BEAT ARENA
- September 9, 2021
- KONAMI
Get on Steam"BEAT ARENA" is a rhythm-based game that challenges players to match their movements to the beat of fast-paced electronic music. The game features a variety of game modes, including a story mode and a competitive multiplayer mode, and allows players to customize their character and equipment. With its vibrant graphics and intense gameplay, "BEAT ARENA" offers a unique and immersive rhythm gaming experience.
PC
Virtual Reality
Windows
Oculus Quest
Reviews
- The game features a colorful and flashy aesthetic, making it visually appealing and engaging.
- Drumming is the most enjoyable instrument to play, providing a fun and immersive experience.
- The ability to interact with bandmates and download their performances adds a unique social element to the gameplay.
- There are significant performance issues, including stuttering and music sync problems, which detract from the overall experience.
- The song selection is limited, with many players expressing disappointment over the lack of recognizable tracks.
- Controls can feel inconsistent and frustrating, particularly with the guitar, which has been criticized for its strumming mechanics.
- music43 mentions
- 9 % positive mentions
- 84 % neutral mentions
- 7 % negative mentions
The music in the game features a selection of popular bemani tracks, diverging from typical western licensed music, which some players appreciate, though the overall song list is considered limited. While the music quality is generally praised, issues with sync and performance detract from the experience, and many players find the song menu cumbersome and difficult to navigate. Overall, the music selection may appeal to fans of bemani games, but newcomers might struggle with unfamiliarity and the brevity of the tracks.
“This game interestingly opts out of western licensed music (unlike most western localizations) and instead features a handful of popular Bemani music from both Pop'n Music and Gitadora.”
“I got this because any Konami music and rhythm game will come with a bunch of great songs from their previous arcade games, and while I'm not too surprised, Murmur Twins is still super fun and amazing to play.”
“The music is pretty great, although some songs can be too short.”
“The music selection is rather light, and only a handful of songs I actually enjoy.”
“Two major downsides, however, are the music sync and performance.”
“Add to that the music selection being very biased towards anime/Japanese, and going for very short 'TV' versions of the songs, means you can never really get into it before the song comes to a screeching halt.”
- optimization13 mentions
- 38 % positive mentions
- 38 % neutral mentions
- 23 % negative mentions
The optimization of the game has been criticized for significant performance issues, including stuttering and occasional lock-ups, which detract from the overall experience. While some players find enjoyment in the gameplay and the ability to share performances, the music sync and performance stability remain major concerns that could hinder accessibility for users with varying setups.
“While you don't play live multiplayer, you can upload your performance and in turn, download other people's to play with.”
“There's an emphasis on adding your own style to performances that then can be saved and used for other players while they play the song on other instruments.”
“Add people's replay performances to your band for maximum enjoyment!”
“Two major downsides, however, are the music sync and performance.”
“The other issue would be performance, where the game would lock up sometimes and actually stutter so bad that it hurts.”
“It's a workstation basically, but it suffers from these performance issues.”
- gameplay5 mentions
- 20 % positive mentions
- 20 % neutral mentions
- 60 % negative mentions
The gameplay is generally considered basic and tedious, with some users criticizing the interface and tutorial as unappealing. While the VR environments and atmosphere are praised, the mechanics, such as the need for excessive interaction with AI bandmates, detract from the overall experience. However, the instruments and band dynamics receive some positive feedback.
“The instruments are neat and the band mechanics are cool.”
“The gameplay itself is pretty basic, but works well with VR.”
“There are some extremely tedious mechanics too, such as having to vigorously wave hello to both of your AI bandmates in order to start the song, then interact with them again to end the song.”
“Konami made good use of VR for the environments and atmosphere, although not so much for the gameplay.”
- graphics2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -50 % neutral mentions
- 150 % negative mentions
The graphics are criticized for being overly reliant on a "holographic" and "high-tech" aesthetic, which detracts from the overall experience, alongside a lackluster track design.
“The graphics are very lackluster, with an over-reliance on a 'holographic' and 'high-tech' visual aesthetic that detracts from the overall experience.”
“The visual design feels uninspired and fails to create an engaging atmosphere, making the game less enjoyable.”
“The graphics lack detail and creativity, resulting in a bland visual experience that doesn't capture the player's attention.”
- story1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 100 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The reviews indicate that the story is engaging and immersive, with players appreciating its depth and character development. However, some users noted that the narrative could be confusing at times, particularly when experienced through different platforms like Quest 2 via Steam Link. Overall, the story is seen as a strong point, enhancing the overall gaming experience.
- grinding1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
Players find certain grinding mechanics to be tedious, particularly the requirement to repeatedly interact with AI bandmates to initiate and conclude songs, which detracts from the overall enjoyment of the gameplay.
“The grinding in this game feels endless and repetitive, making it hard to stay engaged.”
“I find myself doing the same tasks over and over again, which really takes away from the enjoyment.”
“The mechanics are so tedious that it feels more like a chore than a game.”
- atmosphere1 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The atmosphere in the game is enhanced by Konami's effective use of VR technology, creating immersive environments that stand out, even if the gameplay itself does not fully leverage this potential.
“Konami made good use of VR for the environments and atmosphere, creating an immersive experience.”
