Rift of the Necrodancer

About Rift of the Necrodancer

Rift of the Necrodancer is a single player arcade role playing game with a comedy theme. It was developed by Tic Toc Studios Inc. and was released on February 5, 2025. It received positive reviews from critics and very positive reviews from players.

The NecroDancer's back in a brand new rhythm game spinoff! Help Cadence navigate the modern world while repairing the rifts that have torn her life apart. Do rhythmic battle via rift mode, minigames, and boss battles! All to the beat of a brand new soundtrack from Danny Baranowsky & friends.

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Reviews

94%Audience ScoreBased on 3,158 reviews

music692 positive mentions

monetization8 negative mentions

Unique and creative gameplay combining rhythm and pattern recognition, offering a fresh take on the genre.
Outstanding original soundtrack with diverse and memorable tracks by multiple composers.
Extensive content including story mode, Rhythm Heaven style minigames, fun boss fights, DLC collaborations, and robust Steam Workshop support for custom songs ensuring long-lasting replayability.

The learning curve can be steep due to complex enemy patterns and off-beat note mechanics, which may overwhelm newcomers or casual players.
Some charts especially on higher difficulties are difficult to sightread and require memorization, which can frustrate players.
DLC pricing is considered expensive by some players, and the base game content is seen as limited in comparison to the amount of paid additional content.

