Man, Streets of Rage 2 – Extreme Punishment Edition hits different. It’s still the same classic Genesis beat 'em up we all love—punching goons through neon-lit alleys, dodging knives, and that iconic soundtrack—but someone cranked the chaos up to 11. Enemies hit harder, bosses have new tricks, and I swear some stages feel like they threw in twice as many thugs just to watch you sweat.

First time I booted it up, I went straight for Axel (old habits die hard) and immediately ate a pipe to the face from some punk in a leather vest. The AI’s meaner now, but in a good way—makes those perfect combos and last-second specials even more satisfying. And yeah, the music’s still flawless. That bassline in the first stage? Chills.

Grab a friend if you can. Two players turns it into this glorious mess of flying elbows and screen-filling supers. Just don’t blame me when you accidentally punch each other instead of the actual bad guys. Classic Streets of Rage, just with extra bruises.