A Retro Review – Streets Of Rage

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presents a 


by

	(Sega Genesis)
	(Beat em’ up)
	(Single/Multiplayer)
	(Coolness guaranteed)
	(Great game)
	Arcade-like gameplay Excellent and appropriate musical score Level of ‘tude is nearly off the charts
	Boring enemy patterns Colors are a little dull at times Ear-raking death screams
	Carving out its own bare knuckle-shaped niche within the beat em’ up genre, Streets Of Rage complimented the Sega Genesis as well as any other franchise on the system executing its side-scrolling fisticuffs assembly-line to a brutally refined magnificence

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Story

There was once a time when the city enjoyed “streets of happy” however all of that changed when Mr. X and his criminal syndicate took over everything by force and draped the roads in RAGE! With complete control over the local government and police force, the violent organization ruled with an iron fist and ran amok with all the freedom in the world to spread as much malice as it wanted. All hope seemed lost of ever restoring the city back to its previous state until three young police officers- Adam Hunter, Axel Stone and Blaze Fielding threw away their badges and vowed to put their lives on the line to punch and kick their way back to the more pleasant streets of yesteryear!

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Overview

Streets of Rage is a 1 or 2 player simultaneous side-scrolling beat em’ up where you take control of one of the heroes of the game- Adam, Axel or Blaze and fight your way through hordes of random thugs and unique bosses across 8 stages en route to the final encounter with the leader of the crime syndicate, Mr. X. Each of the 3 playable characters has different attributes and their main attacks include punches, kicks and throws though they can also use different weapons found throughout the game (such as pipes, knives, bats and more) as well as a special bonus move that deals damage to all adversaries on the screen. Additional items that can be collected include apples & roasts which restore health, money & gold bars which give you points and police car icons which grant you an additional bonus attack. 

The levels consist of varying “waves” of enemies randomly accosting the player(s) as they walk from the starting point to the end where a boss awaits to challenge you before proceeding. As you progress, these end-stage opponents gain in difficulty and defeated ones will return for revenge to try and take you down at different points throughout your journey. There are 3 unique difficulty settings that can be changed at the on-set of the game which increases adaptability to both new and experienced players. Utilize the strengths of the 3 heroes and battle your way through Mr. X’s entire criminal organization to complete the game.

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Cast

Axel Stone (main protagonist) Bad ass karate cop looking to clean up the streets with his fists

Blaze Fielding (main protagonist) Stylish ninja detective… prefers high kicks over handcuffs

Adam Hunter (main protagonist) Powerhouse policeman ready to box with anyone in Mr. X’s syndicate

The Police (protagonist support) Calling for backup brings you a squad car with a bazooka just like in Harlem

Antonio (antagonist support) Master of the boomerang with stubby little legs

Souther (antagonist support) With claw gloves on both hands, his attacks are fierce but don’t ask him to fold your laundry

Abadede (antagonist support) If steroids were a crime, this guy would be Al Capone

Bongo (antagonist support) He could be an enemy or he could just be a poor guy who ate a ghost pepper on a dare and is trying to cool his mouth off

Mona & Lisa (antagonist support) Twin ninja girls who bear a striking resemblance to Blaze… yes please

Mr. X (main antagonist) Machine gun-toting crime boss… collector of X-Men comics

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Restoring Happiness Back To The Streets, One Thug At A Time (XL section)

“I want the ‘TUDE !” “You can’t handle the ‘TUDE !” “Seriously though… do you want to play some Streets of Rage ?” During the ‘tude era, the beat em’ up genre was INSANELY popular! Whether killing time in the movie theater arcade waiting for your showtime or playing with your friends on home consoles, beat em’ ups provided both a quick and satisfying experience that most people could grasp within seconds of playing. Tons of great brawler franchises enjoyed success across a multitude of platforms as well and there’s no doubt that it’s somewhat hard to mess up this ready-made formula for gaming pleasure but be-that-as-it-may there’s just something special about the console-exclusive and ‘tude-filled Streets of Rage. “Now we’re playing with ‘tude baby !”

For starters, the title itself sounds cool as HELL! Check your training wheels at the door kiddies- this is STREETS OF RAGE! That’s right… ROADS OF ANGER so you better be prepared for aggro and a fight with every step you take down these desolate walkways of ‘tudey goodness. 1 or 2 players (multiplayer co-op… ) choose from one of the 3 rockstar-sounding heroes – Adam Hunter , Axel Stone or Blaze Fielding and set off for a punch and kick adventure across 8 stages to battle back the oppressing criminal element that has plagued the city led by the vile (and lazily named) Mr. X .

Each character has different attributes ( i.e. Adam is strong but slow, Axel is average across-the-board and Blaze is fast but less powerful) and also a unique move-set with different combos. Finding the fighter that works best for you isn’t too big a deal since they all basically execute the same but they do feel different enough with their moves that it is fun to try them all out for varieties sake. While there is a background story to the game involving the 3 main characters basically trading in their police badges to bring some bare knuckle justice to the crime-ridden city, it really doesn’t matter at all as you take control of one of the proud-walking heroes and partake in the RAGE that has apparently engulfed the streets of your fair town. In other words, good guys use fists on bad guys… fin!  

