Gallery: There’s No Need To Bash These New Streets Of Rage 4 Screenshots

Looks absolutely lovely!

I am definitely looking forward to playing this game!

Can't wait for this.

Looks great.

Hit us with that cartridge release, Lizardcube.

I mean, if this was a new Comix Zone I'd think it looks perfect. As a new Streets of Rage I'm not fully on board yet. Doesn't strike the attitude or verve I'm looking for, I guess... (Of course, I'll buy it several times (more if physical) eitherway.)

To be fair, my bias dictates that Street of Rage should primarily look and feel as 90s as possible. No compromises, sorry.

I love how they felt a need for the reassuring headline lol.

Why all the hate ? Love th new look. If it can keep the same old school gameplay as Streets of Rage 2 I'm all in

Looks nice to me, can't wait to play it.

Looking forward to it! Now where's my boy Skate? And the kangaroo?

Will pick up but hopefully its online.

Personally, I HATE the art style. I dislike it enough that i’ll probably pass on the game.

I'm gonna be honest... the art style is terrible. If we didn't excuse the graphics of the FFV/FFVI mobile ports, I can understand why we wouldn't excuse this. Everyone's got all these ridiculous looking additional meat portions all over the place making them look... inappropriately chunky considering what they do. It looks more like a reimagining of the Banner Saga than it does Streets of Rage.

Still gonna stay optimistic about it though... because it's really all about the gameplay and music. If they can nail the gameplay and do Koshiro and Kawashima justice in the music dept (which I believe they can), I'll deal with the art style.

Studios like these good folks and WayForward just GET what made these classic games fun and bring them into the modern age with gorgeous animation. Hoping this is just the first of many older franchises getting another shot

Another day one buy for me. Looks lovely.

I hope it has good online. For other stuff like NES games i honestly don't get why there aren't simple game rooms, with lists showing each game, go into main lobby etc.. and games in progress or ready to start listed at the top so you can join in or chat in the main lobby. Basically like Wireplay was in the late 90's on PC, or even Gamespy. Can't get simpler than that and no idea why Nintendo seem to make it difficult to play/communicate with others.

I'll probably get this but i really hope they fix the exploits that were possible in SOR2 at least, where you could grab enemies and take little/no damage through the whole game.

Sadly people still will because they love their precious pixels.

Wow those pics look nice!

I really hope it has online multiplayer; Double Dragon IV doesn't and I barely play it.

I hope we see more modern day arcade style brawlers I miss that genre. I would love to see some capcom remakes too but I shouldnt hope for too much

Blazes thighs make this a day one purchase.

I like it, I just wish there's an option to switch the modern HD look to the older retro look similar to Dragon's Trap.

Looking good. I really enjoyed the visuals of Dragon’s Trap (and no, it did not have that Flash game vibe). After playing through Mother Russia Bleeds a million times, the original Streets of Rage games really don’t do it for me anymore. Since this is a fresh slate game, I’m hoping they use the opportunity to get more in-depth with the fighting mechanics. Regardless, I trust dotemu and lizard cube will take great care in making something impressive.

Amazing, I need this

I think the no need to bash headline is a bad pun about it being a fighting game. I don’t think the writer understands how confirmation bias works though. As their pub will unfortunately gear around 30% of people to immediately agree that there is something wrong with the graphics because they assume somebody thought they were even though the author is just making a bad pun.

Can't wait to play this Flash game in my browser

Haters begone. This looks really great. Can't wait to get my hands on the next Streets of Rage.

Looks very good and if there's some kind of compilation with the first three games, I would buy it in a second.

Does anyone know if they will make it switchable to pixel graphics like they did with Wonder Boy? Then it would satisfy people who don't like the new look.

@Rafke
The first one is mega. One of those games were each element comes together to produce a fantastic end result.

The first SoR was one of my favorite games as a kid. This look promising, though I miss my favorite character, Adam.

Goods good, can't wait to play.

Streets of Rage 1-3 looked as they did because that was the graphical standard at the time. Now 25 years later, they're taking a modern approach to graphics and it looks lovely.

The visual style isn't great and it would have benefited hugely from having the Sonic Mania approach and frankly that's one of the best looking games this generation. Though Mega Man 11 has also shown how these can still look great with a modern look, I need to see more of it in motion to be honest. In any case I'm looking forward to it and if the gameplay cones close to the second in particular then I'll be very happy

I wish there was a physical release with normal distribution, no LRG b.s.

