Humble Choice December adds Nine Sols and Streets of Rage 4

There is a specific, primal joy found in walking from left to right and punching everything that moves. It is a simple pleasure that the industry largely forgot about for a decade, only to remember that hitting bad guys with pipes is actually quite fun.

As spotted on the Humble Store page for River City Girls Zero, the December Humble Choice lineup has been revealed. The subscription service is headlining the month with two significant titles: the acclaimed beat 'em up revival Streets of Rage 4 and the stylish action-platformer Nine Sols.

The Return of the Brawler

Streets of Rage 4 is the standout here for retro enthusiasts. Released in 2020, it managed to do the impossible by reviving a dormant Sega franchise without ruining it. Developed by Dotemu, Lizardcube, and Guard Crush Games, the title features hand-drawn visuals that replace the pixel art of the 1990s while keeping the gameplay mechanics largely intact.

It serves as a direct continuation of the series that defined the Sega Genesis library. For those of us who spent the 90s arguing about whether the Super Nintendo sound chip was better than the Genesis FM synth, this is a mandatory play.

Taopunk and Parry Mechanics

The second headliner, Nine Sols, comes from Red Candle Games. The studio is previously known for psychological horror titles like Detention and Devotion. This project marks a significant departure for the team. They describe the setting as "Taopunk," blending cyberpunk aesthetics with Taoism and Far Eastern mythology.

Unlike the button-mashing friendly nature of Streets of Rage, Nine Sols leans heavily into precision. The gameplay draws inspiration from Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice, focusing on deflection-based combat within a 2D plane. It is the kind of game that demands you learn its systems or suffer the consequences repeatedly.