Thumper

really bad on flat screen but very cool in vr this game benefits from a higher refresh rate but my monitor is ASS

A really fun rhythm game! The S ranks for the levels are quite punishing though. If your into that then this is your game!

Perhaps not the best rhythym game out there, but the one that will definitely go down in history as AWESOME, but probably the hugest fucking pain in the ass to 100%

This game still slaps in 2025. I'm a hardcore rhythm game fan, but I must tell you, this game is NOT for the faint of heart. It tests both your rhythm game skill and reflex from Level 1! Survive the "rhythm violence" this game throws at you, and you'll find yourself becoming "one" of them.

Granted that this game is from 2016, I still strongly request the audio offset option. Not all Windows setups are blessed with minimal audio latency, so having one definitely helps (there have been many times I was 100% sure I perfect-drifted but ended up crashing into the damn walls instead). Or maybe a timing display (EARLY/LATE) option once you beat a level would be nice (like how close you were to dying instead of perfect-drifting).

As for the controller support: DualSense controller (i.e., the PS5 controller) works very well.

The most important thing to remember when playing this game is you will not have a good time until you train yourself to pick up on the audio ques and following the order the game wants you to perform inputs and when.

I've had this game for two years, and just beat level 8. For the first 7 levels I was reacting, and unable to listen to the games audio ques whenever multiple ques were occurring one after another without a single chance to gather myself. I was not able to pick up on the audio when 5 different ques are happening one after another. I had to teach myself how to listen to the games commands before I began to enjoy myself.

Thesis: Pay attention to what sounds mean for each action and WHEN to hit a action or get left behind. You are responsible for listening to the game and performing actions based on the feedback the game gives you.

grate

"I'M GOING OF THE RAILS ON A CRAZY TRAIN!!!!!!!!!"

very cool

Space beetle. I can't turn this up load enough to annoy my neighbors.

A unique rhythm experience, for anyone who loves percussion, unusual time signatures, high speed action and reaction, and dark vibes.

If you like beetles, then that is a plus too.

One of the more unique rhythm games out there, due to its focus on irregular time signatures and exclusively percussive soundtrack. It takes some getting used to; the beat which you play along to isn't always intuitive, but once you get into the rhythm of each track it feels quite surreal.

I found it got better with each level; by the last few, you have a proper handle on the game's mechanics and the kinds of challenges it likes to throw at you, so you reach this stage where the game's difficulty grows in tempo with your skill, which was quite satisfying. Not to mention, the last three levels are one hell of a ride.

If you're into rhythm games with a unique twist, I definitely recommend it, even at the somewhat high price it often sells for. If you're just curious, however, probably wait until it's on special.

RHYTHM. VIOLENCE.

For some people like me this will be their favorite rhythm game. Fast paced, abstract, intense, dark.

everyone who is able *should* try THUMPER at least once, and if you're ever enjoyed a rhythm game, you *need* to try this.

there is no game I can compare it to beyond how you rhythmically hit buttons while things fly at you.

other than that, it's its own thing entirely. how much does it cost right now? I bet it's low enough that even if you hate it it's worth it. you'll at the very least be able to say "I've never played anything like that before".

how many better compliments are there in modern gaming?

Played in VR with two hand controllers and on screen with x-box controller, I didn't find it fun or engaging in any way. The mechanics are just not fun from the very beginning, just an awkward combination of buttons in a quick second window.
I didn't get far to see how (or if) the mechanics evolve, but I didn't like how it started, so..
If I had tried it earlier when I purchase it, I'd have refunded it.

Even having beaten it, I still find myself returning to this game now and then. Coming back to play a single level, maybe two if my heart can take it.
How do I describe this game, as far as rhythm games go?

The music is simple. The beats are simple. The controls are straight-forward.
I'm glad for all of that, since it leaves nothing to take away from the pure adrenaline rush you feel when playing this game.

If I were to describe it in one word, I'd call it "Raw".

I can't think of another rhythm game that evokes the same primal feeling I get playing this game, the intensity of hitting each note, of slamming into the walls for ever turn you make, knowing that even though each section only lasts about 30 seconds, it's 30 seconds you'll find yourself laser focused, only for it to bring you right into the next 30 seconds between each checkpoint. What I love is how half the time when I lose my wings or die outright, it's not because of the level per-say, it's because I got greedy, tried to fly up and do a tricky slam because I wanted to watch time slow as the level *bends* around the gravity of my actions.

So if you want to know what it's like to stop blinking or breathing for 3 minutes straight, only to let it out when you've beaten a level boss, this is the game for you.

Damn, don't need coffee with this game around.

Playing this game counts as a cardio workout.

my hands hurt.

Bugs

Insane Reaction/ Rhythm game with no MTX and modern game design BS.
Its a very difficult game but super satisfying to pull off S ranks and lots of depth.

One minor drawback is that some mechanics like flying being extended by timing your corners perfectly isnt explained in game super well.

0/10 (Inexcusable)
The game operates on a one-save system with each save overwriting the previous save. This means that to replay previous section in a level means that you lose the progress in-between. Now, this albeit a bit annoying would be acceptable on its own.

The problem is the final level in the game where you are not shown your score before the after-credits which is one of the worst design flaws I've ever seen. This means that even if you've worked hard to get "S" on all "28" sections of the final level, if you get "A" on the last section of the level, you get "A" for the whole level and now to get "S", you need to play all "29" sections once again.

