Just Shapes & Beats

There's a concerning lack of quality rhythm titles lately. While the golden era of plastic instruments and Vocaloid idols might be long gone, that doesn't mean that rhythm games as a whole need to disappear, right? That's precisely the niche that Just Shapes & Beats tackles – the need for a game that you can just leave in the background when you're having a killer party.

This unique mix between bullet hell and rhythm game has less in common with Guitar Hero and more with VVVVVV's punishing platforming difficulty. Of course, "punishing" doesn't mean you can't have a killer time with Just Shapes & Beats – just don't expect the game to hold your hand; that's what your dancing partner's for!

Beats to Die For. Literally.

What really sets Just Shapes & Beats apart is its killer soundtrack. We're talking licensed chiptune and EDM bangers that'll get your blood pumping from the moment you boot up the game. These beats aren't just background noise; they're the driving force behind every move, every dodge, and every victorious fist pump.

Each song dictates the stage's difficulty. You can even use your own music library to customize the experience, kind of like Audiosurf. Still, the in-game music selection is the star of the party here, with a selection that will appeal to most electronic music fans.

A Kaleidoscope of Chaos

Visually, Just Shapes & Beats is a feast for the senses. From the moment you start playing, you're hit with a kaleidoscope of vibrant colors and hypnotic patterns that perfectly complement the infectious beats. It's like stepping into a rave where the only goal is to survive the onslaught of shapes that'll test your reflexes and coordination to the limit.

If you're a fan of rhythm games like Hatsune Miku: Project DIVA Mega Mix or Sound Shapes, you'll feel right at home with Just Shapes & Beats. But don't be fooled; this game has a unique twist that'll keep even the most seasoned players on their toes. Yes, the pseudo-platforming elements might give you a hard time at first, but, as in every rhythm game, it's all a matter of try and error until you get the beat.

The Life of the Party

The game's co-op mode is where the real fun's at. Just Shapes & Beats has an incredible co-op mode that'll have you teaming up with up to three other players to conquer the chaos together. Whether you're playing locally with your buddies or diving into an online party with strangers who'll soon become your new best friends, the game encourages teamwork and communication in the most exhilarating way possible.

After the competition's over and the winner (and salty losers) are decided, you can enable the game's party mode to play music in the background. In this mode, the game's visuals are only there to light up your party. No need to focus on score or anything like that – it's basically a more digital version of a lava lamp. In short, it looks amazing, just like everything else in Just Shapes & Beats.

Pros

• Killer soundtrack that'll get your blood pumping
• Addictive and challenging gameplay that'll keep you hooked
• Seamless co-op experience, perfect for couch co-op or online parties

Cons

• A steep learning curve that might frustrate newcomers
• Limited content for solo players

Just Shapes & Beats is a pretty unique rhythm game developed by the small Berzerk studio especially for PC and the Nintendo Switch. When triple-A developers take a shot at rhythm games they come up with some incredible stuff, but lately, they've been centered on adding rhythm elements to already popular franchises. But when it comes to smaller developers like Berzerk Studios and the general indie game community, they've been innovating in rhythm games in crazy ways. While Just Shapes and Beats may not be the most original game ever made, it has a lot going on for itself, so let's see what it is all about now.

About the game

To start off, we'd have to clarify that Just Shapes & Beats is a combination of rhythm and a little genre known as "bullet hell". This genre is especially popular in Japan, and it consists of dodging an insane amount of projectiles as you progress. Top-level reflexes are required to succeed in your usual bullet hell, and incredible eye-to-hand coordination, but in the case of Jus Shapes & Beats, you also need to include the rhythm genre.

The setting is quite simple in this game, you’re in a peaceful world, surrounded by quietness, that is until an evil, chaotic being -represented here by the most strident music possible- disrupts the source of peace and harmony. This being is now filling the entire world with chaos and loud rhythms that resonate continuously all over the place.

However, that is all up to the player's interpretation, as the game does not have any direct storytelling, and it is instead a purely visual and musical narrative. The main objective of this game is to bring back peace and tranquility to this world and to do this we'll have to go through many different musical levels, to follow the rhythm and survive this bullet hell. But don't worry, there are some mini-games and puzzles in there so it doesn't get too repetitive or frustrating in case you were to get stuck at some point.

Stylish rhythm

What’s great about these rhythm games is that you don’t really need complex graphics or hardcore levels of gameplay to make the game fun. And often, it is the games that have the most straightforward mechanics, the ones that are more popular and successful. You just have to look at other great rhythm games from the past years like Sayonara Wild Hearts to see that style can be a top priority in this genre.

Just Shapes & Beats is a pretty simple game, which actually honors the title of the game itself, and it is a perfect game to disconnect for a while. it's a go back to a more simple game style, you could think of it as gaming for when you need a gaming detox. It's not something to play hardcore or much seriously, but more so to have some fun.

Pros:

• Fun to play
• Good music…
• Simple enough
• Great multiplayer mode

Cons:

• Repetitive
• Good only for a while
• Too expensive
• No checkpoints