General Gaming Good modern beat 'em ups?

[legend]

Turns out my wife who doesn't game a lot really enjoys beat 'em up games (or at least cooping them with me). We got River City Girls this weekend and she loved it (especially since she loves anime and humor in games). From that, I also picked up Streets of Rage 4 and she's been enjoying that too!

 

So now I'm looking for other good suggestions of modern coop beat 'em ups she might enjoy. Any recommendations? TMNT and River City Girls 2 are both coming out this summer which will be great, but I was wondering if there are other good ones out now that you all would recommend. I will add that games are very challenging without an easy mode are probably out because she's not an expert gamer.

[gamer.tv]

Scott Pilgrim vs the World.

[legend]

5 minutes ago, gamer.tv said:

Scott Pilgrim vs the World.

 

Ah yeah that could be good. Looks like it might only be on the Uplay store?

[Keyser_Soze]

Jitsu Squad came out recently. It's pretty cool and even has Maximilian Dood in it!

 

Jitsu Squad on Steam

STORE.STEAMPOWERED.COM

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Jitsu Squad is a 4 player co-op beat ‘em up with fast-paced cartoony action and wacky chaotic battles! Master the difficulty, level up and use your unique special moves and weapons to take down the wicked sorcerer to save the galaxy!!

 

[Spork3245]

Not out yet, but there’s a new Teenage Mutant Turtles game coming out soon-ish that looks to play very much like Turtles in Time:

I know you mentioned a turtles game coming in the OP, but I wasn’t sure if you were referencing this or the Turtles in Time re-release  

[Bloodporne]

Check out Fight 'N Rage

 

I keep reading that it's really good.

 

 

[Slug]

Dragon's Crown

[Fizzzzle]

Mother Russia Bleeds is a good one, but might not be what you're looking for in this case, as it's unflinchingly violent and whatnot. Still, it's pretty basic in terms of combat and not particularly difficult.

[Commissar SFLUFAN]

2 hours ago, Fizzzzle said:

Mother Russia Bleeds is a good one, but might not be what you're looking for in this case, as it's unflinchingly violent and whatnot. Still, it's pretty basic in terms of combat and not particularly difficult.

 

I too will also endorse Mother Russia Bleeds!

[Xbob42]

10 hours ago, gamer.tv said:

Scott Pilgrim vs the World.

I like how Beat 'em Ups are so uncommon that one from over a decade ago (12 years!) is considered modern!

[Ghost_MH]

Single player? I quite like Going Under. It's technically a roguelike, but plays like a beat em up.

 

 

[Brian]

Capcom Beat 'Em Up Bundle Is the best bang for your buck though definitely not modern. 

[stepee]

Just now, ManUtdRedDevils said:

Capcom Beat 'Em Up Bundle Is the best bang for your buck though definitely not modern. 

 

Yeah I don’t know if you want to do emulation for this purpose or not because then of course there are tons, but if you are looking for legit I dig this collection.

[Zaku3]

It might get overlooked but the Yakuza games up until Like a Dragon.

 

This reminds me I might give amazon luna a try so I can play judgement.

[legend]

Thanks for all the recommendations everyone  

[dualhunter]

Something to keep in mind, while the old arcade games were difficult when you had to keep putting in coins, when you have unlimited continues for free, they're easy.

[gamer.tv]

3 hours ago, Xbob42 said:

I like how Beat 'em Ups are so uncommon that one from over a decade ago (12 years!) is considered modern!

I mean, I’m fairness, has there been a beat ‘em up released in 20 years that actually feels modern - or was it a genre perfected about 30 years ago and vaguely iterated on?

[Zaku3]

6 minutes ago, gamer.tv said:

I mean, I’m fairness, has there been a beat ‘em up released in 20 years that actually feels modern - or was it a genre perfected about 30 years ago and vaguely iterated on?

 

"Real" modern ones would be Yakuza if you ask me. A case can also be made character action games like Devil May Cry and Bayonetta are also modern evolutions of beat em ups.

[stepee]

3 minutes ago, Zaku3 said:

 

"Real" modern ones would be Yakuza if you ask me. A case can also be made character action games like Devil May Cry and Bayonetta are also modern evolutions of beat em ups.

 

I feel like Dmc/Bayo are more like evolutions of action games like Contra/Strider. Yakuza for sure. Stifu is a new one. Problem is none of these are coop.

 

Castle Crashers is the last big one I can think of besides SOR4. 

[Fizzzzle]

You know what scratches the same itch as couch co-op beat em ups? Lego Lord of the Rings. It's not a beat em up, but it pretty much controls like one. I had a lot of fun playing that with my little brother.

