Streets of Rage 4

From start to finish, Streets of Rage 4 is a modern celebration of one of the best beat 'em up series of all time.

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In "Streets of Rage 4," players battle through levels of side-scrolling combat, combating an evil crime syndicate. With Classic and New characters, players can utilize unique moves and combos to defeat enemies, while the soundtrack provides a nostalgic beat 'em up experience. The game features local and online co-op, providing a modern take on the well-received series.

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Play Modes

Reviews

89%

Audience ScoreBased on 6,313 reviews

music1,015 positive mentions

grinding34 negative mentions

music
1,953 mentions
52 % positive mentions
46 % neutral mentions
2 % negative mentions
The music in "Streets of Rage 4" has received widespread acclaim for its vibrant and dynamic soundtrack, which blends nostalgic elements from the original games with modern influences. Players appreciate the option to switch between the new tracks and classic soundtracks from previous installments, although some critiques mention that the retro music selection can feel mismatched or underwhelming. Overall, the soundtrack is considered a highlight of the game, enhancing the gameplay experience and evoking strong feelings of nostalgia.
- “The music is fantastic, with series veterans Yuzo Koshiro and Motohiro Kawashima coming back into the fold to deliver some fantastic tunes, alongside some series newcomers who also do a commendable job of honoring the musical legacy of the series.”
- “The soundtrack is phenomenal and the gameplay sticks true to what Streets of Rage is about.”
- “The soundtrack is stellar, art design fantastic, animations superb, and controls precise.”
- “The new soundtrack is very forgettable and has none of the energy the originals had.”
- “The retro music feels very weird though - the placement of tracks itself feels random, and there's no music from Streets of Rage 3 at all.”
- “The soundtrack while 'fine' is utterly forgettable, possessing zero memorable tracks that made previous installments so great.”
gameplay
1,305 mentions
38 % positive mentions
58 % neutral mentions
4 % negative mentions
The gameplay of "Streets of Rage 4" has been widely praised for its blend of nostalgia and modern mechanics, maintaining the classic feel of the original series while introducing new features like juggling and a risk/reward health recovery system. Players appreciate the fluid controls and engaging combo system, although some express disappointment over the removal of certain mechanics like running and rolling from previous titles, which can make the gameplay feel slower and more challenging. Overall, the game is seen as a successful homage to its predecessors, offering a satisfying experience for both longtime fans and newcomers to the beat 'em up genre.
- “The gameplay is just like the old games with some added mechanics and features that improve the gameplay but not oversaturate it.”
- “With fluid controls, satisfying combos, and intense boss battles, the gameplay is as exhilarating as ever.”
- “Streets of Rage 4 revitalizes the classic beat 'em up series with addictive gameplay, stunning visuals, and a faithful homage to the originals.”
- “The gameplay is the worst aspect of this awful game; it literally plays like a very, very bad open bor game. It is disjointed, has no flow to it, and is very slow and sluggish with bad controls.”
- “The gameplay feels right overall, and definitely met or beat my expectations in various areas as another entry in the sor/bk series. However, the gameplay is repetitive and unlike the older installations, which had freeze frame rate mechanics to play with.”
- “The gameplay is incredibly nostalgic (a lot of returning enemies, most of who have the same attack patterns!) and the art is gorgeous. However, the gameplay lacks depth: no running, no parry, no movesets, no characters' progressions; for a 2020 game, the gameplay is lacking a lot of common features that would have been fun.”
graphics
1,108 mentions
53 % positive mentions
45 % neutral mentions
2 % negative mentions
The graphics of "Streets of Rage 4" have received widespread acclaim for their stunning hand-drawn art style, which blends modern aesthetics with nostalgic elements from the original series. Reviewers praise the vibrant colors, fluid animations, and detailed environments that enhance the overall gameplay experience, while some express a preference for the classic pixel art style. Overall, the visuals are considered a significant upgrade, successfully capturing the spirit of the franchise while appealing to both new and returning players.
- “Visually, Streets of Rage 4 is a stunning tribute to the classic games, with beautifully hand-drawn graphics and vibrant, detailed environments.”
- “The hand-drawn art style is a feast for the eyes, bursting with vibrant colors and dynamic animations that breathe life into every corner of the screen.”
- “The graphics are absolutely stunning, 2D, but with a hand-drawn meets flash look that I never get tired of looking at.”
- “The graphics are hideous, combat feels very clunky, dated and the story is forgettable at best.”
- “The artwork is badly done for Streets of Rage and looks more like a cheap mobile game.”
- “The graphics are seriously underwhelming and for this reason alone it cannot be called the spiritual successor to Streets of Rage 2 and 3.”
story
531 mentions
15 % positive mentions
80 % neutral mentions
5 % negative mentions
