Sound of Survival

About

Sound of Survival is a single player action game. It was developed by Annikki Baake and was released on April 29, 2025. It received mostly positive reviews from players.

Fight and survive to the beat against various robots that want to bring you down. Improve yourself each round to face the boss in the final showdown. Sound of Survival is a rhythm shooter with Vampire Survivors elements, offering multiple unlockable levels and difficulty modes. Gameplay Fight against the onslaught of machines in each round. Shoot in sync with the music using the diffe…

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player

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73%

Audience ScoreBased on 11 reviews

graphics3 positive mentions

optimization3 negative mentions

The game features impressive graphics and a well-executed design for a student project, showcasing a surprising level of polish.
The core idea of a rhythm-based FPS with metaprogression is creative and has great potential, appealing to fans of rhythm games.
It is genuinely free without any hidden costs or microtransactions, which is commendable in the current gaming landscape.

The gameplay can feel repetitive and lacks depth, with issues like poor performance and unresponsive controls on various platforms.
The use of procedural generation leads to repetitive and soulless levels, detracting from the overall experience.
The soundtrack does not match the game's cyberpunk theme, which can break immersion and feel disconnected from the game's setting.

gameplay
7 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
43%
14%
43%
The gameplay has received mixed reviews, with some players appreciating the addictive core loop and unique shooting mechanics, while others criticize the reliance on rhythm-based elements and the lack of meaningful level design. Although the game is implemented reasonably well, it fails to meet the expectations of top-tier gameplay, leaving some players questioning the necessity of its rhythm mechanics. Overall, it offers a fun experience for those who enjoy the genre, but may not appeal to everyone.
- “In terms of gameplay, while rhythm-based shooters aren’t personally my favorite genre, I can still appreciate what the developers were going for.”
- “The core gameplay loop is addictive and unique.”
- “Very nice game, the shooting mechanic takes a bit of time to get used to, but then it is a lot of fun.”
- “In this case, we have a bad idea implemented reasonably well... once more it's a case of 'this perfectly good game format will surely be better if we hold it down and nail Dance Dance Revolution mechanics to it.'”
- “The 'roguelike' tag tells us the developer chose not to do the job of a real game developer and create meaningful bespoke levels, narrative-based gameplay progression, and so on.”
- “I only played a few rounds, but even early on, I found myself wondering whether the rhythm mechanic was truly essential.”
music
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
50%
The music in the game features a diverse and high-quality selection, but many players feel it doesn't align well with the cyberpunk theme, leading to a disconnect with the game's setting. While the music enhances the combat experience when it works, there are calls for more variety and options to customize the audio experience. Overall, the soundtrack is appreciated but could benefit from better thematic coherence.
- “As for the music, there’s a decent selection: diverse, energetic, and with high production quality.”
- “The music-driven combat feels great when it clicks.”
- “I'd love more variety in the songs and also an option to deactivate motion blur as it's hard to see the enemies at times.”
- “However, I did feel a disconnect between the music choices and the game's intended setting.”
- “The game presents itself as a cyberpunk-themed survival shooter, but the soundtrack doesn’t really match that aesthetic.”
- “I'd love more variety in the songs.”
optimization
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
17%
50%
The game's optimization is severely lacking, with users reporting a constant ~20 fps even on low settings and an inability to lower the resolution below 1080p, which further hampers performance. The absence of native controller support, particularly for handheld devices like the Steam Deck, makes the game nearly unplayable. Players are advised to wait for significant optimizations before attempting to play.
- “Verdict: wait for optimizations (especially on Deck).”
- “Severe performance issues: it ran at a constant ~20 fps on low settings.”
- “Severe performance: it ran at a constant ~20 fps on low settings.”
- “But right now, the combination of terrible performance and lack of native controller support makes it practically unplayable in this handheld context.”
- “If the devs can add native Steam Deck controller support, offer lower resolutions, and significantly optimize performance for Linux/Deck, this could be an absolute gem for handheld players.”
graphics
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
75%
25%
The graphics in the game are praised for their quality and appeal, enhancing the overall visual experience. However, while impressive visuals are important, they are not enough to compensate for shortcomings in gameplay, and the soundtrack fails to align with the cyberpunk theme.
- “The graphics in this game are really quite good, which at least makes the game look more appealing.”
- “And while it's vital for any game to have impressive visuals (gaming is a visual medium, after all), there's more to a game than just the graphics.”
- “To be worth a gamer's time, the game must match top-tier visuals with top-tier gameplay, and that's not happening here.”
atmosphere
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
33%
Reviewers feel that while the atmosphere may have been a deliberate artistic choice, it could have benefited from drawing inspiration from other cyberpunk games and media to create a more immersive audio experience.
- “The atmosphere is incredibly immersive, drawing you into a world that feels alive and vibrant.”
- “Every detail contributes to a hauntingly beautiful ambiance that keeps you engaged throughout the game.”
- “The sound design and visual elements work together seamlessly to create a captivating atmosphere that enhances the overall experience.”
- “Of course, this may have been a deliberate artistic choice, but I believe the experience could have been enhanced by drawing inspiration from other cyberpunk games and media for a more fitting audio atmosphere.”