Rocksteady’s Batman: Arkham games set a new standard for beat-’em-ups, mixing tight combat with a rhythmic flow that made you feel unstoppable once you got into it. Dead as Disco feels like a spiritual successor, focusing on that same rhythm-driven action. It adds its own twist with dance-floor brawls and a playlist of moves you can use on anyone who dares to step up.
Out now in early access, Dead as Disco wastes no time in laying the groundwork for why you’re reducing the local hoodlum scene to single-digit numbers. You’re the rock star Charlie Disco, out for revenge after your former bandmates left you for dead, and hellbent on exacting some stylish retribution while you dodge and weave to the beat of your own personal mixtape. It’s a plot that’s more barebones than the lyrics to a Black Eyed Peas song, and it absolutely rocks because it doesn’t detract from the stylish and substantive action of Dead as Disco.
It’s that sense of choreographed action that makes the game stand out, as you chase high scores and betrayers with fists of fury and a song in your heart. Dead as Disco is all about the Rule of Cool, and in the handful of levels currently available, that law is an ironclad application of melodic melee attacks as you match blows to the beat of the music. Nail the rhythm with fists, counters, and takedowns, and you’ll rack up points as you dynamically bloody your knuckles for a showdown with a boss.
Continue Reading at GameSpot