The story in "Streets of Rage 4" is generally viewed as simple and somewhat shallow, serving primarily as a backdrop for the gameplay rather than a focal point. Many players completed the story mode in about 2-4 hours, expressing disappointment in its brevity and lack of depth, while acknowledging that the nostalgic elements and character callbacks provide some enjoyment. Overall, while the narrative is not a strong selling point, it effectively connects the various gameplay modes and offers a fun, albeit predictable, experience typical of the beat 'em up genre.
- “It's a blast and I love how they kept old characters, moves, and storylines; it brings back fond memories while creating new ones.”
- “The story cutscenes are rather simple but are well drawn, music is just right, and the amount of characters brings up nostalgia and variety.”
- “The story is as over the top as anyone could hope for and a ton of fun.”
- “However, the story is very, very short considering the price tag.”
- “The story mode is quite short, so value will come from replays and co-op.”
- “The story is not the game's focus.”
replayability
347 mentions
38 % positive mentions
59 % neutral mentions
3 % negative mentions
The game boasts high replayability, driven by a variety of unlockable characters, multiple game modes, and difficulty settings that encourage players to revisit the experience. The addition of DLC, particularly the "Mr. X Nightmare" expansion, significantly enhances replay value with new characters and a survival mode. While the main campaign is relatively short, the depth of gameplay and co-op options ensure that players can enjoy numerous playthroughs.
- “Endlessly replayable and infinitely enjoyable.”
- “With updates that keep things fresh, a DLC that adds even more replayability with its rogue-like survival mode, and the ability to play with versions of characters from past games, Streets of Rage 4 is the definitive modern beat-em-up experience.”
- “The addition of unlockable characters, different game modes, local and online co-op and versus modes really adds to the replayability.”
- “The game ends after playing 3.5 hours, therefore I'm not satisfied enough, but a replayable game in my opinion.”
- “The only real thing that could be considered a flaw is that once you've cleared story mode, there's not much left to do, but the DLC survival mode adds a decent amount of replayability.”
- “It's short yet replayable.”
character development
39 mentions
49 % positive mentions
44 % neutral mentions
8 % negative mentions
Character development in the game is highlighted by its stunning art style and fluid animations, which blend nostalgic elements with modern aesthetics, resulting in visually appealing character designs. While many players appreciate the vibrant and unique character designs, some express mixed feelings about certain redesigns and the overall direction, noting a few characters feel out of place. Overall, the character designs contribute significantly to the game's charm and enjoyment, enhancing the overall experience despite some criticisms.
- “The character design is amazing, complete with fully hand-drawn and animated sprites that move with fluid motions.”
- “Character design for both player and enemies is fantastic, the areas that you get to explore feel lived in and are all distinct and awesome.”
- “The character designs are fantastic and are a great blend of the 80s/90s aesthetic of the older games with a bit of a more modern twist.”
- “I'm also not a fan of the new enemy character designs and some of the old character redesigns; seeing old enemies such as Abadede, Jack, and old bikers drawn in Streets of Rage 4 style in the gallery just makes me wish we got them instead of the stupid thick bikers, generic cops, karate guys, and those annoying punk girls throwing junk at you.”
- “Hated the art style and character design from the get-go; however, I wasn't going to judge the game without a playthrough and multiple plays.”
- “The art style is a weird change for the series and some character designs are odd.”
grinding
37 mentions
3 % positive mentions
5 % neutral mentions
92 % negative mentions
Overall, players find the grinding aspect of the game to be excessively tedious and repetitive, often requiring significant time investment to unlock characters and complete achievements. Many reviews highlight the frustration of facing cheap enemies and lengthy battles, which detracts from the overall enjoyment. While some appreciate the variety in character unlocks, the grind is seen as a major drawback, especially for newcomers to the series.
- “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
- “Unfortunately, as is, it's way more tedious and annoying than entertaining.”
- “There is only so much you can do before it becomes tedious and repetitive.”
- “This system turns most of the game into a tedious war of attrition.”
humor
33 mentions
100 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is a mix of nostalgic references, quirky character designs, and amusing gameplay mechanics, such as friendly fire and unexpected easter eggs. Players appreciate the blend of retro charm with modern humor, including satirical nods to contemporary issues and the comedic interactions between characters. Overall, the game successfully delivers a lighthearted experience that enhances its cooperative gameplay.
- “Sor4 reaches its pop-art zenith with the hilarious gallery stage, featuring bipartisan potshots – you simultaneously thrash on corrupt cops and antifa pink-hat wannabes – and post-modern art installations that outclass their real-world counterparts.”
- “Funny and hardcore, amazing!”
- “Found it hilarious that Adam still has his iconic shout from Sor 1 when he does a fly-kick.”
optimization
30 mentions
30 % positive mentions
60 % neutral mentions
10 % negative mentions
Overall, the game's optimization is generally praised, with smooth performance on various hardware, including older systems and the Steam Deck. However, some users report issues such as performance degradation in survival mode after a specific update, input lag in online co-op, and frame rate drops when certain graphical settings are enabled. While many find the game stable and well-optimized, there are notable concerns regarding co-op performance that could impact the experience.
