It's already on Stadia ahead of PC and consoles

If I were to see the name Young Souls without any accompanying media to back it up, I'd probably ?shuffle right past it, but the allure of a co-op beat-'em-up mixed with RPG equipment and stats is enticing �and these visuals, especially in motion,?? look great.

This game has been floating around for years (have you ever heard of it?), and it's out today as a timed exclusive on Stadia. I know, I know �th?at's not ?really why we're here.

//youtu.be/P-FwpyNvMkc

The real news, for the majority of us who would rather wait to play Young Souls on a PC or console with a longer shelf life, is that other platforms are a part of t?he plan. The N??intendo Switch, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and Steam versions are aiming for a fall 2021 release.

The premise: twin teens have entered a "parallel world" of g??oblins to find and save their foster dad, and there's a whole lot of pummeling ahead of them. When you aren't? brawling in dungeons, you'll be back in the city to hit the gym and fill out your wardrobe.

There's single-player support, but it's a beat-'em-up, after all ??�co-op is preferred.

To coincide with today's trailer, there's a PlayStation Blog article from 1P2P co-founder Jérôme Fait. This line about the bosses' tactics stood out: "we created a 'life system' for the bosses that allowed us to make each fight uniq?ue. Every time a 'life' is taken from a boss, its behavior evolves. This gives you the opportunity to enjoy increasingly satisfying gameplay runs; every time you defeat a boss, a new milestone is reached and you become even more engaged in measuring your progression from one run to the next."

I like what I've seen so far, and if the fast-paced fights are as fun to figure ou?t as they look, I've got ?some dungeons to crawl.

The post Young Souls, a goblin-pumm?eling brawler RPG with co-o??p, is out this fall appeared first on Destructoid.

Dibs on Marge and her bunny ears

[Update: Pre-orders are open for Arcade1Up's The Simpsons at retailers like GameStop, Target, and Best Buy. The four-player cabinet is ??$700 (!) and it'll ship in "late fall."]

Arcade1Up is opening pre-orders for The Simpsons on August 16, and you can set yourself up with notifications?, but how much will the cabinet cost? I guess we'll find out closer to that date �there isn't a price tag listed yet. That said, folks are fully expecting to need to cough up $600-$650, if not more, given the included riser, stool, and tin wall sign.

The 48" tall Arcade1Up Simpsons has "two games in one" �presumably The Simpsons Bowling, hence the trackball �as well as a 17" LCD screen and online co-op support. That's a good inclusion ?not just as an alternative opt?ion, but also considering how tight of a squeeze it's going to be with four bodies huddled around this scaled-down cabinet.

Based on the four-playe??r setup in this video, you're gonna want to be Player 2?? or 3.

//youtu.be/G__X7fLyzVQ

It continues to be a shame that we can't easily, readily, officially play The Simpsons on platforms like Nintendo Switch. After recently watching the RKG lads burn through Konami's 1991 beat-'em-up (among many lesser Simpsons games), I've had that itch.

I just wanna wail on evil, caped Smithers with a vacuum, you k?now?

As it stands, this game is a well-remembered classic that in-the-know fans can still rally around with emulation �or yes, an arcade cabinet �and that's fine, but it could be enjoyed by a much larger group if we didn't have to jump through these hoops. I personally missed the digital re-releases of The Simpsons on Xbox 36?0 and PlayStation 3,?? which have since been delisted. In 2021, that whole saga feels like ages ago.

But yeah, there's a lot to say about the current state of The Simpsons in video games (or the lack thereof), as well as the wider cabinet-collecting scene in general. The last time we touched on Arcade1Up's take on The Simpsons, before the delay, it was a real can-of-worms moment. I don't see that changing??! Understandably, arcade passion??s run high.

The post You can pre-order Arcade1Up’s The Simpsons cabinet on August 16 (Update) appeared first on Destructoid.

It's not like you'll be playing any other DC games this year

There has been a big, Riddler-sized question mark over the head of DC Super Hero Girls: Teen Power since it was first announced back in February. And I get that. This industry has a long history of subjecting gamers to middling or downright awful licensed games that rely on the appeal of the tv show, movie, or comic they're adapting to overcome a lack of time and resources granted to developers. Couple that with a $60 price tag, and it's no w??o?nder so many people are apprehensive about picking this up.

The good news is, DC Super Hero Girls: Teen Power excels in a num?ber of ways that make it more than your average licensed title. The bad news is, it also fails in a number o??f ways that will remind you of the most mediocre licensed games of the '90s and early 2000s.

DC Super Hero Girls: Teen Power (Switch)
Developer: ToyBox Inc., appci corporation
Publisher: Nintendo
Released: June 4, 2021
MSRP: $59.99

DC Super Hero Girls: Teen Power is a relatively simple sandbox brawler. Taking control of three heroes and th??ree villains from the popular animated series, you'll work to stop Toyman as he unleashes the most dangerous dolls and teddy bears to hit the market since B.Z. Toys went out of business. Throughout the 10-to-12 hour adventure, you'll team up with friend and foe alike, smacking down the same couple of enemies with the same one-button combo.

As a brawler, it's rather shallow. Each of the six playable characters has one melee combo and two special attacks of varying power. For instance, Batgirl can throw Batarangs and unleash Bat-Rockets while Catwoman can whip out her...whip and go on a mad slashing fit with her claws. Two characters ca?n fly (Supergirl and Star Sapphire), while the other four can unlock abilities that can aid in their traversal.

For most missions, you'll pick your lead character and two AI-controlled partners to back you up. It's quite repetitive fighting the same few criminals and toy enemies again and again, and only a couple of the boss battles make the most out of the combat system. There is a dodge function that is vital to getting high scores for each encounter, but DC Super Hero Girls i?s surprisingly demanding in this regard. You have to have exact timing to get the coveted "Just" dodge and it can be difficult to gauge when a lot of off-screen projectiles are headed your way.

Not helping the fact is the camera, which is just awful, and some of the worst AI I've seen on the Switch. We're talking enemies-running-straight-into-a-corner bad, and it affects bosses in addition to common grunts. I also experienced issues where flying enemies would hover way out of reach for my characters for long stretches of time or fly out over the bay where I couldn't hit them without falling into the water. This ceases to?? be an issue ??when you unlock Star Sapphire, as her standard melee attack is a projectile with ridiculous range. She legitimately wrecks whatever little difficulty there is here.

To its credit, ToyBox did create six distinct playable characters. Nobody here feels like a carbon copy, and there is a level of depth to be found in learning the intricacies of how each character moves and attacks. I can appreciate the fact the dev?eloper went that ?extra step. Of course, I threw all that knowledge out the window once I unlocked Star Sapphire, but up to that point, I had a bit of fun familiarizing myself with these heroes and villains.

Except for Harley Quinn, whose bounc??y nature makes her more of a liability than an asset.

Outside of combat, you're free to roam the three small sandboxes �Old Town, Metropolis High School, and Hob's Bay �accepting requests from residents and completing side missions.  These missions are pretty well split between more fighting and general good deeds, like retrieving balloons for a kid or helping a budding restauranteur discover what foodies are looking for in a good meal. It's not riveting or anything, but it is a nice break from the battles. When exploring these areas, you're not in costume, so you can't just fly, jump, or zip to wherever you want. Because some side missions requir??e you to scope o??ut rooftops, you'll need to figure out how to reach those areas when you're in your common clothes.

