Soundfall Review (Xbox Series S)

Our Soundfall Review takes on this fast-paced music-based dungeon crawler that combines looter-shooter action with rhythm-based gameplay to create a world of music unlike any other. The closer you time your actions to the rhythm of the soundtrack, the more powerful you become

Soundfall Review Pros:

  • Decent graphics.
  • 2.9GB download size.
  • 1000 Gamerscore.
  • Rythm-based shooter gameplay.
  • Opening and ongoing tutorials.
  • Shoot in tune with the beat to do bonus damage and time dash jumps to the beat.
  • Plays like a twin-stick shooter.
  • Has a real Zelda Cadence Of Hyrule vibe to it, it’s definitely inspired by it.
  • Can skip or fast forward cutscenes.
  • In-game cutscenes.
  • Songs played in a level have a BPM score which dictates the difficulties of levels.
  • 2 – 4 local multiplayer.
  • Audio/latency sliders.
  • Can rebind controls.
  • World map level select.
  • Can replay levels.
  • Chain combos for extra score.
  • Breakable objects in the world.
  • End of a level breakdown showing the accuracy of hitting beats, score, and time taken.
  • Each level has four award tiers – Bronze, Silver, Gold, and Platinum.
  • Earn EXP after a song and level up
  • Different enemies appear depending on the BPM.
  • Has a speedrun feel.
  • Really strong soundtrack.
  • Collect gold coins from enemies and break objects.
  • The shop sells new weapons and gear.
  • Customize your own loadout, two weapons then gear and emotes.
  • Ten biomes in the game – Peaks, Jungle, Crypts, Desert, Depths, Cityscape, Volcano, Forest, Beach, and Skylands.
  • Loot can drop from enemies.
  • Can get addictive especially when you get in a groove with scoring and shooting.
  • Break down unwanted gear and weapons for gold.

Soundfall Review Cons:

  • Takes some getting used to the timing of it all.
  • The difficulty is all over the place.
  • One life then you fail and have to start again.
  • Sometimes it feels like a mobile game that grew up a bit.
  • Slow to unlock new gear and weapons.
  • You only keep earned EXP if you finish the level.

Related Post: Seven Pirates H Review (Nintendo Switch OLED)

Soundfall:

Official website.

Developer: Noodlecake Studios

Publisher: Noodlecake Studios

Store Links – 

Xbox

  • 8/10
    Graphics - 8/10
  • 9/10
    Sound - 9/10
  • 9/10
    Accessibility - 9/10
  • 8/10
    Length - 8/10
  • 9/10
    Fun Factor - 9/10
8.6/10

Summary

For me, it felt like the devs took a look at Zelda Cadence Of Hyrule and wanted to use those mechanics but in a more accessible way and in a different genre. Enter Soundfall and you have a game based on shooting and dashing in tune to the beat that is playing throughout the level. The timing is wrong and you will run out of ammo and have to reload, do less damage and break any combos. But if you time it right and rack up the combo, the game comes alive, you start nailing the beat mostly in part to the vibration of the pad being in line with the beat. It does take some getting used to and earning coins and exp is a slog, especially at the beginning but the game is very rewarding and can get quite addictive as you start getting loot drops and building your loadout. Soundfall is something different and that is something fun and innovative. I go through stages where I will pick the game up and lose hours to it, But then I could also pick it up and get frustrated and just give up. Either way, you cut it, Soundfall is genre-defining and well presented.

Jim Smale

Gaming since the Atari 2600, I enjoy the weirdness in games counting Densha De Go and RC De Go as my favourite titles of all time. I prefer gaming of old where buying games from a shop was a thing, Being social in person was a thing. Join me as I attempt to adapt to this new digital age!