Beat Hazard

About

"Beat Hazard" is an arcade-style shooter game where your music drives the gameplay experience. Each song in your collection creates a unique ebb and flow, affecting the enemies and your ship's firepower. The game offers various modes, including Survival, local 2-player versus, and co-op. Your performance can earn you 25 Steam achievements and a spot on the leaderboards. Workshop DLC is required for creating and accessing workshop content.

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

94%

Audience ScoreBased on 5,013 reviews

music1k positive mentions

grinding8 negative mentions

Unique gameplay that integrates personal music libraries, providing endless replayability.
Visually stunning with vibrant colors and effects that sync with the music.
Challenging and addictive, offering various game modes and difficulty levels.

Overwhelming visual effects can make it difficult to see projectiles and enemies, leading to frustration.
Requires additional DLC for full features, including online multiplayer and custom ship creation.
Not suitable for players with photosensitivity or epilepsy due to intense flashing lights.

music
4,409 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
23%
75%
2%
The music aspect of "Beat Hazard" has received overwhelmingly positive feedback, with players praising its unique integration of personal music libraries into gameplay. The game dynamically adjusts enemy behavior and intensity based on the tempo and volume of the chosen tracks, creating a highly engaging and personalized experience. However, some users noted that the music's influence on gameplay can be inconsistent, particularly with slower songs, and the flashing visuals may be overwhelming for those sensitive to bright lights. Overall, it is celebrated as a fun and addictive way to enjoy music while playing a classic-style shooter.
- “Beat Hazard is a fantastic blend of music and gaming that offers a unique and highly enjoyable experience.”
- “The more intense the music, the more challenging the level becomes.”
- “The graphics are stunning, with vibrant colors and explosive effects that perfectly match the music's tempo.”
- “The music starts off almost inaudible, and only reaches acceptable volumes after 3-5 volume power-ups (which you will lose when destroyed). Even then, the sounds of your guns and the other craft exploding will completely drown out the music – whoever came up with the volume feature clearly didn't understand the appeal of music games.”
- “The algorithm that spawns enemies based on what music you choose likewise seems a bit questionable, and many songs I tried out didn't really elicit battles that I felt fit with the rhythm of the music.”
- “The music itself develops the intensity of the lighting and special effects - depending on the rhythm different colors and splashes may occur which adds variety to the game and gives you an adrenaline rush feeling.”
gameplay
481 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
30%
67%
4%
The gameplay of Beat Hazard is a unique blend of classic twin-stick shooter mechanics and dynamic music integration, where the intensity and tempo of the player's chosen soundtrack directly influence the gameplay experience. While many players appreciate the vibrant visuals and addictive nature of the game, some criticize its repetitiveness and the limited impact of music on gameplay dynamics. Overall, it offers a fun and engaging experience for fans of both rhythm and shooter genres, though the depth of gameplay may vary depending on the music selected.
- “The soundtrack, of course, is only limited by your personal music library, allowing for an endless variety of gameplay experiences.”
- “Its dynamic gameplay, stunning visuals, and endless replayability make it a must-play for fans of both twin-stick shooters and rhythm games.”
- “The gameplay is powered entirely by the music track you choose, from the power of your shots to the colossal swarms of enemies thrown at you.”
- “Honestly, it's just an asteroids clone in gameplay.”
- “The gameplay, like I mentioned, is that of a twin-stick shooter.”
- “The gameplay doesn't seem to get anywhere; I shoot things and they die with plenty of effects.”
graphics
430 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
37%
60%
3%
The graphics in Beat Hazard are a standout feature, characterized by vibrant, psychedelic visuals that sync dynamically with the player's music, creating an intense and immersive experience. However, many players find the visuals overwhelming and potentially harmful, particularly for those with photosensitivity, leading to mixed feelings about their impact on gameplay. While the ability to adjust visual intensity is appreciated, the overall consensus is that the graphics can be both stunning and excessively chaotic, making it a double-edged sword for players.
- “Graphics and sound: visually, Beat Hazard is a stunning spectacle.”
- “The graphics are stunning, with vibrant colors and explosive effects that perfectly match the music's tempo.”
