Crypt of the NecroDancer review (PC): Turning the dungeon crawler on its head

Release Date: April 23 (worldwide)
Platforms Available On: PC
Developer: Brace Yourself Games
Publisher: Brace Yourself Games
Genre: Rhythm-action roguelike

Dungeon crawlers are generally backed by a soaring orchestral score - something suitably epic to overlay the hacking, slashing, looting and wizard...ing. I usually find the genre relaxing.

Crypt of the NecroDancer turns this on its head by tasking you with timing your movements to Super Meat Boy composer Danny Baranowsky's brilliant up-tempo soundtrack, jumping in and out of conflict and attacking with rhythm.

What I'm trying to say is: Crypt of the NecroDancer is basically PaRappa the Scrapper.

Yes, Crypt of the NecroDancer is a rhythm-action roguelike, which is genius. The game, played from a top-down perspective, consists of four zones, each with a specific theme and musical styling. There are three procedurally-generated dungeons and a boss in each, with death sending you right back to the start each time.

Using the arrow keys to move to the beat of the funky gothic techno overlaying the first dungeon, you can't help but feel entranced by the style emanating from the game.

Crypt of the NecroDancer turns the dungeon crawler on its head by tasking you with timing your movements to Super Meat Boy composer Danny Baranowsky's brilliant up-tempo soundtrack

A pulsating heart in the centre of the screen provides a cue for the correct timing, enemies move on the beat and, when you're hitting your groove, disco tiles overlay the grid that play takes place on. It's almost turn-based, except you and the enemies move simultaneously and there's a penalty for missing the window.

Inaction or bad timing leads to you losing your coin multiplier, which is important if you want the best items from the shop in each dungeon.

The right equipment can mean the difference between success or failure and, with equipment having to be collected afresh on each run, the multiplier mechanic provides a risk vs reward layer to the strategy. You can't stop dancing, so you quite literally have to think on your feet.

Learning the behaviours of the unique enemies is crucial to success, so you should get to know your dance partner. It starts simply enough, with different coloured gelatinous blobs with slightly variant movement patterns.

Later there are armadillos that roll when they see you, dragons that breathe fire multiple spaces ahead, shielded skeletons to flank and many more. All require different tactics - and even tactics change depending on what weapon is equipped.

You start each run with a dagger that can only attack the grid next to you, so you move into a tile next to the enemy - avoiding their path so you don't lose health - and press the arrow key towards them to strike. Again, strikes must be performed to the beat.

The spear attacks two spaces in front, the whip can attack diagonally and the broadsword can sweep multiple spaces. There are also various spells, projectiles and the option to bypass some enemies by digging through the walls of the dungeon with a shovel.

There's so much to consider that it feels overwhelming at times. It feels amazing, however, when everything clicks and you enter a zen-like level of calm, you're tapping your keyboard's arrow keys in time with the music and your avatar is hopping between enemies slicing them with unmatched grace. People call combat games 'balletic' all the time, but this really is.

It's that style again - it makes it hard to dislike the game no matter how much it kicks your ass. Even its name, Crypt of the NecroDancer, makes me like it more.

Beyond the name and concept, this inventiveness seeps into the game too, with hidden depth and stylistic flourishes aplenty. One of the coolest little touches is how you can find the shops by listening for the shop's owner who channels Pavarotti and layers over bits of the soundtrack with operatic vocals.

It was in one of my visits to the shop - which I definitely didn't just visit to listen to the owner's singing - where I discovered one of the game's many secrets. Some of the dungeon walls that weren't receptive to my shovel had received a bomb for their troubles.

I wondered if this would work on the solid gold walls of the shop – it does, and it turns the walls into coins. There are lots of little things like this that aren't immediately obvious.

Another tactic I developed was using crates and barrels as shields. There are various objects scattered around the dungeons and hitting them sees them move a space away from you. If you use a long weapon like a spear, you can safely poke at enemies from behind your improvised cover point.

Another time I accidentally activated a shrine of darkness, causing the screen to dim so I could only see a few tiles in front of me. I stumbled upon a shop and scooped up the items from under the owner's nose for free.

It's a game about knowledge. It can feel unfair at first, but the reason you die is usually because you lacked knowledge. It's all about learning the dangers and how they function.

To help with this, the game offers a bestiary in the main lobby – a hub where you can unlock upgrades and new items to appear in chests – where you can hone your skills against any enemy you've encountered. The best players will likely spend lots of time here.

Crypt of the NecroDancer is a game for people who like good music, cool ideas and being repeatedly punched in the face and told you're rubbish.

That's not to say it's always fair. At one point I was teleported to a small room with three items. As soon as I picked one up, the room was filled with enemies that killed me before I could react.

In a game about fairness, things like this are a glaring inconsistency. Most of my deaths, though, came from the fact I'm just not very good at Crypt of the NecroDancer. I finished Bloodborne recently and that was easy by comparison.

There are plenty of options to ease players into the game, though. There's a mode that dials back on the difficulty, and there's also a character called The Bard who's unlocked from the start.

In Bard Mode, enemies only move when you do, taking away the pressure. It's nice to have options, but without the rhythm, it loses some of its soul. There are other characters, too, and each has different abilities and many make the game even harder.

Crypt of the NecroDancer is a game for people who like good music, cool ideas and being repeatedly punched in the face and told you're rubbish.

If you've ever fancied taking on the toughest challenges a game like Dark Souls has to offer, Crypt of the NecroDancer is probably what you're looking for. But now imagine completing it with a dance mat.