Audiosurf 2

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Audiosurf 2 is a rhythm-based puzzle game that allows players to use their own music libraries to generate unique, dynamic levels. Players guide a ship through these levels, collecting colored blocks and managing resources to achieve high scores. The game features improved graphics, additional game modes, and enhanced customization options compared to its predecessor.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Local Multi-Player Play with friends in the same physical space using split-screen or multiple screens
2-Players Play with one other player, either online or locally, in a cooperative or competitive game mode
Multi-Player Compete or cooperate with other players online
Co-Op Team up with friends to complete levels or missions together
Single-Player Play through the game's story or campaign solo
Split Screen Play with multiple players on the same screen, often with divided or shared screen real estate

Reviews

80%

Audience ScoreBased on 3,324 reviews

music666 positive mentions

stability42 negative mentions

music
3,034 mentions
22 % positive mentions
76 % neutral mentions
2 % negative mentions
The music aspect of Audiosurf 2 is highly praised for its ability to integrate any song from the player's library, allowing for a personalized gaming experience that resonates with music lovers. Players enjoy the dynamic track generation that adapts to the tempo and intensity of the chosen music, creating a unique gameplay experience for each song. However, the removal of YouTube and SoundCloud streaming features has led to frustration among users who primarily rely on streaming services, as it limits access to a broader range of music and requires a substantial local library to fully enjoy the game.
- “It's guitar hero, but with real music.”
- “The idea of a custom-made rhythm-game racetrack for any piece of music you can think of is alluring, and it is really impressive how robustly the game interprets the highs and lows of music in its tracks.”
- “Nothing feels more satisfying than getting into the rhythm with your favorite music.”
- “The big caveat is that the base game no longer has the key feature of being able to search on YouTube for the songs but now requires you to have a file copy of the song.”
- “And even though a level's contents are shaped by the music, it often feels irrelevant to the experience of playing.”
- “The possibility space of music is so huge that algorithmically creating levels that meaningfully reflect the differences between different songs seems unmanageable.”
graphics
331 mentions
32 % positive mentions
66 % neutral mentions
2 % negative mentions
The graphics in Audiosurf 2 have received significant upgrades compared to its predecessor, featuring vibrant visuals and customizable skins that enhance the overall aesthetic experience. While many players appreciate the improved graphical fidelity and the ability to mod visuals through the Steam Workshop, some find the new graphics overwhelming or distracting, potentially hindering gameplay. Overall, the visuals are generally praised for their beauty and immersive qualities, although opinions vary on their impact on gameplay clarity.
- “The graphics are stunning, the gameplay is set to your own tastes, and the breakdown for each piece of this game is so masterfully built that it grows just as much as you do, or rather your taste in music.”
- “The graphics got a well-deserved update in Audiosurf 2, and the game’s appearance is both nice on the eyes and customizable to your liking.”
- “The graphics and lighting effects are beautiful and really help immerse you in the song as you play.”
- “The biggest gripe I have with this game is the graphics.”
- “Once in game, the new graphics made the game completely unreadable.”
- “The visuals are downright ugly and the user interface is not as intuitive.”
gameplay
290 mentions
27 % positive mentions
67 % neutral mentions
6 % negative mentions
The gameplay of Audiosurf 2 has received mixed reviews, with some players appreciating the simplicity and variety of modes, while others criticize it for feeling less engaging and polished compared to the original. Many users highlight the fun of integrating personal music into the gameplay, but express disappointment over issues like inconsistent rhythm synchronization, a cluttered user interface, and the need for mods to enhance the experience. Overall, while the core mechanics remain intact, the execution and depth of gameplay have left some players wanting more.
- “The core gameplay of the game's puzzle modes involves collecting blocks of different colors that are densely scattered across the track.”
- “Solid gameplay loop that's only as good as your music taste has kept me playing this over the years - great game.”
- “The gameplay is simple, which is great, because you are active but not overly so, thus allowing you to also enjoy the music and not be too distracted.”
- “However, when it comes to the general gameplay feel of the main modes, I believe it to be worse.”
- “The gameplay itself is bizarre and seems to give inconsistent points through game modes, which results in players scoring twice or more points than you without any explanations of how they can do that.”
