Welcome to Streets of Red: Devil's Dare Deluxe, the permadeath multiplayer horror beat'em up that bestows players with the skills of retro gaming heroes in a fight against a legion of undead monstrosities. The chills, thrills, bills, and opportunity to learn new skills won't stop until every street runs red with blood!
The combat system features a robust combo system that allows players to string together basic attacks and special moves. Players can cancel moves to extend combos and juggle enemies in the air, creating dynamic and rewarding combat sequences. The controls are described as easy to learn but difficult to master, providing a good amount of depth for skilled players.
Each of the six playable characters has a unique set of abilities and special moves that differentiate their playstyles. As players progress, they can unlock and upgrade these character-specific skills, granting them new combo potential and ways to overcome challenges. This diverse character roster and upgrade system encourages repeated playthroughs as players experiment with different strategies and characters.
The non-linear level structure allows players to choose the order in which they tackle the four main stages. Depending on the path taken, the stages can change and evolve, introducing new environments, enemies, and even boss encounters. This branching level design, combined with a dynamic difficulty system that scales based on the number of players, helps to prevent repetitive gameplay and encourages experimentation with different playthroughs.
The game is noted for its high level of challenge, particularly on the higher difficulty settings. However, players generally agree that the game is fair and consistent in its design. Enemies and boss attacks are described as telegraphed and learnable, rewarding players who master the combat mechanics. The permadeath system creates a high-stakes environment, but the ability to revive using earned in-game currency helps to mitigate frustration.
The local co-op multiplayer, which supports up to four players, is a significant draw of the game. The cooperative gameplay is praised for its synergistic nature, as players can coordinate their character abilities and combos to overcome the challenges more effectively. The dynamic difficulty scaling ensures that the game remains engaging and balanced for both solo and co-op play.