Completing missions will net you skill points you can use to strengthen each character and money that can be spent on new outfits. You'll also spend some of that cash on restoring Hob's Bay. At the beginning of the game, some of Toyman's more destructive creations devastate the area. As you advance the narrative, you're asked to select new buildin?gs to erect as part of Lex Luthor's youth-oriented restoration project. The more missions you complete, the more buildings you'll have to choose from. It honestly doesn't make that much of a difference in what you build, and because Hob's Bay is so small, players aren't given much of an opportunity to make the area unique.

The social media app "Superstapost" also plays a decent-sized role in the game. When not suited up, you can take selfies and other pictures that can be posted for likes and comments on the ??app. Some side missions will only become available after you've acquired a certain number of followers. Posting a lot of pictures will get you there, but you can also snap photos of whatever is trending at the time to make your numbers rise more quickly. Unfortunately, it's not the most interesting use of the photo mode when the trending topics are pigeons, green containers, or laundry.

It's a shame ToyBox Inc. couldn't make the combat more interesting because nearly everything else in this game is spot on. A great deal of attention was paid to ensuring DC Super Hero Girls: Teen Power evokes? the spirit of the cartoon. First of all, it looks amazing. The character models and settings of Old Town, Metropolis High School, and Hob's Bay are bright, colorful, and instantly recognizable to anybody who's seen the show. It also runs near flawlessly, with only a few minor hiccups in the framerate. In fact, I'd wager this is ToyBox's most soundly de?veloped game to date.

Second, while the game doesn't have every character from the show, those who do make an appearance here do so with their original voice actor. Even characters with bit parts like Hal Jordan. Not only does this furth??er connect the game to the cartoon, but the characterizations these actors have perfected help elevate what is sometimes a ho-hum script. The story can be amusing, and its episodic structure works well here, but it never quite reaches the cartoon's frenetic nature.

Part of that is a game like this can't recreate the madcap animation that L??auren Faust shows are known for. But there is also an issue with the dialogue. Sure, the script is delivered with gusto, and I could honestly listen to Cree Summers do her Eartha Kitt-inspired Catwoman all day long. But some of the dialogue sounds out of character, and lines centered on the Hob's Bay restoration project are mechanical, like the writers couldn't figure out how to reference this aspect of the game organically. Though, that could be because restoring Hob's Bay isn't really organic in its implementation.

Despite its shortcomings, it's clear ToyBox Inc. verily regards its source material enough to not just pump out some crappy beat'em up with no soul. A lot of effort went into creating an experience that fans of the show will recognize and respect. Whether or not they'll find the game to be fun depends on their tolerance for simple combat, poor AI, and repetitive missions. Speaking as a fan of the show, I can say everything the developers got wrong with DC Super Hero Girls: Teen Power didn't deter me f?rom enjoying everything they got right.

_{[This review is based on a retail build of the game purchased by the reviewer.]}

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Hitting the market (and faces) this summer

You might remember, back in the fall of 2020, we sent word of a sexy-looking street scrapper, Mayhem Brawler, in the works at indie outfit Hero Concept. Well, the co?mic-book style brawler has a release date, and will bring its titular mayhem to PS4, Xbox One, PC, iiRCADE, and Nintendo Switch August 18.

Set in a self-styled "urban fantasy", Mayhem Brawler sees a city that has spiraled wildly out-of-control, with its avenues and alleyways dominated by a super megacorp and its army of mutated minions. While the thugs roaming the streets are trouble enough, things get really out of hand once you throw werewolves, wizards, vampires, and other fantasy creatures into the mix. Fucking wizards, I tell ya.

Into this ??burned-out berg stride three agents of the Stronghold enforcement division, for whom a routine investigation is about to become a real bad day. While they may be hopelessly outnumbered, our protagonists Star, Dolphin, and Trouble are loaded for bear with amazing marti?al-arts abilities and super-powered special moves, redressing the balance somewhat against the horde of bad dudes that stand in their way... Including the wizards. Again, Do Not Forget the Wizards.

For an independent production, Hero Concepts is going all-out in its efforts to deliver a fully-rounded experience. Mayhem Brawler will feature three-player couch co-op, a fully-?voiced story mode, (complete with branching character paths and multiple endings), hand-drawn artwork, a rogues' gallery of over 30 enemies?? and 12 boss characters.

Hero Concepts will be showcasing Mayhem Brawler as part of June's Steam Next Fest and Xbox Summer Games Fest events, so we won't have to wait too much longer before we can all get a taste of the great-looking title for ourselves. Undeniably inspired by the excellent Streets of Rage 4, here's hoping that Mayhem Brawler delivers the same compellin?g, satisfying, and cathartic action.

By the way, rockabilly werewolf waitress is easily, easily my favorite character of 2021.

The post Mayhem Brawler will bring its knuckle-dustin’ Streets of Rage 4 vibe this August appeared first on Destructoid.

Releasing on PC, PS4, Xbox One, and Switch this fall

Earlier this month, word of Shredder's Revenge had me busting out my buried but thankfully-still-findable copy of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Turtles in Time. Now here's another announcement that has me pining for the Konami arcade glory days: a sharp-looking new Asterix beat-'em-up game.

The nostalgia-mining brawler is called Asterix and Obelix: Slap Them All and it's headed to PC, PS4?, Xbox One, and Nintendo Switch in fall 2021 from publisher Microids and developer Mr Nutz Studio.

Today's press release suggests "pretty straightforward" beat-'em-up gameplay – which, hey, that can be totally fine! – and also confirms local co-op. Slap Them All will span "the most iconic places in the comic book series" with foes like "legi?onaries, pirates, brigands, and even the dreaded Nor??mans."

I'm not sure how it'll feel to brawl with the Roman menace, but I appreciate the higher-than-usual effort that went into achieving the look of Asterix and Obelix: Slap Them All. Some nice details in there.

If you're curious to see more beyond the short clip, Microids has some more images over here.

The post Asterix and Obelix: Slap Them All is a new hand-drawn beat-’em-up appeared first on Destructoid.

We are Sex Bob-omb and we're here to watch Scott Pilgrim kick your teeth in

Beat ‘em ups were never my jam, but when Scott Pilgrim vs. the World: The Game came out in 2010 it completely changed my perspective. A bangin’ chiptune soundtrack with wicked pixel art and characters from one of the raddest original concepts?? made it one of the best games the genre ever produced.

10 years usually shows some wear on a game, but this isn’t the case here. In fact, it still feels so fresh and different that if I hadn’t already played it when it came out, I’d believe that it’s a brand new game. So here’s to your 10th anniversary, Scott Pilgrim vs. the World: The Game.

Scott Pilgrim vs. the World: The Game - Complete Edition (PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch [reviewed], Microsoft Windows, Stadia)
Developer: Ubisoft
Publisher: Ubisoft
Released: January 14, 2021
MSRP: $14.99

Scott Pilgrim vs. the World: The Game - Complete Edition (henceforth in this review known as Scott Pilgrim because, words) features the main beloved cast from the original game (Scott, Ramona, Kim, Stephen) alon??g with DLC characters Knives and Wallace.

Each character has signature attacks, standard health and gut points which allow you to perform a Super Attack, and the ability to call an ally into battle for ??a quick boost. Co-op can be played via couch or online with up to 4 people, and players have the ability to lend money and health, resurrect others when they’re down, or even steal a life from someone else.

The game follows the main Scott Pilgrim comic book/movie storyline with Anamanaguchi’s catchy chiptune soundtrack blasting in the background, and features Ramona’s evil exes as the final bosses. Characters from the story are sprinkled in the background and have their own cute animations, while enemies range from disgruntled hipsters to The Clash at Demonhead fans, or actors wearing giant dinosaur costumes. The combination of the above with Scott Pilgrim’s eclectic sets (including Ramona’s Subspace Highway?) gives the game its full Toronto hipster energy.

