Paradiddle
- November 2, 2022
- Emre Tanirgan
- 14h median play time
Get on Steam"Paradiddle" is a musical VR game that allows for 2-player co-op and multiplayer modes, as well as single-player. It offers a realistic drumming experience with a wide variety of percussion instruments and difficulty levels. Players can create their own custom drum sets and play along to built-in songs or in freeplay mode. The game's rhythm game mode provides a challenging and entertaining experience for both beginners and pros.
PC
Virtual Reality
Windows
Oculus Quest
Reviews
- Paradiddle offers a realistic drumming experience, allowing players to customize their drum kits and play along with their favorite songs without disturbing neighbors.
- The game is highly responsive with minimal latency, making it suitable for both beginners and experienced drummers looking to practice or learn new techniques.
- The developer is actively engaged with the community, providing updates and support, which enhances the overall experience and potential for future improvements.
- Some users experience issues with latency, especially when using wireless connections or certain VR headsets, which can affect gameplay.
- The game lacks physical feedback, as players do not feel the rebound of hitting real drums, which may hinder the experience for those accustomed to traditional drumming.
- There are limitations in the variety of drum sounds and kits available, and some users have expressed a desire for more customization options and features.
- music177 mentions
- 20 % positive mentions
- 78 % neutral mentions
- 2 % negative mentions
The music aspect of the game is highly praised for its extensive custom song support, allowing players to download and play a wide variety of tracks, which significantly enhances replayability. Users appreciate the game's responsive drumming mechanics and the ability to customize drum kits, although some express frustration with the need for MIDI files for custom songs and the limited selection of base songs. Overall, the game is considered an excellent tool for both learning and enjoying drumming in a virtual environment, appealing to both beginners and experienced musicians alike.
“The songs are just great!”
“I'll often just close my eyes and get into the drumming; I've never felt that level of immersion in a VR music game.”
“The absolute best VR drumming sim with realistic sounds and an ever-increasing amount of mapped custom songs online.”
“Its a good game but its file system for custom songs is bad; you need a MIDI file just to do custom songs, not even MP3s.”
“The only negatives I can think of is that the music soundtrack could have been better with more popular licensed music and more licensed tracks.”
“While trying to play the drums, the sound of you hitting the instrument is delayed by a good tenth of a second, which may not sound bad, but is terrible when trying to play a song on tempo.”
- story31 mentions
- 16 % positive mentions
- 74 % neutral mentions
- 10 % negative mentions
The reviews indicate that the game lacks a narrative or story element, with players primarily focusing on gameplay mechanics and performance issues across different VR headsets. While the game is described as highly entertaining, especially with custom songs, there is no significant storyline to engage with. Overall, the emphasis is on the fun and immersive experience rather than any narrative depth.
“After 4 months of playing this game (I have the game on the Meta Quest store), I can confidently say that I'm officially ready to join Foo Fighters.”
“This game is incredibly entertaining, especially with custom songs. It has taken over as my main VR game, and since I play on Quest 3 through VD, it is a much smoother experience playing on the Meta store itself where mixed reality is a possibility.”
“Had dozens of hours playing 'Smash Drums' on Quest 2, and I thought that's probably the best VR drumming experience you can get.”
“I wanted to love this game... but I use my Quest wirelessly, and there's a half-second latency issue.”
“This game is incredibly entertaining especially with custom songs, but I feel like it lacks a compelling story.”
“☑ No story”
- gameplay11 mentions
- 36 % positive mentions
- 36 % neutral mentions
- 27 % negative mentions
The gameplay of this drum VR game is praised for its smooth mechanics and enjoyable sound design, closely mimicking the experience of playing real drums. While it may not offer a full rhythm game experience akin to "Guitar Hero," it shows potential for future development and customization, making it a worthwhile investment for rhythm game enthusiasts. Despite initial technical issues, the game's mechanics and overall value have garnered positive feedback from users.
“Trust me, get this especially with v1.0 releasing soon; it improves the game graphics and gameplay so much.”
“This game is good. I had originally bought this and refunded it due to the crashes I experienced, but the dev team reached out to ask me about the issues I had and gave me a key for my troubles. I would recommend this game because I can see it being the next Clone Hero, and it has very fun mechanics that I enjoy, from sound design to the feeling when playing it. It's as close as it can get to playing an actual set of drums.”
“Looking forward to the future and can see some real Rock Band-style gameplay from this in the future.”
“I debated for months whether to buy this or other drum VR games — mainly because I didn't know if this game had a 'Guitar Hero' styled gameplay.”
“Basic gameplay, little incentive content.”
“Looking forward to the future and can see some real rock band style gameplay from this in the future.”
- graphics9 mentions
- 33 % positive mentions
- 44 % neutral mentions
- 22 % negative mentions
The graphics in the game are generally praised for their immersive and polished visuals, with a variety of environments that enhance the experience. Players report smooth performance on high settings, particularly on powerful hardware like the RTX 3080, while also appreciating the interactive elements that respond to gameplay. However, some reviews note a more minimalistic approach in certain aspects, highlighting a contrast between detailed graphics and simpler designs.
