River City Girls

Side-scrolling beat 'em up where you play as Kyoko or Misako, two high schoolers punching through River City's six districts to rescue their kidnapped boyfriends. You'll string together combos, counters, throws, and special moves against waves of enemies, earning XP to level up and unlock new abilities. Between fights, you can take on side quests, chat with NPCs (some from earlier River City games), and spend cash on food, gear, and stat boosts at shops. Defeated enemies can be recruited as temporary allies. You're also free to pick up weapons mid-brawl. The structure mixes classic arcade brawling with light RPG progression—think health bars, damage numbers, and a persistent world you traverse between story beats. Works solo or co-op if you want a friend controlling the second character.