PaidMoreWorkLess
1989
Final Fight lives up to its status as an iconic beatemup classic by combining fun moves with swarms of fast, dangerous enemies.
For the past few months, Final Fight truly had its hooks in me. After coming up with the bright idea to 1CC it (clear with 1 quarter), I put countless hours into trying to get the first few levels down. I learned the mechanics, discovered all the different exploits, toiled away at Damnd, Sodom, Edi E, conquered the...
...oh, who am I kidding. I gave up. I gave up like crazy. This game's hard as balls.
The reason I ended up beating Final Fight with not one, not two, but seventeen credits is due to one thing: burnout. By the time I got through 4-ish stages with 1 credit, I'd begun to get a little irritated with the game.
As impressed as I am with Final Fight's dedication to painting a picture of a very gritty NYC, I gotta admit that I just don't love the presentation. While there's some great music here, the first two tracks in this game annoy the hell out of me. And although FF features a sweeping sunset view of New York Harbor and the best representation of a subway I've seen in a game...there are some blandly lit streets and a boring industrial area that harm the atmosphere, IMO.
This might all seem a bit dour, but honestly? I can see myself coming back to Final Fight some day based purely on the merits of its fantastic gameplay.
Being one of the most iconic beatemups of all time, it's no surprise that FF gets all the basic mechanics right. Playing as Guy, I found that the loud, satisfying punches put a nice distance between you and the enemy, all while inflicting a generous amount of hitstun that allows the player to easily grapple them. Throwing an enemy sends them flying across the screen too, which means one good toss is all you need to turn the tides of a 10v1 brawl. Oh, and the special attack (jump+punch) allowed me to easily cancel out of moves, deflect projectiles, and stop myself from getting swarmed by enemies.
I think what makes Final Fight so engaging is that all of the moves make me feel so powerful. And yet, even with so many helpful attacks, I never really felt like this game was easy. The seemingly endless depth of FF comes from the devastating combo of a fun moveset and fast, challenging enemies that leap behind you, toss knives, and lunge forward at devastating speeds. Even as the game continues to whoop my ass again and again to the same screeching soundtrack, I find that I can't really put it down.
So, yes I kinda gave up on trying to 1CC Final Fight. But there's still a part of me screaming for one more try! One more try! Just one more!
For the past few months, Final Fight truly had its hooks in me. After coming up with the bright idea to 1CC it (clear with 1 quarter), I put countless hours into trying to get the first few levels down. I learned the mechanics, discovered all the different exploits, toiled away at Damnd, Sodom, Edi E, conquered the...
...oh, who am I kidding. I gave up. I gave up like crazy. This game's hard as balls.
The reason I ended up beating Final Fight with not one, not two, but seventeen credits is due to one thing: burnout. By the time I got through 4-ish stages with 1 credit, I'd begun to get a little irritated with the game.
As impressed as I am with Final Fight's dedication to painting a picture of a very gritty NYC, I gotta admit that I just don't love the presentation. While there's some great music here, the first two tracks in this game annoy the hell out of me. And although FF features a sweeping sunset view of New York Harbor and the best representation of a subway I've seen in a game...there are some blandly lit streets and a boring industrial area that harm the atmosphere, IMO.
This might all seem a bit dour, but honestly? I can see myself coming back to Final Fight some day based purely on the merits of its fantastic gameplay.
Being one of the most iconic beatemups of all time, it's no surprise that FF gets all the basic mechanics right. Playing as Guy, I found that the loud, satisfying punches put a nice distance between you and the enemy, all while inflicting a generous amount of hitstun that allows the player to easily grapple them. Throwing an enemy sends them flying across the screen too, which means one good toss is all you need to turn the tides of a 10v1 brawl. Oh, and the special attack (jump+punch) allowed me to easily cancel out of moves, deflect projectiles, and stop myself from getting swarmed by enemies.
I think what makes Final Fight so engaging is that all of the moves make me feel so powerful. And yet, even with so many helpful attacks, I never really felt like this game was easy. The seemingly endless depth of FF comes from the devastating combo of a fun moveset and fast, challenging enemies that leap behind you, toss knives, and lunge forward at devastating speeds. Even as the game continues to whoop my ass again and again to the same screeching soundtrack, I find that I can't really put it down.