music
1,685 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
41% positive mentions, 57% neutral mentions, 2% negative mentions
The music in "Rift of the Necrodancer" is universally praised as outstanding, featuring a diverse, catchy, and well-composed soundtrack primarily by Danny Baranowsky and other talented musicians. Its integration with innovative gameplay mechanics—where enemies embody musical notes—creates a unique rhythm experience that is challenging yet deeply satisfying to master. Extensive support for custom songs via Steam Workshop greatly expands replayability, making the soundtrack a central and defining appeal of the game despite some critiques regarding difficulty spikes and DLC pricing.
- “The soundtrack is a standout feature, featuring over 30 original tracks composed by Danny Baranowsky, FamilyJules, Alex Moukala, Josie Brechner, Sam Webster, and Nick Nausbaum. The music spans various genres, including EDM, chiptune, and synthrock, ensuring each track is engaging and complements the rhythm-based gameplay. Additionally, the custom music mode allows players to import their tracks and create personalized rhythm maps, adding nearly limitless replayability.”
- “The music is always so good that it doesn't matter how many times you have to retry the levels to beat them.”
- “This game has a workshop full of content from a huge range of artists and bands, almost anything for almost anyone, and if your favorite song isn't there, the included Rift editor is not the hardest thing to learn how to use.”
- “Most of the songs are not meh, and some songs are terrible in how the game goes with the rhythm.”
- “I have to lean towards negative, while it's not exactly disingenuous, it feels that way, enemies have set ideas, yellow is one more hit than usual, red is a different rule than normal, but the issue is the enemies are the music bars, meaning it is extremely hard to parse anything, some enemies you need to realize long before they get near the bar (red harpies) in some songs swordsmen stack meaning you better have counted the sword sounds, this being stacked with the regular difficulty of a rhythm game, normal mode feels bonkers after about halfway through.”
- “It kinda just makes me want to go play normal Necrodancer or a different 3-key game instead of this weird hybrid of both that feels unsatisfying 95% of the time till you play a song over and over and over and over and over to get the different patterns down since they change up song by song and there's not many recognizable enemy patterns besides some basic stuff.”
gameplay
536 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
46% positive mentions, 53% neutral mentions, 1% negative mentions
The gameplay of "Rift of the Necrodancer" is widely praised for its unique fusion of traditional lane-based rhythm mechanics with diverse enemy patterns inspired by its predecessor, creating a challenging and engaging experience that rewards pattern memorization and strategic thinking. While the learning curve can be steep and the complexity overwhelming at times, especially for rhythm game newcomers, the distinct monster mechanics add depth and freshness that set it apart from typical rhythm games. The inclusion of varied difficulty modes, minigames, and boss fights further enriches gameplay, making it addictive and satisfying for both casual players and rhythm game veterans.
- “The gameplay is peak, the music slaps so hard, and it’s just a fun time.”
- “The way it adapts Crypt of the Necrodancer mechanics and enemies into its gameplay is so clever and makes it a treat for people coming from Crypt, and an incredibly fresh experience for rhythm game fans coming in from traditional Guitar Hero/DDR style "hit the arrows/notes" gameplay.”
- “The core rhythm gameplay is phenomenal, with unique mechanics requiring pattern recognition of enemies as notes, creating a satisfying learning curve and challenging gameplay.”
- “The game just doesn't teach you its core mechanics, which appear literally in some of the first songs. Sightreading is actually impossible because of the enemy design, and when I was introduced to half-beat triple hit gold slimes in a field of green slimes in maybe the fourth level of the entire game, that's when I stopped to write this review.”
- “It's not just the mechanics that are way too many to remember, but honestly, I just wasn't having any fun at all.”
- “Ironically, my least favorite part about this game is the gameplay, not because it's different from what I'm used to as a rhythm gamer, but because I think the onboarding is just all over the place, where each song in the story mode gives you unique patterns without really teaching you them, forcing you to either look elsewhere for guidance or brute force it.”
story
523 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
29% positive mentions, 67% neutral mentions, 4% negative mentions
The story mode in this rhythm game is generally described as short, simple, and serviceable, serving mainly as a lighthearted context to guide players through the music and mechanics. While some appreciate its charming characters, humor, and rhythm heaven-style minigames adding variety, others find it predictable, underdeveloped, or a lesser focus compared to the gameplay and music. Overall, the story is seen as a modest but enjoyable complement rather than the main attraction.
- “The story mode is great with the occasional rhythm heaven-esque minigames.”
- “The story mode features a gentle gradually building difficulty with a few spikes depending on your personal struggles with games of this genre.”
- “The story mode is where the game's charm comes into play.”
- “The weakest part of the game is the story mode; while the core group of characters are great, the side characters have infinite amounts of wasted potential and their story arcs make no sense.”
- “Crypt wasn't exactly known for groundbreaking storytelling, but it surprises me that the writing in a game for such a creative franchise could be so creatively bankrupt.”
- “The story mode is terrible; I know the story was terrible in Crypt as well so it's not that surprising that it's terrible here.”
graphics
197 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
56% positive mentions, 42% neutral mentions, 2% negative mentions
The game's graphics are widely praised for their beautiful, charming, and vibrant art style, featuring smooth animations and expressive character designs that complement the rhythm-based gameplay. Visuals are described as colorful, playful, and polished, often blending cartoonish elements with a modern aesthetic, which enhances immersion and appeal. While some find the note visuals and complexity occasionally overwhelming, overall the graphics contribute significantly to an engaging and memorable experience.
- “The graphics are stunning and well animated (maybe too much eye candy for some) but that can be adjusted on the settings.”
- “The graphics are beautiful and masterfully animated, and you even get fully (and very dynamically) animated intro and ending cutscenes.”
- “The artstyle is total eye candy, the OST is banger after banger, and the gameplay is addictive and fun.”
- “Seeing how the last update introduced political virtue-signalling aesthetics instead of desperately needed original music content sadly confirmed my fear that Rift's creators aren't interested in creating.”
- “Guitar Hero with this aesthetic is... yikes.”
- “I've given a negative review, not because I hate the game, there is nothing wrong with the game outside of the visuals clarity and of course the annoying elements since it's using a mixture of up, down, left, right using all (4) and then sometimes just (3) making it annoying to follow along.”
replayability
57 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
47% positive mentions, 48% neutral mentions, 5% negative mentions
The game offers exceptional replayability through multiple difficulty levels, a remix mode that procedurally generates new charts, and extensive support for custom tracks and community-created content via workshops. Daily challenges, DLC additions, and modifiers further enhance longevity, appealing to both rhythm game veterans and newcomers. While some find the learning curve steep and remix mode less satisfying than handcrafted charts, overall the near-infinite content and variety keep the experience fresh and engaging.
- “It's got heaps of replay value with remix mode and four levels of difficulty for each song, the music is catchy, the charting is incredibly well done, the ability to make and play custom tracks is a wonderful addition, and with DLC continuing to be released, it just adds even more for you to do in game.”
- “The ability of the community to create their own charts means endless replayability, and the leaderboards are an ambition that lives rent-free in my head.”