But now I just wish there is a Switch release in the first place. They haven't even confirmed it.

I honestly prefer these old school game remakes with these kind of HD visuals over the more dated pixel graphics. Games like this, Dragons Trap, Monsterboy, Hollow Knight, Half Genie Hero etc. look better to me then games like Sonic Mania, Owl Boy etc.
Not that pixalised graphics look bad ( they have a certain charm), I like the clean detailed look of retro style games in HD.

I think what they should do, is include a 16 bit mode like how the Wonder boy remakes have the 8-bit mode so if you don't like the new designs, you use the sprites from the Genesis games for the characters at least
at least that way you got the best of both worlds

@ACK I think the problem isn't even a lack of "90s" flavor. It's the lack of gritty neon-lit urban aesthetics. Even though there is a fair amount of trash and mess in the background, the lighting doesn't evoke that same dark feeling the past games did. Most stages in the old games were during night time too, and this one, from all screenshots, has been mostly during day time. It definitely affects the atmosphere. These subtleties are missing.

I still hope it succeeds and they get it right though.

The thing is if they tried to keep the original art style people would moan about it being another pixel game. They'll never please everyone. Me personally? I can't wait to see more, looks good to me!

@ACK Check out 'The Takedown '

This game shouldn’t be called streets of rage 4. Looks like flash garbage. Call it something original so people don’t get confused and think its legit.

There is no doubt that they have used the wrong art style for this game. But art style is not everything. The game stands or falls by its gameplay mechanics.

Looking good as far as i can see from those shots.

I'm just getting a little worried that Axl and Blaze will be the only playable characters. We need at least one more.

Dunno how many players they're aiming for in the multiplayer department, but 4 player multi could be interesting now that it can be done with no major hicuups to the system.

As for the "mania" approach, it could be cool as well. I played Sonic and it was great. Maybe a future game with this philosophy or the option to choose old and new graphics in this one (as capcom did for SF2 HD).

Alas i personally like to see things evolving rather than taking a step back. So a new art style is most welcome by my standards. No problem with it whatsoever.

Hoping to see some nighttime shots though. Agree with you guys saying it fits the game better than daytime.

There is if you think the art is going in the wrong direction, one that does not live up to the quality [and potential] of the original (even with its retro pixelated 16 bits, which, by the way, the new game doesn't need to follow to look right), and that it's not going to change.

If developers aren't going to deliver modern versions of these beloved games that are properly true to the originals, which in terms of the art direction I think is the case here, then I say they should just leave them alone.

I'd rather continue to yearn for a proper new SoR game than get one now that's not what it should be and means I now definitely won't get what I wanted for another however many years.

Again, I go back to the recent Star Fox Zero: That game was simply not up to the standards expected of a true Star Fox game, which I think most people are now seeing clearly and rationally enough to agree with, especially when compared to how genuinely amazing the seminal original was for its time, and it basically meant I've still not had a proper new Star Fox game for literally multiple generations.

Doing it properly right is the solution here, just like the guys who made Sonic Mania managed--the highest rated Sonic game in 25 years, and I'd argue possibly thee best all-round Sonic game to date--that's how you do Sonic right in 2018!

And, again, just to be clear, I don't think a new Streets of Rage game needs to have pixel art to be right, but it does need to nail the particular look and style of the previous games imo--I could demonstrate this really easily if there was any official promo illustrations of the characters done by the same artists back in the day for comparison, which I can't really find (only the shopped-out box art)--which this game does not.

But as I showed in a previous article, this kind of look for the in-game art is much closer to what we should be getting in a new Streets of Rage HD game in 2018 as far as I'm concerned:

Basically, what we see in the title screen, as that looks to be the same artist who did the main in-game characters and backgrounds from the original games nailing the actual look and feel spot on (notice how it's less cheesy "American" than the image above it, more anime/Manga), but obviously it would be drawn to the same full HD resolution and finish as the image above it.

Seriously, if the guy/gal who drew that title screen above had simply done some proper illustrations of the same scene then we'd have basically a perfect style sheet for how Streets of Rage 4 really should look--if we want it to look right and not like a pale fan-made imitation.

These versions of the characters, while still not quite perfect (although I think this would be close enough for me to be happy), look far closer to nailing the right look and feel in HD (basically, like a '90s Manga movie: Think Street Fighter II: The Animated movie or Akira or Ghost in the Shell or Cyber City Oedo 808 or Ninja Scroll):

Yes, this right here is how the in-game visuals for this new HD 2018 Streets of Rage game should look as far as I'm concerned:

Now THAT is PROPER quality "toon" art/illustration. THAT is the style and quality I'm looking for in-game, that I think is perfectly suited to a new SoR game in 2018 and would really do it full justice.