What’s unique about Scott Pilgrim is the ability to level up character stats across Defense, Speed, and Willpower which carry over from game to game, making it more engaging and replayable. Hidden shops ac?ross levels carry various stat-boosting goods like concert t-shirts, burritos, vegan cookbooks, and even Scott’s late fees from a video store. What’s particularly fun is that you don’t know what you’re really getting into until you buy the item, although there are plenty of guides online for those who don’t want to risk the mystery of paying over $500 for Scott’s late fees at No-Account Video.

In addition to the main game, there are 4 extra game modes: Dodgeball, Survival Horror, Battle Royale, and Boss Rush. None of these are ????particularly exciting, with Boss Rush as a potential exception for those who purely like fighting bosses or Battle Royale for duking it out with your friends.

Dodgeball is bland given it has no r??uleset, so it’s basically a ball being thrown around at enemies, and Survival Horror is too slow with zombies creeping out at a molasses pace. However, the modes do provide s??ome alternate gameplay for those looking to take a break or at the least some cute set pieces to look at.

I’m happy to report that just as bread still makes you fat, Scott Pilgrim continues to be the happy time sink it once was. My one gripe is that Knives, although advertised as part of the “Complete Edition,” can only be unlocked via creating an account and si?gning into Ubisoft Connect. So if Ubisoft e??ver decides to deprecate their service, Knives would basically go along with it.

However, we longer need to hoard our 360s/PS3s for fear of never being able to play Scott Pilgrim again, so it’s a win across the b??oard for gamers and humanity alike.

_{[This review is based on a retail build of the game provided by the publisher.]}

The post Review: Scott Pilgrim vs. the World: The Game – Complete Edition appeared first on Destructoid.

Pre-orders are opening on January 15 at Limtied Run Games

2010's Scott Pilgrim vs. the World: The Game is not only coming back, it's coming ba??ck in ?style. Beyond a PC and console digital release on January 14, the fan-favorite beat-'em-up game is also getting a few new physical versions from Limited Run Games. Don't worry! You didn't miss out – not yet, anyway.

Limited Run Games will open pre-orders for physical Nintendo Switch and PS4 copies of Scott Pilgrim vs. the World: The Game – as well as new merch like pins, keychains, and clothing – on Friday, January 15 at 10:00 a.m. Eastern. Limited Run's least-expensive package is $35, while digital copies are set at $15.

An Xbox One physical edition of Scott Pilgrim is also planned, but it will be sold later.

Here's?? the breakdown of the three different Switch and PS4 bundles:

Standard Edition ($34.99) (Nintendo Switch) (PlayStation 4)

• Includes a reversible cover featuring new art from original game artist Mariel Cartwright and series creator Bryan Lee O'Malley, "Leo's Place" ticket stub and a full-color instruction booklet.

Classic Edition ($54.99) (Nintendo Switch) (PlayStation 4)

• Includes a Standard Edition game, a deluxe hard clamshell retro box, CD soundtrack from Anamanaguchi, folded overworld map and sticker sheet.

K.O. Edition ($139.99) (Nintendo Switch) (PlayStation 4)

• Includes the Classic Edition, "Sex Bob-omb" guitar picks, drum sticks, a cassette tape soundtrack, a seven card deluxe high-gloss holofoil trading card set, a hardbound book featuring interviews with developers involved in the game's creation, production art and reflections on the game's impact and importance written by Jeremy Parish. All K.O. Edition items will come in an authentic, hinged, hard-shell roadie case box with a 3D pop-up scene that includes working lights and sound.

It's special to see a game? that? vanished from digital storefronts mount a comeback like this.

Josh and the gang at @LimitedRunGames have been working closely with me and @anamanaguchi. I did the sonic parody cover art with @nathanfairbairn colors. The other covers are by @kinucakes & @personasama who worked on the original art team for the game <3 //t.co/MByn7wHu2k

— Bryan Lee O'Malley (@bryanleeomalley) January 8, 2021

If you're a fan of Scott Pilgrim in general or even just this game – it's good enough to stand on its own – you probably won't want to skip the p??hysical version. Pre-orders will be open until February 28, 2021.

The post The physical edition?? of Scott Pilgrim vs. the World: The Game has such great cover art appeared first on Destructoid.

Chinese New Year?

In today's contest you can win classic beat 'em up 9 Monkeys of Shaolin for PS4 or Steam!

It's almost the New Year! In most of the world, anyway. I think Chinese New Year is still a f?ew months away, so there goes my good segue for this one. Oh well, just pretend my idea was clever and timely.

We've got some copies of classic beat 'em up title 9 Monkeys of Shaolin to g??ive away, just in time for the [not] Chinese New Year!

Read all about it whi??le I put my dragon suit back in storage.

9 Monkeys of Shaolin marks a true rebirth of the iconic beat-em-up genre in the vein of old school arcade games. If you had fun playing beat-em-up videogames for hours as a kid, crushing foes left and right, then this new title from the creators of hardcore brawler REDEEMER is definitely for you.

Playing as the simple fisherman, Wei Cheng, you must avenge the death of your friends and family who were slaughtered during a pirate raid of your peaceful village. The game’s main villain is quite a tough nut to crack as he knows the basics of ancient martial arts only mastered by legendary Shaolin monks. Get? your trusty battle staff ready for a challenging adventure in Medieval China and for merciless fights with hordes of various enemies.

Action-packed battles, user friendly controls and incredible atmosphere of great kung-fu movies of the 1970s – all this makes 9 Monkeys of Shaolin a perfect c?hoice for every ?true fan of hardcore brawlers.

• 3 unique fighting styles - Fight on earth, in the air, or use mysterious magic seals. Combine these elements to defeat every enemy in your way
• Captivating narrative - Discover the fascinating story of Wei Cheng and follow him as he rises from a simple fisherman to the master of Shaolin martial arts
• Stunning visual style - Unique combination of historical and mystical elements gives you an exciting experience from every scene appears on screen
• Co-op play - Invite your friend to help you fight through growing waves of enemies and complete the game together
• Extensive character development system - You learn multiple paths to victory as you discover various unlockable perks, items and fighting styles
• More than 25 different levels - Chinese villages, pirate ship, Buddhist monasteries, Japanese mansions, ancient ruins and many more

I wish I had a pirate ship.

To enter to win, use the widget below to leave your name and email addr??ess. You can enter daily. Click around for ways to earn bonus entries, and be sure to comment below telling us what you'd do with your own pirate ship!

We have five copies each for PS4 (NA) and Steam to give away;? winners will be drawn next year! Our copies are split between Dtoid and sister site PC Invasion. It'll be ok.

9 Monkeys of Shaolin is available now for PS4 and Steam.

Co??ntest: Win 9 Monkeys of Shaolin for PS4 or Steam

The post Contest: Win ?9 Monkeys of Shaolin for PS4 or Steam appeared first on Destructoid.

Co-op is still local-only

I mostly remember Double Dragon Neon for Jake Kaufman's firing-on-all-cylinders ?soundtrack that, at least in my mind, eclipsed the gameplay, but if you're in the brawler mood and you want to punch Abobo for old times' sake, ??a Nintendo Switch version is releasing in North America on December 21, 2020.

WayForward confirmed that co-op play is still local-only, so expect the Switch port to be in line with the original PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 releases. The UK eShop launch "shouldn't be too far off."

I'm happy to see more W??ayForward titles show up? on Switch. Bring 'em all.

