BPM: Bullets Per Minute
- September 14, 2020
- Awe Interactive
- 7h median play time
BPM: Bullets Per Minute is an addictive, innovative, and punishingly hard roguelite shooter-slash-rhythm game - and it's great
"BPM: Bullets Per Minute" is a rhythm-based shooter game where players must shoot, jump, and dodge to the beat of intense rock and metal music. Fight against hordes of enemies and bosses in procedurally generated levels, using a variety of weapons and abilities. With permadeath and high replayability, BPM offers a challenging and exhilarating experience for fans of rhythm and shooter games alike.
Reviews
- music2,617 mentions
- 43 % positive mentions
- 53 % neutral mentions
- 4 % negative mentions
The music in "BPM: Bullets Per Minute" is widely praised for its energetic and engaging heavy metal soundtrack, which enhances the gameplay experience by requiring players to shoot, reload, and dodge to the beat. However, many reviewers note that the limited variety of tracks can lead to repetitiveness, particularly since each level features the same song, which can become tiresome over extended play sessions. The addition of custom music support has been positively received, allowing players to personalize their experience further. Overall, while the soundtrack is a highlight, the need for more musical diversity is a common request among players.
“The music is on point, the sound design is some of the best I've heard.”
“The soundtrack is amazing, the game is worth it alone on that.”
“The music is fantastic, the gameplay is fun, and its weaknesses of looking a bit rubbish and being poor at telling you stuff are far from deal breakers.”
“The music is very simple and gets boring pretty fast.”
“The music is repetitive and annoying.”
“The music gets stuck in your head for days.”
- gameplay1,237 mentions
- 43 % positive mentions
- 53 % neutral mentions
- 4 % negative mentions
The gameplay of "BPM: Bullets Per Minute" is characterized by its unique rhythm-based mechanics that require players to shoot, reload, and dodge in sync with the music, creating a fast-paced and engaging experience. While many players find the core gameplay loop addictive and satisfying, there are criticisms regarding the lack of depth in roguelike elements, repetitive enemy designs, and insufficient explanations of mechanics, which can lead to frustration. Overall, the combination of solid gunplay and a killer soundtrack makes for a compelling, albeit sometimes chaotic, gameplay experience.
“Buttery smooth gameplay.”
“Incredibly satisfying gameplay, music is top notch.”
“The gameplay loop is basically perfect.”
“I don't like roguelites that don't explain anything about mechanics or items in their game.”
“The game doesn't even try to explain its own basic mechanics or gameplay loop for you, the player, so that you could actually properly play and enjoy the game.”
“There's also barely any explanation of any of the mechanics in the game, so prepare to jump between the game and the wiki frequently.”
- graphics505 mentions
- 23 % positive mentions
- 67 % neutral mentions
- 10 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game have received mixed reviews, with many players finding the art style to be overly saturated and harsh on the eyes, often making it difficult to distinguish between enemies and the environment. While some appreciate the unique aesthetic and the ability to adjust saturation settings, others criticize the visuals for being jarring and detracting from gameplay. Overall, the graphics are seen as a polarizing aspect, with opinions ranging from love for the distinct style to frustration over its impact on visibility and enjoyment.
“The developers took a chance with the art style and I love it, but for those who find the red coloring of the first area too much, try turning down the saturation in the graphics settings.”
“The music rocks, the visuals are sick, and the challenge is real.”
“The graphics are simple but evocative.”
“The graphics are absolutely hideous; they are high quality, and it is obvious that the artists behind them are talented.”
“The visuals are harsh, seeing things can be difficult and some very large enemy attacks effectively blind you because there's no color.”
“The art style is probably where most people are turned away at first.”
- replayability143 mentions
- 45 % positive mentions
- 51 % neutral mentions
- 4 % negative mentions
Overall, the game boasts high replayability due to its roguelike elements, diverse character unlocks, and procedurally generated levels, which keep gameplay fresh and engaging. Many players appreciate the variety of weapons, abilities, and challenges that enhance replay value, although some note that the limited item pool and occasional repetitiveness can detract from long-term enjoyment. The addition of custom music options and ongoing developer support further contributes to its replayability, making it a compelling choice for fans of rhythm shooters and roguelikes alike.
“The game also has great replayability between the roguelike elements, the difficulty levels, and the fact that all the characters change how the game plays (sometimes radically so).”
“Tons of replayability, different equipment, abilities, weapons, you can choose from and 5 unique characters.”
“The roguelike nature of the game also adds a lot of enjoyability and replayability.”