- “The game runs smoothly, even on older hardware, and I haven't noticed any bugs.”
- “Great performance on Steam Deck in desktop mode with a wired controller.”
- “Comparing this game's resource management to other games like Broforce, this game is very optimized!”
- “I had noticeable input lag if I wasn't the host, and there was frame stuttering most of the time too.”
- “It has optimization issues; if you turn on the shadow setting in the game, the frame rate starts tanking.”
- “But the game's best feature - co-op - is crippled by terrible, stuttery performance despite the FPS counter reading 60 constantly.”
stability
25 mentions
32 % positive mentions
4 % neutral mentions
64 % negative mentions
The game's stability is mixed, with many users reporting smooth performance on various platforms like Raspberry Pi 5 and Steam Deck, but significant issues arise during video scenes and long play sessions, leading to crashes and freezes. While some players experience no major bugs, others encounter frustrating glitches, particularly with AI behavior and high scores, which detract from the overall experience. Overall, while the game shows potential, its stability issues make it challenging for some players to enjoy fully.
- “Runs great on Raspberry Pi 5.”
- “Runs great on Steam Deck.”
- “I am happy that this game runs great on my platform of choice, Linux.”
- “Presently there are some crashing issues where the game freezes and closes, but plenty of games do that.”
- “Whenever you play the game in long sessions, you'll run into an issue that freezes your game and closes the game entirely.”
- “I didn't even get to play it, it either crashes, won't launch, or freezes my computer because I'm trying to play with a controller.”
monetization
22 mentions
14 % positive mentions
14 % neutral mentions
73 % negative mentions
The monetization aspect of the game has received mixed reviews, with many players appreciating the absence of microtransactions and the presence of unlockable content through gameplay. While some reviewers initially expected a cash grab, they were pleasantly surprised by the game's quality and depth, contrasting it with other nostalgia-driven titles that fail to deliver. However, a few critics still labeled it as a cash grab, expressing disappointment in its perceived lack of substance despite the initial positive impressions.
- “No microtransactions, awesome gameplay, easy to learn, hard to master mechanics, weekly random-sims that put up a local-to-your-area scoreboard, and much more!”
- “No additional greedy monetization at launch, actual unlockable extras for playtime and hidden bits here and there.”
- “Also, there are unlockable characters as well (not DLC, or locked away with microtransactions... proper unlockable characters!).”
- “If this game were $5 or even $10, this would be a positive review, but it just kinda feels like a really shallow game going for a cash grab, feeding on people's nostalgia.”
- “This game is cash grab garbage... even at the price of free, it's garbage.”
- “Just sad, thanks, now my last memory of this great game series is a bitter taste of another empty nostalgia cash grab.”
atmosphere
21 mentions
33 % positive mentions
52 % neutral mentions
14 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of the game is widely praised for its immersive blend of gritty urban landscapes, nostalgic 80s vibes, and a captivating soundtrack that enhances the overall experience. Players appreciate the attention to detail in graphics and music, which evoke a sense of nostalgia while also feeling fresh and engaging. Despite some critiques regarding stage length, the overall ambiance and thematic consistency contribute significantly to the game's appeal, making it a standout in its genre.
- “From neon-lit city streets to seedy back alleys, the graphics capture the gritty atmosphere of the urban landscape, immersing players in a world that feels both nostalgic and fresh.”
- “The soundtrack is absolutely breathtaking and love the tracks from not only Koshiro-san, but everyone else involved as it captures the essence and atmosphere of the series.”
- “The atmosphere is essentially perfect, although voice acting in the cutscenes would've been a plus.”
- “Didn't know about or play the sequels until years later (personal opinion: I sort of understand why 2 gets so much praise, the original tops it in atmosphere alone).”
- “If the music won't get you, the sheer atmosphere will.”
- “This is a mixture of the 1990s and some kind of dystopian future punk in terms of atmosphere (alas, the sort of thing that vaporware title Paprium could only dream about giving us).”
emotional
10 mentions
100 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
The emotional aspect of "Streets of Rage 4" resonates deeply with players, evoking nostalgia through its design, gameplay, and soundtrack, which pay homage to classic beat 'em ups of the 90s. Many reviewers express that the game successfully transports them back to their childhood, creating a heartfelt connection despite some gameplay criticisms. Overall, it is celebrated as a love letter to the franchise that balances nostalgia with modern advancements, making it a must-play for fans of the genre.
- “The design, the gameplay, the soundtrack, all of it comes together to deliver a heartfelt homage to everything this franchise has strived to be.”
- “This game made me feel like I was ten years old again.”
- “Not only is this a heartfelt throwback to the golden years of couch co-op, but it’s also an extremely well-balanced and impeccably crafted romp through a city in need of saving.”