- “I tried to like it, converted a handful of songs, and even after getting it working, the gameplay is just so mediocre and sad to even consider it remotely a rhythm game is sort of insulting to the genre.”
stability
46 mentions
9 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
91 % negative mentions
The game's stability is widely criticized, with numerous users reporting significant bugs, freezes, and crashes, particularly after recent updates that altered music integration. While some players have experienced stable gameplay without issues, the overall consensus indicates that the game feels unfinished and is plagued by technical flaws, making it frustratingly unplayable for many. Despite its potential, the persistent glitches and poor optimization detract from the overall experience.
- “Still runs bug-free.”
- “At least this game isn't buggy at all, though.”
- “It runs great, looks great, isn't ridiculously demanding or poorly optimized; I can run it on 'gaming PC' settings at the native resolution of my MacBook Air with an average of 70 FPS.”
- “Very buggy on a 144hz monitor.”
- “All the technical flaws with this game continue to hurt its recommendation, as it's littered with bugs, memory leaks, bad optimization, and UI glitches.”
- “This game is buggy, literally unplayable sometimes, a mess.”
optimization
44 mentions
16 % positive mentions
57 % neutral mentions
27 % negative mentions
The game's optimization has received mixed reviews, with some players praising its improved performance and graphics compared to its predecessor, while others report significant issues such as stuttering, bugs, and high system demands. Many users note that despite some enhancements, the game still struggles with optimization, particularly with the new YouTube integration, leading to performance hiccups that can disrupt gameplay. Overall, while there are positive aspects regarding performance improvements, many players feel that the game remains poorly optimized and unstable.
- “The game becomes an optimization problem around when it's correct to skip over a block that would cause you to score, and when it's correct to just pick it up and move on to future scoring opportunities, a problem without a clear solution, and one which has very little to do with which song you're playing.”
- “The graphics, the gameplay, the framerate (god I wish every game was optimized like this) just everything!”
- “A vast improvement compared to the first Audiosurf both visually and performance-wise.”
- “All the technical flaws with this game continue to hurt its recommendation, as it's littered with bugs, memory leaks, bad optimization, and UI glitches.”
- “Optimization (sucks) - you have to have a high-end computer to run at max and will still have frame drops.”
- “Currently, music streaming from YouTube is terrible; I get strange microstuttering that happens for a while, and the only way to fix it is to reinstall the game, but even that hasn't worked sometimes.”
replayability
33 mentions
45 % positive mentions
45 % neutral mentions
9 % negative mentions
The game's replayability is generally praised, with many users highlighting its "infinite" or "endless" replay value due to the unique levels generated by each song and the extensive customization options available. However, some critiques mention that certain changes have negatively impacted meaningful competition and leaderboard functionality, leading to mixed feelings about its overall replayability. Overall, the game is considered highly replayable, especially for music enthusiasts.
- “Almost infinitely replayable.”
- “A fantastic rhythm game that has a ton of replay value.”
- “This game is infinitely challenging, relaxing, and infinitely replayable.”
- “I believe the changes they made were so significant that it killed the one thing a game like this should instead make its bread and butter - replayability.”
- “That's right ladies, gentlemen, and whomever you may identify as, this game had none, 0, zilch, no replayability whatsoever.”
- “While this improves replayability of an individual level somewhat, it can also lead to RNG deciding to ruin your run by creating long runs of unfavorable arrangements.”
story
22 mentions
14 % positive mentions
64 % neutral mentions
23 % negative mentions
The reviews indicate a mixed reception regarding the story aspect of the game. Many users highlight the absence of a meaningful narrative, describing it as straightforward with no story elements, making it unsuitable for those seeking a story-driven experience. However, one review mentions a basic plot set in ancient Japan involving betrayal and revenge, though it criticizes the quest line as lacking depth and significance.
- “With a comic and a good story, it takes place in ancient Japan.”
- “The story begins in the battlefield, after the 'General Akamoto' (you) got betrayed by one of his lieutenants.”
- “In the afterlife, your mission is to recover your name and get your revenge against the imposter.”
- “Do not purchase this game if you are looking for a game with a story, or any sort of leveling system.”
- “This game simply doesn't have a storyline or anything.”
- “So far the quest line is just doing small, meaningless jobs for people such as collecting wood or delivering lunch to some bloke.”
