n a dystopian 90s Berlin where D-Pop seems to be running the show, Beat Slayer is a rogue-lite music-based action game in which you play as music lover Mia, out to rescue her brother Toni from evil beatmaster Dietrich and his robot army.
One of the fundamental requirements in a rhythm game, in addition to speakers or headphones, is rhythm. It’s a given, but many of us wing it because we like our music. I’m one such person. Music is my biggest passion, yet I struggle to keep a beat, so how will I, and more importantly, you, get on in ByteRockers’ game? Easy peasy: practice (and the options menu).
Jeitaro
Beat Slayer is an isometric rogue-lite slasher in which you time actions per the soundtrack, decimating The Matrix-like bots that plague the city. Dietrich’s music is pumped out from a tower, tunes that belong on cassette tape and stored in the glovebox of a Ford XR2. Mia, put on your headphones.
Beat Slayer Review – Mama Mia!
Mia swings to the beat with an axe and takes down anything mechanical. Pressing the attack button at the right time, or even dashing around to avoid enemies, will build an ultimate attack called the Tanzrausch. These attacks cause more damage, and Mia will dominate as long as you don’t miss a beat or take a hit.
Mia will dominate as long as you don’t miss a beat or take a hit
As a music lover who’s rubbish at rhythm games as standard, I was concerned that Beat Slayer would be short-lived. After a handful of waves, I was dead, though as this is a rogue-lite, I was hopeful there’d be a levelling system between runs. Sure enough, there is. Yay!
After a run, Mia spawns in a Hi-Fi Rush-like hub, only it’s filled with friendlies keen on helping you beat Dietrich. There’s a quest board to earn XP, a robot to train with and learn new moves, a bartender that grants potions that add a buffer between waves, plus much more, including an upgrade station.
Stop. Hammer Time
Beat Slayer uses a map system similar to Out-Run (that new game from Sega). On each run, you pick a path, selecting the most alluring, a.k.a. whether it’ll give you health, XP, viruses (enemy debuffs), or power-ups. With XP, Mia can increase her health and basic attacks, improve the drops in each run, and more. This is essential if you’re to stick with the game and helps if you can’t hold a beat.
The score never feels repetitive, nor is it overpowering and distracting
In addition to permanent upgrades and temporary buffs during a run, Mia has three weapons. These weapons are unlocked through progression and add a different style of play to the game. Other than the weapons and levelling system, the in-game options include a metronome, visual indicators, and more. Beat Slayer is very accommodating.
Upon starting the game, there was a dev note that the third weapon is a WIP, and they are constantly fine-tuning the experience. From my perspective on the Steam Deck, there wasn’t a single moment of lag or any other technical issues other than a slightly ropey tutorial in the hub. More importantly, though, what’s the music like?!
Toni Dancer
Music tastes are subjective. In my opinion, Beat Slayer’s soundtrack is excellent. Where Hi-Fi Rush uses superb tracks from Nine Inch Nails, here we have an original score that works perfectly. The score never feels repetitive, nor is it overpowering and distracting. Instead, it’s the drum and bass to your lead guitar – without it, you wouldn’t be going anywhere. It’s a shame the vocals are mildly annoying.
That’s right – at any opportunity, Mia will cast a bit of wordplay on her name, such as, ‘Are you ready for Mia?’ (actually, I can’t recall if that one’s legit, but they’re on that level), and she perpetually has to have the last word all the time. Beat Slayer could have done with a cheeky sidekick to dilute Mia’s quips. They aren’t that bad, though as gameplay is brill.
Beat Slayer Review Summary
After telling myself I’d start writing my Beat Slayer review, I played about a dozen more runs. It’s pretty damn addictive. With Beat Slayer, every bit of tinkering makes a difference and hints that you can reach the end and give Dietrich a what for. Remember that each new run starts from the beginning – boss battles and all, but if you’ve been playing properly, you should have an advantage for each new attempt.
