When we say River City Girls is a very different experience to something like The Ninja Saviors we mean it, as while that game has one foot firmly in the arcades this feels much more like a console game, with exploration and even mild Metroidvania elements. But the presentation excels beyond even that, with some fun voice-acting and a fantastic soundtrack that even features original pop songs with lyrics. Even minor characters are full of personality and the whole thing almost looks like an anime in pixelated form, with wonderfully over-the-top moves and idle animations. River City Girls is one of those.Īpart from anything, the graphics in River City Girls are some of their best work ever, with gorgeous 2D sprite animation that’s some of the most impressive we’ve ever seen. You never know what you’re going to get from a WayForward title though, as they do a lot of for-hire licensed games that are often not very interesting, but just as often then manage to push out a real gem of a game, mixing old school nostalgia with more modern sensibilities. Guilty Gear creators Arc System Works now own the brand, but River City Girls is by Shantae developer WayForward – an American team known for their sublime pixel artwork and who already made the underrated Double Dragon Neon back in 2012. Rather than the 80s sci-fi nonsense of The Ninja Saviors, River City Girls is a gender-swapped sequel to River City Ransom (known in the UK as Street Gangs) where you’re out to rescue your kidnapped boyfriends, who are the heroes from the original game. Scrolling beat ‘em-ups are famous for being one-note and simplistic but the great thing about The Ninja Saviors, River City Girls, and the upcoming Streets Of Rage 4 is that they’re all so different – within the obvious parameters of you walking along punching people in the face. Because not a week after its release another one has arrived and if anything, River City Girls is even better. That hope we almost dared not speak of when reviewing The Ninja Saviors – that 90s style scrolling beat ‘em-ups were making a comeback – is actually being realised. The scrolling beat ‘em-up renaissance continues, with a new River City Ransom game that is one of the best examples of the genre ever.

River City Girls (PS4) – now that is a rough school

Double dragon neon ign review