Streets of Rage 4 Reveals Playable Retro Characters in New Trailer

Streets of Rage is back after 26 beatdown-free years. Streets of Rage 4 is set to be a loving return to form for the beat 'em up genre from developers Lizard Cube and Guard Crush Games. In the latest trailer released for the upcoming game, the return of 12 retro-styled playable characters from earlier titles are revealed. Check out the trailer above.

While Streets of Rage 4 has its own manga-inspired art style, the pixel art style of earlier games is being kept intact for these 12 retro characters. Unlocked throughout gameplay, each character will have their own unique ability that pays homage to their game of origin: some can sprint or roll around the urban battleground; others can call in for cop support.

In addition, the soundtrack also features some of the best pieces from Streets of Rage 1 and 2, adding to the feeling of 'old meets new' and helping this new entry feel like a true part of the Streets of Rage series.

Many write off the beat 'em up genre as a relic of the past, but Streets of Rage 4 is providing some compelling reasons to reconsider that notion. If 2D platformers, for example, have a place in today's gaming industry, why not scrolling beat 'em ups? Perhaps the reason that they suffer such poor representation on modern systems is that nobody has tried to revive them... until now. 

Streets of Rage 4 will release spring 2020 for PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PC and Switch.