[Review] Last Beat Enhanced - Nintendo Switch

Developed and Published By: 7 Raven Studios
Categories: Beatemup, Retro
Release Date: 09.15.22

I’m all for retro beatemups, which drew to me to Last Beat Enhanced. And boy howdy is this one looking real retro. It reminds me of the spritework for Gameboy Color games a bit. I love it!

Select your character and lets get on the road. You get the standards, the balanced guy, the quick girl, and the musclebound brute who’s super strong and rather slow. Punch, grab weapons, and pick up the yummy healing food items on the ground, you’ve probably heard it before. While you’re beating thugs up or just idling, a special meter fills up. These attacks can really save your keester if you’re ganged up on. You even have a block and counter if this one guy is giving you trouble.

You’ll get money by defeating enemies. You’ll get more and more if you can keep a combo going. That combo even multiplies money you’ll find around in barrels, which can be a BIG bonus for you. If you’re struggling and getting game overs, money can even give you boosts and buffs to help level the playing field.

At least it should. For some reason, no money I earned saved, so I’d get a game over and it’d ask if I want to buy any boosts…but I’d have no money. This also meant I couldn’t fiddle with any of the game’s unlockables. Including characters. It’s something I’m certain will be patches, but when I was playing it was an issue. And considering on Normal mode, you get ONE LIFE, it’s frustrating.

Last Beat Enhanced at the very least is fun and feels good to play. Perhaps the music helps with that, good music can help you feel real badass and strong. There’s even co-op, which all good beatemups should have. I just hope the money bug is fixed.