Indie Games News/Previews #12

Streets of Rage 4 by Liazrdcube / DotEmu (2018/19?) - PC

Blaze vs three enemies, all instantly recognisable...

So there I was, jetting off on my latest holiday (and the first one for a while), enduring hours of road travel, an uncomfortable long-haul flight, etc, before finally arriving in my hotel room, and upon logging onto the wifi here, what was the very first thing I saw? Yes that's right, it was an announcement for Streets of Rage 4! It's almost as if the Good Lord Almighty had taken pity on me for enduring the rigours of intercontinental travel by rewarding me with this super-skillish, though totally unexpected news! Unless of course it was all a cruel ruse, perhaps orchestrated by his opposite number, but that seemed unlikely given the screenshots and reveal trailer released by the splendid Lizardcube/DotEmu.

Blaze's tits seem to get bigger with every instalment...

The trailer consists of a cartoony intro featuring only two characters from previous games - Axel and Blaze - before showing a snippet of in-game action where a new cel-shaded graphical style is revealed. This has apparently proven rather controversial with the demanding retro community which is ironic considering how many years most of them have been crying out for this exact game. Personally, I think it looks pretty great so far. Locations and enemies are clearly modernised versions of those we know (or in a similar vein) and the action is at least more of the same classic brawling action we know and love so well, although we are also promised enhancements in the form of 'brand new mechanics' too.

Could this be a much flashier Grand Upper?

I will admit there are still question marks though. The electric guitars that accompany the trailer are a far cry from the still-celebrated electronic choons of the original series and, while Axel and Blaze are my two favourite characters, it will be a bit disappointing if they're the only two available. The combo of Lizardcube (developer) and DotEmu (publisher) certainly didn't let us down with the wonderful Wonder Boy: The Dragon's Trap though. You might say the Streets of Rage name is arguably even more precious than that of Wonder Boy, but unlike those who have already dismissed the game simply due to the change in graphical style, I'll definitely be watching this project with much interest.

To find out more about this wonderful project as well as keep apprised of any developments, check out the official page here.