The post Double Dragon Neon is showing up on Nintendo Switch this m??onth appeared first on Destructoid.

Finally, a release date

Licensing is messy! And in this ?age of streaming, where different studios produce content and license i??t out to various services, retaining control of your creation can really suck.

That's basically what happened with 2010's Scott Pilgrim vs. the World: The Game, a beat 'em up released to rave reviews and fan reception that was basically nuked from existence. Just four years after it was released, it was delisted from every marketplace available: sent to the ether...forever? No! As it turns out.

Earlier this year it was revealed that the powers that be had reached an agreement to re-release the game as a "Complete Edition," which would see it arrive on PC once more, as well as the new platforms of PS4, Switch, Stadia, and Xbox One.  As far as we knew Ubisoft was sticking to the "holiday 2020" timeline, but we've just learned today from the game's official social accounts that w??e're looking at a January 14, 2021 launch on all platforms. It'll help usher in a fairly busy mid-to-late Janua?ry for games.

The greater proliferation of platform?s ensures that it's going to be a little harder to keep down this time (especially the Switch). If it does happen again, the community will likely be ready.

Scott Pilgrim vs. the World [Facebook]

The post After years of being in limbo, the Scott Pilgrim vs. The World game is coming back in Januar?y appeared first on Destructoid.

You wanna step outside?

Hero Concept, the indie outfit behind the Doughlings series, has revealed that it is hard at work on a brand new side-scrolling beat 'em up. Mayhem Brawler is currently in development for PS4, PC, Xbox One, and Nintendo Switch and i??s expected to launch sometime in 2021.

Set in a dystopian "urban fantasy," Mayhem Brawler will follow the exploits of Stronghold law enforcement agents Star, Dolphin, and Trouble as they take to the streets in a?? fist-throwing fight against a sinister megacorp and its army of super-powered minions. The heroic trio will face off against, thugs, werewolves, wizards, and vampires in a knock-dow??n, drag-out battle with the fate of the city's freedom at stake. WIZARDS.

From the short trailer below, we can quickly ascertain that the title is clearly inspired by DotEmu's fantastic sequel Streets of Rage 4, and will similarly feature multiple characters, three-player co-op, and painstakingly hand-drawn art and animation. Mayhem Brawler will also feature 12 uniq?ue boss characters, comic-style presentation, and even multiple endings. It's no secret that I'm personally a huge fan of this genre, and there's always room for another great, modern-day brawler.

Mayhem Brawler will launch on PS4, PC, Xbox One, an?d Nintendo Switch in 2021.

The post Mayhem? Brawler is rocking that Streets of ?Rage 4 vibe appeared first on Destructoid.

The least-picked character? Zitz

The 2020 revival of Battletoads is interesting on multiple fronts – not just as an out-of-nowhere reboot of the dormant beat-'em-up series, but also as a capital-n New take on R??ash, Zitz, and Pimpl?e.

As Chris said in his review, it's a "polarizing" game, one that juggles a lot of different elements with varying degrees of success. Will Battletoads travel furt?her down this path, or is it a one-time deal? In the current Xbox Game Pass-fueled landscape, it feels like almost anything has green-light potential.

For what it's worth, over a million players have checked out Battletoads.

As Battletoads bounces past a million players, we've swiped some staggering in-game stats since launch! Poor Chet and his turbo bikes, we'll be surprised if he's still in business. Read the post for the lowdown and take a swing at the game today: //t.co/ZNlGjdzGt0 pic.twitter.com/e1W3PHZGDW

— Rare Ltd. (@RareLtd) October 26, 2020

Rare tw??eeted out that figure and a few other silly statistics (you know the kind), including the number of Turbo Bike crashes (42.5 million) and how many collectibles p?layers have picked up so far (8.6 million). Also worth noting: Rash is the crowd favorite. Zitz, meanwhile, is the tragic dead-last choice.

Adding more context to the million-player milestone, in a recent interview with Kotaku, Xbox head Phil Spencer said the "response to Battletoads was?? ni??ce" and "Dlala did a good job with the game."

I don't feel strongly about the revival either way, but I'd like to see this team get another crack at Battletoads knowing what it now knows. I'm open to seeing the grand vision come to fruition beyond a single game, to say nothing of the potential to smooth out rough edges? and incorporate online c??o-op.

Sad news about Zitz, though.

@RareLtd [Twitter]

The post A million people played the Battletoads reboot and the response was ‘nice’ appeared first on Destructoid.

I've got Jack Johnson and Tom O'Leary waiting for you right here

Set in a city controlled by the Evil Crime Syndicate -- a criminal organization that employs everyone from swimmers to clowns to fancy ladies dressed in beautiful gowns -- Super Punch Patrol puts players in control of three cops that have? had enough of the city's corruption and decide to take mat??ters into their own hands.

It's a set-up worthy of the inspiration for the title, with Bertil Hörberg reaching back to the earliest days of the side-scrolling beat 'em up genre in creating his latest title. Whereas this year's Streets of Rage 4 sought to update the often dusty conventions for a modern audience, Super Punch Patrol gives players the near-exact feel ?of those classics, warts and all.

Super Punch Patrol (Nintendo Switch)
Developer: Hörberg Productions
Publisher: Hörberg Productions
Released: September 17, 2020
MSRP: $4.99

Super Punch Patrol's three playable characters fit the archetypes of t??he genre??'s protagonist staples. There's Anders Punch, a lumbering fellow who hits slow but hard; Nils, a quick cop who prefers to fight with his shirt off; and Selma, who plays more or less similar to Nils with a few unique characteristics of her own. Each character has a simple, one-button combo, as well as a super move that clears the area around them at the cost of a little bit of health. They also have a jump attack, a dash attack, and the ability to grab their opponents with a few options on how to dispose of them.

You can also do a quick dodge either up or down on the stage, and that's a move I found myself relying on a lot. That's because this game is hard. On all difficulty levels, of which there are four, enemies can do a considerable amount of damage. The grunts you face in each stage are relentless, often attacking off-screen, hitting straight through your super moves, or quickly surrounding you to take turns punching you in the face like you're Kurt Russell at the end of Death Proof. A well-timed dodge might get you out of that pickle, but what this game could really use is a backward attack. The ability to throw the weapons you pick up would be helpful as well. Both attack options have been present in the genre fo??r as long as I can remember, so it's disappointing they didn't find their way into this game.

The lack of those moves, as well as the aggressive A.I. and the fact that enemies can come at you from both sides of the screen, results in an experience that is best played with a friend. Super Punch Patrol supports couch co-op, and an individual Joy-Con does a surprisingly excellent job of handling the gameplay. When playing with a partner, all the little frustrating moments I experienced going through it solo became extremely uncommon. S??ure, enemies still dealt a bit too much damage, but with someone at my side, I didn't ??have to worry about one of my lives disappearing in seconds because I found myself surrounded by katana-wielding ninja and shirtless bears.

The design of those bears and the other enemies you face are the clear highlight of this package. The sketchbook art direction here is fantastic, far ahead of what Hörberg achieved with his Gunman Clive titles. When this game was revealed, there were a lot of comments comparing the art to Tom of Finland. It's an apt comparison as, like Mr. Laaksonen, Super Punch Patrol has a clear admiration for the male body. You see it in the heroes, in the a?dvertisements in the subway level, and in the moose knuckles of enemies like Henrik and Gustav when you knock them to the ground.

