STAY COOL, KOBAYASHI-SAN!: A RIVER CITY RANSOM STORY

Despite what its title might suggest, Stay Cool, Kobayashi-san!: A River City Ransom Story really doesn’t have much of a story to tell.

35%Game Brain Score

story, gameplay

36% User Score Based on 14 reviews

Critic Score 50%Based on 5 reviews

Platforms

Buy Nowfrom $4.31

Buy NowGet on Steam $13.99 Buy NowGet on Xbox Games Store

About

STAY COOL, KOBAYASHI-SAN!: A RIVER CITY RANSOM STORY is a single player and multiplayer arcade hack and slash game. It was developed by Arc System Works and was released on November 6, 2019. It received neutral reviews from critics and negative reviews from players.

Reiho High School's Big Four is a group of students feared by all other schools among the students there was one who reigned, garnering the title of 'Mr.' from even his classmates… His name was Kobayashi. He fought Kunio under Yamada's orders and lost.... However, Kobayashi knew he hadn't fought giving all he had. What on earth is he planning? Depending on your choices you may find the answer.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

STAY COOL, KOBAYASHI-SAN!: A RIVER CITY RANSOM STORY screenshot

Skip User Reviews

36%

Audience ScoreBased on 14 reviews

replayability3 negative mentions

The game features great sprite work and a solid soundtrack that pays homage to the Kunio franchise.
The combat system, while simple, introduces a team mechanic that allows for strategic play and character swapping.
There is a degree of replayability due to multiple endings and the challenge of mastering the combat mechanics.

The gameplay is overly simplistic, lacking depth with no grabs or blocking, making it feel unsatisfying compared to other beat 'em ups.
The story is convoluted and filled with excessive dialogue that interrupts gameplay, detracting from the overall experience.
The game lacks essential features like controller support and clear objectives, leading to a frustrating and confusing experience.

story
14 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
21%
58%
21%
The game's story is criticized for being overly serious and filled with excessive dialogue, detracting from the overall experience. While it features a typical time-travel plot common in Japanese spin-offs, the narrative lacks depth and fails to engage players, resulting in a repetitive and ultimately unsatisfying storyline. Despite some clever ideas, the story is deemed mundane and not a strong selling point for the beat-em-up genre.
- “The time we spent with Kobayashi-san was fun, but a bit repetitive; the franchise can do much better than this, but it's a neat little side-story nonetheless.”
- “A River City Ransom story is an interesting entry in a genre that is experiencing a revival of sorts on the Switch thanks to the ever-increasing number of re-releases and brand new experiences.”
- “At worst, a plot like that should be hilariously stupid, but this game takes it dead seriously.”
- “However, none of that really amounts to anything but different conversations, and with this game's dialogue and story as dull as they are, it's not worth it.”
- “The story is typical for a Japanese-oriented spin-off (time-travel plot of weirdness) and the game is kind of short.”
gameplay
9 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
34%
33%
The gameplay in the latest Kunio franchise entry has received mixed reviews, with some players criticizing it as one of the worst in the series due to its simplistic combat mechanics and lack of depth. However, others appreciate the hidden RPG elements and non-linear progression that offer replayability and enjoyable co-op experiences. Overall, while the game features solid music, it struggles to stand out in the beat-em-up genre.
- “In series tradition, this game does have some sort of RPG mechanics, initially tucked so far away that one may not even realize.”
- “[Hidden depths to gameplay mechanics, lots of replayability thanks to non-linear progression, good fun with a friend].”
- “Stay Cool Kobayashi-san is the latest in the River City series; the game itself has different gameplay compared to River City Girls and River City Ransom Underground, so it might seem a little clunky at first.”
- “Some of the worst gameplay in the Kunio franchise.”
- “The moment this game's deeper mechanics are no longer needed to win, it becomes much more like the worst beat-em-ups.”
- “Combat mechanics are very simple (no grabs!). Avoid it at all costs if you like good beat 'em ups.”
music
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
50%
The music in the game is praised for its quality and variety, reminiscent of the kunio series, with standout tracks that feature diverse instrumentation and solos. However, some players noted that the short looping of tracks can detract from the overall experience, and the constant dialogue during gameplay can be distracting. Overall, while the music is a highlight, it is somewhat overshadowed by the game's mediocre mechanics and design.
- “To help you through the solid-but-one-note gameplay, the game does live up to the Kunio pedigree in one regard: it has some fantastic music.”
- “At least the music and sprite work is nice.”
- “As solid as Meghan McDuffie's score for River City Girls was, most tracks only ran for a very short time before looping, not composed to be much longer since more individual areas had their own music.”
- “This song, like the original RCR theme, wails on long and varied, as different instruments come in and take solos, and it's tragic that it won't likely be remembered as one of the top musical themes in the series.”
- “Hearing the boss's constant dialogue mixed in with the music was giving me a headache (you have to fight 30 yellow enemies to get the fight in the first place).”
humor
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
75%
75%
The humor in the game is inconsistent, with some players finding it silly and lighthearted, while others criticize it for taking itself too seriously and lacking genuine comedic value. Overall, the humor fails to enhance the gameplay experience and can feel pretentious at times.
- “At worst, a plot like that should be hilariously stupid, but this game takes it dead seriously.”
- “Simple, but flashy combat, with some silly humor.”
- “It's not funny, it's not interesting, and it's rarely ever useful to playing the game.”
- “It occasionally gets pretentiously philosophical about the utility of emotions.”
- “There is no fast-skip option for the humor, making it even more tedious.”
replayability
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
100%
The game's replayability is hindered by a lack of variety and engaging worldbuilding, leading to a negative difficulty curve that diminishes long-term interest. While some players appreciate the quick gameplay and original team system, others may find the absence of leveling and stat enhancements limits their desire to replay.
- “Some people will dislike it because of the lack of leveling and stat enhancements compared to previous titles, but it's meant to be a quick game with replayability.”
- “Some players may find the lack of leveling and stat enhancements compared to previous titles disappointing, which affects the game's replayability.”
- “The game feels too linear, making it hard to find reasons to replay it after finishing the main story.”
- “Once you've completed the game, there isn't much incentive to go back, as the experience doesn't change significantly with subsequent playthroughs.”
graphics
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The graphics have been criticized for being rough and lacking polish compared to titles like River City Girls, with some quirks that detract from the overall experience. Additionally, the absence of classic River City Ransom RPG elements and iconic visual gags, such as the "barf!" animation, further diminishes the visual appeal.
- “The visuals are rough compared to River City Girls, with some questionable quirks that could have easily been ironed out.”
- “There's a noticeable lack of classic River City Ransom RPG elements in the graphics.”
- “I didn't see a single 'barf!' in sight, which is disappointing for a game of this style.”

