River City: Rival Showdown

River City: Rival Showdown is a safe bet for those who enjoyed previous River City games. The three day time period translates to a roughly four or five hour game, but the brevity works in its favor since it can be replayed on New Game Plus for different endings. For those unfamiliar with River City, it’s a simple beat ’em up with an RPG equipment and stat progression system. It’s as old school as they come, but with quick pacing and a sense of humor, it’s a title any retro gamer should check out. Mainline River City games haven’t drastically changed their basic formula since their inception, but if they keep making them as fun as this title, they really don’t need to.

All told, River City: Rival Showdown is a worthwhile beat 'em up game, certainly worth the price of admission. Though the oscillating difficulty curve and the ho-hum presentation hold it back from true greatness, this is a game that no beat 'em up fans will want to miss out on, and it also stands as a great entry point for those looking to try out the genre or this particular series. We’d give this one a strong recommendation; between the meaty campaign and the fun side mode, River City: Rival Showdown will likely hold your attention for some time.