The first Streets of Rage game in over 26 years modernizes a stale genre for a new generation.

Streets of Rage 4 is a retro-inspired side-scrolling beat 'em up that pays tribute to a very distinct era in video game history. It's been over 26 years since the release of Streets of Rage 3, and when it comes to the principles of game design, a lot has changed. The teams at Guard Crush, DotEmu, and Lizardcube set out to create a proper sequel that maintains the core ideas of Streets of Rage while simultaneously modernizing gameplay, artistic direction, and progression. After spending a significant amount of time brawling my way through the rough and tumble streets of Wood Oak City, I can confidently say the development teams succeeded in this mission.

Where did all the beat 'em ups go?