River City Girls review

Reviewed on: PC

By Anderson do Patrocínio

If there is one genre of games that has always delighted the community when we talk about local multiplayer, it is the beat ‘em up, also called “street brawler” by those in the know.

In the past, arcades were the natural home of this type of game, which consists of progressing through linear levels while dishing out blows to assorted enemies, almost always gangsters and other thugs who inhabit the criminal underworld.

While great franchises reigned in the arcades of the time, home consoles had original titles that took advantage of creativity to overcome technological challenges – even with limitations, imagine the thrill of a beat ‘em up on the NES! And it is in this context that the Kunio-kun series emerges in Japan, at the hands of Technos (the same studio as Double Dragon), which in the West gained a small – and loyal – following of fans thanks to the games Renegade and River City Ransom. Since then the West has seen sporadic releases of the franchise, until River City Girls arrived to find its place in the sun.

Grab the nearest stick and come with us to beat people up in the name of peace!

First of all, it is worth noting that Kunio-kun has always differentiated itself from its peers in its main theme: here, instead of police officers, vigilantes or knights leading the fight of good against evil, the setting is the juvenile delinquency of modern Japan. Think of a homogeneous mix of Great Teacher Onizuka, YuYu Hakusho and Rival Schools, but dressed as a street brawler.

As you can deduce from the title, RCG stars the girls Kyoko and Misako, who in the plot are responsible for saving Riki and Kunio, their respective boyfriends and the series’ original protagonists.

Although it is, in essence, a mere excuse to beat everyone up, the story is told interspersed with important events and has very charismatic characters; you will certainly have favorites among protagonists, bosses and NPCs. The more traditional fans of the genre will have extra joys in this regard, since the Double Dragon universe is officially shared with the River City series, that is, expect to see Billy, Jimmy and company on the streets of Japan.

If on one hand the story does not exceed expectations, RCG’s other aspects raise the standard. The graphics are the state of the art of pixels, with fluid movement and very humorous animations. The environments are absurdly detailed, as are the characters. Details such as the movement of fabric, fingers, dangling accessories and facial expressions are very well used, giving personality and charisma not only to the protagonists but also to the enemies and NPCs. The pixel art of this game is truly a feast for the eyes.

The gameplay is not far behind. Besides a light attack, heavy attack and jump, you have a button for specials and another for defense. There is a very satisfying feeling in landing the blows and combos, that is, even within the repetition characteristic of the genre (which, let’s face it, boils down to walking and hitting), you should still find plenty of satisfaction. One point that weighs against it is the absence of an online mode, with local co-op being the only multiplayer available.

Following both the series’ traditions and the most enduring trend of recent times in games, there are also RPG elements, with an experience system that lets you level up the protagonists, improving certain attributes.

In terms of progression we have a not-so-linear game, which allows you to revisit places you have already passed in search of items or characters essential to progress.

Here comes a design complaint regarding the button layout: Square, an essential button for the brawling, is also used to enter shops or change environments, causing frustration on several occasions. Yes, it seems minor, but this will leave you totally irritated in the medium term.

In terms of sound design we also have an admirable performance, with highlights in both the voice acting and the music. If during gameplay the voices stand out little, in the cutscenes they really enrich the narrative. The soundtrack, meanwhile, keeps a high level throughout the experience, even featuring some sung songs. There were more than a few times when the soundtrack stood out above everything happening on screen, really capturing my attention.

Playing on hard and as a completionist, an average player should invest around 8 hours in the first playthrough, and may double that mark if they decide to take on NG+.

River City Girls is a title that has far more qualities than flaws. Even the most casual player will surely be won over by this experience, while traditional fans of the franchise or the genre will find in this title one of the most honest expressions of beat ‘em ups in recent times.