Just Shapes & Beats Reviews
Just Shapes & Beats shapes up to be a perfect party music game for the Switch. It may be short, and not the best solo experience, but it’s still a fun ride with plenty of replay value.
Just Shapes & Beats is highly recommendable if you have the means.
Just Shapes and Beats is gaming filtered into its purest form. While E3 may have treated us to immense cinematics, bigger worlds and even bigger promises, it’s great to be reminded that not every video game needs to be this. Sometimes it’s enough to just be able to sit down, pick up a controller and play.
Just Shapes & Beats isn't bursting with content, but the execution, level of polish and number of options here makes it well worth picking up.
Overall, it’s extremely hard for me not to smile while playing Just Shapes and Beats, even when some of the boss battles are absolutely kicking my butt. With some experience under your belt or simply some practice through remembering the major patterns in general all levels can be conquered, just some are definitely harder than others. An absolutely game-changing revelation I had while playing in Online mode, and would watch players who were obviously much more experience than I was, is that in many cases life can be easier simply staying still if you know the right spot in the right map. If done successfully this can mean simply hitting the button to dodge periodically rather than trying to move and keep track of everything going on around you. It takes some practice and discipline but there’s no arguing with the results they got. If you enjoy great music, a load of surprises, and just a bit of craziness Just Shapes and Beats is a unique and very worthwhile experience on Switch!
I can’t say Just Shapes and Beats is a bad game, just is a game that’s not really for me. I prefer my rhythm games to be a bit more tactile in nature. If the core gameplay looks compelling to you, there’s certainly a lot to get out of this game here. A pretty sizable soundtrack, even a co-op mode with both local and network support. There’s a total of 39 songs, though you’ll have to unlock a good amount of them. There’s a challenge mode that tasks you with clearing two songs and a boss, and you earn in-game currency based on your performance used to unlock more songs. The playlist mode is basically just a free play, no string attached mode. This is the Hardcore Edition of the game, which also adds a Hardcore difficulty to both the Challenge and Playlist modes. This mode makes each song quite a bit harder, and changes up the experience quite a bit for each song. If the normal difficulty gets a bit too mundane for you, this should spice things up a bit. I don’t think I could personally recommend this game, but if the idea of it sounds appealing to you, it might be worth the $20 asking price. The story only takes a few hours to get through, but if you enjoy the gameplay, there’s tons of replayability to be had.
Just Shapes & Beats is one of the most passive aggressive bullet hell shooters I’ve ever seen, and an interactive Fantasia (that’s more accessible and interesting than the actual one made by Harmonix). It’s a trippy, insane adrenaline rush where every move and beat is superbly choreographed. Although it came out back in May, now’s a good time as ever to revisit Just Shapes & Beats to establish it as one of 2018’s quiet sleeper darlings.
I never knew I wanted a bullet-less shoot-'em-up that was dripping with rhythm game style, but that's exactly what Just Shapes & Beats is. It's a thoroughly unique game with a myriad of options that can be played in a variety of ways. It's awesome.
Just Shapes & Beats is an inventive, creative, and memorable experience. It takes a simple concept and does so much with it, causing each level to feel wholly special, even if the lag issue can sometimes dampen the moment. The story mode is a joy to play, and the online mode offers hours of entertainment, as well. That said, the relatively small amount of content and grinding required to unlock extra songs may turn some people off, but if you can get past that, you will find a great time waiting.
Just Shapes & Beats is a great game to have at parties! While the game has taken a few years to be developed the team has really shown how much love they’ve put into Just Shapes & Beats.
Even though I didn’t get heavily invested in the challenge, I think just about anyone will enjoy Just Shapes & Beats. The story is a must-play that has some truly incredible moments, making for an easy recommendation to just about any type of player.
Just Shapes & Beats allows some simple ideas to blossom into an inventive, engaging challenge that proves a tiny cluster of well-proportioned pixels can contain more personality than the mightiest action hero.
Just Shapes & Beats' excellent soundtrack spawns intricate levels in a stylish aesthetic that is sure to challenge even the most dedicated players.
Just Shapes & Beats is a unique combination of rhythm and arcade games that's fun and accessible. There's a lot of visual and audio stimulation, but it works well and makes for a fun party game.
Whether you're a bullet hell aficionado who blasts through the main campaign in a few hours, or a fumbling novice preserving through each level by sheer luck, Just Shapes & Beats is the whole package.
Just Shapes & Beats is an enjoyable rhythmic bullet-hell experience, best played with others either online or locally, but still a great deal of fun alone. It's a different take on the genre and a refreshing experience that will have you up and moving with the beats. The developers have covered just about everything they could in the game, from a local and online multiplayer to a more straightforward easy/casual mode.
Switch owners looking for an entertaining indie game should pick up Just Shapes & Beats. Not only is it a fantastic game on the console, it's one of the best indie games of the year.
The sheer verve of Just Shapes and Beats is infectious. True to its name, the elements are simple, but Berzerk Studio explores and executes on its modest premise with an exceptional level of polish. It injects pure joy into the oppressive, pulsing panic of Super Hexagon and creates a celebratory explosion of the audio-visual in video games. Challenge mode and the hectic multiplayer will keep you occupied after you've conquered the refreshingly breezy story. Grab some decent headphones or, better still, some friends and hook your Switch up to the hi-fi. The neighbours will love you.
Just Shapes & Beats is an audio-visual masterpiece, and I give serious kudos to the talented artists and designers who blended their crafts in such a tight display. With a staggering variety of options for gameplay, fun party modes, and a thoroughly catchy tracklist, developer Berzerk has delivered a standout rhythm title.
Just Shapes and Beats is a simplistic, entertaining game to play alone or with friends, but is held back somewhat by performance issues and lack of level variety.