BPM: Bullets Per Minute Reviews

BPM: Bullets Per Minute is ranked in the 60th percentile of games scored on OpenCritic.
8 / 10.0
Oct 5, 2021

Needless to say, if first-person shooters, roguelikes or rhythm games are your thing, you might want to check BPM: Bullets Per Minute out. Especially if you also like heavy metal music. And if you like all of those things, well, BPM: Bullets Per Minute might well just be your dream game. With addictive gameplay, bucket-loads of content and numerous settings to make it a little more forgiving if you need it to be, this is one of the most unique and rewarding games available right now.

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7 / 10
Oct 5, 2021

Despite its shortcomings, we were always drawn to come back for 'one more run'. It nails the roguelite gameplay hook and has a unique gameplay mechanic to support it all. While it at times feels as though the game's fighting against you when everything comes together, there's nothing quite like it. Clearing a room of monsters in time to the guitar shredding soundtrack never gets old and the constant progression of unlocking new characters and skills is an incentive to keep trying. It's not a home run, but those who buy into BPM: Bullet Per Minute's charm will certainly have a good time.

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8 / 10.0
Oct 5, 2021

BPM is an amazing concept, realised wonderfully. It's not the easiest of recommendations due to the game's brutal difficulty level and heavy metal skew, but if you're on board with those things, willing to learn something new (and get your ass handed to you repeatedly in the process), and prepared to overcome the whims of some random elements to bring down Nidhogg, you're in for one hell of a time. Honestly, well executed passages are next-level satisfying, from triple-tap kill combos to the beat to the simple act of reloading some of the fiddlier weapons. Completions beware, though — the list is a bit silly.

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Oct 5, 2021

The difficulty without much progression and lack of any kind of guidance can make BPM feel a bit unwelcoming, which is a shame when its mechanics feel so great to learn. It's worth diving into for the core premise alone, but don't expect to have anyone hold your hand through hell.

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7.7 / 10.0
Oct 5, 2021

BPM: Bullets for Minute responds to that nostalgia that all lovers of rhythmic games have had for a long time, placing themselves - with an exuberant, but thoughtful combination of solutions - halfway between a first-person shooter and a roguelike. The real stylistic signature of the work naturally lies in the ubiquitous soundtrack and in the cunning way in which the Awe Interactive team has managed to combine its rhythmic progression with the assets of combat, revealing a multifaceted title but with a strong playful identity.

Review in Italian | Read full review

8 / 10.0
Oct 5, 2021

BPM: Bullets Per Minute demands its pound of flesh in terms of initial difficulty, and many will find this off-putting. But persist and you'll be rewarded with a unique roguelike rhythm-based FPS with a metal soundtrack that slaps harder than the hand of God.

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3.3 / 5.0
Oct 6, 2021

Simply put, BPM: Bullets Per Minute does a good job of being more than the sum of its parts, though not enough where it transcends things. It's absolutely a game that will either hook you or break your controller before giving up. I'd suggest trying it out or possibly study a video, as it's fun but also an investment.

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8 / 10.0
Oct 7, 2021

BPM: Bullets Per Minute is a fast-paced and intense shooter stripped down to only the very basics, all of which is meant to focus you in on the core mechanic of staying on beat. Fortunately, it works beautifully well and creates a fun and addicting gameplay experience that stands above some minor flaws.

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7 / 10.0
Oct 10, 2021

BPM: Bullets Per Minute is practically one of those “love it or leave it” games. Its peculiarities include: charming visuals; good, but demanding gameplay; original mechanics, but needing tweaking and polishing. If the player is agile and skillful enough, and has some luck during runs, then this will be an amazing title. Otherwise, its poorly optimized elements will make the experience punishing and uninteresting.

Review in Portuguese | Read full review

8.5 / 10.0
Oct 28, 2021

BPM: Bullets Per Minute is one of the most exhilarating shooter experiences I’ve had recently, thanks to fast gameplay, varied gunfights, and a high skill ceiling to aim for via the many runs the players will inevitably go through.

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9 / 10.0
Nov 17, 2021

If you like insane difficulty, oddness, and prog rock, this game is for you.

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9 / 10.0
Nov 25, 2021

Norse mythology inspired BPM makes you unable of putting down the controller. Hard rock soundtrack defines the game and roguelike genre gives it the satisfying punch. Fun as Hell(heim)!

Review in Slovak | Read full review

Ben Sellwood
Top Critic
7.2 / 10.0
Feb 24, 2022

I want to like this game more, but I simply didn't enjoy it because of my own lack of rhythm and timing. There is something special here, something that should definitely be given a chance, but it's up to you to unfurl the fun within its core pillars of gameplay.

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6 / 10
Sep 8, 2022

We really like BPM; it’s a great game, but perhaps it’s one best experienced on another platform — especially if you play in docked mode.

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Recommended
Sep 9, 2022

Bullets Per Minutes is an absolute badass roguelike game with rhythmic shooting and traversal. The Nintendo Switch version did take a big hit in the graphics, but it still has its absolutely amazing fluidity and shooting style. The difficulty arc may make you call it the Aim Labs of the Nintendo Switch, but that is how the game was built to be. Only if you are up to the challenge, give this game a shot! To the beat!

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6.5 / 10.0
Sep 14, 2022

A cool idea gets bogged down by a lack of visual clarity, an unfortunately casualty specific to the Switch

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Sep 22, 2022

A good idea sadly not executed in the best way.

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7 / 10.0
Sep 27, 2022

It’s seriously not as if BPM is a bad game. Since its release, so many other games have come out doing roughly the same thing, but building upon it. It runs well on Switch, but definitely is hindered by the limitations of the system, especially in handheld mode. That definitely doesn’t mean don’t play it, because it is easy to pick up and play for one or two runs, and pick up to play on a daily basis. It’s the perfect style game for the Switch, it just needs a little bit of tweaking in order to be fully enjoyed.

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