The beat ‘em up genre has enjoyed a modern resurgence as of late, thanks to recent games likeTeenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Shredder’s Revengeand the upcomingMARVEL Cosmic Invasion.
Ra Ra BOOM, from indie developer Gylee Games, is looking to take advantage of this trend. It’s a game I’ve had my eye on since first seeing it atPAX East 2024. Yes, the fact that Gylee Games is based in my hometown of Cincinnati, Ohio, is what first caught my eye, but the vibe and gameplay made me want to see more.
Finally, over a year later, we’re rapidly approaching its August 2025 release date. I was fortunate enough to spend some time with a preview build of the game’s opening moments, and while there’s a bit of polish Ra Ra BOOM could use, there are some solid bones present within the game.
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A Comic Book Come To Life
The first thing you’ll notice about Ra Ra BOOM is the game’s presentation. The comic book inspiration delivers a bright, colorful, and excellent sense of style, helping it stand out from the crowd.
In a world where thebeat ‘em upgenre is filled with gorgeous-looking games, Ra Ra BOOM deserves its seat at the table. Of course, it helps out when your game’s premise follows four colorful and charmingly designed cheerleaders as they attempt to save a futuristic Earth from AI robots.
While the game’s cutscenes aren’t full-blown videos, they’re stillfully voice-actedand work well as a comic book splash page. As for the game’s stages, they’re bright, vibrant, and wonderfully crafted. In beat ‘em ups like this, I find it equally important to not just deliver a good-looking game, but also find a way to properly deliver important information. I need to know where enemies are spawning and how to deal with them.
Itssoundtrackis pretty catchy as well. At one point, I asked my wife if she knew one of the songs, as she’s all about Charli XCX and Dua Lipa, only to realize it was just the game’s theme song. It has me excited to see the rest of the game’s presentation follow through on such a strong start.
Ra Ra BOOM’s Combat Is The Game’s Selling Point
The biggest thing Ra Ra Boom has going for it is the game’s combat.
Not content to be your typical, run-of-the-mill beat ‘em up combat system, Ra Ra BOOM borrows a lot of inspiration elsewhere. The result is a game that pays homage to its roots while expanding on what makes the genre great. Instead of performing the same combos over and over on enemies, there is far more variety at play here.
Don’t get me wrong; you have your typical attack system, where I can focus on light or heavy attacks, but there’s much more going on too. Successfully hitting enemies fills up a special meter, which lets me unleash an even more powerful attack that can clear various enemies. I also have the option to use a ranged attack, which essentially turns the game from a beat ‘em up to a side-scroller shooter.
That’s not to say it’s a “get out of jail free” card for more difficult encounters, but it’s something that changes things up and adds a tactical element to the game’s combat.
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Hi, My Name Is…
Another thing that helps keep combat fresh is how all four playable characters each have their own unique flair. While each character feels similar in how they play fundamentally, there are some minor differences that help them to stand out.
Aris feels like your generic “good at everything” type character that’s the most accessible and basic to play. Then there’s Saida, a cyborg whose projectile attack is a literal bazooka. My favorite, though, is Vee, who can utilize her shield to deal some devastating damage combos.
It helps add an extra amount of personality and flair that you expect from the genre, making these characters stand out more. They may not be as iconic as, say, Marvel superheroes or the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, but their style quickly grew on me, resulting in me having preferences on who I’m playing.
I Hope The Game Sticks The Landing
I’m rooting hard for Ra Ra BOOM to succeed. It’s a game that isn’t content to rest on the laurels of its genre, instead borrowing elements from side-scrolling shooters, fighting games, and more to deliver a cohesive package that works extraordinarily well.
The fully voiced cutscenes are nice and help deliver that real-life comic book feeling, but again, there are some mixing issues present with the voice acting. You know that feeling when you’re watching a YouTube video and there’s a jarring disconnect from the narration as it goes from the talking head to a voiceover over in-game content?
That’s how I feel with some of the cutscenes. It’s an issue that can obviously be fixed, and again, this isn’t the finished build. The game does an excellent job otherwise with its presentation, so I’m hopeful that this is an oversight that can be easily fixed.
On a similar note, the controls felt a little incomplete, as I wasn’t able to dodge during my hands-on time. Ironically, it wasn’t much of an issue when I got into a good rhythm with the game’s combat system, but I imagine that come later levels, when dealing with more difficult enemies, dodging will become more essential.
Ra Ra BOOM promises a lot more beat ‘em up goodness when it releases this August. The foundation is in place for a unique, memorable brawler that offers more depth compared to its competitors. If they can deliver the right amount of polish to smooth out those rough edges while delivering a great experience throughout the entire game, we’ll have a great indie hit on our hands. I’m eager to dive in next month, whether alone or with friends, and enjoy some co-op goodness.
Ra Ra BOOM
WHERE TO PLAY
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