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As somebody born in the 2000s, side-scrolling beat 'em ups are a game genre I don't often come by, but games like Streets of Rage 4, Absolum and He-Man and the Masters of the Universe: Dragon Pearl of Destruction are bringing the genre back to the forefront.
This is why I was pleasantly surprised at the release of Takeover 2, and extremely happy at how faithful to the genre it is overall, bringing that punchy, impactful (and completely unrealistic) combat we all know and love from classics like the aforementioned Streets of Rage or Final Fight, and plunging it into a vat of comic book-style 2.5D serum, making for a great concoction of classic and modern elements.
Takeover 2 doesn't come out of nowhere, however, as the original Takeover was a pretty decent success, with 1,300 Steam reviews concluding with the verdict of 'very positive'; it was praised for its respect for the classics along with its great art direction and aesthetic. These all carry over to the second game, but vastly improved.
The combat has been overhauled from the first game, granting the player new freedom and improved control over their character of choice; pick up anything you see and use it as a weapon, or decide to go fully hands-on with each of the characters' deep and developed moves that hit hard, feel snappy, and are just an all-around joy to execute.
Characters also have a plethora of combat options that aren't unique to them, such as parries and the ability to combo moves into one another, leading to devastating flurries that leave your enemies in the dust.
After getting the hand of your chosen character, put your skills to the test through the 3 core game modes:
- Arcade Mode: The full campaign, featuring a gauntlet of stages with hordes of enemies and vicious boss encounters
- Challenge Mode: Make your way through several stages while taking part in trials with specific mission objectives, earning a rating based on your performance
- Score Attack: Play a stage and push for a higher score than last time, simple but effective
Alongside these modes, there are also two mini-games that you can indulge in, one of which brings forth a once-thought-lost Wii U Kickstarter.
- Jet Fury: A score-driven, arcade fighter-jet experience
- Overtake: A snippet of the developer's previous game, 90's Arcade Racer (later renamed 90s Super GP), that sadly never got to see the light of day, leaving developer Pelikan13 with no control over it; it remains in development limbo to this day, and has been for a decade
Takeover 2 is a great successor to its predecessor, bringing back classic arcade beat 'em up combat while also resurrecting a long-lost, beloved racing title alongside it; jam-packed with content, I think it is well worth your money.
If you want to pick up Takeover 2, head over to Steam, where you can try the free demo or get it at a sweet 10% discount, making it £16.19 instead of the usual £17.99.