Year: 2022
Platform: PlayStation 4, Switch
Developer: Arc System Works, WayForward
Genre: Action
Review Date: 1/1/24
Rating: ***

"We are not cops. We are teenagers! And we're here to pummel you!"

Taking place literally moments after the first game, Misako and Kyoko are expelled from school and spend the next couple of months playing video games at Kyoko's house. When they finally venture out to the mall to pick up the latest video game sequel, they discover that the town is overrun with Yakuza thugs who still have a score to settle with them. Since their fighting skills have atrophied from being couch potatoes for so long, they have to relearn all of their moves, which is a wickedly clever plot device. So, Misako, Kyoko, Riki, Kunio, and newcomers Provie and Marian reluctantly fight to restore peace and justice to River City so that they can get back to playing video games.

The game offers the same awesome gameplay as the original, plus some quality-of-life improvements that make saving, retrying, and consuming health items easier. The map of River City is huge, so you'll be exploring both new and familiar territory. Riki and Kunio are playable from the start this time, while Provie and Marian are unlocked during the first couple of boss fights. Each character has their own set of moves, but I only ever played with Misako and Kyoko so I don't know how much the others add to the experience. Additionally, most of the special moves are difficult to pull off, so I relied on the basic light and heavy attacks the majority of the time.

Much like the first game, the writing is fantastic and full of snarky humor and clever self-referential quips. If anything, my only criticism is that the rapid fire banter goes by so quickly that I miss half of what they're saying. The music reflects the same attitudes and some of the lyrics are hilarious. However, like the first game, hearing the songs that have lyrics in an endless loop can become tiresome. The voice acting ranges from fair to excellent, and Kayli Mills once again excels in her acerbic performance as Misako. The pixel art is gorgeous and the frame rate is consistently smooth, but I would still love to see high-res vector art versions of the characters.

The game offers plenty of side missions and things to collect, so you can easily max out one character before you're even halfway through the game. This makes me wonder if the designers intended players to constantly rotate through the roster while playing? After you defeat the final boss, a new mode is unlocked that increases the difficulty and adds new missions and collectibles. I didn't bother with that because my first playthrough took so long, but Jam Kurodoberi from the "Guilty Gear" series is an unlockable ally, which might be enough to convince me to revisit the game.

Unfortunately, the game has a few warts and bugs that keep it from getting a perfect score. The loading times can be lengthy and the music always stutters during loading, which always comes across as a glitch. I got trapped in the environment a couple of times which forced me to quit, but fortunately I didn't lose much progress. There are also several jumps in the game that are nearly impossible to pull off, which caused me a lot of frustration. Even watching videos of people doing it successfully wasn't very helpful. The map also isn't as helpful as it could be, or perhaps it's just not as helpful as I wanted it to be. However, fast travel via public transportation is very helpful for getting around town.

Overall, if you enjoyed the original "River City Girls," this installment offers more of the same, with some nice additions and enhancements. It's a fast-paced old-school brawler with a lot of humor and charm, and I would love to see WayForward continue the series, as Misako and Kyoko are so much fun to hang out with.