Final Vendetta Review! A New Classic Beat Em' Up!

Final Vendetta Review! A New Classic Beat Em' Up! Released beneath the massive hypewave of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Shredder's Revenge, comes a fantastic new Beat em' Up in the style of Street of Rage and Final Fight, Final Vendetta! Many reviews right now are giving the game a 7/10 and a shoulder shrug, but I think the game is absolutely worth the attention of all beat em' up fans, especially those who love and appreciate the genre within the arcade. Featuring authentic combat and level design (impressively authentic) as well as polished visuals and a bumping soundtrack, I cannot get enough of this game. In this review we discuss the combat design, level design, difficutly, strategy, modes, graphics, sound, exploits, patches, and really dig into what makes this game tick and why it is a game arcade fans are absolutely going to enjoy. The big question mark with this game however, as with all indie arcade games, is will it have a sequel? Will we see a Final Vendetta 2 and a cool new franchise, or is this just a one and done experiment that seems to be the rule of law among western developers these days? Places like Nintendo Life are already asking, "is it worth it?" but I think that's the wrong question :-)
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#finalvendetta, #review, #beatemup

[@NumskullGames]

Hey! Thanks so much for checking out Final Vendetta, we're so happy to hear you enjoyed the game! We've been adding a few things to the game patches to try and make some things feel a bit more accessible to both casual beat em up fans AND hardcores. We've added a casual mode w/ unlimited lives, a few gameplay balances and some modern control options (to make dodging and blocking a bit easier). This is currently live on Steam but should be rolling out to Consoles slightly later when all patches are approved :)

[@TheElectricUnderground]

That's awesome you checked out my review! The patches sound really cool! Just don't nerf the combat (outside of exploit fixes ha), no matter how many people whine on steam. I get adding the continues patch, since every review would not stop complaining about this, but I actually thought the initial version that forced people to play for the 1cc was pretty rad! Maybe with the credits you can add in some text and sound that shames them with each credit. A voice clip that yells "WIMP WIMP WIMP!" that would be great XD

[@TheSamuraiGoomba]

@@TheElectricUnderground Disabling achievements for credit feeding should be standard in every arcade game tbh.

[@Sveakungen]

Thank you for an in-depth review. Really like the game and the very rewarding combat system . Played it for 8 hrs and have just started. The only thing that I have not gotten into is the block system, feels like there's no use for it. Great work with the game.

[@NumskullGames]

@@Sveakungen One of the new things the updates are bringing is mapping the block button to right trigger. We're hoping that will be a bit easier to pull off and make the mechanic more effective!

[@mikaelandersson1288]

@@TheElectricUnderground Is this Neo Geo-esque graphics?

[@319t.j.5]

Mark: Here's an in depth break down of the game and its mechanics Mainstream reviewers: I LIKE TURTLES

[@TheElectricUnderground]

Ha no kidding! Don t forget nostalgia!

[@HighLanderPonyYT]

Tbf, Mark's reviews are a lot longer.

[@BitmapBureau]

Hey, thanks for the amazingly in-depth interview of Final Vendetta - it's great to hear players such as yourself appreciating the technical side of the game, and the occasional exploit! ;) We heard you calling out for us to make a sequel, and it certainly makes a lot of sense - we've learnt a huge amount in the past couple of years (and even the past week), and we could also bring many of the character sprites back with a bit of a refresh. I think you're right about some of the designs, and that's definitely an area we could improve on in places. For now we're concentrating on finishing the Neo Geo AES / MVS version but a sequel is definitely on the cards given the amazing reception the game's received. Thanks again, and please look out for future updates which should improve the game further. :)

[@TheElectricUnderground]

I'm really glad you all saw my review! :-D Yes I think a sequel would be fantastic to see! I'm excited for it! :-) I'll absolutely keep an eye out for future patches and updates. The MVS version sounds really cool! The AES is my fav console and an absolute powerhouse of fighting games and beat em' ups! Final Vendetta will be a fitting addition to the library.

[@TheSamuraiGoomba]

@@TheElectricUnderground Mark, you should do a video about neo-geo beat em ups, because I kind of have the opposite opinion. I know of Mutation Nation, which is pretty neat, and that's about it. Sengoku II is alright too, I guess. I'm not a big fan of the other neo-geo beat em ups. I think burning fight is hot garbage.

[@SkemeKOS]

I beg you make a sequel!!! I was only one or two levels in and was thinking "I hope this gets a sequel." Awesome job with this game! I'm hooked

[@marcoarcadesuperplays]

Really love this comment from the creators, this game is an absolute blast! Love so much the 90s techno house music which perfectly fits with the game style. Tracks are so catchy and stilish! On the technical side is amazing, the more you play the more you learn about moves and scoring tricks. Enemies design and entrances are pretty badass. Really I have no words to express my happiness and satisfaction for this game, thank you so much to have created this title, of course a sequel could be a great chance to improve every single aspect of the game

[@slagothor48]

I bought Battle Axe on a whim last year and loved it so I've been looking forward to Final Vendetta. It's been great so far! I love y'alls style of games and the old school feel. I'll definitely be picking up whatever you guys develop in the future as well!

[@ricardoredway]

without nostalgia glasses the mainstream overlooks hidden gems.

[@TheElectricUnderground]

I know ha, never underestimate the power of nostalgia, never

[@100hundert]

Wow, the soundtrack has this very specific 90s UK rave / big beat / hardcore sound - like the old stuff from The Prodigy for example. Big plus for me!

[@TheElectricUnderground]

YES! I love that style of techno, rip rave techno

[@riffmason]

I can remember the moment I practically stopped engaging with commercial videogame journalism entirely, it was when I read a review in Edge magazine that gave Tekken 7 a 6/10 solely on account if it not having much single player content. The review barely said anything about the actual gameplay either. Anyway great review so far, I'm watching this in work with subtitles on!

[@TheElectricUnderground]

That's awesome, thanks for tuning in Riff! I think my moment of "hey, maybe journalists aren't so amazing," was when they were so hard on NG2 and said it was a step back. That was such an awful take it made me really reconsider a lot of stuff ha.

