Chaos battle

Mayhem Brawler from HeroConcept really is proof positive that sooner or later everything old is new again. The last couple of years has seen something of a resurgence in 2D side-scrolling beat-em ups, with the likes of River City Girls and even the phenomenal Streets of Rage 4 returning to show that you can have just as much fun with 2D combat as you can with 3D. Which honestly is a good thing as all of the above-mentioned games and more have proven, people are still into 2D side-scrollers. Mayhem Brawler is a little unique in that it brings in some 21st century solutions to some age-old issues with these games, and it does it with an eye-catching hand drawn art style and flair.

Mayhem Brawler, like most 2D arcade beat-em ups throw the player straight into the action as one of 3 top cops a part of the superpowered law enforcement team, Stronghold. Each of the three characters have varying stats which is like most brawlers in the genre. There’s a “tank” type, whose name is Dolphin; he is bigger and stronger but moves at a slower pace. Part of the unique atmosphere of this game is the world is set in fantasy; the tank character resembles a cross between King Shark (from The Suicide Squad) with the homo sapien body type of Killer Croc (from Suicide Squad) ahem… Then on the other side of the spectrum is ya girl Star; she’s fast and deals high-power attack damage but can’t hit as hard as Dolphin and she has the weakest defense. Lastly firmly in the middle as a jack-of-all trades is Trouble, he can change his hands into razor sharp claws and is known as a “living weapon.”

MSRP: $19.99
Platforms: Xbox (reviewed), PlayStation, Switch, PC
Price I’d Pay: $19.99

Each of the hand drawn and animated visuals look like they are pulled straight out of any comic book you can find on store shelves today. The overall graphical approach looks like it’s the successor to cult classic 2D brawler Comix-Zone, which launched on the Sega Genesis back in 1995. In it, players were a comic book artist who woke up inside the pages of their own comic, if you can get your hands on a Genesis or can get the BC version of the game on Xbox, I highly recommend it. Mayhem Brawler’s graphics all have those thick black edges and muted color schemes that one can find common in a Batman comic. The city looks lived in, grungy, in a real world way; As I walked the streets, ally-ways and everything in between I would see papers blowing in the wind, or graffiti on walls and even some easter eggs referencing other games and movies. The comic book art style fits the overall fantasy vibe that the world of Mayhem Brawler has on display. At times it can fit a little to well as it wasn’t uncommon for me to think I had more screen area than I actually had. That is to say that while players are moving in this 2D world at times they will think they can move up or down based on the art, but alas sometimes there is an invisible barrier that can deter at times. Even though the screen shows another 2 inches before the road actually ends and the background art begins the game still wouldn’t let me move. While not a game breaking issue by any means, it is something to be aware of in case players get pinned down with baddies near the top or bottom of the screen when playing.

Combat is probably the best I’ve ever played in a 2D arcade brawler like this. As I said earlier the team wanted to bring back the feel of the 90’s arcade co-op’s but they did it along with a level on polish and a feature set that one would find in a 21st century co-op game. The first innovation is a block button, you read that right friends; in a 2D brawler you can block attacks. Do you know how many years I’ve wished for a block button in these types of games, too many to name here I can tell you that. Aside from the ability to block, combat is exactly what’d one would expect to find in this type of game. There is a normal attack button, a power attack, and a jump button. Outside of that, players can dash by double tapping left or right on the D-Pad. For the purist and those of us who prefer chaos can use the joystick. Pretty simple stuff honestly on paper, but it becomes harder to execute when you are surrounded by Weregators and their cousins Werewolves.

The second thing Mayhem Brawler adds is conditions, which is just another way of saying buffs/debuffs. In Mayhem Brawler players can affect opponents with different statuses, such as bleed or dazed. But the enemies can do the same to the player, so it ends up being IMPERATIVE to use the block button for success. As innovative as I think this system is, sadly the way this information is displayed for the player is a mess. When I went into the menu and pulled up the condition list, I found a screen where I could make out the little icons that saw above the heads me and the enemies but then the descriptions were all on top of each other. While it makes it unable for players to really just quickly glance at for now, I am confident this is just a simple issue that slipped by QA and will be resolved. Another feature that they have revolutionized for this new age is losing health when using a power attack. No longer do players have to choose between losing some health to shake off all those attackers surrounding, because those amazing folks at Hero Concept have instead given players a special bar. So instead of using health, the player will utilize this meter for special attacks which can be refilled from eating apples and other fruit. Players will know they are getting meter instead of health as they will see a battery symbol displayed instead of the medical plus sign.

The last innovation that Mayhem brings to the table is its story and how its set up. At the onset our heroes are called into action, but as I finished each level I was given a choice of how to proceed. Boasting multiple endings based on the choices during the game, Mayhem Brawler puts the story and how it unfolds directly in the player’s hands. The cutscenes are all depicted in comic book panels with a running “Twitter” timeline along the right-hand side of screen. Players can see what various citizens are saying about all the chaos in the city and how they think they are doing in handling it. It doesn’t serve a gameplay purpose per say, but it gives a glimpse into what the everyday folk are seeing and is yet another way this development team makes their game feel like a breathing, living universe. Told over a total of 7 issues, each with multiple choices players will have to play multiple times to figure out how to get the best ending, or as a compositionist continue until they have seen all the endings the game has to offer.

The world of Mayhem Brawler is filled with lots of different types of baddies, again really using that fantasy type setting to its advantage. In this metropolis the cops of the Stronghold will fight against mega corporations of Vampires, gangs of Werewolves, power Mejin (blue Genie’s) and Arcane Hoodlums; which are like regular hoodlums only they shoot ice bullets from their ice gun that they conjure out of midair. Of course, like any other city in the world the sprawling metropolis in the world of Mayhem also are infested by your average hoods, and dealers as well. What’s that old saying, “it takes all kinds…” and that is clearly evident in the array of baddies and bosses one will face over time with Mayhem Brawler.

Mayhem Brawler was a big surprise to me on a few levels; one, I didn’t expect to like this game as much as I did. Growing up on these types of games, I was interested to be sure but as I’ve gotten older my taste has shifted from the genre. But with this incredible resurgence that we are seeing in side scroller beat-em ups with the likes of Battletoads and even the aforementioned Streets of Rage 4 making their long-awaited return I’m so glad I came out of retirement. Not only does Mayhem Brawler take me back to my youth, where I would spend so many summer days with my brother and friends at the arcades, but the fact they can so successfully and completely scratch that “old school” itch but at the same time modernize the experience for todays gamers is just a continued testament to the abilities that these game developers possess. Even with the little pathing issues, and text overlaps Mayhem Brawler is an absolute joy to play, wither in single player or in 3 player co-op. The eclectic cast of characters, the grungy yet colorful setting and the bass thumping, bad guy busting soundtrack really help to encapsulate that 90’s vibe the developers were going for, they have managed to not only make a solid side scrolling arcade game but they also delivered a fun and unique story at the same time.

Review copy of game provided by publisher.