One of the best brawler franchises in history is back withStreets of Rage 4, bringing with it a healthy dose of nostalgia. Everything fans loved about the original games has returned, from the music to the rough-and-tumble gameplay. There is even a way tounlock retro levelsfrom past titles. As players battle through the streets, they’ll come across many returning characters, including bosses. One of these bosses is Barbon, who still knows how to brawl. He’s picked up a few new tricks since the old days, so here’s how to navigate his moves and take him down.
Barbon made his debut in the secondStreets of Rageall the way back in 1992 as the game’s first boss. Players encountered him after making their way to the back alley of a bar, where he said his signature line, “Come on!” before beginning the fight. In the newest game, not much has changed. Near the end of Stage 5 (Underground), players will pass by Roo, who makes a cameo tending bar, then step out back once again to face Barbon.
RELATED:Streets of Rage 4 Enemy Seems to Reference Orange Cassidy
How to Beat Barbon
Anyone who fought against Barbon back in the day will see some familiar moves inStreets of Rage 4. His legs are still his greatest strength, so watch out for those kicks. When Barbon crouches slightly and flashes white, be ready to dodge two of his spin-kicks. Be cautious around the bikes in the background. When they’re destroyed, they drop helpful items like food for health, but each time a bike is destroyed, an enemy will appear.
Once his health drops by half, the screen will turn a shade of blue and the screen will push in close to Barbon, who looks like he’s ready to get serious. From here on out, he will now perform his spin kick four times instead of two. The best strategy here is to dodge the kicks and then go in for an attack combo. If players can manage to do this, Barbon will go down easily.
Barbon isn’t the only returning character. Players will encounter a lot of familiar faces throughout the game, including past playable characters. While there are only five playable characters to choose from at first, players can eventuallyunlock 12 classic charactersfrom pastStreets of Ragetitles. Once unlocked, players can take everyone from Skate to Shiva to the streets, all of them sporting their original retro looks.
The various unlockables, the throwbacks to past games, and the ability to brawl with friends through couch co-op and online haveearnedStreet of Rage 4solid reviews. There’s a lot to love about this revival, with its attention to detail and addicting gameplay among its greatest strengths. For beat ‘em up fans, this is a must-play.
Streets of Rage 4is out now for PC, PS4, Switch, and Xbox One.