- “On top of that, each song has their own unique "remix" with an entirely new beatmap for truly impressive replayability along with "challenge of the day" and user submitted custom songs.”
- “The mixed part is that because your traditional versus rhythm game skills don't translate over, it’s harder to drop in a play when you feel like it, decreasing replay value due to the type of rhythm game and memorisation required rather than reactivity.”
- “Cool storyline, and the game tries hard to be replayable, but there really isn't any replayability to this.”
- “The remix mode as an attempt to add replayability is kinda weak, too.”
humor
32 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100% positive mentions, 0% neutral mentions, 0% negative mentions
The game's humor is widely praised, particularly for its funny and varied rhythm-based minigames and witty, charming story with memorable characters. Players appreciate the clever writing, playful scenarios (like an immortal lich flipping burgers), and quirky jokes that enhance the overall fun and lighthearted experience. The humor successfully complements the engaging music and art style, making the game enjoyable and distinctive.
- “The story of the game is serviceable plot-wise, but genuinely humorous and fun.”
- “On top of all the game has a hilarious story, cute art and funny minigames.”
- “People can say rock band or guitar hero are better and that's fine, but this is one of if not the single most fun classical rhythm game I've ever played, everything is so damn perfect, from each difficulty not just making things harder by boosting the tempo of the song or adding more notes, but actually mixing up the monsters and effects each song has, to the rhythm heaven style mini-games that are abundant, varied and insanely fun, all the way to the amazing, short and sweet story filled with brilliant character moments, hilarious writing, and obviously some of the best songs in any rhythm game, plus with custom workshop support and a built in song editor that's relatively simple and easy to use, this game's going to last a long time.”
character development
30 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
53% positive mentions, 37% neutral mentions, 10% negative mentions
The character development in the game is widely praised for its stylish, charming, and expressive designs that enhance player engagement and bring the story to life. Many reviewers appreciate the variety, innovation, and care put into the visual presentation and voice acting, although some find the writing less memorable compared to the strong character artistry. Overall, the vibrant and polished character design is a standout element that complements the game's music and gameplay.
- “A lot of passion was clearly poured into every aspect of this game - from the banger soundtrack to the charming character design and smooth animation - and it just makes me happy.”
- “The art in general really stands out to me, I love the way that these character designs have been updated both to fit their new setting but also just carrying them into an artstyle more polished than the distinctly 2010s indie look of the original, lots of fun expressions to be seen here.”
- “The story mode is cute and the character designs are gorgeous, not to mention the excellent voice acting.”
- “This game as a whole has no connection to its previous installment other than character design.”
- “I came to play a rhythm game and I didn't find myself interested in the very simplistic dialogue and character design.”
- “The art and character designs are incredibly charming but the writing is a bit forgettable.”
monetization
9 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
0% positive mentions, 11% neutral mentions, 89% negative mentions
The game's monetization is seen as problematic due to its high cost for limited content and intrusive DLC ads, creating frustration among players, especially when free alternatives exist on platforms like the Steam Workshop. While the DLCs offer quality songs and support the developers, many feel the pricing and aggressive promotion come across as cash grabs rather than fair value. Overall, the monetization model and in-game advertising negatively impact the user experience.
- “The high price to value ratio and the five track release nature ensure both apprehension to purchase due to cost and apprehension to purchase because many of the intellectual properties they're collaborating with have more than just five tracks you'd probably really love to see adapted; paired with the fact that Steam Workshop was there on release with hundreds of free songs, some really good in quality, some less so, but all free, I find the monetization scheme of the game quite bizarre.”
- “Why are they advertising DLC packs to me on the song select screen?”
- “I shouldn't have to exit the game by pressing up, up, up, up, enter because I need to scroll past an advertisement, a newsletter, and a Discord server.”
grinding
8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
0% positive mentions, 0% neutral mentions, 100% negative mentions
Grinding in the game is often viewed as tedious and overly reliant on memorization, with some achievements feeling excessively grindy or challenging. While the music remains engaging during repeated plays, many players find the high-level grinding to be a monotonous task rather than an enjoyable challenge.
- “Some Steam achievements for this game are way too hard and challenging, while others are a bit grindy. No way I am getting them all.”
- “It's a game that's very reliant on memorization and 'learning the song' at a high level of play, and it's not a type of challenge I find very interesting. This leaves me with a game where I cleared through the story on hard in about 4 hours and now I'm left with the option of tediously trying to drill the impossible charts into my brain one at a time or going to do something else.”
- “You can turn off these effects, but that lowers the visual quality of the experience. Medium difficulty is too slow and tedious while hard is too complicated if you didn't play through easy and medium practice modes; you're just memorizing the patterns and following along. At that point, the game is somewhat fun but still the polar opposite of what I was expecting.”
optimization
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50% positive mentions, 0% neutral mentions, 50% negative mentions
The game delivers generally good performance and innovative mechanics, but optimization concerns persist, particularly with high system strain and awkward controller adaptation. Some users appreciate dynamic performance adjustments based on gameplay, while others note occasional performance issues despite ample content. Overall, optimization is mixed, balancing strong gameplay with noticeable technical drawbacks.
- “Great performance like you'd expect.”
- “Tons of content at release with no such performance issues is a rare sight these days.”
- “But the genius part comes after, where it gives you a bit of gameplay and based on your performance suggests to tweak it a little one way or the other.”
- “The game is good, I see many new mechanics compared to the testing, but the optimization is very worrisome - I don't want to risk damaging my PC despite the gameplay being good.”
- “I don't understand why they optimized it for keyboard; playing with a controller feels really weird and the adaptation is poor.”
- “Performance issues.”
emotional
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100% positive mentions, 0% neutral mentions, 0% negative mentions
Players highlight a strong emotional impact, with moments like the reaper boss fight evoking tears and a satisfying sense of personal growth through skill progression. However, some users note the need for accessibility options due to motion sickness concerns. Overall, the game receives heartfelt appreciation for its natural gameplay and emotional resonance.
- “The reaper boss fight made me cry.”
- “Just going for all A's then all S's on medium has really made me feel like I have improved a ton from where I started 24 play hours ago.”
- “A heartfelt thanks to Brace Yourself and Klei for giving us another winner at just the right time.”
stability
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33% positive mentions, 0% neutral mentions, 67% negative mentions
Users report significant stability issues, including frequent lag, freezes, and crashes that disrupt gameplay and sometimes require restarting the PC. However, some appreciate the quick level reloads and practice modes that help mitigate frustration during play.
- “I get lag, I get freezes, and it's not occasional; it's pretty much every time I have a play session.”
- “High-graphic requirement games I could no longer play without having to endure crashes and freezes that forced me to restart my PC.”