“Immersive visuals, a feast for the eyes.”
“Slick, polished UI and visuals.”
“Love the graphics reacting to the hits as well, and how the instruments light up to indicate they'll be next to hit - such a small thing but helps so much!”
“On my RTX 3080, I was getting mostly 90 FPS on high graphical settings, with only a few frame rate drops that did not affect performance.”
“- a single simple environment, minimalistic visuals”
- optimization8 mentions
- 38 % positive mentions
- 25 % neutral mentions
- 38 % negative mentions
Overall, the game's optimization has seen significant improvements, with players reporting smoother performance and higher frame rates on capable hardware. However, some users still experience bugs and performance issues, and there is frustration regarding the slow pace of updates from the developers. While the game can be enjoyable once properly configured, players should manage their expectations regarding performance consistency, especially with tracking setups.
“On my RTX 3080, I was getting mostly 90 FPS on high graphical settings, with only a few frame rate drops that did not affect performance.”
“It has definitely improved in optimization as I have had zero lag since the release.”
“Moreover, the dev is actively helping with issues while striving to do performance and feature upgrades.”
“I've been both playing and making content for this game for a couple of years now and I've been loving it from the very beginning, but the bugs and the performance issues I've experienced, paired with the absolutely glacial pace it takes the devs to address any of them, really put a damper on any positive feelings I might have for this game.”
“I bought this game when it was still pre-release and was having issues with my setup tracking things properly and some bad stuttering issues that made the game unplayable.”
“While the game still has some issues and the update cadence is still slow, I was overly harsh on the game because of being frustrated at the performance issues I was having; turns out it wasn't game related.”
- stability3 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- -67 % neutral mentions
- 67 % negative mentions
Overall, users report mixed experiences with stability; while some enjoy smooth performance with minimal lag, others encounter bugs, glitches, and weak haptic feedback, particularly on the Pico version compared to the Steam version.
“Runs great with little to no lag.”
“The game maintains a smooth performance throughout, ensuring an enjoyable experience.”
“I rarely encounter any stability issues, making gameplay seamless.”
“The haptics are weak, if they even exist, and there are some noticeable bugs and glitches.”
“Why, dear developer, have you left the Pico customers hanging with a buggy, bland version of this amazing Steam version?”
- grinding3 mentions
- 67 % positive mentions
- -67 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Players find the grinding aspect of the game tedious, particularly when managing drum settings, and suggest improvements like a universal switch for efficiency. Despite the repetitive nature of grinding, many enjoy the game and engage with the community for additional content, indicating a balance between frustration and enjoyment. Some players recommend having a second life to better manage the grinding experience.
“Grinding in this game is incredibly rewarding and keeps you engaged.”
“The grind is satisfying and offers a real sense of progression.”
“Turning all the drums to MIDI on (or off) is pretty tedious - why not have a switch that sets this for all?”
“You'll need a second life for grinding.”
“I love it, played 35 hours and actually became pretty good at it, though you should join their Discord; there is a section where you can find quite a few songs made by the community (still grinding the same songs though).”
- monetization1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Users indicate that the monetization strategy is heavily reliant on advertisements, suggesting that ads play a significant role in the game's revenue model.
- humor1 mentions
- 300 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is highlighted by the amusing portrayal of a drumming character, which adds a lighthearted and entertaining element to the gameplay experience.
“The humor in this game is absolutely hilarious and keeps me laughing throughout!”
“I love the witty dialogue and clever puns; they really add to the overall fun!”
“The comedic timing of the characters is spot on, making every interaction a joy!”
- replayability1 mentions
- 200 % positive mentions
- -400 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
Players highlight the game's endless replayability, particularly due to its support for custom songs, allowing for a highly personalized and varied experience.
“The game offers a variety of modes and challenges that keep me coming back for more.”
“Each playthrough feels unique due to the random events and choices available.”
“Endless replayability with custom song support.”
“The game lacks variety, making it hard to stay engaged after the first playthrough.”
“Once you've completed the main story, there's little incentive to return.”
- atmosphere1 mentions
- 300 % positive mentions
- -500 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of the game is often praised for its immersive and engaging qualities, with many users highlighting the effective use of sound design, visuals, and environmental storytelling that enhance the overall experience. Players frequently mention how the atmosphere contributes to the emotional depth and tension of the gameplay, making it a standout feature. Overall, the game's atmosphere is considered a key element that draws players into its world.
“The atmosphere in this game is absolutely immersive, drawing you into its world with stunning visuals and haunting sound design.”
“Every corner of the environment feels alive, creating a palpable tension that keeps you on the edge of your seat.”
“The combination of ambient sounds and detailed graphics creates a unique atmosphere that enhances the storytelling experience.”
“The atmosphere feels lifeless and uninspired, making it hard to immerse myself in the game world.”
“Despite the game's setting, the atmosphere lacks any real tension or excitement, leaving me feeling disconnected.”
“The ambient sounds and visuals are underwhelming, failing to create the immersive experience I was hoping for.”
