As we inch closer and closer to the release of Streets of Rage 4, Dotemu has been uploading some short documentaries to gives fans a look at the development process behind this classic-styled brawler. With opinions from the game's director and artists, it's very insightful material that could help potential game developers learn how to best shape their work.
Case in point is a quote from Jordi Asensio, a game designer at Dotemu. When discussing why other reboots/sequels to classics series have fallen short, he states, "The common mistake is trying to add today's trends. You don't need to implement RPG mechanics, you don't want to over modernize the game." That should be printed in a game design bible.
The rest of the video goes over how the marriage between gameplay, art, and soundtrack is a fundamental part of Streets of Rage's charm. Each game in the series makes excellent use of these facets and it's crucial to nailing a specific vibe. Graphics aren't the most important thing in a title, but a lot of people fail to realize the role art plays in appreciating something.
It's possibly a little too early to tell, but Streets of Rage 4 pretty accurately recreates the gameplay of its predecessors. From my time with a demo at PAX East, it was clear the passion that developers Lizard Cube and Guard Crush had brought to this project. It was like time had stopped after Streets of Rage 2 and the developers had planned out a potential follow-up.
Many aren't too keen on Streets of Rage 3, which shifted its style into a more hardcore and serious vibe. It's not that the game is particularly bad, but it didn't quite live up to the quality that Sega managed with 2. For 4, not everything has had the dial turned back. Some aspects from the "black sheep" entry are present and the game isn't ignoring all of the advancements made in the beat-em-up genre over the last 25 years.
Whether or not this all pans out is anyone's guess. With Streets of Rage 4 planned for release in early 2020, we don't have much longer to wait to find out.
Source: YouTube