Skip Critic Reviews

50%Critics’ scoreBased on 5 critic reviews

Skip Game Offers

Buy STAY COOL, KOBAYASHI-SAN!: A RIVER CITY RANSOM STORY

Skip Videos

Videos

Skip Games Like STAY COOL, KOBAYASHI-SAN!: A RIVER CITY RANSOM STORY

77%626reviews

Double Dragon Gaiden: Rise Of The Dragons

2023

Casual Hack and Slash

75%1kreviews

River City Ransom: Underground

2017

Arcade Hack and Slash

83%1kreviews

River City Girls 2

2022

Arcade Hack and Slash

80%1.7kreviews

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Splintered Fate

2024

Hack and Slash

+12

89%5.2kreviews

BlazBlue Entropy Effect

2024

Hack and Slash

More games like STAY COOL, KOBAYASHI-SAN!: A RIVER CITY RANSOM STORY

Skip FAQs

Frequently Asked Questions

STAY COOL, KOBAYASHI-SAN!: A RIVER CITY RANSOM STORY is a arcade hack and slash game.

STAY COOL, KOBAYASHI-SAN!: A RIVER CITY RANSOM STORY is available on Nintendo Switch, Xbox Series X|S, PC, PlayStation 5 and others.

STAY COOL, KOBAYASHI-SAN!: A RIVER CITY RANSOM STORY was released on November 6, 2019.

STAY COOL, KOBAYASHI-SAN!: A RIVER CITY RANSOM STORY was developed by Arc System Works.

STAY COOL, KOBAYASHI-SAN!: A RIVER CITY RANSOM STORY has received neutral reviews from players and neutral reviews from critics. Most players disliked this game for its story.

STAY COOL, KOBAYASHI-SAN!: A RIVER CITY RANSOM STORY is a single player game with multiplayer and local co-op support.

Similar games include Double Dragon Gaiden: Rise Of The Dragons, River City Ransom: Underground, River City Girls 2, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Splintered Fate, BlazBlue Entropy Effect and others.

STAY COOL, KOBAYASHI-SAN!: A RIVER CITY RANSOM STORY

Platforms