Beat Saber Review: A VR Rhythm Revolution
Swinging into action with Beat Saber, the VR game that asks if you're ready to slice, dice, and swing to the beat.
VR Only
last updated Nov 30, 2023
Whether you're seeking a fun way to get your heart racing or yearn to satiate your inner Jedi, Beat Saber slices through the competition with finesse.
A Symphony of Swings
Beat Saber takes the simplicity of slicing flying blocks to the beat and turns it into a full-body workout that's disguised as a game. Players are endowed with two lightsabers, each matching the neon-pulse of the virtual world. The intuitive gameplay rhythmically guides you, as blocks marked with specific slash directions soar towards you. If you're not sweating and swinging like a VR ninja within minutes, you're doing it wrong. Beat Saber brilliantly scales from 'I just want to dance' to 'I'm training for the cyber Olympics', offering a challenge for all skill levels. However, soaring to the highs of leaderboard supremacy does hinge on a willingness to mod and explore community creations—a step that amplifies the title's long-term appeal.
Orchestral Maneuvers in VR
The audio landscape of Beat Saber is where the magic is made. Submerging into a track is transcendent; the thunk of the saber connecting, the crisp slice of a perfect cut—the sounds are as satisfying as popping bubble wrap. Tunes span a variety of genres, ensuring you'll break a sweat to your favorite beat. While the stock library has its hits, it's the modding scene that elevates the auditory experience, opening the gates to an endless sea of tuneful sabering. Whether you're chasing adrenaline highs with fast beats or calmly slicing through a chill-out session, the game's optimized audio feedback keeps you locked into the rhythm. Just mind the neighbors—they might not be thrilled about your 2 AM block-busting serenades.
A Digital Canvas of Light
Sporting a futuristic aesthetic that feels like Tron had a lovechild with a rave, Beat Saber's visual presentation is sleek and a treat for the eyes. Blocks are color-coded and graphics are clear, ensuring that as the pace picks up, you're not blindsided by a poorly lit blob of confusion. Performance is equally smooth, with a responsiveness that maintains immersion even when you're flailing like a malfunctioning android. On higher-end VR setups, Beat Saber transforms into a neon-draped spectacle, while even on lower-tier systems, it manages a clean, stutter-free experience. It's satisfyingly easy on the eyes unless of course, you’re the type to inadvertently reenact a domestic Godzilla scene in your living room.
Expanding the Beat
Diving into the mod world is where Beat Saber reveals its full potential. The community is the lifeblood of its replayability, with home-brewed maps and song packs adding spice to the base game's vanilla offerings. Updates and new DLC keep the official content fresh, but it's the fanmade beats that have players coming back for their daily saber fix. Yet, it’s noteworthy that each official update tends to send modders into a frenzy, as they scramble to ensure compatibility and the community groans in temporary frustration. Still, the sheer volume and variety of content available through mods mean that Beat Saber grows with the player, always providing something new to master.
A Dance of Blades and Bugs
Beat Saber isn't entirely immune to hiccups, with the occasional tracking issue or glitch making a guest appearance. Some players report extensive requirements to re-mod the game after updates, which is a chore akin to restringing a guitar with spaghetti. Performance-wise, there's chatter about sub-optimal experiences on the Oculus Quest, but overall, these are minor notes in a symphony of praise. For the vast majority, Beat Saber is a VR juggernaut that keeps the tempo going strong without so much as a missed beat.
STEAM RATING
Developer & Publisher
Beat Games
Release Date
May 21, 2019
The Verdict
Beat Saber stands atop the VR game tower with the poise of a Zen master. It's the go-to VR experience that keeps on giving – especially if you're willing to dive into its modding scene. Sure, the base game's content might have some players feeling the pinch in their wallets, and updates may occasionally send the mod community spiraling, but these are mere drops in an ocean of rhythmic bliss. Whether you're seeking a fun way to get your heart racing or yearn to satiate your inner Jedi, Beat Saber slices through the competition with finesse.
