Engaging Rhythm with a lack of continuity.

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City of Beats (Reviewed)

Developer: Torchedhill

Publisher: Freedom Games

Released: May 1st, 2023

Price: $20 USD

City of Beats is an action roguelike game inspired by other path branching games set in a more sci-fi cyberpunk world in a constant downpour. The game is driven by music, enemies will shoot you on beat, and you will shoot off-beat.

While it has some really engaging gameplay and some really good music. The game presently includes roughly 2 hours of (basic) gameplay, followed by extra more challenging stuff that doesn't really contribute anything new to the game besides "challenge mode." There are no more goals once upgraded fully.

Full Run Gameplay

Replay Value

In the current state, after you've completed your complete first run, I don't think there's much reason to play through any extra runs unless you're bored.

This is primarily owing to the fact that, while the game is technically "released," it still is incomplete containing future material that will be published over time, such as new weapons, augmentations, and possible difficulty adjustments.

I didn't find the game difficult, so I tried the difficulty increase, but nothing really changed other than the game adding an extra falling projectile that left a fiery residue on the ground that injured you if you passed over it.

Progression

I'd expect the game to become increasingly harder with more difficulties, rather than rewarding you for bothering to do so when there isn't much else to achieve. I further feel the game needs more progression more so than difficulty spikes.

It could be anything from adding in a lot more weapons, randomizers and things like this. While yes, they do probably have some of these things in the higher up challenges. I can't see myself playing much more after the initial first clear.

It needs some diversity.

The Hub

Hub Deaths

While preparing to move on to the next run, you may notice the NPCs at the hub speaking to you about something you said or did in a previous run that they were not pleased with. Some of these are avoidable, while others are forced upon you.

It may appear to be not a big deal, but having to sit through your character being killed by something only to have to watch yourself ragdoll and respawn before being allowed to continue quickly becomes a waste of your time as a player.

It was funny a few times, but after the 5th time being joke killed, I just sighed.

Weapons

Each of the two current weapons has a different combat style. Hitting at a different beat than the previous weapon while doing much weaker or much stronger damage, as well as having different upgrades throughout the run making it a bit less monotonous, even though it's often not worth taking a few of them due to the massive damage spikes the good upgrades offer.

For example, Bouncy Ball is extremely powerful because you don't have to run around shields as long as there is an enemy behind the robot that is directly facing you, allowing you to bounce behind them while also being able to focus on boss fights much more easily, because the bounces will hit nearby enemies.

While that is powerful, the other upgrades for the Repeater only offer less accuracy or damage based on how low or how high your overheat has become.

Upgrades

This is the only thing that gives you a sense of progression. Each run earns you currency; however, the currency dropped will swiftly vanish if you do not walk over and physically pick it up after defeating enemies.

This makes runs more perilous if you're too greedy, and it is what causes you to fail most runs while receiving little to no currency to progress each time.

You can use your purple currency to improve the drop and spawn rates of some game elements, however, they are only earned by slaying bosses or from shops, which consume your base stat upgrades for when you return to the hub.

Conclusions

It's not a bad game

However, it does not currently have a lot of depth. It's reasonably priced for what it is, but after your fifth or seventh run, you realize it's becoming a little repetitive, with the same bosses, upgrades, weapons, and foes.

Sure. Maybe if you progress deeper into the challenge mode, things could maybe change. However, I wouldn't want to bet my time and patience on something like that happening later, when it could happen right now.

The game provides a small bowl of content before you start to feel full and put off by the continuous repetitive playstyle, with the same powerful upgrades, rather than feeling like you would want to waste an extra 10 minutes trying out vastly inferior components that make it harder to actually hit targets.

This concludes my views of this game; while my opinions may be met with criticism, that is what distinguishes gamers; you don't have to like the same things as others, nor do you have to agree with them.

If you want to catch me on one of my streams or locate me on social media, you may do so at the following locations, I'm always playing something new.

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- Pawkt