[@notnoaintno5134]

There was a time in my childhood when magazines like egm and game informer were fun to read and actually recommended good games. I remember an issue, where ggxx was reviewed right next to capcom vs snk 2, never heard of either, got my parents to get them both and they were both sick. Also does anyone else remember seanbaby? Would always flip to the back first to read his shit

[@riffmason]

@@notnoaintno5134 Ah I never got those in the UK unfortunately

[@wtfdoihavetodohere]

I was really wondering what you would think about this game. I saw it on Switch and picked it up along with TMNT. I immediately noticed that Vendetta has much better play control and an overall more authentic beat em up feel. The sprites also remind me of old school SNK which was nice to see. Thanks again for the detailed review.

[@TheElectricUnderground]

No problem! Yes I picked up the game with no idea or expectations, and I was really surprised by how good it is ha

[@SkemeKOS]

Same. Turtles is awesome too, but Final Vendetta clicked a LOT more with me. I cant put it down, whereas I played and finished Turtles once, then stopped playing. Definitely gonna jump back in at some point, but right now Final Vendetta has got me hooked.

[@TomAnderson7]

@@SkemeKOS I feel exactly the same. I played through Turtles but Final Vendetta I’ve spent even more time with. Game is repetitive, but very addicting

[@100hundert]

I always wanted to dive into old-school beatemups, it's been a genre I've ignored completely, but always wondered what the high level mechanics are like for the genre. I will definitely start with this one! You have excellent taste, so that should be the perfect starting point 👌

[@TheElectricUnderground]

Absolutely!! This is a fun one to start with :-)

[@Aidan8N]

i also came from bayonetta-style action games backwards to beat em ups. there's a big adjustment period, but you get used to it. this, sor4 and scott pilgrim are good ones to start out. big concepts are mashing jabs as like a safety net in front of you, using throw invincibility, knocking enemies into each other, and walking into the background to stay behind their attacks

[@SkemeKOS]

Its an awesome game(I'm addicted to it right now), but I wouldn't recommend it for someones first beatemup because its one of the tougher ones out there. Although saying that, I hear theres a patch coming out with a causal mode, but I'm not sure how much easier it will make the game though.

[@jonathanlisowski5618]

This is a damn good beat em up! I probably would've slept on this one if not for your review & playthrough. You know how to call em'! I'm about 42 percent on the trophies, unlocked Ultra Mode & still hyped to play some more. Rewatching your review opened some things I didn't know, like the Super Meter effecting how much life you lose & Miller's elbow dive on to a fallen opponent. Explaining that the game "opens up" the more you play it is so on point!

[@theconsolekiller7113]

Great review. Completely agree about this game being better than TMNT. TMNT is way more monotonous, especially in singleplayer. This game is shorter but it has the challenge and gets to the point of the gameplay.

[@TheElectricUnderground]

Yeah and vendetta is a real long burn, where I kept coming back to the game over and over, completely hooked me

[@theconsolekiller7113]

Agreed. I almost returned it digitally initially. Then it grew on me. It was those hidden specials like the flame punches that really got me back into it. On the surface it doesnt really show its depth. There is alot more to the game that you discover the more you play it. Awesome playing on that ultra stream. Will definately check out your runs with the other 2 characters too. Great to see a real fuckin review that actually goes in-depth with the game.

[@masterlee1988]

@@theconsolekiller7113 TMNT needed shorter stages later on because the remaining several stages have some 10+ minute long stages and the worst stage in the game(stage 13) is an example of that.

[@theconsolekiller7113]

@@masterlee1988 Right. The game entertained me for MAYBE 10 or 15 minutes. Normal lacked any resistance and I easily 1 CC'd first time playing through. The hardest mode just felt like they made the bosses bullet sponges (or stick sponges). As EU points out, you can spam the specials by charging them in a corner again and again too. I didnt know this, and even playing normally was bored. I did go through the game once on my own and then again with 2 other players. I probably spent about 5 hours with it but lost interest minutes in. I think the game was ok for what it was but prefer a more challenging beat em up that gets to the point. Like you said its too long and doesnt offer enough depth. In my review I may be generous and give it a 7, but for me its probably even a little under that, so still debating.

[@dr_ubo]

The more people get to enjoy the new wave of beat em ups/belt scrollers, the better. I'm glad you covered this game as a review on your channel, I've seen you play the game almost every night and I've been following this game in particular for a while. There's a whole scene trying to go hard with it, advanced cancel techs and more. Hope you play Brawlers Mayhem or Jitsu Squad (Brawlers Mayhem more so than Jitsu Squad) sometime soon, pretty sure you'll enjoy it.

[@TheElectricUnderground]

Yes I've been having a ton of fun with the game. It's been a hot minute since I've enjoyed a new beat em up to this degree! I do want to check out those other beat em ups, but I think my next one will actually be streets of rage remake! The fact that it's naughty copyright wise probably means it won't get much coverage other places.

[@1RacerXer]

Streets of Rage 4, Final Vendetta, The Takeover, Shredders Revenge AND THE TOXIC CRUSADERS! I'm in beat em' Up heaven...

[@menhirmike]

20:00 Another fantastic example is Blazing Chrome which is a bona-fide sequel to Contra Hard Corps and the best Contra game released since that one - but it's not an official Contra game. That does make it a bit harder to market (especially since there was also an official Conra game released, but the less we say about Rogue Corps the better), but it also frees it from the clutches of the original developer interfering too much. Sometimes the stars align and you get Developers licensing the IP and you get Sonic Mania or Streets of Rage 4. And other times, it's just better to do your own thing. (Also, stuff like Gunlord X which is basically an Indie Turrican sequel, even if it's not as good as others on this list). I do agree on your comments on sequels though: I wish that some of those indie studios would make sequels to polish the things that didn't make the cut. If Sega stopped after Streets of Rage 1, that would have been okay - but the world is a better place because they didn't stop and made Streets of Rage 2.

[@TheElectricUnderground]

Yes blazing chrome is another great example!! I love that game!

[@magicjohnson3121]

The problem with Blazing Chrome is that it just isn’t as good as Metal Slug or Contra ( sure there are improvements in some areas). It also kind of ends up lacking it’s own identity. You can take inspiration but the game should feel like it’s own thing.

