Beat-'em-ups are continuing to make a slow comeback, with a number of them offering new twists to the tried-and-true formula. Games like Towerborne aim for a slightly MMO-like experience, while the upcoming Absolum injects roguelike traits into the mix. Ra Ra Boom also tries for a different approach, and we got a look at the latest preview build to see how things are coming along.

In the far future, a powerful AI system has gone rogue, creating enough robots to nearly decimate the human race and forcing the remaining survivors to flee to outer space and regroup among asteroid colonies. When one of those colonies gets attacked, a group of teenagers that has been training to act as a retaliatory force is sent into action. The quartet quickly make its way to Earth and go on a journey to find the AI machines responsible for this and end the threat once and for all.

As mentioned before, the game is a beat-'em-up that follows a few modern conventions. You have both a quick and strong attack as well as a super attack that gets unleashed when you fill up segments of a super meter. The game adopts a lane system similar to the likes of Guardian Heroes, but the lanes are numerous with smooth enough transitions between lanes that it rarely feels like you're snapping between them when moving vertically. There's co-op play for up to four players, but it's only for local play.

One aspect of beat-'em-ups that isn't implemented is the ability to pick up weapons. Instead, your characters all have some kind of firearm at their disposal. Your guns have infinite ammo, so you won't have to worry about running out. You also don't need to worry about pausing your projectile assault, since reloading isn't necessary. However, you do have weapon recoil, and your shots won't stun enemies, so you'll rely on your guns when at a distance while resorting to fisticuffs a majority of the time.

There are a few things in the preview build that still need some polishing. There are moments when the scrap you need to pick up can't be obtained because it can fall into lanes that don't exist. Lane switching sometimes doesn't register when an attack hits an entire lane, causing you to get hit even though the lane switch should have nullified the hit. Dodging also seems to be sporadic in its use, since you can't dodge while in the middle of an attack combo.

Perhaps one of the more baffling things about the game is the lack of a jump kick, a move largely considered to be a staple in the genre. When you jump and attack, you perform attacks that see you freeze in the air. While that can seem helpful, it only works if you buy the uppercut move. Without a launcher move and with no flying enemies, it doesn't make sense to have air moves, and that only underscores the lack of a jump kick.

As far as presentation goes, the cartoon-like stylings of the characters are nice to look at. The environments also look good, especially if you take the time to notice some of the details, such as robots in the swamps going mushroom farming. Animations and particle effects are decent. From a sound perspective, the voice acting is good, while the music fits in rather well with the environments. It's also nice to hear a song with lyrics being used for the title screen, especially since it does a good job of conveying the vibe of high school kids rebelling to save the world.

There's a neat concept in Ra Ra Boom. Combining beat-'em-up action with a bit of shooting gives the game some identity in what is turning out to be a crowded field of modern entries into the genre. The stat upgrade feature is also a nice touch, especially since you can return to a level to max out everything. There's still some time to polish the rough edges before the game releases in August 2025, so we'll be keeping tabs on Ra Ra Boom.