The Takeover

There's something inherently satisfying about the beat 'em up genre, where players simply walk from one end of the screen to the next, smashing through any bad guy in the way. These games were most popular in the retro era, but The Takeover attempts to bring the genre back with flashy fighting and a nostalgic vibe. This fun and easy-to-understand beat 'em up is obviously inspired by some classics, but it adds some modern features to spice up the action. While many indie action games feel underbaked in comparison to their predecessors, The Takeover stands up on its own as a great time.

Main Game Features

• Retro-inspired beat 'em up action
• Play solo or in local multiplayer
• Four modes to enjoy

Story

The story in The Takeover is simple and sweet, featuring a band of misfit fighters who must rise up to overcome adversity in their home city. Similar to classic beat 'em ups like Final Fight, The Takeover is set in a seedy metropolis called Steel Haven where criminals run amok. When a mischievous villain manages to unite all the gangs together to form one super gang, things get out of hand. When his daughter is kidnapped by these ruthless thugs, Steel Haven cop Ethan and his two friends hit the streets to perform a daring rescue.

Beyond the set-up and a few boss battles, there's not much attention paid to the story in The Takeover, but it provides a fun way for players to jump from location to location, kicking in teeth every step of the way. There are three main characters, including Ethan, his girlfriend Megan, and mutual friend Connor, but they aren't developed in any meaningful ways. There are comic book-style cutscenes to add narrative context to the battles, but the emphasis is definitely on the fighting.

Gameplay

It makes sense that such care was put into the combat in The Takeover, as a good fighting system can make or break a beat 'em up title. Like some of the best beat 'em ups of all time, namely Streets of Rage 4, The Takeover puts a lot of power in your hands and lets you run wild. There are 7 different levels to complete, leading you through 20 unique areas around Steel Haven. Controlling either Ethan, Megan, or Connor, you'll bash through baddies using basic attacks, weapons, and more. Each character is slightly different, possessing different speed, strength, and other stats. Thankfully, you can also enjoy The Takeover in local co-op, letting you and a friend clean up the streets together.

In addition to the standard Arcade mode, there are extra modes to enjoy that are unlocked once you complete the game once. Survival mode pits you against endless waves of enemies as you see how long you can hold out, while Challenge mode adds new objectives to previous levels. You can also check out Relay mode, which lets you swap between characters at any time during a stage. These extra features make The Takeover feel fresh with each new playthrough, offering a good amount of replayability with some fun surprises as well.

Conclusion

The Takeover isn't a perfect experience, but when compared to many other indie action games, it's a breath of fresh air and a satisfying send-up to a bygone era. Whether you play it solo or run through with a friend, The Takeover provides simple and satisfying beat 'em up combat with some cool mechanics and plenty of unlockables.

Pros

• Combat is awesome
• Interesting art style
• Some cool unlockables

Cons

• Lots of loading screens
• Mediocre cutscenes
• Some glitches and visual issues