[@shinbakihanma2749]

@@magicjohnson3121 Nah, Blazing Chrome is dope. It perfectly does what it was meant to do. It doesn't need to be better than Metal Slug or Contra because it's still an awesome game. The only actual problem with Blazing Chrome, is there is no online multiplayer.

[@reiul9787]

Very indepth review, finally someone who knows to identify the match points of an old school beat'm up.

[@TheElectricUnderground]

Exactly!! Yeah I m not gonna spend a whole review dissecting the backgrounds ha

[@SkemeKOS]

This guy totally gets it! I cant agree more with literally everything you said. This game is addictive AF!

[@TheElectricUnderground]

Absolutely, I literally have to cut myself off from playing it at this point (coming in to about 50 hours now) cause I have to play and review other stuff ha! Got the Ultra clear with all 3 characters now though.

[@julianseph842gamez5]

Final Vendetta is an amazing beat em up like Bare Knuckle!

[@TheElectricUnderground]

Absolutely!!

[@michaeltan_]

picking this up after watching this review. great work.

[@TheElectricUnderground]

Oh that s awesome!! You won t regret it, game is extremely fun. Duke is a beast too ha

[@perlichtman1562]

I enjoyed watching the review, especially since I’m someone that waited for the update to add casual mode before I bought it but kept coming back over and over again at higher difficulties because of how tight and enjoyable the design is. I completely echo your plea to the developer: please make a sequel. I would really enjoy even more of this. You nailed it about the pacing. I’ve played a lot of different beat-em-ups recently and the quick pacing, good variety and lack of filler really stand out. There’s no level that I feel like I “need to power through to get to the good stuff” unlike, for instance, much of the industrial level in Final Fight. I really love how cohesive and consistent the game is, too. It borrows from a lot of different influences but it never starts to feel like a post-modern pastiche (unlike a lot of fan games and mods that try to add as much as possible).

[@TheElectricUnderground]

Glad you enjoyed the vid!

[@ClockworkBard]

I really wanted to see you cover this after the TMNT:SR review, cuz I knew you'd love it. I'm gettin' spanked, but I'm warmin' up to it. Thanks again for analyzing these, because it's really hard to have these conversations. Trying to discuss TMNT, people keep explaining to me how deep the game is because positioning matters. Which is like saying that you love the feel of fresh country air after a rainstorm, because it contains the oxygen you require to continue living. We can go deeper.

[@TheElectricUnderground]

Yes I hope this review helped open up the conversation more ! I have been enjoying the game a ton!

[@foxstomp4016]

This was an absolutely killer review. Subbed!

[@TheElectricUnderground]

Thanks so much!

[@Joe-Rad]

Pre-ordered the physical! Cannot wait to play it!

[@TheElectricUnderground]

Nice!!!

[@SylvesterInk]

One thing I really appreciate is the developers released it for Linux as well, which is always a big pro for me. (Normally I only buy games with native Linux support, making the rare exception for certain shmups.) My question is, since I've also been looking at Streets of Rage 4, which one should I get first? (And is it worth getting both?)

[@TheElectricUnderground]

Hmm streets 4 first I would say, but I would get both :-)

[@DJ239]

I need to get this one, I was overwhelmed at the time since Shredder's Revenge had come out. I like the early 2000's SNK graphics this game has, reminds me a lot of Sengoku 3.

[@CC42_]

you were so right about Shredders Revenge and I've never seen more reviewers pathetically jump on the bandwagon of "it's the best tmnt game" despite the game being lacking in several important areas. You were the only reviewer actually who pointed out how flawed it is. btw do you have an opinion on Sengoku 3 as a beat em up?

[@magicjohnson3121]

He praised it in this review

[@CC42_]

Not exactly ..he pretty much said it is whack in many ways.

[@TheElectricUnderground]

I'm glad you appreciate the honesty my dude! Yes, once that hype wave starts rolling, very very few (if any?) reviewers won't try and dig into the meat of the gameplay and come up with their own takes. Same happened with Sifu, very very similar situations. Also I haven't played a lot of Sengoku 3, but games seems awesome! Gonna play it more on the channel soon.

[@dingo535]

Really good review, covered it really well. I am definitely gonna scoop this next check (boought the capcom fighting collection before realizing this had dropped), Only place I really heard promoting this was digital foundry who had the devs on. They provided somevoice for the game which is pretty neat.

[@TheElectricUnderground]

Thanks so much my dude! Yeah payday is coming soon! (This Friday for me, thank God). I saw that stream they did with the dev, hope it helped get the word out for the game!

[@thunderscatable]

Love this game. I'm not normally one to stick with games I find difficult but was happy to keep playing and get good with FV.

[@sigmachud9092]

gotta try this one. the lack of sequels is a good point. Imagine a Fight'N Rage 2

[@TheElectricUnderground]

I really want a fight n rage 2!!

[@SuperHydroThunder]

Terrific review, THANK YOU!! I had written this one off probably due to the other reviews, or something, IDK. But after watching your review I realized I really wanted to get into it, and it's currently on sale on both Steam and Switch (I will probably end up with both lol). It's a great alternative to SoR4 and up there in a very nice class with Mayhem Brawler. Great stuff, interesting enemies, great moves, love the art style, and KILLER soundtrack. Just love it!

[@Galaxy40k]

This game caught my interest when I saw the Game Sack review, but your review really sold me on it! I'm gonna keep an eye out for a physical copy for sure, sounds like a ton of fun

[@TheElectricUnderground]

That's great my dude! def worth it! I think there are physical console versions, right?

[@masterlee1988]

@@TheElectricUnderground There are physical copies but they are by Limited Run Games and cost a lot more(40+ bucks).

[@ploluap]

just discovered your channel, i love your in depth content, keep it up :)

[@TheElectricUnderground]

Yayyyy! I m really happy to hear that!!

[@AlchemicSoul]

Man it’s too hard to keep track of the bits of content this sub genre gets. Thanks for this review, i’ll bite on it soon

[@TheElectricUnderground]

It is!!! Thanks for tuning in!

[@walterbiggenback4678]

Great review as always, was looking for that itch after sor4 c:

[@TheElectricUnderground]

Yes for sure!!!

