August 6, 2013
Threaks

Beatbuddy: Tale of the Guardians

Beatbuddy features some initially great and well-executed ideas and as a whole is generally entertaining despite a few annoying bugs and missed steps. The ideas on show are undeniably overused however, meaning that the repetitive nature of things does scuff the polish of an aesthetically pleasing package. This is a way off being number one with a bullet, but it will still provide a few hours of enjoyment if you decide to stick with it.

65%Game Brain Score

music, gameplay

stability, atmosphere

80% User Score Based on 215 reviews

Critic Score 70%Based on 2 reviews

Platforms

Buy Nowfrom $0.87

Buy NowGet on Steam$9.99

About

"Beatbuddy: Tale of the Guardians" is an action-adventure game where music is incorporated into every aspect of the beautiful hand-painted world. Players interact with the environment and creatures to open paths and solve puzzles as they journey through six unique levels, accompanied by an original soundtrack featuring songs from notable artists. The game follows Beatbuddy, an ethereal creature on a quest to save his sisters and his own immortality.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player Play through the game's story or campaign solo

Beatbuddy: Tale of the Guardians screenshot

+13

80%

Audience ScoreBased on 217 reviews

music128 positive mentions

stability11 negative mentions

The hand-painted visuals are stunning and create a vibrant, psychedelic underwater world that is a feast for the eyes.
The integration of music into gameplay is innovative, with each level designed around a captivating soundtrack that enhances the experience.
The game features charming characters and humor, making the journey enjoyable and lighthearted.

The game suffers from numerous bugs and technical issues, including game-breaking glitches that can hinder progress.
Gameplay can become repetitive, with puzzles lacking variety and the overall experience feeling drawn out.
Controls can be frustrating, particularly during precise movements, leading to moments of annoyance and loss of immersion.

