Rift of the NecroDancer

Genre: Music-Rhythm

Players: 1

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Review:

Rift of the NecroDancer is a Music-Rhythm game released in 2025 on PC and Nintendo Switch. A spin-off of Crypt of the NecroDancer, Rift ditches the Roguelike elements of the original game in favor of gameplay more in line with traditional Music-Rhythm games, complete with a Guitar Hero-esque three-column lane system. However, where Guitar Hero and games of its ilk have circles or lines signifying beats to hit, Rift of the NecroDancer has enemies to attack, each with their own unique patterns.

While Crypt of the NecroDancer used 2D pixel art visuals, Rift uses a smoother 2D look, with striking, colorful digital art visuals that bounce in time with the music. It’s not nearly as nostalgic as Crypt’s visuals were, but it still looks quite nice.

And of course, you can’t have a good Music-Rhythm game without a solid soundtrack, and Rift of the NecroDancer features some pretty decent remixes, not only of themes from Crypt of the NecroDancer, but also other games in composer Danny Baranowsky’s backlog, including Celeste and Super Meat Boy (not the Nintendo Switch version, though – that release of the game had a completely different soundtrack). What’s more, there’s a lineup of other composers included here too, with a selection of paid DLC available as well. I don’t think there are any songs here that I felt truly stood out in their own right, but overall the music here is good.

The best thing about the gameplay here is also the worst thing. The concept of taking something simple like Guitar Hero and swapping out notes to hit with baddies that actively move around and follow different patterns is an interesting take on the genre. However, this also means that players are forced to memorize different movement patterns for each of the game’s enemies, and try to recall them on the fly fast enough to react to them. It quickly gets overwhelming, and it can be really frustrating to lose a song not because you lacked skill but because you didn’t remember what a certain enemy type did before they jumped at you and took your last health point.

I should mention that there are also other gameplay elements here, like minigames that are a bit reminiscent of the Rhythm Heaven series, but these are more a distraction than a huge part of the game. Oh, and something that’s not in the game at all? Multiplayer. What a pity.

Overall, I wanted to like Rift of the NecroDancer a lot more than I did. I think it has an inspired idea, but I’m just not sure that idea works well within a genre that can require fast reflexes without much time for thinking. Fans of the original game who enjoy Music-Rhythm games may find this a fun alternate take on the franchise, but I don’t think this is a truly must-play entry in the Music-Rhythm genre like the original Crypt of the NecroDancer was.

tl;dr – Rift of the NecroDancer is a Music-Rhythm game and spin-off of Crypt of the NecroDancer that ditches the Roguelike elements in favor of a standard Music-Rhythm game with Guitar Hero-like lanes, but instead of hitting notes, you’re hitting enemies, and this is both this game’s best feature and its worst – it truly sets the game apart, but it also forces players to memorize a variety of baddies and recall them on the spot. The result just doesn’t seem conducive to a great Music-Rhythm game, but fans of the franchise may still enjoy it.

Grade: B-

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This game has been nominated for one or more of eShopperReviews 2025 Game Awards:

Runner-Up: Best Music-Rhythm Game

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