Enemy variety is pretty small, and later stages contain nicely drawn reskins of those you've fought before; but at just five levels, it's not that big of a deal. The level designs themselves are pretty straight-forward, featuring a mix of beat 'em up staples like back alleys, sewers, elevators, and rooftops. There's even a rocket skateboard stage that feels right out of 1989's Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. And while each level is distinct in its setting, the lack of color throughout Super Punch Patrol leaves the city feeling a bit too lifeless.

At $4.99, you really can't go wrong with downloading Super Punch Patrol from the eShop. With a few adjustments this could be a really good, potentially great game, but there's easily five bucks worth of entertainment here, including 12 costumes to unlock across the three characters and an online leaderboard if you want to chase high scores. Just make sure you bring a friend along because this city is not kind to t?hose who walk its streets alone.

_{[This review is based on a retail build of the game purchased by the reviewer.]}

The post Review: Super Punch Patrol appeared first on Destructoid.

Retro-tastic

For years, people have been unable to play Scott Pilgrim vs. The World: The Game after it was tragically removed from digital storefronts. Those who were able to play it described it as one of the best brawlers ever created. This holiday, the rest of us will get to see how true that is when Scott Pilgrim vs. The World: The Game Complete Edition releases.

The game will include the Knives Chau and Wallace Wells DLC, and wi?ll?? be available for $14.99 on PS4, Xbox One, Switch, Stadia, and PC. The game will feature local and online co-op as well.

The post Scott ??Pilgrim vs. The World: The Game Complete Edition is coming this holiday season appeared first on Destructoid.

Switch on, Switch off

A few weeks ago, Jordan told you about a GameMill G.I. Joe game that passed the s?niff test of not looking immediately awful. I am here to tell you about another nostalgia-driven pop culture adaption that doesn't clear that low bar -- to my eye, err nose, at least.

GameMill has announced Cobra Kai: The Karate Kid Saga Continues for PS4, Switch, and Xbox One. IGN had the exclusive along with the launch trailer?? that is embedded above. 

Cobra Kai is a side-scrolling beat-em-up in the vein of Double Dragon and Streets of Rage. There's two-player local cooperative play, and a character selection of eight fighters. Johnny Lawrence and Daniel LaRusso. There ar??e two campaigns -- one for Cobra Kai and one for the Miyagi-Do Karate Dojo ?-- and they both need to be cleared in order to see the game's true ending.

It sounds fine in theory, but the trailer doesn't inspire a lot of optimism. It looks clunky and kind of ugly. It certainly doesn't seem like it can hold a candle to the likes of Streets of Rage 4. But maybe ?it doesn't have to. Maybe it can be decent enough and get by ?on some charming storytelling.

Cobra Kai: The Karate Kid Saga Continues launches on October 27. This feels like a game we're going to force Moyse to play, and he'll want to love it but he just can't. Two mo??nths until th?at inevitable verdict.

Cobra Kai: The Kar??ate Kid Saga Continues Video Game Reveale??d, Release Date Confirmed for PS4, Xbox One, and Nintendo Switch [IGN]

The post You’re gonna have to really love Karate Kid to play the new Cobra Kai game appeared first on Destructoid.

Rash, Zitz and Pimple ride again...literally

Raise your hand if you still hold water for Battletoads outside of that GameStop meme. I see...a few people in the hori??zon!

Wait, am I one of the only ones who played all seven games in the series, including the Tiger Electronics handheld release? Who is this 2020 version of Battletoads for? After pla?ying it, I'm even more confused and delighted.

Battletoads (PC, Xbox One [reviewed])
Developer: Dlala Studios, Rare
Publisher: Microsoft
Released: August 20, 2020
MSRP: $19.99 (also part of Game Pass)

Battletoads is one of the most bizarre games I've played this year — possibly t??his generation. It's an absolute roller-coaster in mor??e ways than one.

Did you expect it to be a beat 'em up? Because it's not just a beat 'em up. It's part Mario Party, part shoot 'em up, part...Keep Talking and Nobody Explodes ?for a level? Yeah, it gets weird, and I respect the hell out of it for trying something different.

In order to make the toads relevant again, our heroes Pimple, Zitz, and Rash are shoved into the modern era (of a galactic sort) 26 years after they saved the galaxy from the Dark Queen. They're washed up, and the story isn't afraid to poke fun at the fact that they started out as bonafide stars but eventually became a failed attempt to capitalize on the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle craze.

I was really worried at first when the game leaned heavily on cringe humor, but there's a small narrative reason for that early on and it eases up a bit from there. Onward, it morphs into a combination of a '90s cartoons (with beats of the DuckTales reboot) alongside of self-referential and occasionally macabre absurdity not unlike Rick and Morty. Nearly the entire game is fully voiced (with feeling!), and the cutscenes are ple?ntiful and silly fun: almost like a limited-run TV series. It's part of the charm, as the development team nailed the ??premise of old hat "rad dudes" trying to adjust to a new world that left them behind.

While the cartoons are a big part of the package, it is part-brawler though, with a character select screen available at the start. You'll pick one of three titular toads: Pimple (the slow bulky one), Zitz (the quick one), and Rash (the balanced one). The standard attack button serves as a dial-a-combo, but you'll also sport a launcher (that hits enemies upward), a special attack button (that works a lot like Dynasty Warriors' special system in tandem w??ith the standard attack), and a stun.

Eventually you'll learn the ways of the toad tongue, which lets yo??u stun enemies with gum projectiles, lick enemies closer, shoot elements of th??e environment, and grab onto foreground and background rings to zip around the arena. It's not the deepest brawler in recent memory, but it gets the job done. The dash is extremely elegant and smooth, especially on the hyper-fast Zitz, who basically teleports when he dashes.

Slowly but surely I started to pick up the combat system, which is predicated on prioritizing high-impact enemies while darting around the small fries and errant projectiles. With support for up to three players, everyone can control their own toad; but you can also "tag-team" in the characters you aren't currently controlling in two-player or solo play. If any single toad dies you have a chance to revive them amid the ch?aos, lest they be subject to a cooldown timer.

But as I hinted at earlier, it's not just a brawler. I even counted: 18 out of 25 chapters are actually minigames, vehicle sections or interactive cutscenes. One entire act is basically a collective of puzzle-platforming stages (Celeste style) and shmup gauntlets. The Speeder Bike sections also return and can get pretty tough as the campaign progresses, requiring fast reaction times close to the original game, but with more forgiving checkpoints. The same goes for the 2D vehicle sections that take a page out of the chase sequences from Rayman Origins/Legends.

Didn't I tell you that Battletoads was kind of all over the place? Not all of thos??e?? diversions are given an equal amount of love and care.

At one point I had just come off of a minigame that was basically Pose Mii from Wii Play, as I transitioned into more minigames. This is fresh off of a fever dream of playing multiple rounds of an in-game version of rock paper scissors. You might find yourself thinking "What the hell am I even doing?" multiple times throughout the course of Battletoads. I even said it out loud when the aforementioned Keep Talking and Nobody Explodes bit popped up and my co-op partner had the strangest look on their face. It's best to ju?st roll with it.

All of this madness takes place across four acts, which last around four and a half hours in total. You can play it again on one of three difficulties (with options to make this tougher like turning off enemy attack tells) or try and grab every collectible when you're done. There is no online play available for Battletoads: just local support for up to three people.

Battletoads is another one of 2020's infamous oddities. I suspect it's going to be highly polarizing (not only due to the adherence to retro style difficulty but the newness of the art and humor), but it somewhat won me over due to sheer force of will. I also can safely ass?ume that I'm going to be on the higher-end of t??he spectrum of liking it: but if we never see these dudes again because this game was an absolute cacophony, I'll be a bit bummed.