[@UttamA2024]

Definitely going check this one out when I get the time. I wish this beat ‘em up had a 3 player online coop would be even better.

[@TheElectricUnderground]

That would be really fun!

[@j1000a]

Correct on all points. Thank you for focusing on the moves and fighting mechanics, as that is what really differentiates beat 'em ups. A couple litmus tests for me are whether the game incorporates running moves and whether it incorporates ground moves, and this game has both. The no-credit decision was also awesome, as it goes back to the root of arcade gaming before they became pay-to-win. This makes high scores matter and creates depth where there would be none. Compare this to Capcom's Beat 'Em Up Bundle, which has awesome games that have the lasting appeal of cotton candy, as they are balanced for quarter feeding and nothing more. Although FV may be the best beat 'em up going right now, I do think there's some room for improvement: - Ditch the deadly environmental hazards. Not fun. - Enhance the ground game. Ground kicks are fun and effective but I'd like even more depth. - Super moves are ho-hum. - Some of the moves could use some TLC like the girl's back flip kicks. They just lack gusto. - Jump kicks are a bit too effective. Maybe train the AI to punish you if you keep doing the same thing. I love bouncing off opponents though! - Maybe zoom the view out a bit to show us more enemies. - Even more moves! There's room for a few more. - Find a way to fit all this into 3 buttons instead of 4, and don't use the triggers at all; make it so we don't even feel the need for shortcut buttons. There are times when a button press does nothing; that's evidence that refinement is needed. - Make blocking matter more. Maybe add some block-exclusive moves?

[@garrz32]

lol, make a farming sim, this is so true. I believe there's a MVS version coming out of soon after the console releases for all you arcade gamers out there (myself included) Looks great , awesome review again

[@TheElectricUnderground]

I know right, these devs need to settle down into making series more. No need to re-invent the wheel every single game. The MVS release sounds super cool, hopefully it's not crazy expensive.

[@garrz32]

@@TheElectricUnderground Yeah, hoping for sensible price, but you know what like arcade games are going for now.. loving the channel btw

[@profchaos354]

A really great review! You should review Bitmap’s other titles too, like Xeno Crisis and Battle Axe

[@TheElectricUnderground]

Xeno crisis wasn't as much as my jam as final vendetta is, I think they found their true calling on this one :-)

[@keo_bas]

I have to admit, the lack of on screen polarity is what kept me from trying the game immediately. But when you show me that command list, ingot excited.

[@chancepaladin]

beat'em'ups on handhelds. boy oh boy I never thought I'd sink a bajillion hours into 'final fight one'. Man oh man. best impulse buy I ever made.

[@TheElectricUnderground]

Absolutely I played the crap out of this gAme! I got the highest difficulty clear with all the characters ha

[@hooksnfangs6006]

Dammit Mark. I gotta join you in not liking TMNT:SR as well? I wanted to like it, but it just don't feel good to play (lost interest after an hour of play)... At least I can join you in saying that Final Vendetta feels amazing to play! Like you, it kept me hooked!

[@TheElectricUnderground]

Yep once the charm of the graphics wears off, shredders gameplay gets dull real quick, whereas vendetta keeps me coming back. Got ultra clears with all the characters ha

[@chrisr529]

About the sequels , the problem is the small tweeks that make a great sequel are just done with an update now instead of a sequel.

[@TheElectricUnderground]

The problem with today's model though is that they tweek the gameplay, but gameplay tweets have big impacts on level design, so the levels and gameplay don't match up anymore

[@finerthings46]

nice take on this game pal, i do enjoy this one but 35mins to finish is a bit short for me, but yes a 2nd one would be cool!

[@TheElectricUnderground]

gotta play the higher difficulties! That is extra content and they are really fun, I mania cleared the game with all 3 character ha. Got hours of gameplay out of it.

[@finerthings46]

@@TheElectricUnderground ow for sure, replay ability is great like most beat em ups

[@TheSamuraiGoomba]

I watched you stream some 1cc practice and was very impressed with what I saw. My only complaint about the game is the one BogHog mentioned. Some animations look stolen directly from SNK neo-geo fighting games and other beat em ups. Tazoc, Maxima, Whip and Shingo from KoF definitely "donated" some animations. But it's not the end of the world. I think that explanation for why the animations look almost identical is probably the truth. As a game player, I tend to not think of those design elements from the perspective of programming a video game. I hope this dev team gets a chance to expand upon their excellent foundation with subsequent games.

[@TheElectricUnderground]

yes exactly, now that the got the ball rolling they can come up with more unique animations and attacks in vendetta 2 (fingers crossed)

[@fuzzbear677]

I like this game I'm getting this for Neo a s cartridge

[@TheElectricUnderground]

That sounds really cool! I wonder how much that would cost? If it s not crazy I might get it too

[@RewdanSprites]

This game does have final fight written all over it which I do not have a problem with having played that a lot as a kid 🤣. I like the look of kicking enemies when they're down, nice touch! Will definitely pick this up! I'll get my kid to play it with me. We love playing shmups, beat em' ups and run n' guns together. The good thing about modern arcade inspired games is they haven't abandoned local play! I'm all about gameplay and if it's as smooth as you say - we will probably get a 'kick' out of it!

[@TheElectricUnderground]

Oh that s really cool your son plays as well :-)

[@RewdanSprites]

@@TheElectricUnderground Oh yeah. We smash on arcade games all the time. He got me back into playing old school stuff. I used to play it all the time when I was younger but he started really getting into stuff from the 80's & 90's which got me back into it all. Which I find odd but understandable 🤣. Good times.

[@miketate3445]

Real talk: This game is better than Ninja Turtles. I just wanted the stages to end on Ninja Turtles. I just wanted another go at each stage in Final Vendetta.

[@TheElectricUnderground]

Excellent summary ! 💯

[@rodneyabrett]

I loved the game! It actually reminded me a lot of Burning Fight on the NeoGeo, just in the way it feels with how you gotta break through enemy blocks. It's very satisfying.