- “The game's aesthetic is both chaotic and beautiful, turning each level into a unique light show.”
- “The game would have been a fairly enjoyable and successful title as a normal retro-style arcade alien defense type of game if there were more options to mute the extreme visuals and play the game on a less blinding fluorescent palette.”
- “The graphics are so chaotic and pump you up so much that I died like 6 times in 2 minutes; I'm not saying I'm a great player, but I am competent, and this just rushes you with confusing visuals and little indication of danger.”
- “The visuals are terrible; it's just a constant barrage of lights and colors, and enemy ships are impossible to pick out from the endless nonsense.”
story
110 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
14%
80%
6%
The game lacks a traditional narrative, with players primarily engaging in high-score challenges and missions rather than following a storyline. While the gameplay is described as addictive and fun, particularly with the addition of the shadow missions DLC, it is noted that the absence of a story may leave some players wanting more depth. Overall, the focus is on gameplay mechanics and replayability rather than a cohesive plot.
- “An intellectually stimulating combination of symbolic game design, brilliant visuals, an immersive soundtrack, and a post-modern story that will leave you pondering its implications for months.”
- “Now expanded even further with the shadow ops DLC, more ships to choose from, separate leaderboards for each type of ship, and a shadow mission system adding missions to complete for each ship.”
- “Your mission is to shoot enemies that spawn based on your music, using weapons that spawn based on your music, combining multipliers that spawn based on your music, to gain masses of points that increase based on your music.”
- “☑ no story”
- “In fact it doesn't even have a story, you are controlling a spaceship, and you have to shoot asteroids and other spaceships from a top view perspective, just like the old arcade games.”
- “While there's virtually no story, it is quite fun to see what the game makes of your favorite music as well as push for the oldschool arcade goals of getting a high score.”
replayability
90 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
47%
3%
Beat Hazard is widely praised for its exceptional replayability, largely due to the ability to play any song from the player's music library, resulting in virtually infinite replay value. The dynamic gameplay, vibrant visuals, and various challenges, especially with the addition of DLC, further enhance the game's replayability, making it a compelling choice for fans of twin-stick shooters and rhythm games alike. Overall, players find that the game's replay value is only limited by the size of their music collection, ensuring a fresh experience with each session.
- “With the ability to play any song from your music collection, the game offers virtually infinite replay value.”
- “Its dynamic gameplay, stunning visuals, and endless replayability make it a must-play for fans of both twin-stick shooters and rhythm games.”
- “The ability to play practically any song in most major audio formats makes the replay value on this game virtually endless, and the 'suicidal' difficulty will present a challenge even for the most seasoned spaceship shooter-style gamers.”
- “Even with the ultra DLC, the game only has 23 songs, so if you really want to get maximum enjoyment, the ability to stack on loads and loads of songs to play on will give Beat Hazard much more replayability.”
- “These modes are exciting in their own way, but it feels like there aren’t too many other modes to further increase replay value.”
- “But it's rather boring without ultra DLC, which gives you more replayability, co-op, and enemies/bosses.”
humor
24 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is described as a mix of dark and absurd, often eliciting laughter through its quirky mechanics and player interactions, especially when using custom music. Players find the experience both engaging and amusing, with co-op mode enhancing the fun, though some caution is advised for those sensitive to intense visuals. Overall, the game is seen as a hilarious and entertaining choice for those looking for a unique gaming experience.
- “Tasteless and dark humor aside, this game slaps, as the hip Gen-Z kids would say.”
- “Hilariously fun... careful if you're sensitive to flashes, though.”
- “It's just funny to play with your own music =)”
grinding
11 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
18%
9%
73%
Players generally find the grinding aspect of the game to be excessively tedious and time-consuming, often requiring significant effort to earn upgrades and progress. While some enjoy the gameplay as a break from more demanding tasks, many express frustration with the repetitive nature of grinding, likening it to a chore rather than an enjoyable experience. Overall, the consensus is that the grinding detracts from the overall enjoyment of the game.
