River City Girls

River City Girls is a little old school Beat 'Em Up that doesn't take itself too seriously and, as a result, works pretty well. Pick your character and embark on a journey that will take you through the streets of a japanese city in the 90s, while beating up everyone you come across.
The pixel graphics style and all the animations are a real success. They're funny and varied, and you're even treated to animated cutscenes for the bosses, or comic style cutscenes for the main story. That goes for the music too, with a very good mix of genres that will accompany you in the 6 hour journey to beat the game. Had it been longer, boredom would have started to creep in, so this feels just right.
That being said, if you enjoy the game and want more, it is definitely replayable. With a New Game + and twice as many playable characters as you think, each with their own moveset, there are ways to prolong the fun.
Unfortunately the game remains very basic in more ways than one.
You get new moves, but the combat doesn't evolve much and neither do you, as you never feel stronger since enemies level up with you. You can recruit enemies, but they're close to useless and don't allow for longer combos. You can buy healing items but they're so expensive that you're better off dying after spending your cash, and that's true for most of your first playthrough...
Still, my biggest regret will remain the "environment interactions", or lack thereof. Most people probably won't care, but I was really looking forward to using traps, holes and hazards to make the fights more lively. Sadly, out of 80+ screens, only 3 have something going on. The weapons and items you can pick up are far from enough. Unfortunate.
With its fun dialogue delivered by good voice acting for the main characters, River City Girls has enough going for it to warrant at least a playthrough. The combat does get repetitive towards the end, but if you're interested in an indie Beat 'Em Up that's mostly fun and enjoyable, it remains a good choice. A 6 for an entertaining little game that is not without its shortcomings.

Are you tired of damsels in distress? Well, strap on your combat boots and get ready to save the day in River City Girls! This game flips the script faster than you can say "high kick" and delivers a hilarious, action-packed adventure that will leave you rolling on the floor laughing and punching your way through waves of enemies.
First off, let's talk about the stars of the show: Misako and Kyoko. These two leading ladies aren't your typical princesses waiting for a knight in shining armor. No, they're more like knights in well-worn sneakers, ready to kick some serious butt to rescue their kidnapped boyfriends. With their killer moves and killer sense of humor, Misako and Kyoko steal the spotlight and never look back.
But it's not just about the characters, folks. River City Girls serves up a delicious blend of beat 'em up gameplay and retro charm that'll have you hooked from the first punch. The combat is smooth, satisfying, and oh-so-satisfyingly brutal. I mean, who knew bashing baddies with a bicycle could be so much fun?
And let's not forget about the soundtrack. It's like a love letter to the '80s, with catchy tunes that'll have you tapping your feet while you're laying the smackdown on your foes. Plus, the pixel art style is so vibrant and colorful that you'll feel like you've stepped into a comic book come to life.
But what really sets River City Girls apart is its sense of humor. From the witty banter between Misako and Kyoko to the absurdity of the boss fights (seriously, who comes up with this stuff?), this game had me laughing out loud more times than I can count. And let's not even get started on the side quests. Who knew delivering pizzas could be so perilous?
If you're looking for a game that's equal parts hilarious and heart-pounding, look no further than River City Girls. It's a wild ride from start to finish, and one that'll leave you grinning from ear to ear. So grab your best friend, grab your controller, and get ready to kick some serious butt. Misako and Kyoko are waiting, and they're not taking no for an answer!

Really solid Beat em up with tough boss fights, awesome easter eggs, killer sound track and hilarious dialogue. Seriously top 5 best beat em ups IMO.

NOTE - If you have a vision impairment but can read using windows magnifier, you can play this. Some scenes may have contrast issues and you may loose track of your player character, but the checkpoint system here is pretty decent. Also the story here is fully voiced.

Fun gameplay, cool music, and the cringiest of voice actings.
Recommended playing with the voices to the minimun level to ensure satisfaction.

This is a phenomenal beat ‘em up. It’s full of really fun combos, oozing with style & charm, & it has a well implemented progression system. My only problem is that the writing falls flat quite a bit, but still, this was a joy to play from beginning to end.

This Game Is great so far,Its fun and unique. I really like The Anime/Manga ascetic here. I also love the move-sets you can unlock.

As someone that has not really played very much side-scroller beat 'em up games, this one was quite enjoyable to play through several times. Lots of laughs, great looking sprites, OST is enjoyable to listen to, and the fighting combos feel easy to learn but challenging to fully master and chain together. I only have 2 issues with the game. One being that it requires a controller. You can't use a keyboard which prevents some of my friends from playing with me. The other is that the story has so many plot holes that it barely makes sense from start to end. The ending had so many people confused that they had to fix it through the secret boss ending. Still, if you are looking for something like Double Dragon. I would say give this a try!