Beat Hazard 3
- June 22, 2024
- ColdBeamGames
- 3h median play time
Get on Steam
Get on itch.io Store"Beat Hazard 3" is a shooter game with various modes including local multi-player for up to 2 players, both co-op and PvP, with split screen. Its gameplay is based on your music library, with each song creating a unique ebb and flow of enemies and power-ups. The game boasts wonderful mechanics, outstanding visuals, and a stellar soundtrack, now presented in a 3D procedural ship generation system, allowing you to explore your music collection in a new galaxy format.
PC
Steam Deck
Windows
Reviews
- Beat Hazard 3 offers a visually stunning experience with improved 3D graphics and dynamic visuals that sync with the music, enhancing the overall gameplay.
- The new Galaxy mode allows players to create and explore unique galaxies based on their music library, providing a fresh and engaging way to experience songs.
- The game maintains the addictive core gameplay of its predecessors while introducing new mechanics like the Dark Beam, which adds depth to combat by allowing players to destroy enemy shields.
- The game suffers from significant visual noise, making it difficult to see projectiles and enemies, especially at higher difficulty levels, which can lead to frustrating gameplay experiences.
- The Open Mic feature, which is intended to allow streaming music, has been reported to be unreliable and cumbersome, detracting from the overall enjoyment of the game.
- Many players have expressed disappointment with the removal of the perk system from previous games, feeling that it limits customization and progression options.
- music609 mentions
- 16 % positive mentions
- 82 % neutral mentions
- 1 % negative mentions
The music aspect of "Beat Hazard 3" has received mixed reviews, with many players praising its innovative integration of personal music libraries and streaming services like Spotify and YouTube Music, allowing for a unique gameplay experience that adapts to the rhythm of the chosen tracks. However, some users have expressed frustration with the game's enemy spawning mechanics and visual effects, which can feel disjointed from the music, leading to a less immersive experience. Overall, while the game offers a fun way to engage with music through gameplay, it also presents challenges in syncing and visual clarity that may detract from the experience for some players.
“This game will actually get you listening to music again and keep you entranced for hours.”
“The game dazzles with vibrant and dynamic visuals that synchronize with the music, creating a mesmerizing spectacle of light and color.”
“It's a harmonious blend of audio and gameplay, where the enemies themselves become an extension of the music, further enhancing the sense of immersion and excitement.”
“The visual effects I feel are a let down as I would have expected more than just flashing whatever color is on the screen and the enemy waves sometimes spawn completely out of sync with the dynamics currently in the music.”
“The open mic system they're using is a mess, and even trying to play from my local library of music was a headache.”
“I'm nearly embarrassed about how difficult it is to tell what the music is doing; I feel like I'm just playing waves of an old space shooter that happens to be playing music I put into it, where I could change it out for literally any other song and still get the same experience.”
- gameplay169 mentions
- 26 % positive mentions
- 70 % neutral mentions
- 4 % negative mentions
The gameplay in Beat Hazard 3 retains the core mechanics of its predecessors while introducing new features like galaxy mode and ship customization, enhancing the overall experience. Players appreciate the fast-paced, music-driven action, though some express concerns about the new 3D graphics affecting visibility and gameplay flow. Overall, the game is praised for its engaging mechanics and the seamless integration of music, making it a compelling choice for fans of the genre.
“The gameplay is fast and snappy, bright and loud.”
“This latest installment takes everything that made its predecessors great and elevates it to new heights, delivering an exhilarating audio-visual experience that truly immerses players in the heart-pounding world of music-driven gameplay.”
“The attention to detail and the seamless integration of music into gameplay make for an engaging and addictive experience that keeps players coming back for more.”
“While the game promises the ability to play your own music (as opposed to that from a rental service), the game will block you from progressing out of the settings menu, preventing any kind of gameplay.”
“This is a major downside to me as it messes with core gameplay in a fairly negative way by turning it into an attrition test, and the shield enemies feel like bullet sponges even after their shields are down, which feels like artificial difficulty and not a great fit for the game.”
“I'm honestly quite impressed with most of the new additions, like making your own galaxy and getting seemingly randomly generated ships added to your arsenal for playing through songs, but the flashing lights still make it hard to see bullets, and the effect that the music has on the actual gameplay itself is still like... laughably bad, almost.”
