Mayhem Brawler

91%
Game Brain Score Based on 181 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

91%
Audience ScoreBased on 181 reviews
story22 positive mentions
grinding2 negative mentions
  • The game features a unique comic book art style and engaging storytelling, with branching paths and multiple endings that enhance replayability.
  • Combat mechanics are smooth and responsive, allowing for a variety of attacks and strategies, including the use of special moves and blocking.
  • The game offers a fun co-op experience, making it enjoyable to play with friends, and features a diverse cast of characters and enemies.
  • Some players find the controls to be clunky and the gameplay can feel slow or tedious at times, especially during boss fights.
  • The soundtrack is considered underwhelming by some, lacking the memorable tunes found in other beat 'em ups like Streets of Rage.
  • There are reports of technical issues, such as hitbox inconsistencies and enemy AI that can lead to frustrating gameplay experiences.
  • story84 mentions

    The story of "Mayhem Brawler" is presented in a comic book style, featuring five unique characters and branching paths that enhance replayability. While the narrative is described as cheesy and somewhat shallow, it is engaging and well-integrated with the gameplay, offering multiple endings and voice-acted cutscenes that contribute to its charm. Overall, players appreciate the aesthetic presentation and the fun, albeit simple, storyline that complements the beat 'em up experience.

    • “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 story is told through well-drawn comic panels, and I want to know more about this unusual universe.”
    • “A surprisingly interesting story with cool branching choices and multiple endings.”
    • “The storyline is cheesy but is easily the most developed one of any beat 'em up I've ever played.”
    • “However, the writing is very weak but thankfully we are here for the action, not the 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.”
  • gameplay67 mentions

    The gameplay of Mayhem Brawler has received positive feedback for its fast-paced action, responsive controls, and engaging mechanics, reminiscent of classic beat 'em ups like Streets of Rage. While some players noted a lack of depth in battle mechanics, the game compensates with a variety of characters, branching paths, and a good challenge, making it enjoyable for both casual and dedicated fans of the genre. Overall, the combination of solid gameplay, appealing visuals, and a fun cooperative experience has made it a standout title in the beat 'em up category.

    • “I wholeheartedly recommend this game to anyone who loves action-packed gameplay and fun times with friends.”
    • “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.”
    • “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.”
    • “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 stale fast; the battle itself doesn't have the feel of impact when you hit or 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.”
  • graphics62 mentions

    The graphics of the game are widely praised for their vibrant comic book-inspired art style, which effectively captures the essence of 90s comic aesthetics. Players appreciate the unique character designs and smooth animations, noting that while the visuals may draw comparisons to titles like Streets of Rage 4, they stand out with their own charm and engaging storytelling elements. Overall, the art style and presentation contribute significantly to the game's appeal, enhancing the nostalgic feel of classic beat 'em ups.

    • “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 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 soundtrack is no slouch either, the voice work is surprisingly decent, the gameplay is fast paced and engaging, and with 5 different characters, branching paths, 3 different endings and a few additional gameplay modes to choose, this game does feature quite a decent amount of content.”
    • “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.”
    • “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.”
    • “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.”
  • music39 mentions

    The music in the game receives mixed reviews, with some players praising the soundtrack as energetic and fitting for the gameplay, while others find it underwhelming and forgettable. A few standout tracks are noted, but many players feel that the music does not reach the heights of other titles in the genre. Overall, while the sound design is generally well-received, the soundtrack's impact varies significantly among players.

    • “The soundtrack also kicks ass!”
    • “The music alone is worth the price tag.”
    • “A kick-ass action beat 'em up with good combat mechanics, great comic book style artwork, and an 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 'Streets of Rage' and 'Shredder's Revenge.'”
    • “The music was pretty underwhelming, but maybe that's just me.”
  • replayability18 mentions

    The game boasts strong replayability due to its multiple endings, branching paths, and character choices that significantly alter gameplay experiences. Players appreciate the variety offered by different missions and levels, as well as the unique attributes of each character, which encourage exploration of various strategies and storylines. However, some players desire longer levels and more distinct character differences to enhance the replay value further.

    • “I also love that the game offers multiple endings, adding great replay value.”
    • “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.”
    • “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.”
    • “After each level, you get a choice that takes the story in a different direction and also changes up the levels, so there's some replay value from that.”
    • “It is replayable for both story branch exploration and progressing through the difficulty levels.”
  • atmosphere8 mentions

    The atmosphere of the game is engaging and enjoyable, effectively incorporating supernatural elements like werewolves and vampires into a chaotic setting. The soundtrack, featuring a mix of atmospheric tracks and sound design, enhances the overall experience, while the art style and graphics contribute positively to the game's ambiance. Although not perfect, the atmosphere is well-crafted, with a strong sense of lore and character integration.

    • “Mayhem Brawler, on the other hand, does plot, lore, and atmosphere great!”
    • “The art style, graphics, sounds, and the general atmosphere of this game is quite good.”
    • “The atmosphere, irony, and aesthetics, while not reaching excellence, are engaging and enjoyable.”
    • “Every track reflects the background atmosphere.”
    • “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.”
  • humor7 mentions

    The game's humor is a standout feature, blending unique comedic moments with clever cultural references that resonate well with players. Many reviewers noted that the humor elicits genuine laughter, particularly during character interactions and boss fights, although some found certain references to be overly reliant on "did you get the reference?" lines. Overall, the humor contributes significantly to the game's lively atmosphere, with memorable moments that enhance the experience.

    • “The game shines with its unique humor and runs perfectly on the Steam Deck.”
    • “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.”
    • “There's also a funny moment where Grace goes full cringe with progressive identity euphemisms only to have Nora (Alley-Witch) mercilessly roast her!”
  • character development5 mentions

    Character development in the game is generally well-received, with praise for the aesthetics, storytelling, and character design, although some critiques note a lack of depth and originality in the designs. The animations are smooth, contributing to an enjoyable experience, but the voice acting has been described as occasionally cringe-worthy. Overall, fans of the genre will likely appreciate the visual appeal and balanced gameplay, despite some shortcomings in character detail.

    • “As a fan of shadowrunner-like urban fantasy worlds and beat-em-up as a game genre, this game is like all a child of them with a good-looking art style and character designs, well-done animations, balanced gameplay, and a cheesy story that takes you on a journey in a tasteful playtime... all in all, a great experience for all the fans of the genre.”
    • “Well-drawn character designs and smooth animations.”
    • “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 the aesthetics, storytelling, character design, etc.”
    • “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.”
  • grinding2 mentions

    Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be excessively tedious and clunky, often detracting from the overall enjoyment and making it feel like a chore rather than a fun experience.

    • “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.”
  • monetization1 mentions

    The monetization strategy of the game is generally viewed positively, with users noting it stands out among typical low-quality cash grabs in the beat 'em up genre.

  • emotional1 mentions

    Players find "Streets of Rage 4" evokes a strong sense of happiness, reminiscent of the joy experienced with classic games like "Comix Zone." The emotional connection to the game highlights its ability to elicit positive feelings and nostalgia.

    • “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 performance issues that detract from the overall experience.

    • “It is poorly optimized compared to Streets of Rage 4.”
  • stability1 mentions

    Users report experiencing significant stability issues, including frustrating glitches that hinder basic controls, such as failure to turn or run as intended.

    • “The game is plagued by weird glitches, like not being able to turn around when you want to or attempting to run but not actually moving.”
    • “I frequently encounter stability issues that disrupt gameplay, making it frustrating to enjoy the experience.”
    • “There are constant bugs that hinder my progress, such as characters getting stuck or actions not registering properly.”
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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