There have been many music-based games in recent years. I remember buying Audiosurf in 2008 and thought that it was so unique getting a game that plays on highway-like track according to the song you play. Many rhythm-based games have been distributed over the years and Crypt of the Necrodancer is one of them. This game is different because it looks like it is set in a randomly generated dungeon with a roguelike character strictly moving to the beat of the music.
You start the game as Cadence, a female character you control to collect gear, coins, and spells while a variety of monsters try to stop you. It has a very steep learning curve and it takes a while to get used to moving correctly to the beat despite the fact that the monsters have very predictable moves as they try to reach and attack you. If you move to the beat correctly, you will build up a coin multiplier while the maze turns into a disco like settings since it looks like a brightened dance floor. If you miss a beat, the coin multiplier will be lost and you will have to build it back up again. Each zone is divided into a few levels and the final level will be a boss level. Defeat the boss at the end of the zone and you will unlock a new character. There are many characters to unlock and each has such different moves that if feels like you have to unlearn the moves you used with the previous character. There is a character named Eli who can drop an infinite number of bombs and kick them to defeat nearby enemies. This means that you will have to get accustomed to the different attacks that Eli features that Cadence does not feature. Cadence moves to the beat and kills with conventional weapons like swords and whips. Another character, Bard, doesn’t have to move according to the beat whereas another character like Dove cannot kill enemies, but can exit the levels without facing mini-bosses.
Besides the diverse characters in terms of number and abilities, the levels include a challenge in which you can rescue NPCs trapped in a cage that require exploration to find the proper key to liberate them. These NPCs will then become available in the lobby so that they can sell gear, spells, and other goodies that will be useful in each zone and its associated levels.
The number of diverse characters, the complexity of the movements can provide plenty of replay value. Also, you can play your own mp3s to see how challenging each level in a zone can be. When playing a song from the game’s soundtrack, it is funny to see the shopkeeper sing along to the music. The music that comes with the game is varied and entertaining. The game includes daily challenges and workshop mods to add up to infinite replay value.
I think Crypt of the Necrodancer is a game that was well thought out by the developers, combining coolness, diversity, and difficulty. I think people can enjoy the challenges and the diversity of the characters and dungeons/mazes that this game offers. It is unique to combine the traditional roguelike characteristics of the game with rhythm. Just be prepared to put a lot of practice into the game that requires fast thinking since one mistake can easily force you to start over. Beating a level will always feel very rewarding due to the need for precise hand-eye coordination.
My Score: 8/10