chaobreaker
Member
Last week, I picked up the Sega 3D classics port of Streets of Rage 2 on the 3DS. I have played multiple version of this game but this is a particularity well done port. Kudos to M2 for finding a way to make the 3D work on the diagonally scrolling bits of the game. They already go above and beyond with these Sega ports, but the new relay mode they included was a much appreciated addition to the game. Unfortunately, multiplayer requires a second 3DS and a second copy of the game but whatever. They also made this amazing credits sequence that everyone here needs to watch right now.
Honestly, I just want an excuse to gush about how much I love Streets of Rage 2. This is pretty much one of the greatestarguably the best beat 'em ups out there. It's just a such an overall near-perfect gaming experience. It looks beautiful, plays great, and good lord that soundtrack. It's just such a huge step up from the first Streets of Rage it's nidicolous. One of the most improved sequels in gaming history.
To this day I still can't fathom how the whole game can run on Genesis hardware. I will talk shit about the worst Genesis music any day but Yuzo Koshiro is a mastermind that somehow made tracks like Go Straight, Never Return Alive, Spin On the Bridge, Dreamer, Alien Power, and Expander come out of that system's soundchip. Arguably one of the greatest game soundtracks of all time. I know most of the tracks are heavily inspired by some 80s and early 90s club hits, but it doesn't take away from the master levels of musical skill it's required to compose these godly tracks on Genesis hardware IMO.
The game also looks really good as well. The huge sprites and the super detailed and colourful background are some of the most beautiful graphics that came from a 16-bit console. I can't really explain this well but Streets of Rage 2 is a product of its time and it shows. From it's design of all the characters to the different locales you go through the game does this really good job of evoking this fever dream inspired late 80s/early 90s urban aesthetics. Special recognition for that fucked up H.R. Giger inspired horror house bit on level 3.
All this and it's packaged with solid beat 'em up gameplay. All four characters have a varied moveset, but then you throw in the special dash attacks, both types of crowd clearing attacks, the unique jumping attacks, all the varied ways you can pummel or throw grabbed enemies, and you get this super deep combat system. It's just a vastly unique experience playing as the heavy grappler Max Thunder vs. playing as the fragile speedster Skate. All the different enemy types and bosses also have unique properties to their AI and attacks that it makes nearly every gauntlet the game throws at you unique challenges, like how the Signal types try to get behind you for throws or how the Ninja types use unique moves based on what kind of weapons it has equipped. Some of the harder difficulty levels demand a rather deep understanding on manipulating the AI of the waves of enemies, mastery of the large moveset each character has, and efficient use of your life sacrificing combo moves.
My only gripes of the game are its lack of stage gimmicks and how slow the playable characters move. Streets of Rage 3 fixed both of these issues but it's also a muddy mess of a sequel. That's all I have to say about that game.
Sometimes it feels like everything is falling into place for a Streets of Rage sequel. Beat 'em ups are making a comeback through small indie studios and Sega acknowledges the existence of the series by including Axel as a playable character in Project X Zone 2. Maybe one day we'll see one, but for now I'm hoping Sega realizes that there's still love for the series out there. This is partly why I got both SoR 1 and 2 on my 3DS.
TL;DR I fucking love Streets of Rage 2 and this 3DS remaster. Do you love this game as well, GAF?
BONUS: Because the American box art for the game is always displayed on the bottom screen during gameplay, I just realized that the big bald guy on the left is supposed to be Max. WTF?
And while I'm bringing up box art: Gotta love the Japanese box art with Jean-Claude Van Damme as Axel and a coked out Arnold Schwarzenegger-looking Mr. X on the background.
What it's not good for is score attack, which is another reason why Axel's uppercut is a bit unbalanced as it scores plenty of points over basic attacks and there's no reason not to use it. Maybe the specials were thought to be a bit harder to pull off for a pre-SFII crowd of kids?