“The replayability is also severely lacking, despite being a roguelite.”
“Some of the mechanics are not explained very well (I can't really tell the difference between the characters other than they start with different weapons) and I don't think it has the diversity to be endlessly replayable.”
“Comparing this to something like The Binding of Isaac, I think this will have a lot less replayability because of the lower variety of items and very limited interactions, combined with the aforementioned lack of difficulty.”
- story83 mentions
- 6 % positive mentions
- 66 % neutral mentions
- 28 % negative mentions
The game's story is largely absent, with many reviewers noting a complete lack of backstory, dialogue, or narrative depth, making it feel more like an arcade experience than a traditional game. While some players appreciate the focus on gameplay and replayability, others express disappointment over the absence of any engaging plot or lore, suggesting that a simple story could enhance the overall experience. Overall, the consensus is that while the gameplay is enjoyable, the lack of a story detracts from the game's potential.
“Not every game needs to have in-depth lore or an unfolding story.”
“I really hope that from this game there's maybe, I dunno, story add-ons?”
“I hope they make a bunch of money off this and either make DLC or release a second game that is a bit better visually and perhaps includes some sort of a story or theme because as it stands right now you just get dropped in and the dev hopes that it's all easy enough to understand.”
“There is no story in this game and it plays more like an arcade game, so it’s easy to pick up and replay.”
“There's no story or presentation in this game, you just hit play and start killing monsters.”
“Most runs are quite similar, there is no story, not even the faint pretense of a story, enemies all blend together and the bosses are completely unmemorable.”
- optimization59 mentions
- 19 % positive mentions
- 59 % neutral mentions
- 22 % negative mentions
The game's optimization has received mixed reviews, with many players reporting significant performance issues such as stuttering, long loading times, and frame drops, particularly in later levels. While some updates have improved performance, the overall consensus is that the game still requires further optimization to enhance the gameplay experience, especially for rhythm-based mechanics. Despite these issues, the core gameplay remains enjoyable for many, indicating potential if optimization efforts continue.
“It's also optimized quite well; the only downside is that some of the challenges seem a bit unfair, like the boss rush that doesn't give anything between bosses, but aside from that, this game is a solid 9/10.”
“Plenty of graphic adjustment options to aid performance on slower computers.”
“Rhythm detection is solid, performance is solid, the game looks great (though I'd appreciate high-visibility crosshairs, unless I'm blind and can't find that setting).”
“In one word, performance: minutes-long loading screens, texture popping, stuttering every time you enter a new room, music that freezes seemingly at random — which in a game based around music, seems absolutely egregious to me.”
“The game has constant frame drops and stuttering which make it near impossible to keep rhythm.”
“It definitely needs work on optimization because the second-to-last level runs so poorly compared to the others that it's just unplayable even with potato settings.”
- grinding47 mentions
- 2 % positive mentions
- 11 % neutral mentions
- 87 % negative mentions
The grinding aspect of the game is widely criticized for being tedious, repetitive, and unfulfilling, with many players expressing frustration over the excessive time required to progress. The lack of meaningful rewards and the reliance on RNG further exacerbate the grind, making the experience feel more like a chore than enjoyable gameplay. While some players appreciate the core mechanics and aesthetic, the overwhelming sentiment is that the grinding detracts significantly from the overall enjoyment of the game.
“You'll need a second life for grinding.”
“I really wanted to like this game, but grinding away for 2 hours on the first level turned my brain to mush, listening to the same song over and over and over.”
“This is a game that seems cool at first, but is entirely unrewarding and grows tedious real fast.”
“The entire beat mechanic just feels more tedious than fun and makes playing the game much more 'busy' than it needs to be.”
- humor34 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is a standout feature, with players enjoying the quirky gun mechanics, amusing character designs, and the absurdity of various challenges. The integration of rhythm-based gameplay adds a layer of hilarity, especially when paired with custom music, while the game's charm is enhanced by its playful visuals and funny enemy interactions. Overall, the humor is described as both subtle and overt, contributing significantly to the game's enjoyable experience.
“This game is hilariously fun and you've only got yourself to blame if you die.”
“There are plenty of guns available in your runs, different valkyries with different play-styles, random dungeons that change every time, sometimes resulting in truly funny and bizarre ones.”
“Cool soundtrack, good humor, and smooth gameplay.”