[@Christopher_Roa]

Beat ups are back? Lol They never left. And I agree, Just because ikaruga has the polarity mechanic with heavy patterns doesn't make it a puzzle game......i swear most reviewers ride the trend wave just like overnight activists

[@TheElectricUnderground]

Yeah it s funny the type of catch phrases people will come up with

[@pimsbury5155]

Man I can't wait for the Neo Geo release! Great review!

[@TheElectricUnderground]

That does sound cool! Is it gonna be Uber expensive?

[@pimsbury5155]

@@TheElectricUnderground well, Xenocrisis was $300 so, yes? Hopefully it's a tad cheaper for this game haha.

[@Gunh3d1]

Havent they dropped the release for the NEO?!🙁

[@pimsbury5155]

@@Gunh3d1 not that I know of, they were talking about it a little over a week ago.

[@Nodnarb518]

Was hesitant on this but this new patch really looks to address some accessibility issues, balance issues and training mode not being available from the start. So I may give it a go.

[@TheElectricUnderground]

Yeah I think the patch will def bring the game up to speed for a wider audience. I personally thought it was pretty awesome how the initial version forced players to play for the 1cc ha. Also there is a cheat code to unlock stage select and infinite health :-)

[@Nodnarb518]

@@TheElectricUnderground bought it last night and it doesn’t seem impossible to 1cc. The adds are worse than the bosses, the stunlocks feel a little cheap but just have to avoid being surrounded. Hitting a wall at level 3 but will keep at it. Good game overall.

[@badassfriend9076]

One question, why does it look so smooth like it has scanlines? On the ps5 store the pics looks pixelated and horrible with no filter or scan lines. Is there any filters in game?

[@futureskeletons66669]

The smart move here is a drastic price drop, take the money and pivot into a sequel asap. They've got the tools now and come in at a lower price. The timing was just terrible and the fact it was the same price as TMNT - going up against Shredder's Revenge was never going to be a good time. You've not only got the nostalgia trip of a loved francise, but it came out of Dot Emu which gave it the kudos of coming from the same company as SoR4. Most people don't know or care about the difference between a dev and a publisher. A lot of the reviews even went this way which I found odd. edit - what did you think of Ghosts 'n Goblins Resurrection?

[@TheElectricUnderground]

Yeah I think maybe a modest drop to $20 or even a more heavy drop to $15 would be good. That being said, I think once the turtles wave has died down (which seems to be about now), Vendetta will get more shine. Still, they probably lost out on the DF big review outlet coverage that they would have gotten if Turtles wasn't at the same time. And yes, people need to do their homework on the developer vs publisher, even I got tripped up for a min. For a sec I thought the Steel Assault team made turtles and then was wondering "did they get hit on the head by a rock, how did they forget great design?" (I love steel assault ha). Also, I haven't played resurrection but I shall in a few months!

[@futureskeletons66669]

@@TheElectricUnderground It's hardcore af and fits the 'skill based' channel remit.

[@masterlee1988]

@@TheElectricUnderground I feel like Final Vendetta should had been no higher than 15 bucks from the start.

[@HPPrintervx4p5q]

This game is really awesome! It's one of the first beatemups I've played and it really makes you feel like a badass while playing it

[@SLISKI_JOHNNY]

Am I the only one who finds the animations weird? I mean, they are both smooth and janky at the same time - sprites are animated using many frames, which makes the animation look smooth, but the moves themselves seem awkward by design. But I guess it makes sense considering what you mentioned in the video. Anyway, I'm probably gonna get this game as it's on sale for the Switch for like 10 bucks

[@TheElectricUnderground]

I think they are based on placeholder sprites from Final Fight ha, which is why it's a bit off.

[@monkeytrident]

I just got this game it is it awesome, and the music rocks !

[@kagemara277]

How would you rank from worst to best- SOR4+DLC, Fight and Rage, Takedown, Final Vendetta and Mother Russia Bleeds( which is quite overlooked and not bad-just too brutal for my tastes) based on how deep the combat is?

[@54321ZachMr]

I have TMNT on Xbox Gamepass on release. The next day, bought Final Vendetta! Where FV gets it right is length. TMNT has too many levels, I hate to say it, but it needs a shorter arcade mode option badly.

[@TheElectricUnderground]

Yes exactly!!! 2 hour slog is for a casual play, but once you start repeating levels you really start to feel the filler and it s not fun

[@masterlee1988]

@@TheElectricUnderground It took me over 2 hours to do Arcade mode on TMNT for Gnarly(hard) difficulty and it was a 1CC(1st one) as well. I do feel like I like the earlier stages more than the final ones, but the fact that it's longer than SOR4 is also crazy.

[@TheDandyLionsUK]

Hey Mark, this is off topic but did you ever play Valkyrius Prime on Steam? or the XBLA version?

[@masterlee1988]

1st I heard of that, it looks cool.

[@TheDandyLionsUK]

i remember playing it back on xbox, I didnt appreciate shmups at the time though. It needs 7 buttons to play, just a heads up. 4 for directional teleport, 2 for guns and 1 for toggling teleport distance.

[@TheElectricUnderground]

I have not, game looks pretty cool though!

[@thetru-drushow8412]

Waiting on limited Run Games to send my copy of FV I bought it months ago. While Best Buy cancelled my TMNT Shredder's Revenge but GameStop hasn't sent me Cowabunga Collection yet. So Ill wait for mines forever! 😡

[@TheElectricUnderground]

That sounds very frustrating

[@HarriHaffi]

Question: what is the easiest beat em up? Played streets of rage 2 the other day and made it to stage 4 on my first credit. Which made it feel like the best beat em up I ever played. So if easier is more fun. What is the easiest?

[@HarriHaffi]

@@micshazam842 So Streets of Rage 4 is the easiest?

[@ps3inquisition441]

Looks like a great game. I’ll probably wait for the Neo Geo release, there’s nothing like plugging that massive cartridge in and playing some old school arcade games.

[@TheElectricUnderground]

That sounds super awesome. Neo Geo is my fav console probably, I'll get one someday ha. Not now though, money too tight. I might by the cart though if its not crazy pricey

[@ps3inquisition441]

@@TheElectricUnderground I think their last game Xenocrisis was around $300 for the MVS cart, would expect this to be similar.

