The Brawl Brothers Are Back: Rushing Beat X PS5 Verdict
Rushing Beat X: Return of Brawl Brothers is a 3D beat ’em up brawler that sees the legendary Jaleco series return to the streets of Neo-Cisco. Fighters like Rick Norton and Douglas Bild rise up against the Joecal crime syndicate and the Zeekus virus in a neon-soaked battle for justice. It delivers a heavy dose of arcade atmosphere with a modern cell-shaded look, supporting local two-player co-op for those looking to lay the smack down with a mate.
Specs & HUD |
Gameplay Review |
Performance & Fidelity |
Settings & Control
Rushing Beat X Return of Brawl Brothers Playstation 5 Review: Specs & HUD
- Developer: CITY CONNECTION CO., LTD.
- Publisher: Clear River Games / CITY CONNECTION.
- Official Website: Official Rushing Beat X Site
- UK Store Link: Buy Rushing Beat X PS5
- Genre: Beat ‘Em Up / Action.
- Release Date: March 19, 2026.
- Download Size: 1.20GB.
- Trophies: Platinum Trophy included.
- Game Modes: Story Mode (9 stages) and Free Play Mode (no cutscenes).
- Stages: 9 stages of fighting through locations like labs and slums.
- Character Selection: 7 playable characters (3 initial, others unlocked).
- Character Stats: Unique stats for Style, Attack, Defence, Speed, and Jump.
- HUD: Full combo counter, health bar system, and arcade-style presentation.
- Multiplayer: Local two-player support.
Gameplay Review & Mechanics Breakdown
This plays like a Streets of Rage or Final Fight, but in a 3D space, and for the most part, it nails that arcade presentation and atmosphere, complete with shout-outs. You’ve got seven characters to mess with, though you only get three initially. They all have their own unique stats for style, attack, and speed, and each one gets its own ending, which is a nice touch. The gameplay loop is pure brawler; you’re moving through nine stages in story mode, laying the smack down with a full combo counter, banging up as you go. You can grapple enemies and throw them into walls, through windows, and even down holes, which feels great when you’re in the flow.
There are some cool little touches here and there that show they’ve put thought into the genre’s evolution. You can store food to use for healing when you actually want it, rather than just eating it off the floor immediately. The same goes for weapons; some stay in your hand while others can be stored and swapped between using a button press. You can even find Tough Enough trucks where you spend coins on weapons and health. Between stages, or even after you die, you can swap characters and pick exactly where you respawn on the level. While there are tutorial pop-ups as you play and a help menu for combos, the game still gets stuck in some of the genre’s old shortcomings.
Rushing Beat X Return of Brawl Brothers Playstation 5 Review: Performance & Fidelity
- Graphics: Awesome cell-shaded cartoon graphics that pop on the screen.
- Camera: Locations mix up the camera between typical side-scrolling and isometric views.
- Cutscenes: In-game character interactions and cutscenes are skippable (mostly unvoiced).
- Frame Rate: Smooth performance on PS5 despite the 3D brawler chaos.
- Loading: Quick respawning process, though the flow is interrupted by menus.
- Visual Flair: Big boss encounters and destructible items that break over time.
Settings, Customisation & Control Details
- Control Mapping: Fully remap the controls for both Player 1 and Player 2.
- Accessibility: Options for Screenshake, Message Text Size, and UI Display Size.
- Difficulty: Four settings: Easy, Normal, Hard, and Shira.
- Game Settings: Toggles for Music, Sound Effects, Voice, and Tutorial Pop-ups.
- Loadouts: When continuing, you choose a stage and a bonus item loadout (Money, Health, Weapons, or Nothing).
- Stage Select: Replay finished levels and see which mode/difficulty you beat them on.
Related Gert Lush Gaming Reviews
- The Phantom Review – Gert Lush Gaming
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Rushing Beat X Return of Brawl Brothers
Summary
GOOD STUFF
The game looks awesome with its cell-shaded cartoon graphics and hits that arcade atmosphere perfectly. I love that you can remap controls for both players, and the accessibility options like screenshake and text size are a win. The 3D brawler gameplay feels solid with the ability to grapple enemies and toss them through windows or down holes. Storing food and weapons for later use is a massive stride forward for the genre, and having multiple character endings gives you a reason to see it through. The stage select and bonus item loadouts make jumping back in easy, and the mix of camera angles keeps the 9 stages feeling fresh visually.
BAD STUFF
On easy mode, the game is actually a lot less fun because the CPU just stands there like they’re dumb. The gameplay loop starts to wear off after a few levels, especially when you’re fighting the same boss nearly every single stage. It’s tedious and just not fun. Respawning is a slow process where you’re stuck waiting for screens and menus instead of getting back into the fight. Hit detection can be a nightmare; you can be too close to an enemy and not hit them, or struggle to line up attacks and pick up items. I’m also not a fan of how swinging a weapon counts as a use, even if you miss. The final boss is horribly designed, requiring perfect alignment while they move constantly with the smallest shadow ever.
FINAL VERDICT
The game is excellent when I’m actually playing it, making some meaningful strides forward for the genre with the weapon storage and health management, but it still gets stuck in those old-school shortcomings, and I just don’t think about it once I walk away. It nails that punchy arcade atmosphere, and the cell-shaded look is top-tier, but between the tedious boss repetition and the horridly frustrating final encounter, it lacks that lasting hook to make it truly memorable after the credits roll.
