Streets of Rage 2 starts up exactly where its' predecessor left off, adding in some key elements that would go on to make this one of the best, if not the best, brawling games of all time.

The story is pretty much a re-hash of the first game's (take out the mysterious Mr. X), but most everything else has been tweaked. For starters, you now have four characters to pick from, each with their own distinct strengths and weaknesses.

The basic gameplay has remained intact, but instead of a screen-clearing napalm attack, you now have a super move at your disposal. These can be unleashed as many times as you want, but come at the cost of health, which adds a nice bit of strategy to the game.

And one of the criticisms of the first game, the graphics, has been fully addressed, with large sprites and a variety of unique levels (featuring everything from a baseball stadium to an amusement park) to kick ass in.

Yuzo Koshiro's techno-inspired soundtrack is the perfect accompaniment to the ultra-violence, and still remains one of the best ever created -- just like the game as a whole.