Just like any other rhythm game, Beat, Heart, Beat tests our musical abilities. In addition to that, it expects us to fight enemies, avoid obstacles, and perform some pretty demanding platforming while keeping time with the music. The Wacy have managed to come up with a colourful game that combines rhythmic combat with fast-paced action, and getting the timing right is absolutely essential. It also helps that the game has one of the best soundtracks we’ve heard in a while.
Fighting to the Rhythm
We control Peccori, a peculiar puppet who must make her way through increasingly complicated levels by jumping over obstacles and attacking enemies in time with the music. The controls are easy to learn and boil down to attacks performed in three directions: forward, upward, and downward. Enemies are positioned along our path, and striking them at the right moment allows us to maintain momentum and continue moving through the level. Think of it as a traditional rhythm game where the musical notes have been replaced by enemies that need a good beating.
We enjoyed the combat system quite a bit, particularly how the developers have connected attacking and movement. Striking an enemy above us can send Peccori into the air, while subsequent attacks keep us airborne long enough to cross gaps and avoid obstacles. Some enemies require multiple hits, and the more complicated sequences are all about quick reactions and careful positioning. It sounds manageable, and it is, but it certainly isn’t easy, at least for us. Following the music while keeping track of enemy positions and attack directions requires considerable concentration. We appreciate the challenge, although we’d be lying if we said the difficulty never made us want to pull our hair out in frustration. Some sequences demand near-perfect precision, and we’ve lost count of how many times we missed an attack during an airborne combination. Whenever that mistake ruined an otherwise promising attempt, we could almost hear our inner child sighing heavily. To comfort the poor thing, we gave it a treat. The treat was lowering the difficulty.
A Strange World with Great Music
The story takes place in the Psyche, a surreal world that has begun falling apart following the disappearance of the Heart. A mysterious force called Amalgamation is corrupting everything, and Peccori must travel through this bizarre environment, meeting equally unusual characters along the way. If you’re into absurd humour and strange imagery, then you’ll find plenty of both here. The devs have made an intoxicating cocktail of hand-drawn animation, 3D environments, live-action footage, and collage-style artwork. The end result is a colourful visual spectacle that often left us wondering what on earth we were looking at. We mean that as a compliment, of course, as absurd art rarely impresses us this much.
The soundtrack moves away from the electronic music we usually associate with rhythm games, offering a healthy dose of alternative rock, grunge, and Midwest emo. We thoroughly enjoyed the compositions, and as is usually the case with rhythm games, it’s quite fun to see how enemy arrangements and attack patterns follow the music. The soundtrack and the strange visuals complement each other wonderfully, and we genuinely can’t imagine experiencing this bizarre adventure without either of them.
Beat, Heart, Beat doesn’t look like anything else we’ve played. It’s a wonderfully unusual game, and even in Early Access, there’s plenty of charm, enjoyable combat, and a fantastic soundtrack to appreciate. We’re terrible at rhythm games, and we were terrible here too, but that didn’t stop us from having a great time. Sure, Peccori probably deserved someone with a better sense of rhythm controlling her, but we did our best! We’re already looking forward to seeing how the game develops further.
- Game: Beat, Heart, Beat (Early Access)
- Developer: The Wacy
- Publisher: The Wacy
- Platforms: PC (Windows, macOS)
- Release Date: October 9, 2026 (Early Access)
- Genre: Rhythm-based action platformer
- Modes: Single-player, Story Mode, Free Play, Level Editor
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