[@then1533]

This game is soooo good.The combat is brilliant.

[@subjago4236]

Great review. Have been finding myself playing this over and over...much, much better than Shredder's Revenge.

[@TheElectricUnderground]

Agreed!!! Just spent another 5 hours today practicing for the ultra clear with Clair :-)

[@Thonato420]

if only this game allowed me to change pc controls

[@TheElectricUnderground]

Yeah control configs are always important

[@barryklinedinst6233]

It is a great beat um up. It's not a cakewalk like turtles is. I like turtles but vandetta is awesome

[@TheElectricUnderground]

Absolutely!!

[@fuzzbear677]

Geting for Neo geo aes 🕹🎮😀👍🏾

[@TheElectricUnderground]

That sounds really cool

[@fuzzbear677]

I ordered this for PlayStation 5 already🕹🎮😀👍🏾

[@HighLanderPonyYT]

15:20 That isn't smart. That's a death sentence on the general market.

[@TheElectricUnderground]

I'm not so sure actually. I think if the gaming journalists took their jobs seriously and didn't whine because they had to actually play the game, this attitude of "OH SO UNFAIR, I NEED TO LEARN," wouldn't be in the general audience as much. This wasn't an issue in the past with older games and ports on older consoles. This is a new phenomenon I think. I think with the right attitude and encouragement players will accept and even welcome the devs presenting them with real challenges.

[@HighLanderPonyYT]

@@TheElectricUnderground You might be on to something but from what I've seen people drop games quick and hard. Often at the slightest sign of a challenge or resistance. There's also a gap between "I need to learn" and "downright punishing and feels like the devs are trolling me".

[@Pagaugezero]

No Neo Geo Cd this time. Will get it for AES or MVS

[@TheElectricUnderground]

That sounds cool! Hope it isn't too pricey

[@Pagaugezero]

@@TheElectricUnderground Me too. Haha

[@RICHUNCLEPENNYBAGS77]

The reviews are out of control man. I recently got Ganryu 2 (an Electric Underground type of game IMO) and one of the reviews I read described the nature of the game (basically a classic arcade game that makes you start a somewhat unforgiving stage over when you die, except it does let you save between stages) as "repulsive."

[@johngavalas74]

Dont like a lot of beat em ups except for Street Fighter Mortal Kombat and Streets Of Rage but out of all of them i love Vendetta had no idea about Final Vendetta i need to get this and Vendetta for switch

[@sladejosephwilson2300]

SF and MK are fighters. But final vendetta is fun

[@PedroFerreira-sx2gd]

I found the game good (Better than TMNT) altough needs some polish. There are a few things i disliked , like not being able to use shoulders buttons for block, Also find that some bosses are cheap and you have to exploit the a.i. I Also i fell the characters are unbalanced (i always find duke easier) The special Attack forward is Also quite cheap. The weapon system is strange, slow and i never use weapons. Glad you did not follow the trend of most reviewers that Say the game is slow (quite the opposite).

[@TheElectricUnderground]

Oh lots of good points! I think the patched the shoulder button thing (will come through on console soon ish). Yeah some of the boss fights require some naughty manipulation strats ha

[@HighLanderPonyYT]

Yeah, the bandwagoning and hype chasing is real. That said, sounds like a frustrating game that "gets good to play after X hours". Thing is, I wanna have fun till those hours are put in, not just afterwards. Sounds like a pass in my case. If you can't jump from one "lane" to another, I'm out even harder. Man, beatem' ups gotta stop doing this crap where the enemies attack from off screen or your attacks send them off screen and then you need to punch at stuff you can't see or wait for them to waddle back in. "Don't worry about block." Why have useless mechanics in the game? lol

[@TheElectricUnderground]

Oh I hope the way I described the game didn't make it sound un-fun on a first playthrough. It's fun right out of the gate, I just meant that as you play the game and learn it more, it's unique identity becomes more clear. Whereas just looking at it, it's not as obvious how it is different from Final Fight and such. Ha yeah the block is an interesting one, I don't mind it's inclusion as there are some very very situational uses for it (like a boss exploit ha). As long as the rest of the game isn't nerfed to justify a mechanic *cough, shredder's revenge*, I think having a very situational mechanic like a weak block is fine. It might mislead players a bit at first though ha.

[@HighLanderPonyYT]

@@TheElectricUnderground Aight, thanks for the insight! Eh, maybe on sale. lul :P

[@mellowgeekstudio]

Sorry, I gotta bring this up again: your mic seriously needs a pop filter dude. The explosives are killing the audio of all the videos I have watched on your channel. :(

[@TheElectricUnderground]

You know what's weird my dude is my mic just starting doing this. I have a pop filter and didn't need to use it, and then all the sudden I'm getting popping. I think I must have changed a gain setting or something ha. So yeah I'll re-attach my pop filter for the next few vids and see if it helps ha.

[@mellowgeekstudio]

@@TheElectricUnderground Glad to hear it. Pun intended, haha. :)

[@minimalmaster8489]

A game has been heavily denigrated by the press, which accuses it of being frozen in the past. However, I have much more fun with this Final Vendetta than with TMNT, which only has its pretty bodywork for it. The title (Final Vendetta) is visually basic and generic (although I liked its retro style which is indeed very NEO GEO, in particular by the chara-design of its sprites and its palette of bright colors), but the gameplay is for my part much superior to TMNT, it is much more technical and demanding than the latter. If you haven't done it, I recommend Vendetta (aka Crime Fighters 2 in Japanese version) from Konami, it's available in the arcade archives for the modest sum of 6.99 € (7.99 $US). Moreover Final Vendetta is the continuation of this very good beat 'em up rather unknown, I want to specify it because the majority of the journalists omitted to say it or quite simply do not know it.

[@TheElectricUnderground]

Excellent analysis my dude! I agree completely!

[@RuySan]

Is this game playable on an arcade stick? I dislike how many newer beatemups overcomplicate controls instead of just using 3 buttons like in the old days. Mother Russia Bleeds was the worst offender of this.

[@fuzzbear677]

This is a really good game but I thought it should have been longer definitely I wish they'd stop making some of these neo geo game short make them longer 🎮🕹😀👍🏾

[@Albertredneck]

The main thing preventing me from buying this one are the visuals. I don't know, but they totally turn me off.

