Since it’s debut nearly a decade ago, Beat Saber has become synonymous with VR. It was arguably the first game to launch the Meta Quest (then known as the Oculus Quest) into the mainstream conversation, and since has been ported to many different VR formats. Of course, with that kind of success there was bound to be imitators. Beat Bat is the latest on the scene, and in 131XR’s review we discover just how close it comes to the crown.
Beat Bats Beats Beat Saber?
Say that heading really fast ten times.
Beat Bat is undeniably a Beat Saber clone. No excuses are made for this. On the official Meta Horizon page for the game, the developer openly states: “I released this game for free because I want many more people to enjoy VR rhythm games, just like I do.”
That’s it really. That’s all there is to it. Beat Bat wants to be Beat Saber, but is offered for free. However, Beat Saber has had millions of dollars spent on its development. It was originally a simple idea that found fame on social media, then got acquired by Meta. Subsequently, Meta invested heavily in the product. Beat Bat however, has been created by a single developer. As such, you should expect the game to fall down on a direct comparison.
Beat Bats Review
Falling down is what Beat Bat does when you get into the game, in one specific area. According to 131XR’s Beat Bat review (embedded below), the game is very well presented. The customisation features are varied and entirely welcome. The tracklist is simply huge (more on this later), and the scoring system is well implemented. However, the feedback when hitting notes is very clearly missing the mark.
Beat Saber has a very clear feedback loop when correctly hitting its floating blocks. They simply break in half. Immediate and satisfying. Beat Bat however, tries to replicate this by having the blocks turn from coloured to grey and bounce to the floor. This isn’t bad in principle, but in play it’s far from perfect. Not every correctly hit block will become visible in your field of view. There’s also no fail state for each run, and the sound effects offered for poorly timed swings are simply not effective enough. If there’s one area Beat Bat really needs to work on, it’s this feedback loop.
Custom Tracks
One area where Beat Bat excels however, is in the custom track feature. Players can design their own track maps and upload them for the community to enjoy, with each player able to rate their quality. AI generated tracks can also be uploaded. This has resulted in thousands of tracks already being available, despite the fact that the game has only been released a few weeks ago. As stated in 131XR’s Beat Bat review above, you can find even smaller, lesser known bands in the library already available.
Custom track uploading has existed in the PC version of Beat Saber for years. However, despite an intention to do so, the feature never made its way to Meta Quest (or other platforms). As such, Beat Bat definitely has the advantage here. And it’s free.
Best Rhythm-Action VR Games
The rhythm-action genre remains very popular in modern videogames, and VR is no exception. There’s a wealth of titles bringing the genre to life in the immersive medium. As such, if you’re a fan you’re going to want to know what the best VR dance and rhythm games are. You’re welcome.
Are you a fan of rhythm-action games in VR? Will you be jumping into Beat Bat to give it a go? Let us know in the comments below!