[stepee]

My step-dad is really into bear em ups too and he recommended The Takeover to me which is a very SOR game and has a lot of content it seems. I just got it though and have only played a tiny bit, it seems good though and probably exactly what you are looking for.

[stepee]

actually wait when the fuck did legend get married even

[GameDadGrant]

Not "modern" exactly but check out Code of Princess 

[stepee]

I’d fucking love Dynamite Deka 1+2 collection on switch so much. I think those are my favorites, even including classic 2d ones.

[Bloodporne]

I still think the original arcade version of Final Fight and then Streets of Rage 2 are the peak. Vendetta was cool as hell too. 

[legend]

3 hours ago, stepee said:

actually wait when the fuck did legend get married even

 

Lol in 2011; it's been a while! I've even posted a photo from it before!  

[stepee]

16 minutes ago, legend said:

 

Lol in 2011; it's been a while! I've even posted a photo from it before!  

 

I don’t know why that slipped my mind! 

[legend]

24 minutes ago, stepee said:

 

I don’t know why that slipped my mind! 

 

No worries. Now if you actually precisely remembered every personal detail I've ever shared... that might actually worry me  

[stepee]

Just now, legend said:

 

No worries. Now if you actually precisely remembered every personal detail I've ever shared... that might actually worry me  

 

Thats more @Keyser_Soze !

[Paperclyp]

6 hours ago, gamer.tv said:

I mean, I’m fairness, has there been a beat ‘em up released in 20 years that actually feels modern - or was it a genre perfected about 30 years ago and vaguely iterated on?

I’m out of my element but from what I’ve heard Streets of Rage 4 is a pretty good modernized beat ‘em up. I have high hopes for the turtles game coming soon. 

[stepee]

6 minutes ago, Paperclyp said:

I’m out of my element but from what I’ve heard Streets of Rage 4 is a pretty good modernized beat ‘em up. I have high hopes for the turtles game coming soon. 

 

I guess it would depend on if you consider SOR4 modernized, it is definitely great. It has modern graphics, more options, more unlocks, combos, content overall etc but it’s essentially the same core gameplay as the older games.

[legend]

Yeah Streets of Rage 4 is one of the ones we played over the weekend (along with River City Girls). It's short, but definitely solid.

[Paperclyp]

1 hour ago, stepee said:

 

I guess it would depend on if you consider SOR4 modernized, it is definitely great. It has modern graphics, more options, more unlocks, combos, content overall etc but it’s essentially the same core gameplay as the older games.

Yeah basically what I heard, but I thought maybe the number and complexity of combos and just sheer volume of content might be enough to make it feel like a legit game you feel like you’re getting value out of compared to like what I feel often times when I play an old beat ‘em up - like a curiosity that’s fun for 30 mins or so and then I lose interest. 
 

They look so damn cool and I’m always tempted but I have been hesitant to buy it even cheap because I just don’t know if it’ll feel fleshed out enough to hold my interest. 

[Bloodporne]

1 hour ago, Paperclyp said:

Yeah basically what I heard, but I thought maybe the number and complexity of combos and just sheer volume of content might be enough to make it feel like a legit game you feel like you’re getting value out of compared to like what I feel often times when I play an old beat ‘em up - like a curiosity that’s fun for 30 mins or so and then I lose interest. 
 

They look so damn cool and I’m always tempted but I have been hesitant to buy it even cheap because I just don’t know if it’ll feel fleshed out enough to hold my interest. 

SoR4 is a bit meatier than the old games, a bit deeper, but in my opinion with that came with some annoyances. The game heavily relies on enemies randomly hyper-armoring through your moves, blocking or other stuff there isn't really a particular counter to. Like it's not like you see a hyper-armor move come in and you have a parry. It kinda feels like the enemies' movesets evolved more than yours in a weird way. 

 

It's a great game in many ways and I spenr a lot of time with it but the more I played, the more some of those design choices pissed me off. I especially don't like how slow your characters feel compared to half the enemies that constantly run away.

[legend]

42 minutes ago, Bloodporne said:

SoR4 is a bit meatier than the old games, a bit deeper, but in my opinion with that came with some annoyances. The game heavily relies on enemies randomly hyper-armoring through your moves, blocking or other stuff there isn't really a particular counter to. Like it's not like you see a hyper-armor move come in and you have a parry. It kinda feels like the enemies' movesets evolved more than yours in a weird way. 

 

It's a great game in many ways and I spenr a lot of time with it but the more I played, the more some of those design choices pissed me off. I especially don't like how slow your characters feel compared to half the enemies that constantly run away.

 

Yeah the slowness is pretty annoying. Cherry is weak, but that speed being the only character that can dash is so nice.