A classic arcade brawler rebuilt for today
Fight'N Rage is a 2D side-scrolling beat'em up made in the style of 90s arcade gems. The story takes place in a far future where mutants took over the planet after an electromagnetic pulse called "the big pulse" wiped out all electronic technology. Two humans and a mutant rebel rise up to fight back against the mutants led by "The Boss". You pick from three fighters: Gal, a fast kick-boxer with short reach but great agility; Ricardo, a slow but powerful minotaur wrestler with long reach and huge endurance; or F. Norris, a fragile ninja who balances reach, power, speed and technique once you master him. The controls are simple, using only attack, jump and special attack, but the combo system lets you chain moves, cancel normal attacks into specials, break out of enemy grabs and juggle opponents. A parry system gives you a way out of tight spots.
Playing together with friends
Fight'N Rage supports local co-op for up to three players on the same screen. Everyone picks a character and fights through the stages side by side. Friendly fire is optional, so you can turn it on if you want a harder time watching your swings. The game also has a VS Mode for one-on-one battles against another player or the CPU, and you can watch CPU vs CPU matches if you just want to see the fight play out. Remote Play Together is available, so friends who are not in the same room can join in through Steam.
What to know before you start
Difficulty here comes from mastering your character and dealing with tough enemies, not from bad controls or RPG leveling. Every character's full moveset is unlocked from the start, so progress is entirely about your own skill. Each route in arcade mode can be finished in under an hour once you have it down, and cutscenes can be skipped or fast-forwarded. Your choices of character and decisions during the game lead to alternative paths, cutscenes and multiple endings. Scores are tied directly to skill, and you earn in-game coins from them to unlock costumes, extra difficulty settings, more gameplay speeds, new modes and over 20 extra characters you can play as in the extra modes. There is a Training Mode where you practice techniques and combos to earn belts, up to Black Belt. Weapons show up along the way and each protagonist handles them differently. Display settings include optional CRT looks, scanlines and color styles, and the game supports high refresh rate monitors. The game runs in English and Spanish.