X
- E10+
- Arc System Works
- E10+
- Arc System Works
- E10+
- Arc System Works
- E10+
- Arc System Works
Stay Cool, Kobayashi-san!: A River City Ransom Story
Released On: Nov 7, 2019
46
User Score
Available after 4 ratings
tbd
Where to Buy
Where to Buy
Metascore
Generally Unfavorable
Based on 6 Critic Reviews
46
0% Positive
0 Reviews
0 Reviews
67% Mixed
4 Reviews
4 Reviews
33% Negative
2 Reviews
2 Reviews
Metascore
Generally Unfavorable
Based on 6 Critic Reviews
46
0% Positive
0 Reviews
0 Reviews
67% Mixed
4 Reviews
4 Reviews
33% Negative
2 Reviews
2 Reviews
Stay Cool, Kobayashi-san!: A River City Ransom Story is an interesting entry in a genre that is experiencing a revival of sorts on the Switch thanks to the ever-increasing number of re-releases and brand new experiences. Long-time Kunio fans will find this a rewarding and worthy experience, but newcomers – or anyone who wants to jump into this series – should opt for the far superior River City Girls instead. The time we spent with Kobayashi-san was fun, but a bit repetitive; the franchise can do much better than this, but it's a neat little side-story nonetheless.
There are threads of interesting ideas weaved within, but largely don’t compliment each other or get sewn into a more cohesive larger picture. Stuff like the swapping of allies in battle could have been more compelling or the diverse move set could have been more effective in a better game, but this is not that better game.
Stay Cool, Kobayashi-san!: A River City Ransom Story is a mundane beat 'em up that's held aloft by a couple clever ideas. The combat is fun at first, but the doldrums set in long before completing the first of potentially many play-throughs. Some fights, particularly the finale, definitely could've used a few tweaks. Still, figuring out the fastest route to the end is really cool. It gives the adventure a tinge of replay-value. However, unless you "have" to play every game in the River City Ransom canon, then this won't catch your interest.
While some will no doubt find enjoyment in beating up goons in Stay Cool, Kobayashi-san!, most will find it overly repetitive and a tad too obscure. With its basic combat, small pool of enemies and often unfair bosses, there’s little here to pull Stay Cool, Kobayashi-san! out of mediocrity. Its saving grace is that it’s relatively cheap, so you won’t feel too let down by its short running time should you decide to take the plunge.
Sadly lacking all the options seen in previous entries, Stay Cool Kobayashi-san! may entertain longtime Kunio-kun fans but others will find it bare bones and forgettable.
There's no reason to bother with this game. In fact, there's already been a great River City Ransom game released this year that completely blows this out of the water. River City Girls is a fantastic game that honors the series' legacy, has amazing music and characters, and features gameplay that's actually enjoyable. Play that instead, because Stay Cool, Kobayashi-san!: A River City Ransom Story is about as far away from cool as you can get.
User Reviews
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Summary The head of the Reiho High School Big Four, Kunio-kun’s infamous rival that all River City Series fans will recognize: Kobayashi gets his own game! One day, a close friend of his gets abducted by an evil organization. He will have to step up to rescue his friend and bring an end to this organization.
Rated E +10
for Everyone +10
Platforms:
- PlayStation 4
- PC
- Xbox One
- Nintendo Switch
Initial Release Date: Nov 7, 2019
Developer:
- Arc System Works
Publisher: Arc System Works
Genres:
