i like the idea of this game a lot with it's progression system of collecting power ups that let you turn into a super powered beast form to fight the stage boss. i also think its cool that each level with the exception of the last has unique transformations with unique attacks. i also think theres a bit of charm with the way the game looks and all the bit crushed voice clips and stuff. thats pretty much where the praise ends though. the game is just kinda janky as hell. theres all sorts of shit the happens that i find so dumb like getting hit during transformations, the way you can just jump and spam kick over and over again and it kinda works sometimes, the way you can get hit and not lose health sometimes but get hit by the same thing and lose health, just weird inconsistent stuff like that. also maybe im just stupid and didnt look around enough but i couldnt find anything like health pickups or extra lives, and the game doesnt have continues at all. even though the game is short its still kinda difficult and in a bad way that inflates the amount of time it takes to beat. i got to the final boss but had practically no health left and no lives, and i dont think its possible to not take damage to the final boss so it feels like you have to get there without taking any or minimal damage and lose no lives which i just cant do, so i gave up. overall, cool game concept, reallll shit execution

Reviewed on Nov 29, 2023


3 Comments


5 months ago

A lot of Genesis beat 'em ups are good for their time but aged like garbage. Altered Beast most of all. Golden Axe not far behind. I love Golden Axe but it's objectively bad.

5 months ago

@Spinnerweb i also gave golden axe a try but yeah its not great. im trying to give the beat em up genre a chance because i always hear theres some good stuff on the genesis but theyve just been stinkers so far

5 months ago

@theRealBladee gonna be honest my friend, it's really a case of having played those games as a child and nostalgia that can save most of them. I played Golden Axe as a kid which is why I'm fond of it even though it sucks. I did not play Altered Beast as a kid so I have no love for it.
The Streets of Rage games have aged relatively well however.