As with any brawler your goal is to simply beat the hell out of every enemy you see on the screen at a given time and continue this process while walking down the road until you reach the boss at the end of the stage and beat the hell out of them too! The enemy rundown consists of denim-jacket wearing gingers , martial arts wannabes , M. Bison cosplayers and more all led by a final baddie at the end of each stage (except the elevator level) such as this Johnny Rotten reject , Karnov’s brother and… the Ultimate Warrior (“MORE LIKE STREETS OF DESTRUCITY BROTHER ARRRGGGGHHHHHHH !!!!!!!!!”). Defeated bosses return in later stages for revenge to try and take you down again which is kind of funny to me as if they went home and tried to strategize a plan, changed clothes and nursed their injuries back to health just to run back into the ragin’ streets for more punishment! It works though since these dopes are very redundant in their attacks and they seem more like regular enemies anyways however this monotony lessens the quality of their introductory battle which lowers the excitement for these encounters overall.

Punching is your main offensive attack on these fight-filled avenues so no matter what character your controlling be prepared to greet all opposition you see with your fists! Landing the first blow on an adversary will stun them and repeating the process will initiate your character’s combo which does more damage and brings additional ass-kicking variety. Jumping attacks can also be performed and they are quite useful for engaging large packs of enemies as well as some of the tougher bosses. In addition to your normal melee maneuvers, there’s also a special bonus move in which you call in your cop buddies for a howitzer-like blast that deals damage to all the enemies on-screen (are these bazooka’s standard police-issue?) as well as a plethora of other weapons that can be unleashed on your foes like baseball bats, knives, beer bottles and pipes. Grappling and throwing thugs presents further effective street cleaning options (so satisfying) and playing with a second player reveals a grab and kick formation for even more boot-to-face action (performed by grabbing your teammate similarly to how you would an enemy)!

While the 3 heroes are strapped up with a fairly deep move-set, most of the enemies are sparse in their attacks and usually only have one or two moves that they rely on which does tend to get stale but what would you reasonably expect from a title in the straight-forward “walk and punch” genre I suppose? The level design doesn’t deviate much in terms of gameplay but it does have appropriately seedy backdrops that add to the overall ‘tude pool and fit the games title. As with most beat em’ ups, the best experience in Streets of Rage is had when playing with friends but it’s still plenty of fun going solo as well bashing your way through the gauntlet of mohawked ruffians that infect your roadways. 

One of my favorite features is when you get a chance to “fall to the dark side” and are presented with a choice by Mr. X to join his organization just before the final fight. While the decision is irrelevant in single-player (your sent back to stage 6 if you accept his offer), things become much more interesting in multiplayer as the possibility for a fight to the death between players becomes a reality if one accepts Mr. X’s offer while the other rejects it . There’s even a chance for a “bad guy” ending if the hero that chose to accept wins the battle between players and then takes down Mr. X by themselves afterwards… AWESOME!

Overall, what’s not to like about the gameplay especially when expectations are tempered accordingly to the genre’s typical redundancy? It’s a fun and addictive arcade-like brawler that is both simple to grasp and satisfying in its challenge with more replay value then most other games like it. While the concept of Streets of Rage is nothing new and these types of beat em’ up games can certainly become monotonous at times, the execution is so good that it will keep you bashing heads all the way to the end no matter if your hoofin’ it alone or with a buddy. Though many titles in this category are plagued with boredom issues after only a few minutes of gametime, Streets of Rage maintains a high-end fun factor throughout… a true testament to its greatness!

The controls perform excellently in Streets of Rage and respond admirably to all of your commands quite well. Hit detection is also a major thumbs up and you’ll be hard pressed to find any beat em’ up that feels any better when smacking a hoodlum with a punch square to the jaw! It is worth mentioning that I’m not a fan of how easy it is to grab each others characters in 2-player mode as most of the time your not trying to do this and it leaves you vulnerable to opponents attacks. No matter though, it’s a worthwhile nuisance since multiplayer is the preferred way to go. Translation – give each other some space and you should be fine.

The music is legendary and resonates these ragin’ streets with super deep bass beats and edgy harmonics that are very hard to get out of your head after playing. Streets of Rage just simply wouldn’t be the same without this great soundtrack paired with it as it’s instantly head-boppin’ and never lets up throughout fisticuff affair! Most of the sound effects are fine but the less said about the awful “death screams” heard from dispatched foes, the BETTER (especially the eardrum gouging female scream). I swear these screeching yelps are just as hard to get out of my head as the music is but they are pretty funny so at least they serve as unintentional humor if nothing else.

The graphical design is good (love those backgrounds… A LOT) and all of the sprites are distinctive but some of the colors are a little drab. There are times when the bland hues drape the entirety of the stage that your in creating a sense of eye-dullness which downgrades the visuals a smidge. Overall though they look fine and do what they’re supposed to do but they’re not especially memorable… UNLIKE ME !? 