[@TheElectricUnderground]

Fair enough! Visuals are important! They grew on me as I played, but I can def respect wanting more style

[@Albertredneck]

I expected a bit more from the creators of Xeno Crisis, I think they nailed the aesthetics on that one.

[@jc_dogen]

@@Albertredneck different artist. i think they were looking for someone who could speifically mimic the snk/neo geo style.

[@Skelta75]

Great review. Gameplay over graphics I guess...but man, for a game with such an awesome soundtrack inspired by 80-90s hip hop and techno this game has some seriously ugly in-game graffiti! Yeah, I know, who cares about such details? Just saying😅

[@TheElectricUnderground]

Ha yeah the graphics are a bit bland at times, but they've grown on me a bit (claire still needs to be redone though). In terms of the graffiti, maybe it's ugliness is actually artistically accurate considering the game takes place in the UK :-D (I kid, love my UK players 🇬🇧 )

[@Skelta75]

@@TheElectricUnderground Your review made me give it a chance...and reminded me to look past the artstyle from time to time;-) Good move to motivate the devs for a sequel, imho that's how many Japanese devs mastered their genres.

[@Christopher_Roa]

Beat ups are back? 🤣 They never left. Just because ikaruga has the polarity mechanic with heavy patterns doesn't make it a puzzle game......i swear most reviewers ride the trend wave just like overnight activists

[@TheElectricUnderground]

It s borderline plagiarism at times, they will repeat each other's phrases verbatim often

[@ApenBaard]

@@TheElectricUnderground thats because theyve been fed those phrases by the publisher with their early copy. Journalists used to get literal extra instruction sheets with how the game is explicitly intended to be enjoyed/played so they wouldnt misrepresent the game (and its probably still a thing)... It seems like most reviewers subconsiously (or intentionaly) copy the language used in those which is why they all say the same buzzwords. This isnt an excuse mind you. Just an explanation of how it happens and why it doesnt nessesarily happen with malicious intent....but it could. It is still bad haha.

[@qwertyMrJINX]

I can tell this guy's young, because he still complains about professional reviews, as if that whole industry hasn't been a laughing stock for the last decade and a half.

[@LosDuderinos]

😅😅

[@arisumego]

I think Mark knows and he just does it to bring more awareness to it to anyone who might stumble onto to his videos. And it's always entertaining/illuminating seeing what idiot games "journalists" say about these great games

[@thanksbetotap]

Dude, game reviewers have been a laughing stock for over 35 years. Reviews from the 80s and 90s were also terrible.

[@zenyousapprentice3732]

Theres no way in hell this is better than TMNT

[@TheElectricUnderground]

better in what regard is the question. mechanics, level design, and combat - it is absolutely better. In terms of graphics and character design, TMNT is better for sure. So it really comes down to what you value as a player. For example, imagine if the combat between the games was switched out. Vendetta has shredder combat, and Shredder has Vendetta's. Could you really argue you would then like Vendetta better ha? So I can't say one or the other is outright better because it's sort of a trade off in these two departments.

[@2바이오]

Ps파이눨밴퉤톼🏛🏥🏛🏦ㅓㄴ

[@chaser247plus]

The creators of classic beat 'em ups such as Final Fight & Streets of Rage 2 must look at trash like Final Vendetta and think to themselves "Why are people acting like this crappy game is something special?" It's so bland and soulless. There's zero creative flair.

[@whatamalike]

I still need to give this a go. They certainly look to havr crafted a much better experience than dotemu could ever dream of. Ngl, shredders revenge is indeed a slog (so much so i havent actually finished it) and sor4 is probably one of the absolute ugliest games ive ever seen! And again pretty much a slog. Even their attempt at a windjammers sequel just looks like a cheap flash game! Bitmap bureau on the other hand obviously know their onions.

[@matheuskiskissian]

Played for 30min and couldn't enjoy it. Hitboxes and hit confirmation feel very off.

[@modology]

is it only me that no one seem to notice how bad the sprites are drawn, espcially the face and eyes of each characters. it looks like you are playing fan made mugen game. I think it can be refined and very easy to fix the sprites but not sure if devs are aware of this

[@TheElectricUnderground]

Yeah I would love an update patch to the sprites as well

[@RalphBarbagallo]

This game is shockingly good.

[@TheElectricUnderground]

Agreed ha!!

[@RalphBarbagallo]

@@TheElectricUnderground It looked kind of mundane from the previews I had seen, but I'm actually enjoying this game a lot more than Turtles.

[@Alianger]

Thumbs down: -28 mins of alienating opinions about a 20 min game at infinite health, with outdated KoF '94 anatomy for the sprites -generic face against blurry background -hates tmnt which everyone knows is great -friends with boghog meaning gay pile in swedish (not that there's anything wrong with that) -probably hoards rare neo geo carts ;)

[@TheElectricUnderground]

I sense some serious 🧂🧂

[@soratheorangejuicemascot5809]

I lost my shiits when boghog got mentioned, hahaha

[@robbiemac13]

Remember beat-em-up fans, this guy is a freak for tough punishing games. If you are not a “gifted gamer” or you don’t enjoy being put in your place by a game, you are not going to enjoy this one.

[@sladejosephwilson2300]

At least he isn't insecure like those people.

[@franciscor390]

I was among the nasty boys who used Cody's stun lock to finish Final Fight in the arcades, also used the elbow attack to finish Double Dragon muahaha. Good eighties memories. And yeah Final Vendetta is amazing. I'm so glad they didn't fall for the infinite credit system, this was one of my major gripes with so many arcade ports in the PSX/Saturn/Dreamcast era.

