What parents need to know
Rift of the Necrodancer is a new rhythm game set in the same universe as Brace Yourself Games’ first game, Crypt of the Necrodancer (they also wrote the Zelda spin-off , Cadence of Hyrule).
In this new title, Cadence, the heroine of the original game, finds herself transported to a new world with a host of monsters that cross rifts to invade this parallel world. She also reunites with people from her own world, allies and enemies alike, with whom she will have to work if she wishes to save this new world and return home.
Three types of levels are available to the player. The most common levels are rhythmic rifts. Imagine a Guitar Hero-like staff with colorful notes coming down, but instead of notes, they’re monsters from the Necrodancer universe. The challenge is all the more intense because the monsters have their own behavior; Valkyries skip a square to the finish, blue slimes have to be hit twice, golden skeletons back up and come back to attack later, and so on. Not only do you have to keep up with the pace, but you also have to memorize the attack patterns of the different opponents.
The second type of level is that of mini-games. Inspired by the Rhythm Heaven series, the mini-games force us to imitate the rhythm of other characters in a series of wacky mini-games; You will have to pose for yoga or complete burger orders.
Finally, the boss fights are similar to the Punch-Out boxing series!, but this time, we are told exactly which button to press. No matter the type of level, your sense of rhythm and reflexes will be put to the test.
In addition to the story mode, which features a storyline interspersed with short dialogues, players can also freely play the various rhythm rifts or, on PC, download player-created pieces.
Details
Level of experience required
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Evaluation
The graphics are colorful and vibrant and the monsters are funny, cute and not at all scary.
Nothing to report.
The voices are only in English, which forces us to read to understand the story, but the script is completely optional.
Cadence tries to save the world by making people happy, she helps her friends, and she even learns to collaborate with her nemesis (with some level of resistance, though).
The difficulty is adjustable, fortunately, but the title requires a lot of skill from the controller and you also have to remember the sometimes complex attack patterns of the enemies.
The price seems very reasonable to us, especially since the remix mode allows us to play the same levels again with an almost infinite variety. There are no expensive microtransactions, and the DLC (the album) is purely optional.
Local game modes
Players can play the story mode, try the rhythmic rifts at their leisure, try the daily challenges or bonus challenges (for example, a room where you don’t see the type of enemy that is advancing towards you). You can also download player-developed parts on PC.
Online Game Modes
We can download songs on PC and compare our score with our friends.
Expansions/Add-ons (DLC)
It is possible to buy the album separately.
Our opinion
By varying the playing styles, Brace Yourself Games offer here a game that will appeal to a wide range of rhythm game lovers. On the other hand, we also feel that Rift of the Necrodancer is primarily aimed at fans of the genre.
If we are offered difficulty levels in order to adapt the challenge to more or less experienced players, the fact remains that the fact that the enemies all have their own movement pattern forces us to learn and tame this game. We probably won’t win on our first try, no matter how experienced we are.
That being said, Rift of the Necrodancer knows how to reward players who invest themselves and learn to master its particularities. The graphics and mechanics give us a game somewhere between a traditional Guitar Hero and an action game, an exhilarating and unique mix (even if it’s not as unique as the completely new proposal of Crypt of the Necrodancer).
The mini-games and boss fights also appealed to us and they allow us to add variety and avoid the feeling of repetition that often accompanies rhythm games.
We enjoyed this new foray into the world of the Necrodancer, and we hope that this is not our last adventure with Cadence and his gang (yes, even the villain Necrodancer!)