- stability29 mentions
- 14 % positive mentions
- 3 % neutral mentions
- 83 % negative mentions
The game's stability has received mixed reviews, with many players reporting significant bugs, glitches, and performance issues, such as long loading times and texture popping. While some users noted that the game runs well on lower-end PCs and is mostly bug-free, others found it frustratingly unplayable due to frequent stutters and crashes. Overall, the game shows potential but requires further polish and optimization to enhance the player experience.
“It runs great on low-end PCs without sacrificing graphics for those with high-end builds.”
“The game seems to be mostly bug-free.”
“It's a very fun game that has a lot of potential; the game is practically bug-free and has tons of replayability for $20, it's worth it.”
“If the first thing you have to do to play the game is open up a guide on how to use the menu without getting stuck in a loop, your game is buggy as hell.”
“But as it stands right now, 16.79 euros is not worth it in my opinion, as there are far too many bugs and glitches in the game still to call this a complete game.”
“I had no problems with the game before, but now I have constant stutters and glitches, which actually makes the game unplayable since it requires tight timings to dodge and shoot.”
- atmosphere11 mentions
- 55 % positive mentions
- 18 % neutral mentions
- 27 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of the game is widely praised for its impactful music and unique style, which enhances the overall gameplay experience. Many reviewers note the game's ability to create an engaging and immersive environment, drawing comparisons to titles like Doom, while also highlighting the satisfying blend of gameplay and atmosphere. However, some critiques mention that the high contrast and oppressive color schemes may detract from the intended atmospheric effect.
“Great gameplay, great soundtrack, and great atmosphere.”
“Music was fire and so was the atmosphere.”
“It's unique style also really helps add to the overall atmosphere and enjoyment of the game.”
“The game's atmosphere is very akin to Doom, with the music being so impactful during moments of action.”
“There are no glory kills or over-the-top gore, but the pace and atmosphere are similar.”
“The pacing, the atmosphere, the items, the enemies, and most of all the music and rhythm elements set this game apart.”
- emotional10 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Players express a strong emotional connection to the game, highlighting the exhilarating feeling of empowerment and skill mastery as they navigate challenges and engage with the dynamic gameplay. The integration of music enhances this experience, creating a sense of rhythm and immersion that resonates deeply, leading to a high overall enjoyment rating. The emotional impact is further emphasized by the satisfaction derived from overcoming obstacles and the thrill of powerful gameplay mechanics.
“I like this game, as much as I like my emotional damage.”
“The first couple of minutes of playing it made me feel absolutely amazing.”
“To give a serious 'out of 10' rating for this game, I'd have to give this a solid 9 out of 10 based solely on how the game made me feel while playing it.”
- character development7 mentions
- 57 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 43 % negative mentions
Character development in the game is highlighted by its enjoyable artwork and diverse abilities, contributing to a fun gameplay experience. While the main character designs are praised for their creativity, some enemy designs are criticized as generic and uninteresting, suggesting a lack of depth in the overall character development. The disparity between well-crafted main characters and less engaging enemies indicates a missed opportunity for richer environmental storytelling.
“Incredibly enjoyable artwork, a really good soundtrack, a plethora of different aspects to abilities and arsenals for character development, and a couple of really big birds who look rather like a giant chick or a chocobo who sell you things along your journey to fight a powerful dragon, as an angel of your choosing.”
“Super cool character designs.”
“Besides that, it's a really fun game to play; the character designs look sweet as well.”
“The character design in this whole game is very well done, but the mobs are kind of generic, which is disappointing.”
“While the artwork and soundtrack are enjoyable, the character development feels lacking and doesn't offer enough depth.”
“There are a plethora of different aspects to abilities and arsenals for character development, but it ultimately feels superficial.”
- monetization3 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The monetization aspect of the game is heavily criticized for relying on advertisements, which detracts from the overall experience, particularly in a rhythm game where music is a key element. Players feel that the focus on ads overshadows the gameplay, leading to frustration.
“The challenge is just the ads and being on beat, or at least what they register as on beat.”
“I do enjoy the game, but when you're advertising a rhythm game, you do have to realize that part of the appeal will be music.”
Critic Reviews
BPM: Bullets Per Minute review
BPM: Bullets Per Minute is an addictive, innovative, and punishingly hard roguelite shooter-slash-rhythm game - and it's great
90%BPM: Bullets Per Minute console review
Those seeking a hardcore shooting challenge and something a bit different from the usual will find both in BPM: Bullets Per Minute.
90%BPM: Bullets Per Minute review
BPM is a great concept somewhat fumbled, redeemed when it breaks its own rules.
68%