Grooving and shooting City Of Beats will have you reloading the bass

Music has to be one of the most important elements of any game. It sets the tone and really drives home that sense of immersion players crave from the games they play. City Of Beats is exactly that, a gun-blastin’ blitz that sounds just as fun as it plays – jam to the trailer below!

I was pleasantly surprised by how much sound affects the gameplay in City of Beats. It’s quite thrilling when every move you make syncs up with the music. The game is a mix of shooting and roguelike elements, set on the rooftops of towering skyscrapers. The robots attacking you are well-coordinated, but dodging their projectiles while reloading is made all the more exciting with the amazing sound design. Although it’s not a rhythm game, I think it’s important to have good timing and rhythm to get through the game unscathed.

It’s certainly not the first game to capitalise on the emphasis of interactive music in its gameplay. Other games like Journey, The Artful Escape, and Sayonara Wild Hearts all allow the player to interact with the game’s soundtrack as do most games to varying extents but City Of Beats feels less forced and more of a happy byproduct of its focus. While everything is working together to create the game’s music, it feels fluid and individual to the player. Every gun has its own beat and it leads to some quite rhythmically charged encounters. 

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City Of Beats is a really cool game that follows a classic roguelike format. You get to explore a hub area where you can upgrade your abilities and use the money you earn while playing. And the best part? Every level is separated by a thrilling ride in a flying car! It feels like you’re in a DJ’s world as you progress through each rooftop, with a weapon in hand. It can get pretty challenging, but with some planning, you can survive the chaos and feel really accomplished. So, get ready to be persistent and enjoy the ride!

I really enjoyed the game’s rooftop levels, too. They’re super intense and make for a really exciting experience. You have to be quick on your feet to avoid enemy fire and make it to the end. It’s important to strategise and take out enemies carefully. Overall, I had a ton of fun playing and I think it’d be a great fit for the Nintendo Switch because the controls are smooth and seamless, so hopefully the developers consider putting it on that platform in the future.

City of Beats is available now on PC.