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Critic Reviews

90%Critics’ scoreBased on 2 critic reviews

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Play Times

34h Median play time

126h Average play time

5-300h Spent by most gamers

*Based on 12 analyzed playthroughs

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Game News

Undertale Music By Toby Fox Is Coming To Rift Of The NecroDancer As DLC

April 10 on nintendolife.com

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Frequently Asked Questions

Rift of the Necrodancer is a arcade role playing game with comedy theme. Common tags for Rift of the Necrodancer include indie, lgbtq+, trading, soundtrack, music-based procedural generation and others.

Rift of the Necrodancer is available on Nintendo Switch, PC, Steam Deck and Windows.

On average players spend around 126 hours playing Rift of the Necrodancer.

Rift of the Necrodancer was released on February 5, 2025.

Rift of the Necrodancer was developed by Tic Toc Studios Inc..

Rift of the Necrodancer has received positive reviews from players and positive reviews from critics. Most players liked Rift of the Necrodancer for its music but disliked it for its monetization.

Rift of the Necrodancer is a single player game.

Similar games include Rhythm Doctor, Spin Rhythm XD, Melatonin, Crypt of the NecroDancer, A Dance of Fire and Ice and others.

Rift of the Necrodancer

Platforms

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Reviews

music

gameplay

story

graphics

replayability

humor

character development

monetization

grinding

optimization

emotional

stability

Critic Reviews

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