This is manipulative, sloppy and inexcusable

Starts off strong. But then the game ups the difficulty by having the player memorize what happens after blind corners rather than relying on reacting fast enough. I like reacting but I don't like memorizing. Memorizing is boring.

thrilling

I'm not generally a fan of difficult games, where you fail again and again and you have to repeat the same level to figure out what you're doing wrong and how to improve. But here, nearly every time that happened, I had a smile on my face. When you fail, you almost always know exactly what went wrong because this game is very fair and satisfying to learn. I had a lot of fun with Thumper and it deserves a special shoutout for its absolutely mesmerizing visual style.

Excellent game. Every aspect of the design is cohesive, and the game as a whole is incredibly unique. It's hard, but doable. Things ramp up around level 4, the game will get faster and the input more involved, but the rhythms get easier to identify, and it's easier to get into the flow of the level.

this would give me a heart attack if i was 20 years older
10/10 would fry my brain again

What an experience this game is. Different feel compared to other rhythm games and the difficulty is pretty high for this one. Enjoyed it personally!

fever dream

I’m not much of a rhythm game person generally (though maybe that will change now). This game is just a compelling, singular experience. It gets your adrenaline going and feels amazing when you hit on a good streak.

It has a reasonable difficulty curve but a very high skill ceiling. Take your time and go back and try to S rank lower levels if you get stuck.

It can be visually overwhelming and occasionally frustrating. It’s also incredibly viscerally satisfying to engage with, I can’t recommend it enough.

Richly rewarding with continuous practice and nerves of steel. The sights and sounds are such a psychedelic beaut to behold, and the game rages only more intensely the deeper you progress. I have this game on every single platform I own with its compatibility (6 devices); it is that worth it playing again and again, biggest screen possible with headphones on full blast. The louder you let the game roar and bite at you, the more satisfying it is to do so to it back, thump by thump. This is a masterful orchestra of the most mesmerizing space hell imaginable.

Rhythm hell

It's good, only thing is the levels get a bit repetitive, just as reference only 30% of players get through level 2 of 8. It's a good rythm game tho.

My playtime does not reflect my true playtime, I probably have passed more than 20 hours in this game. Oh boy, this is the video game that impresses me the most. Thumper was made by one programmer and a music composer, the programmer created his own game engine specifically for this game (wow). It's for me the perfect example of "less is more", it feels like everything is so precise, what you feel is kinda ineffable. But globally, I've never been more in wonder and in a state of flow in a video game than with Thumper.

I bought the Steam version to be able to play in VR with my new quest 3. While playing on a flat screen is crazy, playing in VR is mind-blowing.

my fingers hurt

Two hours in and I’ve already told everyone within hearing range to play thumper. Now, I’m gonna tell everyone reading this. Thumper is an adrenaline filled fever dream of a game that at the time of me writing this is being sold for far less than it’s worth. Please buy it.

immediately a pretty strong contender for favourite rhythm game

- extremely well balanced, no difficulty levels but you can choose whether or not you want to sweat for S ranks
- motion feels fluid
- everything you do syncs well with the music
- no tutorial!! as someone that always skips tutorials and then whines when i don't know what's going on, this was super nice. the start of each level will basically just kill you over and over until you understand the new mechanics
- works great with ps4 controller, no bugs, lag or crashes on a mid laptop running ubuntu

only complaints:
- the background can be too busy to the point where it's hard to see what obstacles are coming at you. it's cool looking, but i wish there was a toggle for when im trying to get S rank
- if i play for over an hour, when i stop the room is completely spinning lol. i've never been someone that's had motion sickness, so if you do, i would probably steer clear.

kinda makes me feel high

a lot of good high octane games feel like rhythjm games. i chase this dragon and not many games do it for me

The daily commute in the year 2350

Holy hell. This might be the best rhythm I have ever played.

EZ GAME

I think what thumper does best is when it feels tough but fair, which is most of the time. Audio cues make even flying blind possible, and for the most part the rhythms can sometimes be hard to find, but once you understand their 'logic' it can be satisfying. However, in the later levels, it appears to lose the plot a bit, becoming just a 'hard game' rather than a game than a rhythm game. I feel that towards the end it begins to feel more like a slog and difficult to get into the groove. Overall, though, I think it's a challenging but fair, fun, and unique rhythm game.

Great atmosphere. You'll get into the flow so well with this.

I am a beetle, I am filled with rage, and I will fight every god

Sick game, I can't really follow the rhythm tho...
but still sick game.

Space beetle go brrrrrr

Absolutely amazing rhythm game, can be a bit annoying with some stuff not being shown in your peripheral view (at least on the non-VR version) but overall, AMAZING. Would recommend to anyone

great fun!

nice

transcendental inspiring experience. and also a well crafted rythm game.

Unique, exhausting, and exhilarating. Beating a level is an achievement, following the beat is an achievement, and hitting those flow states where everything just works feels better than any other rhythm game I've ever played, by a mile.

The first time I beat level 9 (on Switch) was the first time I ever played level 9 and it took me *weeks* to reproduce that success. I have no idea how I caught the flow correctly that first time, but oh boy does it motivate me to keep trying.