So, yes I kinda gave up on trying to 1CC Final Fight. But there's still a part of me screaming for one more try! One more try! Just one more!
Guardians: Denjin Makai 2 allows players to channel their inner Japanese superhero in a super fast beatemup with some silly charm and an impressive combo system.
For a genre all about spanking endless hordes of buff guys and emerging victorious, I find it strange how few beatemups make me feel as overpowered as Guardians: Denjin Makai 2 does.
Don't get me wrong--I still suck. I whiff attacks, I head straight into oncoming danger, I haven't even beaten the game in less than 7 credits. But every now and then, I go absolutely wild on a boss and combo them up the side of a wall. From time to time, I dispatch an entire group of enemies in a matter of seconds. And maybe, say, once per run, I really feel like I've just slipped into the shoes of a classic Japanese superhero, and it's my turn to take down the villain of the week.
This series is all about its insane move list, and so Guardians has an absolute BUTTLOAD of cool moves. The game teaches you how to do many of them from the Character Select, but some are only going to be discovered once you use your character. Guardians features a very intuitive combo system, and practicing with it will allow you to take down enemies faster and easier than if you were just taking playing a slow game of keep-away like you would in a game like Final Fight.
And honestly? I recommend playing aggressively. If you want to beat the game with less credits, the safest (and most fun) thing you can do is stack enemies and make sure you can keep hitting them before they even touch you.
I will say, though, that while Guardians is awesome, it isn't exactly epic. The game is frequently very funny, almost satirically so. Environments are beautifully detailed and enemies will frequently be caught engaging in silly gags. However, the boss designs really just...aren't great, at least visually. The first boss is a pretty funny take on the typically buff villains you'll find in any beatemup. The next few are a generic ninja, a plain-looking mech, then an ugly...mollusk, thing? The only boss that really stands out is the final one. And while the music is usually solid...gosh, the default boss theme truly sounds like boring Character Select music.
At the end of the day, Guardians isn't a beatemup that I can "get lost in" like Golden Axe or Streets of Rage 2. But it gets it right because it remains fun, bizarre and undeniably spectacular from beginning to end.
For a genre all about spanking endless hordes of buff guys and emerging victorious, I find it strange how few beatemups make me feel as overpowered as Guardians: Denjin Makai 2 does.
Don't get me wrong--I still suck. I whiff attacks, I head straight into oncoming danger, I haven't even beaten the game in less than 7 credits. But every now and then, I go absolutely wild on a boss and combo them up the side of a wall. From time to time, I dispatch an entire group of enemies in a matter of seconds. And maybe, say, once per run, I really feel like I've just slipped into the shoes of a classic Japanese superhero, and it's my turn to take down the villain of the week.
This series is all about its insane move list, and so Guardians has an absolute BUTTLOAD of cool moves. The game teaches you how to do many of them from the Character Select, but some are only going to be discovered once you use your character. Guardians features a very intuitive combo system, and practicing with it will allow you to take down enemies faster and easier than if you were just taking playing a slow game of keep-away like you would in a game like Final Fight.
And honestly? I recommend playing aggressively. If you want to beat the game with less credits, the safest (and most fun) thing you can do is stack enemies and make sure you can keep hitting them before they even touch you.
I will say, though, that while Guardians is awesome, it isn't exactly epic. The game is frequently very funny, almost satirically so. Environments are beautifully detailed and enemies will frequently be caught engaging in silly gags. However, the boss designs really just...aren't great, at least visually. The first boss is a pretty funny take on the typically buff villains you'll find in any beatemup. The next few are a generic ninja, a plain-looking mech, then an ugly...mollusk, thing? The only boss that really stands out is the final one. And while the music is usually solid...gosh, the default boss theme truly sounds like boring Character Select music.
At the end of the day, Guardians isn't a beatemup that I can "get lost in" like Golden Axe or Streets of Rage 2. But it gets it right because it remains fun, bizarre and undeniably spectacular from beginning to end.
1994
Despite boasting some awesome ideas, fickle enemy behavior and an overly sensitive dash mechanic keep Denjin Makai from being as fun to master as it is to fool around in.
