BEAT SABER

Use the Force, Luke. Become one with the rhythm!

Riddle us this, dear reader: What do you get if you take lightsabers, VR, those Taiko No Tatsujin drum-based arcade machines, Para Para dancing with just a whisper of Voguing, chuck ’em inside the husk of Guitar Hero, zhoosh it all up together, and then serve with a liberal drizzle of neon? We’ll tell you what, it’s VR title Beat Saber, and it is looking especially appetising.

Armed with only a pair of sabres – one apparently from each side of the Force, but only the oldschool single-bladed sort – you find yourself in the middle of a dark void with just the neon glow of an onslaught of floating blocks for company. When facing off against this geometrical horde, you’ll need not only to time your slices to the beat of the music but also to be careful about how you slice through the barrage. Destroying a block takes more than just giving it a wallop. You’ll need to use both the right sabre colour and approach it from the right direction (helpfully, there are neon arrows on each one pointing out those things). On top of that, unbreakable wireframe walls assail you, and you’ll need to side step and duck away from these. If you miss cutting something, or cut something incorrectly, or get mashed by a wall, say goodbye to your winning note streak.

TUNNEL RHYTHM

Beat Saber’s bespoke levels and electro music are designed to encourage an emergent perception of rhythm in you and make your slices feel that much more satisfying – you find yourself almost dancing as you play, and if you get into the music you’ll be better able to anticipate what’s coming.

Development for the title got under way back in 2016 after Hyperbolic Magnetism realised how few VR rhythm games there were. Upon this realisation, the Czech Republic-based team set out to create something that would encourage players to get their groove on as they cut through blocks. With player accessibility and the longevity of their game in mind, you’ll have the option to play a quick session of only a few minutes or to settle in for a few hours of flashy block bashing in career mode.

Considering our prolonged exposure to PlayStation Move here at OPM Towers, our entire sense of rhythm has become exclusively localised in our arms, so this looks right up our rhythmic street!

“IF YOU GET MASHED BY A WALL, SAY GOODBYE TO YOUR WINNING STREAK.”

With a beat this good, it’s difficult to turn down the opportunity to look silly in a VR headset.

Above The concept is novel, and the sparse neon visuals also make Beat Saber stand out.