Dubstep driven bullet hell. My ears are still ringing. Originally for Android, iOS, and Windows Phone and now available on PC, Beat da Beat is Russian developer Nekki’s aptly deemed “bullet hell rhythm game.” Highly addictive, tough as nails, and rife with hard-hitting tunes, clever enemies, and mesmerizing visuals, it doesn’t take long for this scrolling shoot-em-up to wholly entrance you. Just don’t hit mute.
Gameplay shines in Badass mode where you take on the full spectrum of tightly-knit bullet sprays; and trust me, few things feel better than weaving your way through a screen ablaze with bombs, bullets, and lasers. Casual and Normal serve as decent entry level modes but can feel quite boring after playing on Hard or Badass and drudging when you realize you need to complete every difficulty setting in order to unlock the final five ships. While Badass mode seemed sufficiently challenging to me, I did feel like the game was missing a fifth, hardcore, one-hit-death difficulty. An even denser ultimate bullet hell may not have worked well on the game’s previous mobile platforms but could have been a feasible addition to the PC version, given the precision capable with a mouse.
Every level features a memorable track and unique enemy encounters. Even after just a few runs, I began to associate bullet patterns with their corresponding musical segments: Enemies might stack up during the build to a chorus, peppering the field in step with sub bass pulse, until suddenly, “BAM,” the song drops into a headbanging half-time chorus as all the lights on-screen seem to supernova. It’s amazing to watch and even better to play. I particularly adored Level 3 which features line-stepping ships and a wild laser show kicking in to the heavy drop chorus of JBroadway’s “Lucid Dream.” It’s jaw-dropping.
The brilliantly executed interplay between music, content, and visuals is what truly makes Beat da Beat stand out among other bullet hells. While the concept of rhythm-based bullet hell has been visited before in games like Beat Chaser and Bullet Audyssey, I don’t think it’s ever been done so well. The dubstep cohesively sells the futuristic, star-fighter setting and space-punk ship designs just as the rave-worthy bullet hells beautifully embody the dubstep. Furthermore, small details like the loading screen that reads “use headphones for maximum awesome” and the purposefully broken volume adjustment in game settings – the cosmetic volume slider actually looks like someone shot it with a ray gun – speak volumes about the developer’s admiration for its composers, and rightly so. The game couldn’t have done it without its soundtrack.
There isn’t much left to say about Beat da Beat other than “it’s fantastic.” It’s artful, clever, worth dozens of hours of play, and thus far one of my favorite games of 2016. Even if you aren’t a fan of bullet hells or dubstep, you’ll still find something to love.