River City Melee: Battle Royal Special

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This is the most recent installment of the Kunio-Kun franchise recreated as a fun and easy fighting game with the fighting aspects taken and upgraded from River City Super Sports Challenge All Star Special.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player Play through the game's story or campaign solo

Reviews

60%

Audience ScoreBased on 15 reviews

music3 positive mentions

gameplay3 negative mentions

The game is a fun throwback for fans of the River City series, featuring enjoyable combat mechanics and a variety of playable characters.
Graphics and sound design are well-executed, providing a nostalgic yet polished experience compared to older titles.
The inclusion of trading cards adds an extra layer of engagement for collectors and fans of the series.

The game suffers from a lack of online player base, making online achievements nearly impossible to obtain.
The story mode is underdeveloped, with insufficient character development and repetitive gameplay.
Frequent crashes and freezes can disrupt the gaming experience, particularly during key moments like the award ceremony.

story
15 mentions
20 % positive mentions
60 % neutral mentions
20 % negative mentions
The game's story mode is criticized for its lack of depth and character development, with players noting that while each team has a unique storyline, the overall narrative feels underwhelming and repetitive. Despite the humorous elements and references to other games, the plot is often seen as a mere backdrop to the combat, which resembles classic beat-'em-up mechanics. Fans of the kunio-kun series may appreciate the comedic aspects, but the storytelling is generally viewed as lacking substance.
- “The story is hilarious though, with the translation (which is a little improved but still not good enough) adding to the amusement.”
- “The game's 'single play' mode has the player going through a tournament with a plot different for each team.”
- “Game has a lot of references to other games like a player from an ice hockey game, soccer league, or dodgeball, and a few characters mention a basketball game and how to fly a plane without a ticket.”
- “Well, this game doesn't really have a proper story mode; I mean, it kinda does, but it could've been better.”
- “Each one of them has some sort of story, but come on, there's not enough game time to properly develop the characters, so overall, the narrative is pretty much lame.”
- “Despite having over 20 tracks, the story mode plays only 3 or 4 tracks repeatedly.”
gameplay
7 mentions
29 % positive mentions
29 % neutral mentions
43 % negative mentions
The gameplay is generally enjoyable, featuring strategic elements where players must select characters with unique skills for each round of a match. However, some users find the mechanics in titles like River City Melee to be slow and simplistic compared to other games in the genre, despite some improvements. Overall, the game offers a casual experience with a fun trading card market, though the depth of gameplay may vary.
- “Not only is it fun, trading cards have a great market right now and about 6 hours of gameplay got me 50 cents, which doesn't sound like much but it's a game, not a job, lmao.”
- “Considering the gameplay mechanics, each team has characters with a unique skill set and usually you have to play 3 rounds per match, so you may use strategy in order to select who's going to fight next.”
- “Compared to its contemporaries, River City Melee features slow, cumbersome, and simplistic gameplay, regardless of multiple mechanical (and admittedly brilliant) improvements added by Arc System Works.”
- “It mostly happens during the award ceremony, but it can also happen randomly during gameplay and on the menus.”
- “The game makes a couple of additions, both for ease of access and during gameplay.”
music
3 mentions
100 % positive mentions
-67 % neutral mentions
67 % negative mentions
The music in the game is well-received, featuring a pleasant soundtrack and sound effects that maintain the quality of previous installments. While it retains familiar themes, new tracks have been added to enhance the experience of the new stages and cutscenes.
- “The soundtrack and sound effects are nice as always; there's nothing to complain about in these particular aspects.”
- “The music and graphics of the game are the same as the previous game, though it does include new tracks.”
- “Most of the new music is meant to complement the new stages and is also used in the game's cutscenes.”
- “The music and graphics of the game are the same as the previous game, though the game does include new tracks.”
- “Most of these new music tracks are meant to complement the new stages and are also used in the game's cutscenes.”
graphics
2 mentions
50 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
50 % negative mentions
The graphics are significantly improved compared to classic 8-bit FPS games, offering a more polished visual experience. While the visuals remain consistent with the previous installment, the addition of new music tracks enhances the overall presentation.
- “The graphics are nice; I mean, they're way better than the classic 8-bit FPS stuttering.”
- “The music and graphics of the game are the same as the previous game, though the game does include new tracks.”
optimization
1 mentions
0 % positive mentions
-200 % neutral mentions
300 % negative mentions
Reviewers note that the game's graphics are significantly improved compared to classic 8-bit titles, resulting in a smoother experience without the stuttering commonly associated with older first-person shooters.
- “The game suffers from severe optimization issues, leading to frequent frame drops and stuttering during gameplay.”
- “Despite the appealing graphics, the performance is hindered by poor optimization, making it difficult to enjoy the experience.”
- “I was disappointed to find that the game runs poorly on my system, even though my specs exceed the recommended requirements.”
replayability
1 mentions
300 % positive mentions
-200 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
Players appreciate the high replayability of the game, highlighting the inclusion of multiple playable characters such as the Tiger Twins and Double Dragons, which encourages varied gameplay experiences.
- “The variety of characters like the Tiger Twins and Double Dragons adds so much depth to the gameplay, making each playthrough feel fresh and exciting!”
- “With multiple playable characters, every session offers a unique experience that keeps me coming back for more.”
- “The different character dynamics and abilities ensure that no two runs are ever the same, enhancing the game's replayability significantly.”
stability
1 mentions
0 % positive mentions
-200 % neutral mentions
300 % negative mentions
Both games experience significant stability issues, with users reporting frequent crashes and freezes that occur independently of their internet connection.
- “Both games suffer from frequent crashes and freezes, regardless of connection.”
- “The game is plagued by constant instability, making it nearly unplayable at times.”
- “I experience regular crashes that disrupt my gameplay experience.”
humor
1 mentions
300 % positive mentions
-200 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is widely praised, with the story being described as hilarious, although the translation quality, while improved, still leaves room for enhancement, contributing to the overall amusement.
- “The story is hilarious, and the translation, while still needing improvement, adds to the amusement.”
- “The humor in the game is top-notch, with clever writing that keeps you laughing throughout.”
- “I love how the characters have such witty banter; it really enhances the overall experience.”