humor
19 mentions
100 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is widely appreciated, with players finding it both hilarious and entertaining, especially in group settings. Many reviews highlight the amusing randomness of gameplay and the funny elements like skits and quirky visuals, which contribute to a lighthearted experience. However, some players note that the humor can feel less engaging when playing solo, and technical issues have added an ironic twist to their experiences.
- “It's hilarious to see which songs other people are willing to work hard to have high scores on.”
- “Honestly, I've had more fun, like legitimate laughing fun, with this game than I have with any $60+ game out there.”
- “Such a funny and sweet game.”
grinding
11 mentions
9 % positive mentions
27 % neutral mentions
64 % negative mentions
Players generally find that grinding is a significant aspect of the game, often necessary for leaderboard placements and achievements, which can be tedious and time-consuming. Many suggest using external audio content to alleviate the monotony of grinding, while others criticize the game's navigation and song selection process, making practice difficult and frustrating. Overall, grinding is seen as a necessary but unenjoyable part of the experience.
- “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
- “Even with perfect play, placing on the leaderboards still requires an element of grinding for well-balanced note placements, which are not common.”
- “If you still decide to install and possibly complete (god forbid) this game despite the horrors I've detailed above, make sure to mute the Audiosurf volume and check out some audiobooks or podcasts while you're grinding for the 'tres commas' achievement; I learned so much more about the world during my one hundred hours.”
- “This makes practice of songs utterly impossible, and practice of the game a luck and grinding method, learning common themes and patterns in the code, not within an individual song.”
atmosphere
11 mentions
36 % positive mentions
36 % neutral mentions
27 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of Audiosurf is highly praised for its unique integration of music and gameplay, creating a euphoric and immersive experience that resonates with players, especially those who enjoy electronic music. The game's ability to sync visuals with musical beats and drops enhances the overall ambiance, although some feel that it lacks the compelling atmosphere of its predecessor. Customization options and vibrant visuals contribute to a trippy, competitive environment that many players find enjoyable.
- “In 2020, this game is somehow still one of the only ones that does this kind of sound file to gameplay parsing for a comfy atmosphere.”
- “Audiosurf is an awesomely atmospherical game which connects with your music and makes a great path, syncing with drops, the beat, and everything else the song has to offer.”
- “Not to sound cliché, but really, the whole idea of Audiosurf is to 'ride' and feel the 'rhythm,' which gives you an atmospheric, or rather, somewhat euphoric feel of the songs with which you have grown to love or identified yourself with.”
- “This completely kills the atmosphere and mood of the game.”
- “There have been other games that did what Audiosurf is most famous for, but they just couldn't match up the beats and atmosphere of your favorite songs well.”
- “If you like music, surfing in a trippy atmosphere, or even testing yourself for epilepsy, this game is for you.”
monetization
7 mentions
0 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
100 % negative mentions
Users express frustration with the monetization model, highlighting intrusive ads that disrupt video playback and cannot be disabled. The presence of both video and text-based ads, which often overlap with content, detracts significantly from the user experience, especially compared to ad-free alternatives like SoundCloud. Overall, the monetization strategy is seen as overly aggressive and poorly implemented.
- “Moreover, the YouTube videos can have ads in them, and there is no way to turn them off, covering half of the YouTube player.”
- “Better yet, there is no ad blocking whatsoever, which means that longer songs may have an ad completely interrupt it, and text-based ads will still pop up and will not go away for the duration of the song.”
- “They lined up the YouTube video playback with the settings menu close button, and when you try to click on the close button, it just opens up ads in your browser.”
emotional
6 mentions
100 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
Players express a deep emotional connection to Audiosurf 1, highlighting its addictive nature and the joy of engaging with music through gameplay. However, some users feel disappointed by changes in the interface and gameplay mechanics, which detract from the overall experience, leading to feelings of frustration and nostalgia for the previous version. Despite these issues, the game still evokes strong emotions, with players indicating they would experience the highs and lows again.
- “10/10 would cry again.”
- “This is heart-wrenching for me.”
- “I never thought touching colorful blocks to Animal Collective albums could be so addicting.”