Classic Side-Scrolling Beat 'Em Up Fun, From a Time WHen Colour Could Tell You How Tough The Enemy Was.
The premise of the game is very, very basic, like 80's B-Action-Movie basic. A Criminal organisation, known to the player only as the Syndicate, has managed to effectively take power, bending the police force and government to serve their needs. You play as one of three young cops Adam Hunter, Axel Stone or Blaze Fielding, who are determined to clean up the crime that is all too ripe on the streets of the nameless city.
The gameplay features simple three-button conrols, using 'B' to attack and pick up items, 'C' to jump and 'A' to do a 'Special Attack', this basically calls in external help in the form of SWAT. Players 1 & 2 receive seperate special attacks, player 1 will call a Napalm strike, and player 2 receives help in the form of RPGs. There is no difference in damage ratio, but it is nice to see different animations for each player. As with the majority of games released at the time, levels are 100% linear, you will walk from the left hand side of the level, to the right hand side before encountering a boss.
The Boss fights are some of the fondest memories I have of gaming, these guys are like 3 or 4 times the size of the generic grunts that plague the rest of the level, and much tougher, in some fights your health can just drain so quickly, due to the sheer damage these guys can deal with single blows. The best thing about the boss fights is the classic MIDI-Rave Soundtrack that accompanies every boss fight, it is just asking to be remixed, and for all I know, it could've been.
The game is only 8 levels long, but there is a certain charm about it that will keep you coming back for more. While Streets of Rage may not be the most rewarding of game experiences, and it's gameplay may seem somewhat shallow, it's sure as hell one of the most fun, and has become my 'Chillout Haven' during time away from the more complex and story driven games life has to offer.