[@TheElectricUnderground]

Yeah I know arcade games are the only genre that do this, even easy platformers like super Mario world force you to play through the levels at least ha

[@franciscor390]

Personally i have very small complaints i'd like faster weapon wield, as it's very risky picking them up right now, because of how slow main characters wield them. Also the main characters walking animations could use a small tweak (especially Miller and Claire) , not completely re-animating them or anything, just edit a frame here and there, for example have Claire lift here feet a bit more so it doesn't look like she's walking on ice/moonwalking. While Miller seems rotate his torso/arms too much, more than 120° 😅, he looks like a rotating mechanical crane. He's like an over correction of FF1 Haggar walk animation lol. Also some backgrounds tend to look a bit too simple and empty, not the first level but rather from the dock onwards where the building almost have no details. And i'm writing this because i care and really really liked the game, mad respect to the devs, this comes from someone who actually have played most major beat em ups ever released, so i hold the genre very high up. And finally i absolutely agree with Mark here please, please, please continue honing the craft don't jump ship after this title, do a continuation, many Japanese developers themselves used to say that they would never have developed the industry arcade icons if it weren't for all their previous experience in iterating. Repetition is key.

[@Steve-Fiction]

I'm convinced some of the arcade Beat em Ups are designed with credit-feeding in mind. Especially the ones that basically cannot be 1CCed unless you use cheese tactics or exploits. To me it would be worse if ports of these games did not have infinite credits. Just show the credit count at the end and that does the trick for me.

[@superfightman2053]

@@Steve-Fiction I think this is a very normal thing to believe, and it's probably even correct. The developers of these games really do have themselves to blame, regardless of intent. It's also a very strong argument for doing what the developers of Final Vendetta did here. By not having a continue system at all they very quickly PROVE that their game does not fall in that trap and that not only CAN the game be 1CC'd fairly easily, it's the only way to beat the game AT ALL.

[@TonyTonyRedgrave]

@@Steve-Fiction I think many if not most of them were made for more than one credit for sure, but not infinite. Infinite, free credits in a game where you respawn on the spot is just invincibility, it's hardly even a game. I appreciate ports that give you a limited stock of credits per run more.

[@KLiNoTweet]

Arcade Games are so important. The current games are way too big and too slow and full of micro transactions and crap. Arcades are so easy to grab and play and refreshing.

[@rallyrobx7604]

Your reviews make me wish someone would pick you up for "second take" reviews. As a casual when it comes to beat'em up's, I am going to enjoy most games that are solid. That is why I love both Shredder's Revenge and this game. But as a hardcore fighting game fan, and a hardcore casual shmup fan I love hearing a more elite take in reviews along with the casual perspective.

[@TheElectricUnderground]

That would be really cool actually! Like if I was a brought in as a second opinion for some of these outlets. I'd be down ha.

[@tetris3606]

You’ve sold me my friend. I’ll be picking this up tomorrow. Always great to see you talk about a game you seem to genuinely love.

[@TheElectricUnderground]

Yeah I really enjoyed this game! About to stream some more ultra attempts ha

[@jimmydurante138]

As far as the credit question is concerned I feel like NGDev team already solved this in Razion EX. When you first boot up the game you have 0 continues, but you slowly unlock additional credits as you play the game and game over. You won't have enough credits to brute force credit feed until you've put around 5-6 hours in, at which point you've learned the basic mechanics and likely memorized bullet patterns/enemy placements for the first few stages. IMO it's the perfect balance of accessibility and forcing the player to git gud, it also encourages shitty players to keep going for just one more run since you're virtually guaranteed to see a bit more of the game after every game over. Not sure why more indie home arcade releases don't take this approach. As much as some of us may appreciate the "hardcore" no extend design the sad fact (as evidence by steam reviews and even this comment section) is it objectively hurts sales, I think this is the best compromise.

[@TheElectricUnderground]

Yes I like this system as well!!!

[@riolobo1249]

Cool game. It's like a renaissance of beat 'em up games. At a recent steam festival, I played the demo of another potentially good game - Arnold Bounty Hunter. It looks more like the first Battletoads - there are not only fights, but also various adventures with platforming, hydrocycles. It also looks interesting.

[@TheElectricUnderground]

That sounds pretty cool! Hope it turns out well!

[@70smebbin]

just bought this for ps5 on the strength of ur review

[@TheElectricUnderground]

Awesome!! Such a fun game!! Got mania clears with all 3 characters

[@HansAlRachid]

Yet another fantastic looking indie release I somehow managed to miss completely. Sounds great, looks great, I'm gonna give it a shot. I definitely recognize a couple of these sprite animations from both King of Fighters and Streets of Rage, though I'm sure they drew from a lot more games. As for that special sauce aspect you mentioned that mainstream reviewers seem to be looking for - maybe I'm just getting old, but I've personally come to the conclusion that this special factor is ultimately just PR buzz/budget, or the general excitement/marketability an IP generates in the eyes of reviewers. Shredder's Revenge being a great example for this. In my mind this seems to be the defining factor in pretty much most entertainment media in general these days in that the actual quality of the product in question doesn't matter anymore, it's all just about how recognizable or marketable a thing is.

[@TheElectricUnderground]

Yep absolutely it s more often pure IP that drives this type of stuff sadly. No one would care one bit about shredder revenge without the license

[@sneedis9909]

you should make a best beat em ups list similar to your best shmups list so we have a better idea about your thoughts and experience with the genre.

[@TheElectricUnderground]

I shall! Not ready yet, still have some classics to play through first :-)

[@KyokujiFGC]

They should honestly just add the 1CC mode back in as a separate difficulty.

[@TheElectricUnderground]

Yeah that would be cool! Arcade mode

[@magicjohnson3121]

To be fair about the “puzzle” thing with Ikaruga, the president of Treasure was using that term to describe the game in interviews at the time. They were probably just parroting him.

[@ApenBaard]

This. Real game journalists actually almost always (used to) get documentation with the game explaining what the intention of the game is/how it should be played from the publisher. This is also why so many times they all use the same buzzwords. They all get those "implanted" before they even play the game.

[@TheElectricUnderground]

ha very true! Though I think they took him too literally, where I believe he was describing the polarity mechanic rather than actually saying ikaruga is a puzzle game XD also, devs say a bunch of stuff about there games that should be taken with a grain of salt. For example, dodonpachi's chain system was described as a "combo" system from sf2, but that doesn't make ddp a fighting game. I think ikaruga is similiar with how polarity is an element, but doesn't shift the genre entirely.

[@EaZyKiNg]

Facts a sequel is much needed!!