River City Girls Reviews
River City Girls is the brawler that the series needed to spark new interest in the franchise. WayForward took this classic IP and made something truly unique, yet still recognizable to long-time fans.
River City Girls is one of the best experiences I’ve had with a beat em up and if it has more time to iron out a few kinks, I think it could be one of the best the genre has to offer. The gameplay excels at being entertaining no matter whether you’re playing alone, or with a friend. There’s a significant amount of different moves to test out, along with a simply stunning visual design. It’s a shame that the RPG mechanics couldn’t have been better implemented. Having a feeling of meaningful progression and knowing the difference in damage output between different moves would have been really nice. If you’re a fan of beat em up’s you’re most likely going to enjoy your time with River City Girls. These two girls definitely pack a punch.
It’s only when you dig into the mechanics and stories of previous games that you get a sense of how much effort was put into making River City Girls a familiar trip without sacrificing its unique voice or accessibility in the process.
With the problematic screen transition issue fixed and some other tweaks implemented since launch, River City Girls is in better shape than ever no matter what format you play it on. But factor in a sprinkling of PS5-centric improvements, and you have what is undoubtedly the best version of the game yet. If you’re a fan of side-scrolling beat ’em ups, consider this a must-have.
It would be a lie to say River City Girls is not a good game. This game is full of charm and style, it is really fun to play and the high production values clearly show themselves. But the problem is that it misses some quality of life features to solve many of the recurring flaws in most of beat'em up games (like keys being set to perform multiple commands), and those same flaws have lowered the quality of this game's overall experience as well
Review in Persian | Read full review
River City Girls is a great brawler, and though I wouldn't say it rises above its genre, it's still an excellent example of one. Either solo or with a friend, you'll have a good time.
River City Girls gives the beat-em-up genre a new lease on life with its solid combat, stellar spritework, and sprawling world. Those that can stomach some backtracking will find an adventure worthy of biffing a few baddies over.
If you’ve got a friend and some free time, I think there’s a lot of enjoyment to be had here with River City Girls, and the amazing art and music certainly enhance that.
River City Girls is a vibrant, colorful, and surprisingly fresh take on the classic beat 'em up series. While small annoyances may hinder its pacing, the overall package from WayForward still packs a few good kicks and punches.
River City Girls is a very fun, well-crafted and deliciously funny beat'em-up in the same line as its predecessor. With its varied combat options, delightful animations and charismatic characters, River City Girls is set to appeal even to players who might not necessarily be very keen on beat'em-ups.
Review in Portuguese | Read full review
River City Girls is so much fun and one of the most enjoyable brawlers I've played in a long time. Developers Arc System Works and Wayforward have made the genre feel surprisingly modern with its anime aesthetic and sharp, tongue-in-cheek approach to dialogue and world design. It's self-aware enough that every joke lands, every location feels distinct and every musical track is an experimental banger. If you're after a charming beat 'em up – grab a friend and help Kyoko and Misako track down their boyfriends. You won't regret it.
I hope WayForward gets to follow this game up so they can tweak their gameplay a bit and explore their take on the world of River City a bit more.
I’m pretty confident in saying River City Girls is the best game to use the River City IP. It has a fantastic understanding of why people play beat-em-ups but typically avoids the pratfalls this genre can fall into. You can also pick up giant fish and smack people in the face with them. That makes this game good enough for me!
Arc System Works and WayForward managed to revive the classics qualitatively. Interesting gameplay, stylish graphics, funny story and four unique characters to choose from should please fans of the genre. And if you are one of them, then this game is definitely worthy of your attention.
Review in Russian | Read full review
Impressive effort with a few noticeable problems holding it back. Won't astound everyone, but is worth your time and cash.
A fantastic scrolling beat 'em-ups that shows exactly how the genre can be evolved and modernised, while also indulging in some gloriously retro presentation and throwbacks.
As a huge fan of all things Kunio-kun, I must say that I'm extremely impressed with River City Girls.
Arc System Works and Wayforward found the perfect balance between nostalgic elements and new mechanics. River City Girls pays perfect homage to the brawler genre, incredibly fun to play (especially in couch co-op multiplayer).
Review in Spanish | Read full review
Fans of brawlers and badass girls alike won’t wanna miss River City Girls.
River City Girls’ energetic storyline may falter near the end but this beat’em up is a prime example of what the genre is capable of as it delivers some great combat set in a fantastic world that thrives in its uniqueness. These girls are ready to kick butt in the name of love and those that take that journey with them are in for an amazing game.