River City Ransom EX

Written by D'Marcus Beatty  on March 29, 2004

First Impressions: Squat, little men with no necks or knees battle each other in this NES cult classic.

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River City Ransom was the definition of a sleeper hit when it came out for the NES.а Its gameplay combined elements of RPG, action, and adventure in an insanely fun and amusing adventure that hasn't really been duplicated since.а The game involved two friends, Alex and Ryan, who must street-fight (a la Double Dragon) to get back Ryan's girl and save the town of River City from gangs gone amuck, especially Slick, the town's most powerful gang lord.а Although the plot may be a tad overused, the actual gameplay was seminal and completely enthralling with a cult following that endures to this day, clamoring for a sequel or an update.а Although EX isn't quite the update or the sequel that fans have been looking for, it does take the original and adds enough improvements to make the title one of the GBA's most anticipated titles of the year.

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The original River City Ransom was a side scrolling street fighter, much like Streets of Rage or Final Fight.а Where River City Ransom strayed from these formulas is its light adventure/RPG elements.а In River City Ransom, each defeated character leaves money, the amount depending on the character's gang affiliation or status (boss character or regular henchman).а The heroes can then use this money at different shops around town for a number of different purposes.а They can buy shoes to increase speed or kicking strength, they can buy medicine to boost stats, they can purchase books to learn new moves, or they can buy food (dine in or to go!) to restore energy.а When the boys needed to relax from all their battling, there is even a sauna where they can relax!а This is also the site of the infamous naked shower scene, one of the NES' only (and most amusing) scenes of nudity in a video game.

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There were also different street gangs that controlled different areas.а For example, the Frat Boys controlled the area outside the school and had to be thoroughly defeated to gain access.а The gangs had different levels of strengths, so the power-ups where almost essential to progress completely through the game.а That doesn't include the various boss characters, most of whom were waiting at the end of an area to prevent your characters from going further.

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Also unlike its peers, River City Ransom never took itself too seriously.а Humor was rampant in this game, from the free Smile you could order at Merv's Burger Joint to the assorted comments that enemies made when defeated.а

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River City Ransom EX will include that obviously successful formula while adding a few updated elements to the cult classic. One of the more noticeable improvements is the graphics. Although the characters still retain their squat, super-deformed look, some lighting effects have been added, giving each individual a more real, 3-D look.а Another improvement is in the Dynamic Story Mode, which takes the original story from the game and adds the ability to make decisions that will alter the story arc.а Another interesting addition is the ability to recruit and form your own gang to help you battle against the other gangs in River City.а There were a number of weapons in the original, including trash cans, sticks, nunchakus, and brass knuckles.а EX will have a number of new weapons for players to utilize, including ladders and javelins.