Christ, even these pixelised versions of the new game's character designs get the actual proportions, lines and shading more correct than the real game does:

I'm trying really hard to give you clear examples of what I'm talking about here and back up my assertions! lol

There's not a lot more I can do to make it any clearer where the issue lies and how it could and can be fixed.

It's the particular look, the proportions, the details, the lines and outlines, the shading, etc. And the artist for the new game just isn't getting that essential, imo, stuff right.

If you still don't see what I''m getting at and are maybe even still disagreeing at this point then I believe you simply don't understand what makes properly-good and aesthetically appealing art and/or have bad taste--it happens--certainly at least when it comes to how a new SoR game should look in 2018.

Here's hoping for Streets of Rage Remake on Switch!
Can't wait for some Bare Knuckle Action!!!!

@Borshi Streets of Rage Remake buddy.
that was the "Mania" approach
plenty fun, though...

Art looks great. Sets the mood. Can’t wait to see more

The references to the look of Flash games is because of the use of heavy black outlines that make the characters look disconnected from the backgrounds. As far as I can tell, that's just the style a lot of Flash games used at the time and not something specific to Flash.

I do not think the art is bad, but find it inappropriate to the Streets of Rage property. There are fan expectations because it is an existing property, just as there are benefits to the developers in using an established brand. For me, the art that they have shown looks too cartoony in spots, with odd proportions that give me a less-serious impression. I also have other issues with certain specific character-design choices, which may or may not be issues to others. I'm also not feeling the right atmosphere from the backgrounds. But I will see how the game develops.

What we have seen is not very much. Seeing the game properly in action will matter more. However, even if I liked the art design, I'd remain very cautious without reading a lot of reviews. As a very big fan of beat-em-up games, I know what makes them work for me and I wouldn't trust any modern beat-em-up without a lot of research.

@Reigestugatensho

Yep, but i meant an official release by Sega.
AM2R was very well made and i liked it a lot. Doesn't mean i didn't also bought and enjoyed Samus Returns on the 3DS.

my grand upper is ready

Considering the history of the series, my expectations are high. However, I hope this isn't another Shaq-Fu, a tragic entry in the 2D brawler/beat'em up genre.

Looks too cartoony for me. I hope it ends up well!

@LowKeyLoki Agree, I had hoped for a pixel art style game somehow.

@Rafke wow!! You owe it to yourself to play the first 3!! Pick up the Genesis classics and jump in!! 👍

@WaveBoy

You are still on this site! I don't know a lot of people who used to comment but definitely good to see a familiar face.

@WaveBoy SoR looks bloody amazing in pop-out Sterescopy on the 3DS.

Really digging the pleasant style of Lizardcube's artwork. Though I'm not enough of a series fan to really be hooked on this sequel. and I could see how purists would find it too different from the all-out-80s-anime-extravaganza that previous titles are famous for rocking.

@Mchi5 needs Adam

day 1 but i'm not sure i love the paper on paper visuals.

it's clean i guess but i dunno.

either way; unless it just sucks i'll be downloading it. capcom beat'em up is actually really good and wolverblade is hard but very good as well. this will fit right in.

@Borshi ahhhhhh I get you... That would be pretty cool! This game does need a third character though, so if it goes for a "Mania" approach they need either they're original Adam or Max (plus Skate)
Imagine if the third character is Mr. X LOL!!!! (How is he still alive!!???)

@WaveBoy Time for Season 2 buddy! the Noobs are takin' over the Switch LOL!

@impurekind Not bad.... Even brought up Ghost in the Shell
good evidence...
good claim!
still positive about new art style nonetheless!

Blaze is thick af, tbh! Though, not sure if I'm feeling the new art direction. It doesn't look bad, just doesn't seem to fit the SOR theme at all. Hopefully, there will be a beautiful soundtrack and lovely gameplay to make up for that.

Regarding the illustration style: it's not that the stills don't look good, is that the animation is less easily perceived because the contour lines that look good in still shots look more choppy when animated. The same effect occured in the HD remake of Street Fighter 2 turbo. Street Fighter 2 Alpha had no such issue because the frames were illustrated with less reliant on contour lines and border lines despite the fact that it was anime style.