music
275 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
47%
51%
2%
The music in "Beatbuddy: Tale of the Guardians" is a standout feature, with an exclusive soundtrack that includes contributions from notable artists like Austin Wintory and Parov Stelar. Players appreciate how the music is intricately woven into the gameplay, influencing puzzles and interactions, creating a vibrant atmosphere that feels like a musical journey. While the soundtrack is generally praised for its catchiness and integration, some players note that the repetitive nature of the tracks can become tiresome over extended play sessions.
- “The music is not just a background; it's the heartbeat of the game 🎶❤️”
- “What truly sets Beatbuddy apart is its integration of music into every aspect of the gameplay.”
- “Beatbuddy is a beautifully crafted indie game that satisfies your senses with stunning environments and an incredible soundtrack.”
- “The major problem I had with the game is that the levels are on the long side - 30-40 minutes, and while the backing song does change with the various sections of each level, you're listening to the same basic music over and over again.”
- “The music is more of an ambiance thing than the driving force it is presented as.”
- “Nothing even feels music-based - it just so happens that things pulse to the beat, but you're not really rewarded for good timing or anything - you just move through a world that plays music.”
gameplay
82 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
40%
56%
4%
The gameplay in "Beatbuddy: Tale of the Guardians" is characterized by its innovative integration of music, creating a rhythm-based experience that is both engaging and intuitive. While the mechanics are simple and accessible, some players find the gameplay can become repetitive and occasionally awkward, with glitches affecting progress. Overall, the game offers a unique blend of beautiful graphics, catchy soundtracks, and enjoyable puzzles, though it may not appeal to everyone due to its reliance on rhythm and timing.
- “Beatbuddy: Tale of the Guardians is an enchanting and innovative adventure that beautifully blends music and gameplay.”
- “The rhythm-based gameplay is both intuitive and invigorating, ensuring that players are constantly engaged.”
- “Great music, fun gameplay, and puzzles and enemies that will challenge you but never frustrate you.”
- “Unfortunately, with all the cool rhythm actions happening, this is where gameplay tends to become awkward or constricted.”
- “The artwork is absolutely sublime, but the gameplay is excessively repetitive and the controls can be quite unwieldy at times.”
- “It's like a rhythmic version of Ecco the Dolphin with terrible cutscenes, boring gameplay, and overlong stages.”
graphics
54 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
63%
31%
6%
The graphics of the game are widely praised for their stunning, hand-painted visuals and vibrant art style, creating a visually captivating experience that many players find enchanting. While the overall aesthetic and animation quality receive high marks, some reviewers note that the impressive visuals can overshadow gameplay depth, leading to a sense of repetitiveness. Overall, the game's graphics are considered a standout feature, contributing significantly to its charm and appeal.
- “The game's unique art style and visually stunning environments are a feast for the eyes.”
- “I've been playing this game with my projector on a 100-inch scale and the visuals and detail in the art are mind-blowing.”
- “Beatbuddy certainly focuses on the visuals with some amazing eye candy that I can tell was lovingly crafted by a very hard-working artist.”
- “It has a lot of heart put into it with the fine details like the voice overs and the graphics and rhythm syncing, but it feels... lacking.”
- “The graphics for the levels also get a bit weary.”
- “What charm is gained from the atmosphere, the art style, and the music is undermined by the overall frustration of actually playing the game.”
story
53 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
34%
57%
9%
The game's story revolves around a quest to save family members, particularly sisters, and is often described as simple and lacking depth, with some players finding it forgettable or nonsensical. While the narrative features colorful characters and whimsical elements, it struggles to engage players fully, with many noting that the music and gameplay overshadow the plot. Overall, the story is seen as a light backdrop that complements the gameplay rather than a compelling driving force.
- “The story is engaging, and I found myself really enjoying this game all the time.”
- “The way music is used to both create and let you create the world, atmosphere, and story is so simple, so basic, but executed so effectively.”
- “It's an explorative puzzler of a game that will have you dodging obstacles like the conductive hand of the hi-hat crab, or bouncing your way through the water on bass drum plants on the quest to stop the evil prince attempting to take total control of Symphonia's music.”
- “I found navigating the world to be a chore, whether solo or in the ship, and the story wasn't really interesting enough to keep me going.”
- “The story is nonsensical and I didn't bother collecting the gems, but holy hell the music is good enough to warrant a purchase.”
- “Great music, average gameplay, forgettable story.”
stability
12 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
8%
92%
The game suffers from significant stability issues, with numerous bugs that can force players to restart entire levels, leading to frustration and dissatisfaction. Despite its appealing visuals and sound, many users report encountering game-breaking glitches and buggy controls, which detract from the overall experience. Overall, the game's stability is a major concern, with players expressing doubt about the likelihood of a bug-free experience.
- “Cool game, but somehow still incredibly buggy after 3 years.”
- “I'm not just talking about crashes and screen freezes here, I'm talking about bugs that force you to reset the entire level you are on and start all over!!!!!”
- “Several level-breaking bugs on the last couple levels of the game that require complete restarts, buggy controls (using Xbox 360), final game-breaking bug that doesn't fix even with restart on last level keeping me from being able to complete the story.”
humor
11 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is generally well-received, with players appreciating the clever jokes and charming character dialogues that enhance the experience. The integration of humor with gameplay elements, such as music and puzzles, adds a unique touch, although some players felt that the humor alone wasn't enough to maintain their interest throughout the game. Overall, the game successfully combines a lighthearted tone with engaging design and soundtracks, contributing to its appeal.
- “Trying to stop the evil prince maestro, but it's all in good rhythm and humor 🤷‍♂️👑😂”
- “Clef's jokes are making my circuits laugh.”
- “Great soundtrack, solid gameplay, fun sense of humor.”
atmosphere
8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
38%
25%
38%
The atmosphere of the game is highly praised for its captivating soundtrack, which enhances both the artistic visuals and the overall experience, creating a relaxing and immersive environment. While the music and art style contribute significantly to the charm, some players feel that the gameplay frustrations detract from the enjoyment of the atmosphere. Overall, the effective use of music to shape the world and narrative is considered the standout feature of the game.
- “Each level is designed around a captivating soundtrack that not only enhances the atmosphere but also plays a key role in puzzle-solving and navigation.”
- “This game's atmosphere is easily the best part about it, it's a joy to watch the elements of each song flow in and out while exploring each level.”
- “What charm is gained from the atmosphere, the art style, and the music is undermined by the overall frustration of actually playing the game.”
- “The atmosphere is artistic.”
- “The house/jazzy soundtrack is really nice to hear while playing; it creates a relaxing atmosphere.”
grinding
7 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players initially find the grinding aspect of the game enjoyable, but it quickly turns tedious and repetitive, particularly due to unclear objectives and frustrating controls. The puzzles and gameplay mechanics contribute to a sense of monotony, diminishing the overall experience as the game progresses.
- “Fun at first, but became tedious and wasn't helped by having to do it twice as I was supposed to kill all the enemies in there but was never told that.”
- “It's very tedious.”
- “Fun for the first couple levels, then gets tedious and repetitive.”
replayability
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game has been rated low for replayability, with users expressing a desire for more engaging content that would encourage them to play it repeatedly.
- “Replayability: 1/10”
- “Low replay value.”
- “I sort of wish it had better replayability because I want to play more and more.”
optimization
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
300%
Players have noted that the game's optimization could be improved, as removing the rhythmic pulses would significantly reduce stuttering and enhance overall performance.
- “You could take the rhythmic pulses out of the game and have almost the same experience with less stuttering.”
- “The game suffers from severe frame drops, making it nearly unplayable during intense moments.”
- “Optimization seems to have been an afterthought, as the game frequently lags and crashes on lower-end systems.”