Dead As Disco Early Access Review – Fight To The Beat

Bridge, chorus, tempo, and more are all elements that come together to create the structure of a song. I personally enjoy discovering music that experiments with new and unconventional ideas. My favorite songs are by bands and artists who like to do something different from the norm or from what’s popular on the radio. Like an experimental band, Brain Jar Games releases Dead as Disco, a project where soundtrack, gameplay, and level design come together to create one of the most unique and stylish video games of the year.

In Dead as Disco, you play as Charlie Disco, a drummer who comes back from the dead to get revenge on his ex-band members. You will have to battle and defeat each member, then drag them to a bar where Charlie seeks to reunite the band and discover the truth behind his death. Every level is linked to one of these bosses/band members, and you will have to fight grunts through different areas until you reach the boss battle. As of now, in Early Access, Dead as Disco has four bosses/main levels.

According to the main menu, it seems like two more bosses will be added later. I hope for more than that, and that even additional main levels will be added, since I completed the current four in about two hours. However, the levels will take you through a variety of stages with their own enemy types, and at the end, the boss awaits with its unique fighting style. Each boss has its own attack patterns that are intertwined with both the music, level design, and what most shines in Dead as Disco, the gameplay.

Dead as Disco brings a fresh new style to the beat ’em up genre. However, it’s impossible not to think of other games in the genre while playing; most notably, for me, the Like a Dragon series. I noticed some similarities in the mix of combos and special abilities. So, if you enjoy Yakuza or similar games, you’ll likely have a fun time with Dead as Disco. While those other games each have their own combat pace, Dead as Disco’s combat is tied directly to the music and its beats.

The combat pacing in Dead as Disco is determined by the tempo of the song playing in the background. The higher the tempo, the faster Charlie Disco punches and performs his combos. What makes this even better is how it also translates to the objects and environment in each level. For example, in one level, you’ll have to watch out for cars, trains, or enemy projectiles that move in rhythm with the music, allowing you to time your evades or parries. This also applies to the boss fights, where the boss’ attacks can damage other enemies, or you can use the environment to eliminate them, such as by throwing them off high places. After defeating each boss, you receive new abilities that can be unlocked in the skill tree.

If the levels feel a bit short, worry not, because you can enjoy the gameplay endlessly in Infinite Disco mode. This mode features challenges that reward points, which you can use to buy cosmetics or unlock abilities in the skill tree. You can also select Free Play and choose any song to fight waves of enemies until the track ends. Or you can upload your own songs and fight to your favorite beats. I personally tested it with tracks from some of my favorite bands, and you can adjust various settings, such as the tempo, to keep Charlie in sync with the music.

What makes Dead as Disco stand out in the beat ’em up genre is how its gameplay flow applies to every element of the experience. The way the gameplay merges with the level design is highly engaging, and its transitions into the beautifully animated cutscenes help you connect with the story immediately. Future updates will introduce new levels, songs, and enemies, further adding variety to that gameplay loop. As a result, it’s easy for me to recommend Dead as Disco in Early Access, especially at its $24.99 price point, and a 20% launch discount ($19.99) for the first two weeks. However, if you’re still undecided, the demo version will remain available and should help you make your decision.

Walter reviewed Dead as Disco on PC with a provided review code. This review is based on the version of the game available at the time of writing, and it will not be changed.