Sega's Streets of Rage, released in 1991, initially appeared to be just another clone of Capcom's Final Fight. However, the first game and Streets of Rage 2 quickly found their own groove with the side scrolling over-the-top action. It's been 24 years since Streets of Rage 3 was released; it seemed like the series was over. Then three years ago, composer Yuzo Koshiro tweeted out a few concept images from Streets of Rage 4, which was never completed. But now, via Variety, there's a brand new version of Streets of Rage 4 coming to consoles, and it's embracing the series' retro gameplay and style.

Lizardcube, the company behind Wonder Boy: The Dragon’s Trap, is working on Streets of Rage 4 with Guard Crush Games and publisher DotEmu. This will be a direct sequel to the previous Streets of Rage games with Axel Stone and Blaze Fielding returning to the spotlight. The teaser trailer offers a glimpse of the sequel's hand-drawn visuals and a hint of the classic beat-em-up style of gameplay.

Streets of Rage 4 reportedly features a new story, but the plot isn't necessarily mandatory for this kind of game. It's about the experience more than anything else. DotEmu has hinted the sequel will include solo and co-op options, as well as new gameplay mechanics. They haven't announced a release date yet, but we have our eyes out for this one.

Are you excited about Streets of Rage 4? And are there any other characters from the previous Streets of Rage games that should also return for the sequel? Let us know in the comment section below!

Image: DotEmu/Sega