Bust a Transfer and Blast Some Bots
On condition that I’ve the identical pure rhythm as a grand piano falling down a flight of stairs, I’m not the apparent first option to evaluation a recreation that could be very strongly based mostly round rhythm.
Nonetheless, right here I’m, taking a look at a recreation referred to as ROBOBEAT, the newest from Simon Fredholm and Kwalee. Described on the Xbox retailer web page as “a roguelike remix”, and setting apart my lengthy held aversion to something with the phrases “rogue” and “like” within the description, I set off on a little bit of a journey. On condition that the quilt artwork for the sport depicts somebody holding a cassette (keep in mind these, youngsters?) this could a minimum of have references I can perceive if nothing else.
So, let’s bop to the beat and see what’s in retailer, lets? I can solely do dad dancing, I’m afraid…


Retro Robots and Rhythmic Rooms
Kicking off with the presentation, and, at its coronary heart, ROBOBEAT is an FPS. The graphics are firmly retro, fairly crude in design, and whereas the enemies aren’t massively imaginative or massively detailed, they do spawn in quantity. Every part strikes at a quick tempo, with no trace of slowdown too, in order that’s all good.
From there, the areas we combat in are a group of separate rooms, with the standard “door received’t open till all enemies are useless” setup, and whereas the backgrounds to the rooms aren’t going to win any awards for Most Authentic Idea, they work effectively sufficient. To be trustworthy, all you’ll actually be concentrating on throughout your time with ROBOBEAT are the enemies that spawn in and the little beat indicator that seems in the midst of the display: the remainder of the room could possibly be a clean canvas to be trustworthy.
Sound of the sport can be fairly good, with completely different tunes to seek out and play alongside to, every with a distinct BPM. The sound of the gunshots, the music, the remainder of the ambient sounds all mix properly, and the general presentation is fairly good, to be trustworthy.
Bounty Searching to the Beat
Now, I wager you’re dying to know why we’re working round and taking pictures stuff, aren’t you? Properly, we play as Ace, a well-known bounty hunter on the cost, on the lookout for our newest goal: a robotic showman who goes by the identify of Frazzer. As a way to carry him to justice, we have to discover his techno playground, take him down and get house in time for tea and biscuits. What could possibly be simpler? Properly, most likely various issues, judging by the best way ROBOBEAT throws issues at you…
That’s the setup for our wanderings, however how does the sport play out? Properly, it’s not too unhealthy, on the danger of damning with faint reward. ROBOBEAT is an completed FPS, and working about, dodging enemies and combating bosses is sort of effectively achieved. Nevertheless, there may be one other layer to the gameplay, and that is what units ROBOBEAT other than different shooters. See, as we goal our weapon, up pops a sequence of marks making their approach in the direction of the aiming reticle. As soon as the marks hit the sting of the reticle, in case you shoot at that exact second, it’ll do additional harm to the enemy in stated sights. You may shoot everytime you like, however pictures off beat do much less harm.


ROBOBEAT’s Rhythm Mechanics and Challenges
Lastly, whereas we’re speaking in regards to the taking pictures motion, there isn’t any reloading that takes place, as each weapon appears to have infinite ammo. As a substitute, urgent Y expenses weapons, making them glow, which once more does a extra highly effective shot. And in case you fireplace a charged shot on the beat, effectively…
I’ve had a number of points with the fight, if I’m telling the reality. Making an attempt to fireplace on the beat tends to exit of the window while you’re being swarmed by enemies, and clearly the lowered harm you do for firing off-beat means the enemies keep kicking longer, which makes surviving more durable. It’s right here the place the vicious circle continues. Studying to decelerate as issues get hectic feels utterly counterintuitive, however it actually is the very best tactic.
Motion mechanics are additionally superb, and at all times being on the transfer is an efficient tactic. We are able to wall run, slide and leap about like we’re enjoying Halo, and clearly, not understanding the place we’re going to be at any given second makes it more durable for the enemies to hit us! The best way the character, Ace, strikes could be very participating and works very well, however add in taking pictures on the identical time and it feels such as you’ve had a exercise by the top of the run!
Procedural Ranges and Cassette Customisation
Every time you die, and you’ll, ROBOBEAT restarts and the structure of the degrees modifications. Sure, the degrees are procedurally generated, and this helps to maintain issues contemporary; a minimum of on the one hand. On the opposite, it does imply that you could’t study the degrees, and every run is a contemporary begin, in a approach. This definitely helps with longevity and stops the sport feeling stale.


A Rhythmic and Participating Shooter with a Retro Twist
ROBOBEAT is definitely one of many higher rhythm taking pictures video games available on the market, and the selection of cassette that you just use helps tempo the sport to your individual playstyle; a slower BPM makes the taking pictures much less frequent, and the quicker ones appear to make it in order that hitting the beat is a bit simpler, weirdly.
There’s little doubt although, in case you are on the lookout for a shooter with a bit of one thing additional, you would do worse than to present ROBOBEAT a run out.
The Hyperlinks To Shoot
ROBOBEAT: A Rhythm-Fueled FPS The place Each Shot’s a Beat – https://www.thexboxhub.com/robobeat-a-rhythm-fueled-fps-where-every-shots-a-beat/
Purchase ROBOBEAT on Xbox – https://www.xbox.com/en-gb/video games/retailer/robobeat/9mwz22cmzp3n