_{[This review is based on a retail build of the game provided by the publisher.]}

The post Review: Battletoads appeared first on Destructoid.

Missed opportunity

I wasted 92 seconds watching this animated interview, convinced that Zitz, Pimple, and Rash were gonna beat the living hell out of Xbox's Major Nelson. Through straight-faced questions (a missed opportunity to get weirder with it), Major Nelson asks ?them if their game is good.

I will spare you the suspense and tell you that Major Nelson does not get his ass kicked. Pimple does not bodyslam him for wondering what kind of game Battletoads is. Rash doesn't huge-foot kick him through the screen for the sheer audacity of asking whether they're worried about the competition from other now-r?evived franchises.

You, however, may be curious as to what kind of game Battletoads ended up as. It's not a straight beat-em-up like you may think. It's a bizarre collection of mini-games and brawler segments, almost like a bunch of non sequiturs stitched together. It's unexpected but it turned out fine! Check out Chris' review for some insight as to the new Battletoads, or just go pick it up as a part of ?Xbox Game Pass.

The post This video doesn’t end with the Battletoads beating up Major Nelson appeared first on Destructoid.

Get better friends

The Turbo Tunnel was the end of the road for most Battletoads&nbsp;players. The infamous bik??e stage -- only the ?third level in the game -- was so difficult that most people never progressed past it. It was like running into a brick wall both literally and figuratively.

The Battletoads that launches this week probably won't have anything so notoriously punitive. Developers generally want players to finish their games nowadays. There's a bike level though because paying tribute is important.? And there's an achievement tied to it that might ruin some friendships.

Xbox Wire released most of the Battletoads achieve?ments today (save for five secret, probably story-spoiling ones) and "Live and Let Drive" sticks out like a sore thumb. You'll need everyone to stay alive on bikes for 5 straight minutes in three-player co-op. Jordan's input on this challenge is that he played the bike level at a show with another journalist and they "died a lot." However, Jordan did not have the familiarity, memorization, and practice that you and your friends will eventually have. I'm confident you can do it, even if it requires finding more talented friends.

Here are the Battletoads achievements. With ?some luck, skill, and perseverance, Pimple and Zitz won't be the only things poppin'.

• Toads in a Hole -- Complete Feed the Fantasy. (10G)
• Road Rash -- Complete To the Queen. (10G)
• Parks & Recreational Violence -- Complete At the Carn-Evil. (10G)
• Enough Toying Around -- Complete So That's How That Works. (10G)
• Should Get the Pants First -- Complete Time for Plan B. (30G)
• Came, Sawed, Conquered -- Complete Stumped. (15G)
• Logged Out -- Complete A Hard Axe to Follow. (15G)
• A Test of Medal -- Complete The Trials of Pummel Horse. (15G)
• Jeff of a Sleighsman -- Complete Mis-treatied. (30G)
• We Were Provoked -- Complete Spacebrawls. (15G)
• Learning the Ropes -- Complete We Go High. (15G)
• STREET JUSTICE! -- Complete Street Justice! (15G)
• Hiking With Friends -- Complete Bigger Than It Looks. (15G)
• Galaxy's Most Wanted -- Complete Most Unwanted. (15G)
• A Mountain Sense of Unease -- Complete Reaching the Peak. (15G)
• With Friends Like These… -- Complete A Rock and a Hard Place. (20G)
• Rebooting Battletoads -- Complete Emergency Stations. (40G)
• Into the Third Dimension -- Use your tongue to reach a new plane. (5G)
• B-B-B-BLOCK BREAKER!! -- Smash through 50 enemy block attempts. (15G)
• You're Dead, You Ding-Dongs! -- Surrender to your arch-enemies. (20G)
• Season Two When? -- Complete the story on any difficulty. (20G)
• Battlemaniacs -- Defeat 100 enemies. (20G)
• Special Effects -- Use 200 'Toad abilities. (20G)
• Mighty Morphing -- Finish off 200 enemies with morph attacks. (20G)
• Thoroughly Tested -- Destroy 50 enemies in space combat. (20G)
• It Begins… -- Get your first collectable. (5G)
• Scratching an Itch -- Get all collectables in a level. (10G)
• Making Progress -- Get a total of 25 collectables. (15G)
• I’ve Started So I'll Finish -- Get a total of 75 collectables. (30G)
• Did You Use a Walkthrough? -- Get every collectable in the game! (60G)
• Three Is the Magic Number -- In 3P Co-Op, all three 'Toads attack the same enemy. (10G)
• Reviving a Classic -- Revive another 'Toad during Co-Op play. (10G)
• Not All Toads Are Equal -- Earn a participation award in Co-Op. (10G)
• Jeffortless -- In 3P Co-Op, all 'Toads grind a rail at the same time. (10G)
• Hack-Door Shenanigans -- Hack a door in Co-Op. (10G)
• Live and Let Drive -- In 3P Co-Op, stay alive on bikes together -- for 300 seconds! (20G)
• Can't Touch This -- In Co-Op, complete Time for Plan B without taking a hit. (20G)
• To Me, To You -- In Co-Op, build up a 100-Hit combo. (20G)
• Toad Cuddle! -- Finish the game on 'Battletoads' difficulty. (30G)
• Brawling… With Style! -- Earn your first 'S' Rank from an encounter. (15G)
• Straight-A Student -- Earn 20 'A' Ranks from encounters. (15G)
• Dodgebrawl Champion -- Finish a fight without taking damage. (5G)
• Hey, This Is a Rental! -- Score 75 near-misses while riding a rented turbo bike. (15G)
• Photobombed -- Take an enemy's photo when it's in warning distance. (15G)
• Be Tight -- Deal with your friends without any restarts. (20G)
• Take This, Axeman! -- Find a way to keep a Champion's weapon stuck. (5G)
• Toad It Off & On Again -- Repair your ship without any reboots. (10G)
• The Purge -- Escape from a Topian in less than 4 minutes. (20G)
• Mementoads -- Prop up the Jercurian tourism industry. (5G)
• Warped Sense of Humor -- Find the 'Warp Wall' while riding a turbo bike. (10G)
• Dealt a Lucky Hand -- Get a flawless victory in Toadshambo. (5G)
• Not Just for the Holidays -- Land a streak of 15 hits while destroying a totem. (15G)
• The Dlala Code -- Enter the Dlala Code. What could it be…? (5G)
• Blink and You'll Miss It -- Defeat 25 pink eyeballs during Time for Plan B. (10G)
• Hit the Drop -- Freefall more than 10 meters while escaping a Topian. (10G)
• Extra Credit -- Watch the credits! You know you want to. (5G)

Battletoads Achievements Revealed [Xbox Wire]

The post Battlet??oads has a bike achievement that will driv?e you hopping mad appeared first on Destructoid.

It was buried digitally in 2014

Scott Pilgrim vs. The World: The Game is kind of legendary.

Not only was it one of the best beat 'em ups of the past decade (I mean, it even kicked off the last decade as it was released in 2010, so that's saying something), but it was also legendary for being de-listed and lost to the ether of the PSN and ??Xbox Live Arcade forever.

You see, Scott Pilgrim vs. The World: The Game was never released physically. So once it was pulled in 2014, it was gone. For years, Scott Pilgrim creator Bryan Lee O'Malley (who was heavily involved with the design of the game alongside of Ubi??soft Montreal) has been trying to bring it back, and it seems like he may have finally had a stroke of ?good luck.

