Overall – 60%
60%
Although Beat Souls features a kaleidoscope of color and a wealth of anime girls, the music and action of this rhythm game are far too tame for their own good. It provides an interesting twist on the genre, but it will leave players feeling like something is missing.
The rhythm game genre is certainly one of the most unique ones out there; previous titles have made use of guitars, dance pads, and even bongos. Enter Zoo Corporation’s Beat Souls; a rhythm game that combines cyberpop beats with anime babes. Does this dodge-a-thon have what it takes to make a splash, or does it hit a sour note?
Beat Souls Review
No matter which rhythm game you choose, the general structure always remains a faithful constant. Beat Souls sticks to what works, tasking players with following the beat, racking up a combo, and staying on point.
However, instead of hitting notes or arrows, players are tasked with hitting the titular Beat Souls. An Otomo soul companion joins you at either side, and players must dodge the dissonant Noise sections while guiding the Otomo to said Souls. However, there’s a catch; players cannot have their character hit the Beat Souls, lest they take some damage. No need to fear though; even a handful of mistakes are salvageable with the heart health pickups that dot the landscape.
It’s just a shame that the action is positively tame. There’s some curveballs to be had; players need to jump at certain moments and can change the color of their Otomo from yellow to blue to line up with the Beat Souls. However, it lacks the fervent energy that made Konami and Harmonix’s titles so addictive.
This could be due to Beat Souls’ song selection. Most of the tracks are done by “DJ math-cow a.k.a. Raven sky,” who just doesn’t have that magic touch. Beats serve as more background fare than hypnotic earworms, and even the vivid colors (almost to a fault) and anime stylings can’t take away from the fact that things feel a bit too tame.
If players are looking to see everything Beat Souls has to offer, they’ll have to get to grinding. Anime girls, songs, and even difficulty levels must be unlocked, which is a bit unfortunate in a game where variety is key. While it is good that there’s incentive to come back and play more, it also takes a good chunk of time to get to a point where everything is available.
However, for those looking for replayability, they have certainly found it here. There are four different girls available, each of which packs their own perk. In addition, there are a respectable 42 achievements to be had for such feats as clearing 60 stages with no damage, capturing 5,000 Beat Souls, and even clearing hard-level stages up to 100 times. There is also a leveling system, with an achievement available for those that reach level 30.
Although Beat Souls features a kaleidoscope of color and a wealth of anime girls, the music and action of this rhythm game are far too tame for their own good. It provides an interesting twist on the genre, but it will leave players feeling like something is missing.
This review of Beat Souls was done on the PC. The game was purchased digitally.
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The rhythm game genre is certainly one of the most unique ones out there; previous titles have made use of guitars, dance pads, and even bongos. Enter Zoo Corporation’s Beat Souls; a rhythm game that combines cyberpop beats with anime babes. Does this dodge-a-thon have what it takes to make a splash, or does it hit a sour note?
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