- graphics77 mentions
- 32 % positive mentions
- 64 % neutral mentions
- 4 % negative mentions
The graphics in Beat Hazard 3 have received widespread acclaim for their vibrant and dynamic 3D visuals that enhance the gameplay experience, synchronizing beautifully with the music. Many players appreciate the stunning new designs of enemies and ships, as well as the ability to customize visual intensity and difficulty settings. However, some users have noted that the transition to 3D can make hit detection more challenging, which may detract from the gameplay for certain players.
“The game dazzles with vibrant and dynamic visuals that synchronize with the music, creating a mesmerizing spectacle of light and color.”
“Its stunning visuals, challenging enemies, and seamless integration of music create an electrifying gameplay experience that will have you hooked from the very first beat.”
“The new 3D graphics are really nice and refreshing; the enemies and randomly generated ships all look cool, and the new boss fights are awesome.”
“It's just not for me, I don't like the new graphics the game has; it goes against this kind of gameplay as making everything 3D makes it hard to see if you're going to hit something, as you're not sure what your hitbox is (this wasn't a problem in previous entries).”
“Its supposed to be fun, not to try to chest thump that you were able to complete a song with visuals and everything at max and have a headache for 2 days just to boast to maybe 30 other players that play this and actually care.”
“Graphically, apart from the strobing effects, it looks nice.”
- story25 mentions
- 8 % positive mentions
- 80 % neutral mentions
- 12 % negative mentions
The game lacks a traditional story, focusing instead on gameplay mechanics like shadow missions and ship upgrades. Players note the absence of certain features from previous titles, such as a perk upgrade system and meaningful rewards, which detracts from the overall narrative experience. While the game introduces new elements like the dark beam and mothership tuning, the lack of a cohesive story leaves some players wanting more depth.
“And it has a 'dark beam' shooting mode which destroys shields and projectiles. This, along with the story galaxy mode and mothership tuning, adds a little more depth to the old game and feels like a good refresh of the old game.”
“Also, during a galactic campaign, you might even feel tempted to replay missions/tracks for a higher score to upgrade your mothership.”
“☑ no story”
“Some features from the previous games are still missing, like the perk upgrade system and ship modules, a couple of weapons, or meaningful rewards for completing shadow missions.”
“Stuff like unlocks for shadow missions, or additional weapons (there are some in-game, but not all) are not yet in the game as they are being reworked.”
- grinding7 mentions
- 14 % positive mentions
- 14 % neutral mentions
- 71 % negative mentions
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be excessively tedious, particularly in galaxy mode, where the fuel mechanic and the cumbersome navigation of personal music collections contribute to a disjointed experience. Many express a desire for a more streamlined mode that allows for uninterrupted gameplay with their own playlists. Overall, the grinding is seen as a significant barrier to enjoyment.
“You'll need a second life for grinding.”
“First, galaxy mode is fairly tedious with the fuel mechanic.”
“God, that makes the galaxy mode tedious and disjointed.”
“Overall, trying to play with your own music is extremely tedious, and there doesn't seem to be a mode where you can start playing a playlist from your PC and just vibe out for an hour.”
- replayability5 mentions
- 60 % positive mentions
- 20 % neutral mentions
- 20 % negative mentions
The game offers significant replayability due to its versatility and adaptability, with many players highlighting its infinite replay potential. However, some reviews note that the reliance on user-generated content and repetitive gameplay may affect the overall experience, making it essential to engage with the game's community for sustained enjoyment.
“It's a testament to the game's versatility and adaptability, providing endless hours of replayability.”
“Infinite replayability.”
“The game's internet features and niche community are its selling points; much of the gameplay relies on user-generated content, enhancing its replayability.”
“It becomes apparent that this game's internet features and niche community were its selling points; much of the gameplay is repetitive and depends on user-generated content to supply the game's replayability and return on investment.”
- stability2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The game suffers from notable stability issues, including buggy menus in galaxy mode and the mothership editor, as well as significant frame rate drops during ship loading and intense explosions. These technical problems detract from the overall experience.
“I'm sure you're aware of some of the technical issues that are still in the game, like the buggy menus in the galaxy mode and mothership editor, or the framerate dropping significantly when ships load in for the first time or too many explosions happen at once.”
- emotional2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Users highlight the emotional connection fostered by the developer, who is described as wholesome and actively engaged with the community. His willingness to listen to feedback and maintain alignment with players' visions enhances the overall emotional experience of the game.
- optimization2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game is currently in early access, with ongoing optimization efforts focused on the new galaxy feature, which aims to enhance long-term enjoyment for players.
“The game is still in early access, and the new galaxy feature is the key addition that is being optimized for your long-term enjoyment.”