His latest plea, which was back in May, has seemingly been heard: as Ubisoft has "reached out" to O'Malle?y, based on his own account this week. There are a lot of rights issues to be?? worked out, but if Ubisoft is up for it and O'Malley and company (Universal Pictures has been implicated as a gatekeeper for this deal in the past) can come to terms, we could see a re-release at some point in the future. Give us a physical version this time, Limited Run!

It's wild to think that I was covering this game over seven years ago. Time flies!

Bryan Lee O'Malley [Twitter] [Thanks John!]

The post The dead Scott Pilgrim v?s. the World game could come back, as Ubisoft has contacted the creator of the series appeared first on Destructoid.

If you're feeling froggy, leap

Time is running out to get a feel for Battletoads. It releases in eight days, and the pre-launch opinions seems to be evenly and passionately split. The release date trailer didn't do?? much to change that.

Maybe this slightly-in-depth commentary on the brawling will help you make a decision. Rare developers talk about the mindset behind this beat-em-up, all the attention paid to free-flowing combat and the use of space. There's also some detail given to what makes (two of the three) Ba??ttletoads unique; Pimple is a big slow gorilla-like lu?g, and Zitz is quick and has tech-focused attacks.

Battletoads launches on August 20 as part of? Xbox Game Pass. Subscribers won't need to trust their gut and make a decision about it. That's the?? beauty of Xbox Game Pass in cases like this. 

The post Here’s one more look at the brawling in Battletoads appeared first on Destructoid.

Punchman Clive

Twitter is, for the most part, an absolute cesspool of a website, a wretched hive of villainy and scum that only sometimes makes its continued existence worthwhile. For the past few months, the only worthwhile thing on Twitter has been getting updates on the next game from Hörberg Productions. The creator of Gunman Clive and Mechstermination Force&nbsp;has?? been toil??ing away on a brawler that looks so wonderfully gay.

getting ready to submit to nintendo lotcheck soon. Guess I should start thinking about formally announcing the game some day as well pic.twitter.com/o0FQdJIzwY

— Bertil Hörberg (@BertilHorberg) August 4, 2020

It doesn't have a name yet -- in fact, as you can see from the tweet above, it hasn't even been officially announced -- but the project has come together pretty fast seeing as Bertil Hörberg wasn't even sure he was going to tackle it in March of this year. I guess things change when everyone is stuck inside for months on end. Either way, the end product is looking outstanding and that animation is pretty damn smooth.

been feeling a bit better lately and actually done some work on my game again, it might get done soonish afterall pic.twitter.com/3O16npftsM

— Bertil Hörberg (@BertilHorberg) July 17, 2020

Nice to know that character model from Hörberg's abandoned 3D action game didn't go to waste. I'll keep my expectations in check, however, as this is a new genre for Hörberg and even he's not sure if it's any good. But honestly, if you make a brawler filled with characters that look like hand-drawn Falcon Studios performers from the '80s, I'll be there day one.

The post Why yes, I would l??ike to play this leather daddy brawler appeared first on Destructoid.

These guys need a dermatologist

This is bound to be divisive? no matter which way you slice it?.

Battletoads finally has a release date. Microsoft teased a revival for years before formally unveiling a new Battletoads at E3 2018. Jordan went hands-on with a demo at E3 2019 and reported back with the bro??ad (but understandable) takeaway of "it's too early to call [it]."

We'll find out one way or another on August 20. That's when Battletoads launches on PC (via ?Windows Store and Steam) and Xbox One.

It'll be love-it-or-hate-it and no one can really be blamed for whichever side of the fence they land on. The art direction is a major sticking point for most people. It just looks so, I don't know, sanitized compared to Battletoads of old.

Regardless of your opinion now, I'd implore you to watch this new release date trailer. It does a much better job selling the game than the E3 2019 trailer did. I'm not in love with the tone of the Cartoon Network-seeming cutscene stuff but the gameplay looks on-point for a brawler. Dating back to the original, I can't get enough of their fists and feet getting big when there's a finishing blow. That's such a good effect. Also, if this trailer is properly representative, there seems to be a ton of variation in ?level?? types.

Anyway, most people don't really need to be "sold" on Battletoads per se because it's coming to Xbox Game Pass. Anyone with a subscription and even the ?slightest curiosity can just download it and see what's up. If it's your jam, that's another Game Pass success story. If you're not vibing with it, uninstall and move on. Nostalgia is? king except for when it's not.

The post ?Maybe this release date trailer will sell you on Battletoads appeared first on Destructoid.

Limited Run Games dropped a hint during the LRG3 stream

The brawl must go on. In a blink-and-you'll-miss-it River City Girls segment during Limited Run's LRG3 annual game announcement show this afternoon, the publisher shared that it's "teaming up once again with WayForward to bring back Misako?? and Kyoko for more action in the future."

WayForw??ard's after-the-stream recap tweet didn't shed more light on the collaboration.

Great news, River City Girls fans! We're thrilled to confirm that, as mentioned on @LimitedRunGames' LRG3 stream, more RCG action is on the way! We don't have any more details to share at this time, but stay tuned for updates in the future! pic.twitter.com/NY66kLl2aa

— WayForward (@WayForward) July 8, 2020

It's unclear what exactly "more action" could mean – I might be getting ahead of myself by expecting an eventual sequel or even just a bit of DLC – but it's nice to hear that River City Girls won't be forgotten.

In any event, the lack of online co-op is still a big sticking point for so??me players.

The post WayForward is teasing more River City Girls ‘action’ appeared first on Destructoid.

Flicks this week, dicks next week

Epic Games St??ore? More like Epic Free Games Store. Another Thursday, another round of freebies courtesy ??of Epic.

The title with the most brand-name recognition behind it is Stranger Things 3: The Game. This one is a co-op beat-em-up that follows the events of the show's third season. It's a decent enough game -- maybe a bit dull and unnecessary -- and the boss fights are supposed to be clever. It might be worth it just to see The Mind Flayer styli??zed for a retro game.

The other Epic freebie is AER Memories of Old. AER has you soaring across abstract skies, freely exploring ancient ruins to find the end of this shattered world. It's supposed to be a meditative experience similar to Rime or Journey.

(If the Epic Games Store really ain't your thing, both these games are a part of the Steam Summer Sale. Stranger Things is $5 and AER is $3.)

For those who already have their eyes trained on next week, the Dong Slider is back. Conan Exiles and its customizable floppy dicks will be free starting July 2. Color-matching puzzle platformer Hue joins it. Hue is a wonderful little game, but I'm afraid ??it'll live in the dong's shadow.

Stranger Things 3: The Game, AER Memories of Old [Epic Games Store]

The post The Stranger Things game is free on the Epic s?tore right now appeared first on Destructoid.

Wanna step outside?

It's been 10 years since the events of Streets of Rage 3, and Oak Wood City is only mildly safer than it once was. Having left the police force decades ago to e?mbark on their tax-break vigilante careers, Axel Stone and Blaze Fielding have since retired from this hazardous moonlighting gig to live relatively normal, mundane lives.

But you know what never retires? Evil. And now the downtrodden metropolis faces a new threat in the form of the mysterious "Y" siblings: two privileged young psychopaths who are bringing death and destruction back to Oak Wood's rain-stained alleyways. With local law enforcement on the syndicate's payroll, there remains but one option: Axel and Blaze, accompanied by allies old and new, must return to the mean streets and rescue the burned-out 'berg the only way they know how: at the busines?s end of a broken bottle.

Over 25 years since its last official entry, Streets of Rage is finally ready to make its long-awaited, highly anticipated return. The 16-bit era was an entire lifetime ago, and action games have advanced far bey??ond the traditional arcade brawlers of yore – is there even a place for Blaze and crew in the modern gaming age? You bet there is, Jack.