As I'm currently working on finishing Final Fight, I've come to discover the innate desire all humans have to throw dudes into other dudes. It's a simple pleasure, and one that beatemups have a unique opportunity to capitalize on. Denjin Makai, like Final Fight before it, largely succeeds in giving the player a grapple/throw that feels far-reaching and powerful.
Where DM stands out from Final Fight clones is its huge pool of moves to enjoy. By holding attack while inputting directions or pressing atk+jump in certain contexts, you can access a stupidly huge amount of special moves. It's worth checking out Denjin Makai if you just want to see all the crazy moves, but I don't know if I'd recommend mastering the game with limited credits.
The issue here is that DM has an extremely sensitive dash mechanic. This might just be my worn-out D-pad, but even after testing dashes on other games, I found that I frequently initiated a dash in DM when I didn't want to. I think the game registers a dash anytime you alternate directions 3 times, which doesn't feel intuitive at all. Pair this control issue with huge hordes of enemies that feel a little too unpredictable in their behaviors, and the game just ended up wearing on me once I got to Stage 5 with the 6 credits I limited myself to.
Still, I've got to give credit where it's due. Denjin Makai provided a decently fun arcade beatemup with tons of spectacular enemies, attacks, and backgrounds to gawk at before I groaned at another failed attempt to see it to the end.
As I'm currently working on finishing Final Fight, I've come to discover the innate desire all humans have to throw dudes into other dudes. It's a simple pleasure, and one that beatemups have a unique opportunity to capitalize on. Denjin Makai, like Final Fight before it, largely succeeds in giving the player a grapple/throw that feels far-reaching and powerful.
Where DM stands out from Final Fight clones is its huge pool of moves to enjoy. By holding attack while inputting directions or pressing atk+jump in certain contexts, you can access a stupidly huge amount of special moves. It's worth checking out Denjin Makai if you just want to see all the crazy moves, but I don't know if I'd recommend mastering the game with limited credits.
The issue here is that DM has an extremely sensitive dash mechanic. This might just be my worn-out D-pad, but even after testing dashes on other games, I found that I frequently initiated a dash in DM when I didn't want to. I think the game registers a dash anytime you alternate directions 3 times, which doesn't feel intuitive at all. Pair this control issue with huge hordes of enemies that feel a little too unpredictable in their behaviors, and the game just ended up wearing on me once I got to Stage 5 with the 6 credits I limited myself to.
Still, I've got to give credit where it's due. Denjin Makai provided a decently fun arcade beatemup with tons of spectacular enemies, attacks, and backgrounds to gawk at before I groaned at another failed attempt to see it to the end.
1989
Golden Axe may seem a bit clunky at first, but learning its quirks will reveal a fun and breezy beatemup with an engaging, exceptionally gritty atmosphere.
Despite its status as a landmark Sega title, I really think that Golden Axe will turn off a majority of players who pick it up for the first time in 2024. There's just a little too much friction here between the archaic mechanics and the sensibilities of modern game design. GA's color palette is washed out, hit detection can feel awkward, and the game often rewards spammy attacks and the exploitation of dumb AI.
Yet, it's these awkward features that sort of make GA stand out to me. The muted colors add a sense of grittiness to the world, complimented by the agonizing screams and the way corpses just lay there after they've been dealt with. The lack of crowd-control mechanics, while a negative in any other game, adds a genuine feeling of helplessness in GA. This leads to an interesting meta where you often have to awkwardly walk past enemies to avoid them, rather than simply shoving them away. Even more interesting is the mechanic where enemies will bum-rush you if you push them too far away. This is a rare beatemup where distancing yourself from enemies too well is a bad idea.
Despite being quite easy to beat with just 2 credits, the eccentricities of GA make every battle feel like an awkward, brutal struggle against enemies that are as flimsy as you are. This isn't a game that makes you feel like a badass...it's a game that takes you on a journey through an uncaring, Conan-like world where your best tactic is to stay cautious and fight dirty. Open yourself up to the clumsiness of Golden Axe, and you may just be rewarded with an arcade experience that's equal parts delightful and dangerous. My only complaint is that there isn't enough depth to keep me coming back, even though what's here is fantastic.
