Retro Replay Review

Gameplay

Streets of Rage 4 hits fast because it knows not to overcomplicate the first punch. You move from left to right, meet a knot of enemies, and start making decisions about spacing, combos, grapples, throws, and whatever pipe, knife, or bottle is lying nearby. It has the immediate, sturdy rhythm a beat-’em-up needs, but it does not coast on nostalgia. Each fight asks you to manage a crowd rather than simply mash your way through it.

The smartest addition is the health-recovery risk around special attacks. A special can rescue you when enemies close in, yet you have to follow it with successful offense to reclaim the health spent. That makes aggressive play feel earned rather than reckless, and it gives a basic encounter more tension than the genre usually manages. Star Moves add another powerful escape valve, while catching a thrown weapon and sending it back creates a satisfying little flourish when the action gets messy.

Character choice matters. Axel, Blaze, Adam, Cherry, and Floyd bring distinct fighting styles and mobility, so you can settle into the rhythm that suits you instead of forcing yourself into one universal moveset. Co-op is where the game really starts to sing: up to four people can play locally, or two online, with shared pickups and combo opportunities pushing everyone to work together. Story mode offers five difficulty levels and restarts the stage after your lives run out, while Arcade’s limited pool of lives is there for anyone who wants a tougher full-campaign run. Boss Rush and Battle Mode round out a generous package without distracting from the main event.

Graphics

The hand-drawn HD artwork gives every stage a bold, comic-book punch. A neon rooftop crowded with construction machinery, a dangling wrecking ball, and bright city lights looks dramatically different from the wood-paneled biker bar packed with motorcycles, arcade cabinets, posters, and candles. These are busy backdrops, but the fighters remain easy to pick out amid the brawl.

Character animation has the snap this kind of game needs. Hits burst with bright impact flashes, tossed enemies fly across the scene with real force, and the exaggerated poses make even a simple throw look great. The colors are loud without turning the action into visual mush, which is no small achievement once several fighters are sharing the screen.

Story

This is a true continuation, set ten years after Streets of Rage 3 rather than a separate reboot wearing a familiar name. That gap matters because Axel Stone, Blaze Fielding, and Adam Hunter return as the core recognizable faces, giving longtime fans a direct line back to the original trilogy.

Cherry Hunter and Floyd Iraia keep the roster from feeling like a reunion tour. Their presence makes the fourth mainline entry feel like it is moving the series forward, and their different fighting styles are woven into that sense of a changed, expanded crew.

The campaign’s story is best taken as the thread carrying you through its twelve stages, not the reason to linger over every exchange. What sticks is the simple pleasure of seeing a long-dormant series continue with its established characters intact while giving you new teammates to learn and favor.

Overall Experience

Streets of Rage 4 earns its reputation by being more than a respectful remake of old habits. The fundamentals are familiar, but the recovery mechanic, Star Moves, weapon catches, and varied roster give the fighting enough texture that you will notice your own improvement. Early on, you may burn health too freely or get trapped by a crowd. Once you learn when to spend a special and when to press your advantage, the combat clicks beautifully.

It is especially easy to recommend if you have a regular co-op partner or a group that enjoys arguing over who took the health pickup. Local four-player play can turn a stage into cheerful chaos, while two-player online co-op gives the game a more focused option. Solo runs hold up too, since the character differences and difficulty range encourage experimenting.

There is plenty here for both a weekend playthrough and a longer-term score-chasing habit. Arcade mode provides a concentrated challenge, Boss Rush lets you test your fighting fundamentals, and retro characters and soundtracks are meaningful rewards for series fans. If you want a modern brawler that respects the old Streets of Rage feel without freezing it in 1994, this is an easy game to bring home.

Retro Replay Score

8.7/10