Streets of Rage 4 review round-up: Critics praise ‘labour of love’

Streets of Rage 4 review round-up

• USgamer (4/5) – “Streets of Rage 4 is a small, concentrated hit of beat ’em up excellence… If beat ’em up games are seeing a revival, Streets of Rage 4 is leading the charge.”
• Nintendo Life (9/10) – “Streets of Rage 4 is the very best the series has ever been. Its hand-drawn graphics breathe new life into Wood Oak City and its inhabitants, the soundtrack is outstanding and the combat feels better than ever.”
• Push Square (7/10) – “We’ve ended up with a beautiful beat-’em-up that’s perhaps a little too loyal to the original games, but is ultimately a blast to play, especially with others.”
• Eurogamer (Essential) – “This is more than a mere revival of a once-loved series. Streets of Rage 4 is quite simply the best of the bunch.”
• VG247 (5/5) – “Lizardcube, Guard Crush and Dotemu have done such meticulous work it almost feels like the beat ’em up is relevant again. As if the genre never died. It’s a triumph that feels arcade perfect in an era where all the arcades have long since been bulldozed.”
• DualShockers (7/10) – “The few changes it makes do set it apart, but questionable choices with the game’s story and some gameplay mechanics left me feeling mixed.”
• ShackNews (9/10) – “Was it worth the wait after all this time? 1000 times over, yes. Streets of Rage 4 is a fantastic amalgam of visuals, sound, and function in a genre that doesn’t get near as much love as it used to see.”
• Destructoid (9/10) – “SoR 4 delivers fistfuls of knock-down, drag-out action for fans old and new, all at a modest price. It’s been a long wait for the Streets of Rage faithful, but comebacks rarely get much better than this.”
• IGN (7/10) – “Streets of Rage 4 delivers a fun, traditional experience but prioritises nostalgia over any kind of modern reinvention.”
• Game Informer (7/10) – “Streets of Rage 4’s simple approach to combat and content is enjoyable in short bursts, but it doesn’t have the hooks to keep you coming back. This beat ‘em up feels like an homage to the ‘90s, but it’s also stuck in that era. ”
• Metro (8/10) – “An excellent return to form for gaming’s favourite beat ‘em-up franchise and while it doesn’t represent much evolution from the original games it’s still just as much fun as ever.”
• Tired Old Hack (no score) – “Both on paper and in practice, Streets of Rage 4 is the best game in the series.”
• Wccftech (9/10) – “The game’s dazzling visuals, silky-smooth action, varied level design, and sexy sense of cool more than make up for a few minor old-school irritations.”
• TheSixthAxis (9/10) – “The fighting is great, the visuals are great, and the soundtrack is great. Lizardcube and Guard Crush have managed to capture the essence of those classic games and upgrade it for the modern age.”
• Polygon (Recommends) – “Streets of Rage 4 is everything I could have wanted from a true Streets of Rage sequel. I’m satiated.”
• Xbox Achievements (90/100) – “The very definition of a labour of love, Streets of Rage 4 succeeds in being a stunning revival for a long dormant series that we never thought we’d see again.”