Despite its status as a landmark Sega title, I really think that Golden Axe will turn off a majority of players who pick it up for the first time in 2024. There's just a little too much friction here between the archaic mechanics and the sensibilities of modern game design. GA's color palette is washed out, hit detection can feel awkward, and the game often rewards spammy attacks and the exploitation of dumb AI.
Yet, it's these awkward features that sort of make GA stand out to me. The muted colors add a sense of grittiness to the world, complimented by the agonizing screams and the way corpses just lay there after they've been dealt with. The lack of crowd-control mechanics, while a negative in any other game, adds a genuine feeling of helplessness in GA. This leads to an interesting meta where you often have to awkwardly walk past enemies to avoid them, rather than simply shoving them away. Even more interesting is the mechanic where enemies will bum-rush you if you push them too far away. This is a rare beatemup where distancing yourself from enemies too well is a bad idea.
Despite being quite easy to beat with just 2 credits, the eccentricities of GA make every battle feel like an awkward, brutal struggle against enemies that are as flimsy as you are. This isn't a game that makes you feel like a badass...it's a game that takes you on a journey through an uncaring, Conan-like world where your best tactic is to stay cautious and fight dirty. Open yourself up to the clumsiness of Golden Axe, and you may just be rewarded with an arcade experience that's equal parts delightful and dangerous. My only complaint is that there isn't enough depth to keep me coming back, even though what's here is fantastic.
1993
Cute and accessible, but not tightly designed enough that I'd play it over other beatemups. Still, the presentation, easy difficulty, and solid mechanics make it pleasant enough to play.
1994
A port of the arcade game Denjin Makai. Feels a little too easy at times, but the huge list of badass moves makes it consistently satisfying to smack dudes around. Worth revisiting, but for now I'm more interested in the Denjin Makai arcade games.
1995
Fun but flawed beatemup junk food. The awesome guns, gritty atmosphere, and thrashing soundtrack are all great features, but the game design is sloppy. Crowd control moves are limited, and someone on the team thought it would be funny to include waist-high enemies you can barely hit and foreground objects that sometimes obscure action.
1994
I usually try arcade games to see how far I get with 1 credit, but I couldn't do much here. There aren't enough crowd-control moves to keep away swarms, and once I got to the 2nd level that features icy floors, platforming sections and super fast bum-rushing enemies...I just gave up.
The criticism "quarter-muncher" is overused for arcade games, but it feels like BT actually wants to eat your whole wallet. It's a shame how unfun it is, considering how much I love its zany 90s cartoon visuals.
The criticism "quarter-muncher" is overused for arcade games, but it feels like BT actually wants to eat your whole wallet. It's a shame how unfun it is, considering how much I love its zany 90s cartoon visuals.
2017
Despite boasting some impressive animations, Bleed 2 is slightly let down by its otherwise sparse visuals. Still, this is an insanely replayable run/gun with fantastic level design, robust mechanics, and an adorable reverence for classic arcade action.
2019
Okay, this game is really good. 100 hours in, beat the heart, and got up to ascension 5 with Defect. Slay the Spire feels like it's endlessly replayable and mechanically deep. It's one of my favorite casual, cozy games and well worth sinking time into.
2018
It has some decent ideas and (maybe) some themes worth chewing on. The atmosphere is good, but the game feels like it ends right when the story becomes concrete. I'd replay it, but it's filled with awful vehicle segments where you can do nothing but listen to music or literal gibberish. Wasted potential.
2016
This is how you do a remake. The new features added to the SNES original only enhance the awesome gameplay. It's a short game, but you can spend dozens of hours getting new scores with different characters. The spritework and music are just as incredible as they've always been.
2013
Kind of like a mashup between Yume Nikki's surrealness and Zelda's world structure. The puzzles can be boring and the gameplay a bit janky...but the atmosphere is truly incredible. Some areas are majestic, others are unsettling, and it's all worth seeing. Also unexpectedly violent? Great stuff.
2013
It's a 2D action game where platforms, hazards, and weapons move to the beat of the music. 140 executes its ideas confidently without the need for a long-winded tutorial, and escalates in intensity right up until its groovin' final boss.
2020
The puzzling isn't exactly deep and I couldn't quite grasp its themes. Still, there were enough delightfully weird sights/sounds to keep me exploring. Great atmosphere.