This game is not a rhythm-based shooter, despite its name suggesting it may be. At least not one where you make your own beats to the tune of your own gun in order to get the most out of your blaster. As the name implies, Beat Blaster is a mix between a runner, an obstacle course, and a shooter all in one. It has 30 levels of non-stop action that you will have to complete in order to achieve your goal, possibly getting a top score as well.
Controls are handled in a few different ways depending on your preference and the way you play. DS4 and Aim control almost identically with the exception of dual wielding on the DS4. In this game, you can move forward and to the sides with either the Ds4 or the Aim, but you cannot move backwards. I found this control method a little finicky since the game still detects head movements. The moves allow you to dual-wield and probably the easiest way to get max points. While collecting floating orbs and shooting targets for maximum points, you have to get through each course as quickly as possible. There are all kinds of obstacles thrown in front of you at each level making this game extremely challenging.
With its neon glowing objects and a retro feel to it, this game has a holoball and a very retro atmosphere. With your blaster, you continue to blast drones and targets while avoiding moving walls, traps, shots from those enemies, and other random obstacles. It is not your actions that determine how well the beats work, but rather the levels and obstacles themselves, which react to the beats of the music as a whole. As the bass pops, turrets will rotate, or walls will show glowing lights that bounce to the music giving everything you do a sort of groove as you traverse these stages. You will be constantly greeted by new obstacles as you progress through the game, keeping you on your toes and adding to the overall visual experience.
In terms of the soundtrack, I loved it a lot, and while each stage has its own song, there were some songs I was unable to tell apart from one another. Each of the songs is an upbeat electronic jam that fits beautifully with the action of the game and thanks to the fact that the stages react to the music, each song feels perfectly integrated with the overall experience. You will notice that your blaster makes little ‘pew, pew’ noises as you perform quick kills and reach each checkpoint of the level, the familiar Ivanovich voice pops in to state random lines about how cool you are being.
The game’s strength is its biggest weakness, as it is incredibly addictive but so frustrating when you fail. Whenever you die, you’re back in the game within seconds or minutes, and each stage usually takes about a minute or two. The game punishes you if you don’t reach a checkpoint within a certain amount of time if you go too slow. You can’t progress to the next stage until you’ve beaten the current one, so failing can be maddening. There were a few cheap deaths, but you have to improve to succeed. Each stage has online leaderboards, so you can see where you stack up with others. The game is repetitive, but it keeps you coming back for one more round, like Verti-go Home or Thumper.
It is unique in the ‘runner’ genre with the addition of shooting and motion controls. It has solid gun play, looks great, sounds great, and is addictive. Hard to ask for more from a game like Beat Blaster. Overall, Beat Blaster is a lot of fun. The music is great, it’s challenging, and it’s just a fun game. I did run into an issue where I could go through some walls, but that’s about it when it comes to glitches. In addition to the Dualshock, the Aim Controller, Move Controller, and even the 3D Rudder, the game is a great choice for arcade-like games!
