Streets of Rage 2

I should have done this years ago. I remember 6 year old me waking up and seeing Streets of Rage 2 under the tree in 1992 and I cried.

Streets of Rage 2 the once Sega Exclusive still holds up to this day better than most next gen games that came after it. Excellent Gameplay, Axel, Blaze, Skate & Max all play so differently from one another, Stage variety, Bosses are tough but so much fun and that soundtrack that even got it's own show at a Red Bull festival back in 2018. Go Straight & Never Return Alive are just the peak of 90s gaming music and being able to reuse them in stage 1 & 2 of SOR4.

It is one year after Axel, Blaze, and Adam smashed the syndicate. However, Mr. X is down but not out. The team let their guard down. Axel Stone is working as a bodyguard, Blaze Fielding is now a dance instructor, and Adam Hunter rejoins the police while taking care of his younger brother Skate. Slowly, but surely, the tendrils of Mr. X's organization retake the city, and Adam is kidnapped. The gang find a photograph of Adam in chains and set out to rescue them, unaware that Mr. X is baiting them into a trap. They are joined by professional wrestler Max Thunder and once more storm through the streets wasting everyone in their path across the slums, an amusement park, a ship, a desert island, a factory, and finally confronting Mr. X in his new headquarters.

Everything about the first game is improved. Sprites are larger, gameplay is more dynamic, animation is less choppy, environments are more colorful and flamboyant, and the music...is awesome. Streets of Rage 2 frequently makes the number 1 spot of any "Best Video Game Music" lists. Yuzo Koshiro may have been inspired by the early 90s club scene but this stuff is not dated in the slightest. You simply must go out and purchase the soundtrack.

The first game was a fun beat-em-up, but SOR2 is an epic. 23 years on and this game still holds up. Revolutionary, bone-smashing, head- banging, ball-breaking action from beginning to end. What a game!

This game is one of my favorite video games of all time, and it's my favorite beat em up and video game for the "Sega Genesis" console. This game back then really took both the console but also the genre by storm. From not just having a beat em up on a console that was just pitch perfect but also taking the genre to new heights. Even by today's standards the game is still an awesome play, and sure there have been plenty of games in the genre afterward that have probably surpassed this sequel and taken the genre to heights as well, but this game was one of the inspirations for them; let alone was one of the first and is still one of the best.

The first game that I reviewed was good, but this sequel no doubt surpassed it and made this franchise a permanent edition to the beat em up Mount Rushmore three of them in my book "Double Dragon", "Final Fight", and "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles". I know there may 'be some others in highest regard but this is mine, you can always make and have your own version. None the less this game is one of the prime examples that showed the "Beat em Up" genre is here to stay.

The plotline isn't really anything special, but it feels right as this game came out when the action genre was still booming in the 90's and even comic book franchises were on the rise. And like all beat em ups, we're all here for the action.

Graphic presentation is great, it looks a lot better than in the first game, as it's a little more colorful, detailed, let alone look bigger. This game has a lot of hits from the fact you have four characters to choose from, each have their strengths and weaknesses. Personally, I always like choosing Axel and Blaze as their more balanced, let alone both are pretty much the main man and woman of the franchise.

I like the fact that each of the characters have not just the emergency only move, like with Axel where he gets to unload rapid fire punches about as fast as Kenshiro from "Fist of the North Star". But you also have some power moves when you press forward twice and the attack button, from Axel with the fiery uppercut and Blaze with what looks like a hadoken. Both these things really give you a step up in the game, really help level the playing field when things get harry or you just need to speed up the process. But of course, with the power you must execute and hit your enemies at the right time and place. Also, like all the emergency-only moves you have a limited amount, you can refill it, but refills are few and far between, so don't waste them.

One of the things that made this game stand out and revolutionary at the time was in level format transitions and variety. With the leveling format you still went from point A to B but your character didn't just go in a straight line but also up and down diagonally, this gave the levels in the game almost a three dimension making it feel not static. I really like the transitions as the levels are divided into stages but each of the stages is short lengths which is great as you don't feel you've overstayed your welcome.

But also help in keeping the momentum of the game going and keeping the game fresh as each of the stages are always something different. Though also it gives the game sort of a comic book feel, as progress though each stage feels like going from one comic book panel to another. And each of the levels and stages are memorable, my favorites are the fight in the Amusement Park, Amusement Parks are always one of my favorite arenas of action as there are so many places to go and do. The other is the Baseball stadium, it's just cool as it's sort of an ironic as it's supposed to be a place where friendly games take place, only you're playing for keeps.

Speaking of different stages really like how each of them there is a good variety of enemies but also really like the sub to main bosses that are colorful and a good challenge. Like one boss whom you can say is sort of "The Rocketeer" or "The Mandalorian" but if he was evil. Or another which is this giant animatronic snake who is creepy and looks like a boss for a shoot em up franchise like "Gradius".

And of course there is the music, this game has some of the best music tracks ever that are still being played to this day. From remixes, parties, though for me I play some of the tracks while I'm practicing my martial arts. Each of the tracks sort of have that hip hop style which makes sense as hip hop was a big style of music on the rise in the 90's. It fits the game since most to all the action in the game takes place on the streets, but also just really pumps you up for ongoing and coming action.

This vintage classic still beats to the beat.

Rating: 4 stars.

Streets of Rage 2 is without a doubt on my all-time Top 10 list of favorite video games. Everything about this game is almost perfect, if not perfect. From the sensational graphics to the engaging gameplay, Streets of Rage 2 has it all! If you ask me, no other fighting game can compare with this one! Even if you just get one fighting game the rest of your life, get this one!

I thought the first Streets of Rage was okay, nothing too special; however, this one was way more fun! I have played several beat em up games the past few days and this was by far the most fun as it was so much more fast paced. The game play never felt as if it lagged in the least. The other games I played felt slow and they were arcade games! I thought I would play this one for a bit before bed and I ended up playing through the whole game as Blaze because it was so much fun!

The story, Mr. X has returned...this time he wants revenge! He has kidnapped Adam from the first game and it is up to Axel and Blaze to save him! Also joining the team is Max, a wrestler and Skate, Adam's younger brother. You have to fight through several areas of the city so that you can stop Mr. X and his plans for revenge!

The game play is nice and fast. It is amazing the amount of moves Blaze was able to do. I am not sure how the new characters play as I usually like using Blaze as I love it when she flips over a person then gives them a suplex! The stages are interesting as you have your basic city levels, a boat stage and even a haunted house! I also liked the fact the game's easy mode was actually easy as I only had to continue once during a boss rush. I also only had trouble with a couple of bad guys, and no one took too long to kill making the pace seem even faster.

So, I have heard that this is the best of the Streets of Rage games as part III was apparently a step back. Still going to try it at some point. This one was very fun, I like having more moves rather than just having one super attack like the previous game and the pace of the game is just great. Though, there is one thing...one would think Mr. X would learn not to simply sit in a chair as his best warrior fights and would simply start shooting right away...