Bpm Bullets Per Minute Review Rhythm Of The Roguelike

It’s the ride of the Valkyries in Awe Interactive’s rock n’ roll roguelike BPM: Bullets Per Minute. This vibrant FPS blends together fast-paced shooting with intriguing rotating mechanics that freshens up the gameplay. Among the many roguelikes I’ve seen and played, BPM: Bullets Per Minute is one I would recommend in a heartbeat for those seeking a challenge. Without further adieu, here’s my review for BPM: Bullets Per Minute!

BPM: Bullets Per Minute is available on PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC. This review was completed through Xbox Series X gameplay via backwards compatibility. BPM: Bullets Per Minute was developed by Awe Interactive and published by Playtonic Friends.

Ride of the Valkyries in Bullets Per Minute

In BPM: Bullets Per Minute, the player assumes the role of one of ten Valkyries who must battle through various enemies across different realms. The game doesn’t focus much on the narrative in favor of catering to the roguelike mechanics. Each level and dungeon run is procedurally generated, meaning that anything can change in a new run. This includes the level’s layout, number of enemies, type of rooms, range of rewards, boss conditions, and so on. No run is ever the same, you get the idea.

The Valkyrie that you play as won’t necessarily have a narrative to follow along with. With an eventual selection of ten unique Valkyries to choose from, the real story is how you approach the game. Each Valkyrie will possess its own sets of strengths and weaknesses, which only adds to the procedurally generated goodness that you’ll involve yourself with. Some might have more armor, some will carry more health, etc. It’s just a matter of which hero or heroine you’re more comfortable with when it comes to fighting the creatures of Norse Mythology.

What sets this game apart from its competitors is the eccentric atmosphere that it presents. In a nutshell, BPM can be seen as a Norse tale on psychedelics. Everything is energetic to the beat of the heavy metal music that is always on. Looking something like straight out of a Jack Kirby comic book, the graphics are dipped in a neon glow that makes everything so lively and intense. And it’s basically essential when it comes to the continuous action that asks for your absolute attention.

Count Your Blessings

When enemies surround you, you’re always going to be on your toes. The key here is to flow with the beat of the music to annihilate your foes, but the music is also crucial to follow along with, for your shots won’t calculate and execute if you’re off-beat. You need to have rhythm in your soul if you are to step toe-to-toe with your foes. In truth, being off-key can lead to certain doom. Whenever I missed a beat, a wave of anger traveled through me the more my enemies gunned me down. It’s equal parts angering and addicting, as I found myself restarting more runs than shutting off my console. The eagerness to take down that final boss trumped any sort of anger, and I kept pushing forward.

It’s also important to note that there’s this personal loop of determination when it comes to completing dungeon runs. The more I died, the more I was motivated to restart and cause a ruckus in Asgard. Thankfully, there are a few rooms where you are able to purchase and upgrade items and abilities with the coins and keys you collect throughout the levels. These would be great blessings to look forward to, and they helped in spicing up the gameplay along with the procedurally generated chaos.

Shooting to the Beat in BPM: Bullets Per Minute

As aforementioned, BPM looks like a Norse tale on psychedelics; the game’s full presentation is absolutely vivid. But that can be for good or ill. For good, it’s all just awesome to look at, and the environment vibrates to the beat of the music. There’s not a single moment where the vibe feels dull. All that’s present is this gorgeous energy that pulsates through your veins when you’re reloading and jumping through the air with the heavy metal blasting in the background. In other words, the graphics and audio are one; two supreme elements melded into a fun gaming experience where I looked forward to playing more and more. It reminds me of the early days of DOOM and Quake but with a more acidic touch. It’s heavy as hell, and I love it.

But for ill, I can see that this game could be visually damaging for some players. The light patterns are frequently vibrating with multiple visual layers that make everything seem like a light show at an electronic music festival. This isn’t good for individuals who struggle with epileptic issues, and the lack of accessibility features doesn’t do this any favors. We know it’s a fact that video games potentially cause problems for a very small percentage of people, but this game seems like a no-brainer to include better options. Even I think the graphics are a little too bright, but that’s just my personal preference. The problem here is the lack of helpful options that can potentially aid some players in their experience of playing the game. It doesn’t affect me, but it doesn’t mean the game is better for lacking it.

In Conclusion…

BPM: Bullets Per Minute is an awesome FPS roguelike that demands hardcore gameplay and complete attention from the player. Everything can change in a new dungeon run, but the determination to kill the villainous bosses continues to grow the more you die. Don’t expect forgiving action, either, especially on the easy difficulty. You need to be on your toes, and with some rhythm. It’s a grand ole time when you’re always shooting, reloading, and jumping to the beat of the heavy metal music. And quite frankly, I don’t want it to end, no matter how hard the dungeons may be. If only there were more options to toy with, this would be a spectacular roguelike to make note of. But regardless, BPM: Bullets Per Minute is a staggering game experience that many roguelike enthusiasts should check out.