Headbangers: Rhythm Royale sounds like a perfect mix on paper. The game is best described as a battle royale game, comparable to something like Fall Guys, but with mini-games built around rhythm. The game was one of the big surprises at Gamescom and the game is now also available on Switch. Did Headbangers: Rhythm Royale actually turn out to be a great game? You can read about it in our review.
Recognizable formula
As you’d probably expect from a game influenced by the Fall Guys formula, Headbangers: Rhythm Royale offers fast-paced multiplayer gameplay with a four-round elimination element. The elimination effect reduces the number of initial thirty pigeon players to twenty, then ten, then five, before the final players compete for the final win. Players familiar with Fall Guys will immediately recognize the setting, but that’s certainly not a bad sign. This formula has already proven successful and Headbangers adds a rhythmic element to it. In short, the game currently offers 23 mini-games that all have to do with rhythm. When you start playing, one mini-game will be randomly selected each round. And let’s be honest, the mini-games are a lot of fun to play. The bathroom setting with wacky mini-games will quickly put a smile on your face. There are mini-games where you have to imitate a fitness trainer with music or quickly guess the sounds of animals or musical instruments.
With practice comes mastery
When you first start playing, some of the mini-games can be very difficult, and sometimes even difficult to understand right away. So assume that you definitely won’t finish in the top 10 in your first gaming sessions. Fortunately, practice makes perfect and after a while of playing you’ll notice yourself getting better at the different mini-games. 23 mini-games may not seem like a lot, but they are an excellent number that can be easily mastered this way. Additionally, this is only “Season 1” and there will be other mini-games in the future. In this first season, I’ve hardly seen a minigame that isn’t fun to play, and almost all of the games are funny. The mini-games become increasingly difficult as you play, and as you get points for correct timing and button pressing, you can also get penalties. But whether you win or lose, your character levels up as you play and you can unlock all kinds of things, like new clothes and music.
Online only
In my review so far, I’m very positive, but after a few hours of play, I quickly felt like the game could have been so much more than it is. This is mainly due to the complete absence of offline mode. Headbangers can only be played online, possibly with a friend. It’s a missed opportunity because it makes the game feel somewhat limited with only an online experience and no additional modes. Especially since the game is not free to play and you have to pay almost 20 euros for the game. Fortunately, cross-play works well and it’s easy to find fellow players. When the game starts, you can be in the game within a few minutes. Gaming sessions also go smoothly, which is nice!
There’s not much to complain about in the audiovisual area. Headbangers have a simple yet effective look. The crazy pigeons, with the funny in-game sounds, will quickly put a smile on your face. The mini-games seem well organized and each has appropriate music and sounds.
Conclusion
One thing is for sure, Headbangers is simply a very entertaining game. The mini-games are fun, the game looks great and the gaming session starts quickly. However, the lack of an offline mode is a missed opportunity. With several seasons on the way and the fact that Headbangers has only just been released, time will tell how the game will evolve and how long Headbangers will remain fun. Regardless of the missing offline mode, Headbangers is off to a good start!
+ Funny status that puts a smile on your face
+ The mini-games are fun to play and are often very funny
+ Crossplay works well and a gaming session can be started in no time
-Only playing online feels like a missed opportunity
– This makes it quite expensive for what you get
DN score 7.5