- “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
- “Grinding can feel a bit excessive at times.”
- “Grinding money for all the upgrades was extremely not fun.”
- “I have on occasion compared this game to grinding up Christmas lights, filling a hypodermic needle with the dust, and injecting the contents directly into your eyes.”
- “They helpfully point out 'gameplay powered by your music!', as if your taste in music is the reason this game is a boring, shitty slog of tediousness.”
monetization
11 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The monetization strategy of the game has been heavily criticized for its intrusive advertising, including frequent in-game ads and aggressive promotion of DLCs, which detracts from the overall experience. Players feel overwhelmed by the constant reminders to purchase upgrades and bundles, likening it to a poor-quality mobile game. Overall, the monetization approach is seen as excessive and frustrating, overshadowing the game's potential enjoyment.
- “Additionally, there are a lot of advertisements for DLC content, like basic things such as upgrading from the starting ship, online play, and the boss rush mode in single player.”
- “Content-wise, there is little more than a solid mobile game; it even has annoying ads for the mega bundle if you try to close the game.”
- “Stop advertising your DLC to me at every single opportunity; this feels like playing a terrible mobile game.”
stability
10 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The stability of the game has received mixed reviews, with some players reporting significant bugs, particularly during alt-tabbing and in multiplayer modes, while others have experienced smooth gameplay with no glitches. Overall, while the visuals and gameplay mechanics are praised, the presence of bugs detracts from the experience for many users.
- “Very buggy”
- “Alt tabbing freezes the game until I come back”
- “Buggy game based on worn-out concepts implemented in an awful manner”
emotional
10 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The emotional aspect of the game elicits a mixed response, with some players experiencing physical discomfort due to intense visual effects, while others find it nostalgically engaging and emotionally resonant. The game successfully taps into feelings of nostalgia and excitement reminiscent of classic arcade shooters, creating a sense of enjoyment that some describe as emotionally manipulative yet ultimately rewarding. Overall, it offers a blend of visceral thrills and emotional investment, making for a unique gaming experience.
- “A little less simply though is that there is something about the game that makes songs more emotionally investable.”
- “While this may feel somewhat emotionally manipulative at times, I'm not going to knock the game for tricking me into enjoying it.”
- “Primordial, savage, pure emotional and wild.”
optimization
8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
13%
38%
The game is highly optimized, delivering a smooth performance with high framerates and no crashes or FPS drops, even on high-end systems. Players appreciate the vibrant graphics and seamless synchronization with music, enhancing the overall experience without any technical issues. The variety of modes and the ability to customize gameplay further contribute to its well-rounded optimization.
- “Well optimized, high framerate.”
- “Awesome game - runs smoothly, can sync with most everything, plenty of modes and variety!”
- “Performance-wise, no crashes (I tried to and failed), no FPS drops (I am using a beastly computer, however), and I haven't run into any music tracks that refused to play. The graphics are pretty solid.”
- “Although intentionally confusing at times, the graphics are fantastic, colorful, and with a level of optimization such that you would never experience a drop in frames, glitch, or hang.”
- “The game evolves around your performance and the beat of the music, and it's nothing short of epic!”
atmosphere
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
75%
50%
The game's atmosphere is highly praised for its welcoming nature, enhanced by the ability to upload personal music that syncs well with gameplay. Players appreciate the polished environment and the comfortable yet challenging experience it provides, contributing to an overall enjoyable atmosphere from the very start.
- “You can upload your own music, and it syncs quite well with the game's atmosphere.”
- “The atmosphere of the game welcomes you from the first minutes of your in-game time, as it automatically starts a random song from your computer instead of using special music for the menu.”
- “All this gives the game a wonderful atmosphere.”
- “The atmosphere of the game welcomes you from the first minutes of your in-game time, because it automatically starts a random song from your computer instead of using special music for the menu.”
- “While your overall enjoyment and replayability may differ, the game is well polished and provides a comfortable atmosphere and challenging gameplay.”