Streets of Rage 4 (PC [reviewed], PS4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch)
Developer: Dotemu, Guard Crush Games, Lizardcube
Publisher: Dotemu
Released: April 30, 2020
MSRP: $24.99

Streets of Rage 4 is a collaborative project between developers Dotemu and Lizardcube (Wonder Boy: The Dragon's Trap), and Guard Crush Games (Streets of Fury). Dotemu and Guard Crush handled the overall development of SoR 4, while Lizardcube was tasked with furbishing the post-retro sequel in its disti??nctive? visual style.

While on paper, a three-team development alliance could spell disaster, it becomes clear from the opening minutes that each party's individual talents have combined in perfect synergy. Almost every single element of Streets of Rage 4 e?xcels, thanks in?? no small part to the respective experience and knowledge that each team brought to the table.

SoR 4's ?gameplay consists of striding defiantly through 12 downtown locations, mashing the ever-loving fuck out of everybody who stands in front of you. Our heroes will brawl their way through the slums, bars, junkyards, trainyards, sewers, and... ??erm... art galleries of Oak Wood City, engaging in bone-breaking, drop-kicking, table-smashing, apple-eating mayhem. When everyone else is dead, you're the best. Any questions?

Each character has a distinct fighting style, bringing their own very particular set of skills to the ruckus.? Axel's attacks multi-hit. Blaze can utilise weapons in combos. Adam can slip in-and-out of danger, switching sides with his opponent, while his daughter Cherry is blessed with both dash attacks and other acrobatic abilities. Floyd is the resident chunk 'o' meat, breaking fools with devastating throws that woul?d leave Bane saying "Ease up, mate."

SoR fans will be ecstatic to see the return of classic moves such as Blaze's Kikoushou a?nd Axel's Grand Upper, as well as the series' traditional cartwheels, suplexes, judo throws, break-falls, and sneaky back attacks. As smoothly executed as ever, with an easygoing control system, these familiar attacks and exciting new super-moves will leave long-timers squealing with delight.

Where the sequel really comes into its own is with its free-flowing combo dynamic, akin to that of a typical fighting game. Each character can chain together normals, specials, weapon attacks, and throws to create extended combos. Specials cost health, so a risk/reward system asks you to gamble damage against your own life bar. This smart mechanic encourages variety in battle, with long chains of consecutive hits scoring major bonuses. Think Rock Band, but with more punctured lungs. Add in juggles, wall-rebounds, and environmen??tal damage, and you got yourself a recipe for mayhem. 

Accompanying the main campaign are three side-modes. Battle Mode pits characters against one other in free-for-all combat, Boss Rush lets you take on SoR's biggest and baddest in survival action, and Arcade Mode tasks hardened players with taking on the entire game in a single sitting, without continues. No easy feat. SoR 4 features five difficulty levels, supporting four players in local multiplayer and two players online. I haven't been able to have marathon online sessions but the experience I have had (on PC) was cri??sp, low on latency, and very enjoyable.

Lizardcube has outdone itself in regards to Streets of Rage 4's visuals. The sequel is dripping with style and attitude. Series devotees will be thrilled upon seeing the SoR rogues' gallery redesigns, offering new looks to classic scumbags Y Signal, Diamond, Fog, and everybody's favourite Poison rip-off: Nora. Meanwhile, a handful of brand new characters – including the awesome combat cop Estel Aguirre – threaten to steal the spotlight entirely. Ah'm beggin' ya to make her playable, devs.

Lizardcube's talents are also showcased in the modern realisation of Oak Wood City, which dazzles with its intricate detailing and reflective light, shadow, and weather effects. The grimy and dangerous world of Streets of Rage 4 is both brand new and imm??ediately familiar at one and the same time.

It would be criminal not to address the soundtrack, to some fans the spine of the Streets of Rage saga. SoR 4 boasts a great modern-retro score. Each stage utilises multiple tracks, punctuating every jaw-crushing blow with nightclub-heavy beats and '90s rave piano samples. While original composer Yuzo Koshiro's contributions are minor, a host of new talent steps up to capture that SoR spirit. Besides, if you really want Koshiro's magic, you can switch out the? OST for the classic 16??-bit scores at will.

Streets of Rage 4 does have a few disappointments, that seem to pertain to circumstance, rather than design. Though the campaign includes brief cutscenes, the story lacks a satisfying conclusion, simply cutting to credits and splash art, which is a little anti-climatic. It's great to see the inclusion of retro characters Skate, Max, Shiva, and Dr. Zan, but SoR 3's Roo seems to be M.I.A entirely. A few boss characters get recycled in later stages, despite the catalogue of classic SoR? villains to call upon and, oddly, the two-year old teaser trailer now serves as the game's intro.

It could be speculated that the project ran out of time, money, or both. It would be understandable, hand animation is a very lengthy, expensive process. But as the dev team has worked with such dedication to deliver a complete experience with SoR 4, these mino??r omissions are conspicuous. As?? stated, however, these are mere disappointments, not deal-breakers.

All developers care for their IPs, and undoubtedly want their games to be a success, but when a developer is truly smitten with its work, it manifests itself in the final product. Dotemu, Lizardcube, and Guard Crush Games clearly love Streets of Rage. There isn't an element of Streets of Rage 4 that showcases the team at anything less than their best. A love letter to both the brand and its audience, SoR 4 is the most passionatel??y "personal" video game I've played in a long time.

It's almost impossible to imagine a Streets of Rage devotee not being delighted with this sequel. It has the depth of combat and variance of character for dedicated fans to sink their teeth into, while its chaotic "quick-fix" action and co-op multiplayer offers even the most casual enthusiast a solid experience. While it may suffer longevity issues inherent to the genre. SoR 4's gratifying gameplay and fair price tag make? this a purchase ?worth anyone's cash.

Streets of Rage 4 is an absolute triumph. It looks stunning, it sounds sublime, and it plays like a dream. SoR 4 delivers fistfuls of knock-down, drag-out action for fans old and new, all at a modest price. It's been a long wait for the Streets of Rage faithful, but comebacks rarely get much b?etter than th??is. GRAND UPPAH!

_{[This review is based on a retail build of the game provided by the publisher.]}

The post Review: Streets of Rage 4 appeared first on Destructoid.

Strike back

A press release hit my inbox this afternoon for a new Jay and Silent Bob video game, which triggered a distant-and-faded memory of writing about a Jay and Silent Bob game once before. "Is this that?" I wondered. "Did that game already happen? Is it all the ?Mandela Effect and I never wrote about snootchie bootchies?"

I did! It's a co-op beat-em-up called Chronic Blunt Punch that stars Jay and Silent Bob. That's not what this press release was about, though. This is a co-op beat-em-up that stars Jay and Silent bob, but it's called Mall Brawl.

Jay and Silent Bob Mall Brawl is a retro-tinged brawler in the vein of Double Dragon and River City Ransom. Everyone's favorite never-not-high slackers battle mall punks and rent-a-cops as they tackle their grand ambition of getting from the mall to the Quick Stop. Call it Mallspats or Chasing Maimy. Or Flogma.

Mall Brawl is a precursor to Chronic Blunt Punch, two projects that developer Interabang are concurrently working on. There's no word as to when Chronic Blunt Punch will be ready, but Mall Brawl is open for business on May 7 -- much sooner than real-life Jersey malls. It's coming to PC and Switch with local co-op at a price of $15. Snoogans.

The post Jay and Silent Bob get a Dou??ble Dragon-like brawler on Switch next week appeared first on Destructoid.