Beat em ups are a cherished genre from the classic arcade era of gaming, and they have been making a comeback lately. Now Gunman Clive and Mechstermination Force creator Bertil Hörberg has developed a beat em up using ideas from the earlier games. Is Super Punch Patrol any good, or should it be left aside? Super Punch Patrol bases itself on the classic games like Final Fight and Streets of Rage, but sets itself apart thanks to a few minor touches that work out well. You have three characters to choose from, each with their own strengths and weaknesses that will fit a variety of players, and choosing the right character will be important to succeed, as the play style genuinely does vary in a number of ways. One character is slower but can tank more damage while another is faster and takes a lot of damage. Seems basic right? Well their fighting styles also mean they interact with the environment and their enemies differently, so you have to adjust for completely different movements rather than just minor differences between characters.
Super Punch Patrol has a nice variety of level design that includes autoscrolling levels, vehicular levels, sewer levels and so on. There is a nice change of pace with the stages, and the game’s unique art style helps each stage came to life well. The art style is reused from Gunman Clive, and I am surprised how well it works as a brawler. The basic brawling mechanics are also nice hear, as the game has some autocombos, but will allow characters to react properly to oncoming attacks. This means you will not be locked into an attack and be unable to move to attack another enemy, and will instead move quickly to adjust direction.
Combat is fluid and responsive, and there are so many weapons you can pick up and use, that this feels like a more complete game than many new brawlers. Where the game falters is the difficulty, as there are spots where the game just ramps up the difficulty and goes all out, and this can throw you off. You will die over and over again, so be aware this is no walk in the park. If you can deal with the difficulty though, you will have a mostly well developed game that is available at a very good price. Overall, I do recommend it as it is very good.
Disclaimer: A review key was provided