Item: Pocket Bravery
Rating: 3.5
Author: marcoleo

Inspired by timeless classics like Street Fighter and The King of Fighters, Pocket Bravery is a 2D fighting game that blends nostalgic pixel art with deep combat mechanics. Don’t let its retro visuals fool you: this is a title built with competitive play in mind. It may have flown under the radar, but for fans of the fighting genre, it can be a true hidden gem.

Why Pocket Bravery Is a Feature-Packed Fighting Game for Fans

Despite being an indie title, Pocket Bravery delivers a level of content that rivals many 3D fighting games. Its Story Mode not only introduces the core mechanics, but also follows the journey of Nuno, a young fighter framed and imprisoned after a betrayal by his gang. He soon awakens a mysterious power known as Ichor, setting the stage for a tale told through a mix of combat and dialogue scenes. While the hand-drawn, comic-style panels are visually appealing, they don’t always feel connected to the gameplay. I found it hard to stay interested because there isn’t enough action between the dialogue scenes and it feels like the developers focused more on narrating the story than delivering a good pacing.

That said, there are plenty of other modes that offer a more engaging and fun experience. In Arcade Mode, you can choose any character and fight your way through a series of battles to unlock their unique endings. Survival Mode raises the stakes with consecutive battles and no health regeneration. For those looking to sharpen their skills, Combo Trial lets you explore each character’s combo potential, while Training Mode provides a space to practice moves, experiment and refine your technique. Online mode is undoubtedly a fun addition, but I had a hard time finding anyone to play with. I tried multiple times at different hours of the day, but couldn’t get into a single match. At the time of writing, SteamDB shows only 8 players online, which means the chances of finding an opponent are unfortunately very low. It’s a shame, because the combat is fun and challenging, playing against real people could have given this game much more replay value.

Retro Fighting Game Challenge: How Hard Is Pocket Bravery?

Pocket Bravery presents a steep learning curve, but it’s far from inaccessible. The game offers provides ample opportunities for players to gradually familiarize themselves with the controls, character mechanics and advanced techniques. While the pixelated characters are stunning and cute, their combat moves are actually complex. It’s not recommended to play without a controller, the keyboard feels sometimes bugged and unresponsive. Thankfully, there’s a simplified control scheme for newcomers, but experienced players will appreciate the classic six-button layout (high/low punches and kicks, throws and specials). Each character has a unique feel and mastering their abilities, along with their unique Ichor-powered specials, offers a rewarding challenge. The AI, however, can be inconsistent, especially in Story Mode. It can alternate between oddly passive and hyper- aggressive, which occasionally breaks the balance.

STREAMER SCORE

Pocket Bravery

Overall

3.5

Performance
Streamability
Audience Engagement
Replayability

Sending

User Review

0 (0 votes)

Summary

Pocket Bravery is a love letter to retro fighting games, delivering gorgeous visuals and a wide variety of modes. Its full potential is undercut by a lack of active online players and uneven story pacing, but the combat system make it a worthwhile experience for those who appreciate old-school brawlers.