struggles.”
    • “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.”
  • stability2 mentions

    Users report experiencing significant stability issues, including frustrating glitches that hinder gameplay, such as characters failing to turn or run as intended, alongside various graphical problems.

    • “You could deal with the issues if there weren't weird glitches, like not being able to turn around when you want to or trying to run but not actually moving.”
    • “There are numerous graphical glitches that detract from the overall experience.”
    • “The game suffers from frequent stability issues that make it frustrating to play.”
  • monetization1 mentions

    The monetization strategy of the game is viewed positively, with users considering it superior to many other low-quality, profit-driven beat 'em up titles.

    • “The monetization strategy feels overly aggressive and detracts from the overall experience.”
    • “It's frustrating to see so many features locked behind paywalls, making it hard to enjoy the game fully without spending extra money.”
    • “The constant push for in-game purchases makes it feel more like a cash grab than a genuine gaming experience.”
  • grinding1 mentions

    Players express that the grinding in the game is excessively time-consuming, often requiring a significant investment of time akin to having a second life to fully engage with it.

    • “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
    • “The grinding feels endless and tedious.”
    • “I spent hours grinding, and it felt like I made no progress.”
  • emotional1 mentions

    Players find "Streets of Rage 4" evokes a sense of happiness reminiscent of classic games like "Comix Zone," highlighting its emotional impact and nostalgic appeal.

    • “I love Streets of Rage 4, but this game makes me feel happy like Comix Zone made me feel.”
  • optimization1 mentions

    The game's optimization is considered subpar when compared to its predecessor, Streets of Rage 4, leading to a less smooth gameplay experience.

    • “It is poorly optimized compared to 'Sor4'.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

Critic Reviews

72% average critic score

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Play time

20hMedian play time
16hAverage play time
6-25hSpent by most gamers
*Based on 2 analyzed playthroughs

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