Do we even need to question the ‘tude level of Streets of Rage? I mean, its got a kick-ass cops gone rogue premise, rotten scoundrels who want to kick the crap out of you, broken bottles being used as weapons, you name it! How about allies who clear your path with giant bazookas or the dark and gritty setting that make you glad your inside your safe and cozy home? … moving on.

There’s no denying the staying power and overall quality of the great Streets of Rage. Much like a knee to the face, this game is simple, effective and full of ‘tude showcasing the highest achievable quality a home-console beat em’ up can reach! Whatever it does lack in it more than makes up for with its edgy polish and design while flanking the Genesis in its library like a member of the nWo proudly showing off for its console as a center-piece title. No doubt Sega hit a home run here and there’s simply no questioning this dash and bash journey down the old angry roads. Only one thing left to do now… !!!

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Critical Analysis

4/5 The most difficult hurdle for beat em’ ups in terms of gameplay has always been monotony as your pretty much doing the exact same thing from start to finish but Streets of Rage does a way-above-average job at keeping you engaged throughout your power-walk through the cities crime sector. While I do wish that the enemies had a deeper move-set so that you saw more variety from them, they provide a worthy challenge as they swarm you through your trek from one side of the screen to the other and the satisfaction of taking each one down just never gets old. Certainly gotta give extra points for the opportunity to join Mr. X’s organization right before you fight him which added replay value as well as a chance at an alternate ending.

5/5 Nothing to complain about here as the controls feel good and respond the way they should in all facets. While it may seem like quite the task to mess up a game with a control scheme that mainly consists of jump and destroy, Streets of Rage actually feels pretty good when moving around your characters and performing various attacks. The hit detection is some of my favorite of any beat em’ up and making contact with your fists feels appropriately stiff in the right way.

5/5 The music of Streets of Rage absolutely rules and envelopes the game in a testosterone-filled leather jacket of awesomeness with its hard-hitting and catchy themes. The sound effects are fun as well (I really love that broken bottle sound) though the yelps from defeated enemies sound dated and you hear them WAY too often. Regardless, it’s very minor and you’ll be spending too much time enjoying all of the satisfying smacks and thuds from beating the crap out of your opponents while bopping your head to a super-cool and catchy soundtrack anyways so no worries.

4/5 With distinctive sprites, nice animations and detail-rich backgrounds, the graphics in Streets of Rage look really good and give the game another coat of aesthetic polish to add to the overall pile. The main critiques I have are the “graininess” that sort of muddles up many of the sprites and foregrounds as well as some of the strange color choices such as the overabundance of yellows at times. Still though, taking into account the game’s release date (1991) the visuals look really good and give it an appropriate 80’s action-movie look that fits nicely with the premise and gameplay.

Dude… I think the ‘Tude Meter is in love! Streets of Rage is a bar-setter in the ‘tude department with its super-rad criminal bashing concept, dark and gritty settings, use of crude weaponry, etc. and sits at the top of the food chain in an exclusive club as being one of the coolest and best representations of the ‘tude era bar none. At the beginning of this review, I mentioned that there was just “something” about this game that makes it stand out and in all truth it REALLY is the red line maximum ‘tude as no other beat em’ up series has ever felt as edgy and badass as this one coupling perfectly as a console-exclusive to the equally rebellious Sega Genesis.

Great game Man do I love me some Streets of Rage! It’s quite literally one of the coolest game franchises EVER anchored down by this fantastic original which deserves a playthrough from anyone that calls themselves a gamer. It’s simple to learn and consistent in design so its accessibility is top-notch for beginners while also providing an intriguing challenge for veterans on harder difficulties showcasing a broad appeal to all types of virtual maestros. While most of the greatest innovative brawler experiences were being had in the arcades during Streets Of Rage release, it was pretty righteous to see Sega buck that tradition and release this “killer app” exclusive that represented the Genesis library like a 300 lbs. bouncer ready to throw down! Further, the amazing score by Yuzo Koshiro, tight controls, co-op support and the appropriately gritty graphics accompany your journey down these streets like a black belt and a license to kill enhancing the experience past many glass-jawed pretenders!  Without a doubt, the #1 complaint I have is the terribly redundant banshee-wails that pollute your ears as your dispatching Mr. X’s army of misfits sounding cheap and out-of-place when associated with all the other high-quality components of the title. Besides that, any other downfalls (like one-note enemy a.i. and issues unintentionally grabbing your co-op partner during crucial moments) fall under a much-larger umbrella that shades itself over the entire genre in the macro making it far less applicable to critical analysis in the micro unless it’s just blatantly unavoidable which isn’t the case here. No, like most beat em’ ups, it’s the job of the developers to design a superficial environment so flashy that players overlook these issues long enough to continue their way through to the end and there’s no doubt that these streets pull that off as well as anything you’ll come across in this category… without EVER having to insert 1 single quarter! Now that’s value! So don’t wait any longer – strap up with your high-tops, fingerless-gloves and ninja headbands and join me on the Streets Of Rage for one of the most ‘tude-filled, face-punching donnybrooks you’ll ever see.

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“So much trash on the shores in stage 3 it’s making me mad… BEACHES OF RAGE!!!“

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