Pocket Bravery

Pocket Bravery is a valiant attempt to pay tribute to the classic fighting games of old while still providing a modern twist, offering up a ton of various modes, options, extra content and more.

If you're looking for a fighting game with a lot of style, a strong cultural identity, precise combat and a huge competitive potential, Pocket Bravery is a choice that deserves your attention. I can say that the game is a source of pride for the game development scene in Brazil.

Pocket Bravery is a fantastic homage to the art of ‘90s fighting games. It nails the fun factor and the sheer amount of content the games used to offer before online play was an option, while doing a fantastic job of replicating the fun of classic NeoGeo Pocket Color titles. This is certainly a title I would suggest any budding brawler puts the cash down on. I will say this likely doesn’t have the strongest player count on any format so if you are picking this up purely for online multiplayer you may be better off spending your money elsewhere, especially since the performance issues on the Nintendo Switch version make that version less than ideal. But all in all Pocket Bravery is a damn fine time aimed at a fighting game playerbase who are already eating quite well at the moment.

I was actually looking forward to Pocket Bravery. I remember pre-ordering it like over two years ago when it was announced. But oh boy, the final result is highly disappointing. While the quantity of content is through the roof and is surprisingly as more diverse (if not more than) Street Fighter VI, the gameplay and feel of the game feels off and semi-responsive; complemented by cheap A.I.. Considering the price tag of this and high quality fighters available on Xbox, it’s hard to recommend Pocket Bravery.

Pocket Bravery could have been released on Neo Geo and succeeded. The design of the heads may make it look like a minor game, like those of the Pocket, but these caricatures hide a combat system at the height of a more appropriate proportions. It's the return of a Marvel VS Campcon with modern day technology. It is not the gateway for new players.

Solid hand-drawn retro-inspired 2D fighting game on PS5

While certainly a stylish fighting game with flair and depth, it’s approachability absolutely struggles compared to its peers

Few innovations and small inconsistencies in the level of difficulty and the narrative do not overshadow Pocket Bravery's excellent qualities. The game has a simple, but well-optimized combat system, and an artistic design that pays homage to the classics of an entire generation of fighting games without giving up its own, very well-constructed identity.

Pocket Bravery is definitely a Brazilian game worth checking out for several reasons: it is a work made on Brazilian soil that is no match for any other name in the genre, whether in terms of structure, visuals or sound; it can be a great choice for those who want a cool fighting game at a more affordable price; and it carries the passion that many of us have for this 90s genre and also adds several references and aspects of our culture. A fighter like this certainly cannot be underestimated by anyone.

I really enjoyed playing Pocket Bravery on the Switch, both on TV and in handheld mode. But, aside from the occasional bugs and aesthetic decisions that somewhat weaken the impact, it's an excellent game and I really hope they explore more of this game in some sequel.