Recent reviews by Deon

At its core, Crypt of the NecroDancer consists of one simple premise: move to the rhythm. The action unfolds according to the unholy beat of the Necrodancer - you must move with it, attack with it, dodge the enemy onslaught with it. The literal pulse of Cadence's heart drives a deadly crypt and the twisted monsters within.

But underneath it is something more. Dig deeper, and the player uncovers a surprisingly deep gameplay experience, especially for one still in Early Access. Each weapon type sports a unique attack pattern. A cavalcade of items and equipment provides benefits ranging from immediate health recovery to phasing through walls or limiting the number of enemies. Spells can give you an upper hand against the thralls, freezing them in place or blasting them to ashes with a fiery bolt. Shrines, hidden shops, secret enemies, multiple playable characters... they all contribute to an experience unlike most other rhythm games you've played.

Crypt of the NecroDancer falls into the "roguelike" genre and as such you'll see many of its usual trappings: procedural dungeons, high difficulty, an emphasis on discovery, bombs and consumables, etc. What sets this apart from other similar games, aside from the rhythm aspect, is that luck only plays a minimal factor in your success. Every level and every enemy is balanced in a way that completing a run from start to finish without ever upgrading from the starting dagger is entirely possible, and in fact has been done multiple times. If you're into other roguelike games there is a lot here for you to love and be familiar with. I, for one, never cared much for the genre. Games like Spelunky and The Binding of Isaac I've played a few times, but ultimately I grew tired of them. 120+ hours later, Crypt of the NecroDancer has me completely hooked.

One of its biggest strengths is its absolutely stellar soundtrack composed by the well-known Danny Baranowsky. It was a smart move to focus the gameplay around this music - it provides just the right atmosphere and you'll find yourself bobbing your head to the beat as you play without even noticing it. One of the other aspects that really drew me in was that the game feels completely fair. You don't need one specific item to get a good run, and you don't need lucky shops or good spawns to make it to the end. Skill and familiarity with the enemies can carry you 99% of the way. Learning enemy behaviors and discovering new items become fun exercises. If you die, you know exactly what mistake you made and learn to avoid that for the next run. You can play with a keyboard, a controller, or even a dance pad, and you can even add your own music into the levels! The game also has a welcoming community and great forums you can visit to seek advice or share your latest victory.

There's even still more to come! One more "zone" will be added to the game, there will be more boss fights, as well as the possibility for more items, equipment, mechanics, etc. Even in its "alpha" state Crypt of the NecroDancer is a deep and rewarding experience, and I personally can't wait to see more!