Streets of Rage, Special Abilities, and The Other Fries

Streets of Rage 4 is a classic side-scrolling beat 'em up game that features an impressive range of combat mechanics. One of the most exciting aspects of the game is the inclusion of special abilities that can turn the tide of battle in a player's favor.

Each character in Streets of Rage 4 has their own unique special ability that can be activated by consuming a portion of their health bar. These abilities range from powerful attacks to defensive maneuvers, and can be used strategically to overcome tough enemies or clear out large groups of foes.

For example, Axel Stone's special ability is a devastating uppercut that can knock enemies into the air and deal massive damage. Cherry Hunter's special ability is a guitar smash, which sends shockwaves through the ground and damages all nearby enemies. Floyd Iraia's special ability is a charge attack that can plow through groups of enemies and deal damage in a wide area.

The game's special abilities are not only useful for dealing damage, but also for avoiding attacks and creating space between the player and their enemies. Blaze Fielding's special ability is a defensive dash that can be used to quickly evade incoming attacks, while Adam Hunter's special ability is a grappling hook that can be used to pull enemies towards him.

Using special abilities requires a strategic approach, as they consume a portion of the player's health bar. Players must balance the risk and reward of using their special abilities, especially in tougher sections of the game where health is at a premium.

From my perspective, there is a downside to the design of this ability, however. The bevy of abilities at the player's disposal make the special attack just one of many tools. The player has jump attacks, regular attacks, weapons they can pick up to attack or throw, grabs, and more. The only attack that has a built-in disadvantage is the special, however. For some characters, the special attack is powerful enough that the tradeoff is worth it. For others, Axel as an example, the attack itself is not quite useful enough to justify the health wagered.

When I designed the special ability for our beat-em-up The Other Fries (which was inspired by the great Streets of Rage), I wanted to make the special attack more viable. In order to do this, I want to reward the player for not only using the special but also managing to not get hit while the special wager is active. The special in The Other Fries has a similar health wager, but the amount wager is more than the amount wagered in Streets of Rage. The counter to that is that the player can actually gain a small amount of health back if they manage to "complete" the wager.

I think this system not only encourages more aggressive play, but it also rewards skillful play. Differing design priorities necessitate different designs, and for our game, the more aggressive design worked better.