If you were to ask any fan of rhythm games what their favorite titles are, odds are that their first choices will likely be a selection of games that are now relegated to consoles past, lost to ever-progressing technology. It’s easy to believe that the genre itself is lost to history, but that’s not necess?arily the case. 

Yes, games like Dance Dance Revolution, Rock Band, and Guitar Hero are undoubtedly reserved for those old-school gamers who still have their old consoles, or visit Dave & Busters on a regular basis. However, that doesn’t mean that newer rhythm games don’t exist for current-generat??ion Console or PC players, you just have to look a little harder to find them. 

And they’re worth playing for more reasons than simply passing the time, as well. Did you know that playing rhythm-based music games can dramatically improve areas lik?e reading ability, spatial reasoning, and focused attention in both kids and grown-ups? If you ever needed a reason to dive into rhythm gaming, aside from the undeniable fun and satisfaction, then improving your mind should be it. 

It is worth mentioning that DDR, Rock Band, Guitar Hero, and other previous-generation rhythm games are all still perfectly playable, and it costs less to buy the old console and anything else you might need (a dance mat or guitar) than it does to buy a VR headset to play Beat Saber, for instance. So while this list is explicitly for current generation rhythm games, don’t let it stop you from exploring and enjoying older titles. 

16. Incredibox

I'm not sure if Incredibox counts as a "rhythm game," but it has the "rhythm" tag on Steam and it rocks, so I'm including it. Incredibox is a kind of music production toy that involves layering different loops over one another to create awesome music. It's almost i?mpossible to make something that sounds bad.

Incredibox doesn't have a lose state and it doesn't involve tapping anything to the beat, so it might not be a rhythm game in the same way the other titles on this list are. Still, I have often felt that the joy of rhythm games comes from the imitation of "creating" music, and Incredibox is a pretty n??atural evolution of that c??oncept. If you love music, it's at least worth checking out.

15. Kingdom Hearts: Melody of Memory

Melody of Memory is a spin-off of the Theatrhythm series, and it served to scratch the Square Enix rhythm game itch during the six-year wait for a new mainline Theatrhythm entry. It’s probably the easiest game on this list, but it’s got nearly every song from one of the best franchise?? soundtracks in video game history. Rhythmic “combat�is an idea that’s been tried before, and it’s not at its deepest here, but it’s undeniably very satisfying. 

There are plenty of games that can rigorously test your dexterity and sense of rhythm, but when you just want to feel good tapping away at some beautiful music, it’s tough to do better than Melody of Memory. It’s not only a genuinely enjoyable Kingdom Hearts entry, but it’s?? also an excellent rhythm gam?e in its own right.

14. Trombone Champ

Nothing in Trombone Champ sounds "good," but that's not really the point. This uproariously funny title places you in control of a "tromboner" (the game's word, not mine) and gives you free rein to play whatever music you want. There is a beatmap here, but the game absolutely will not help you hew to it at all, which means that most of your tromboning will consist of playing a note t??hat's either just barely wrong or entirely wrong.

There might be a way to get good at Trombone Champ. I've never seen it happen, and I've never tried to do it. I'm hap?py to be the world's worst tromboner. It's funnier this way.

13. Crypt of the NecroDancer

Crypt of the NecroDancer is so simple that it hurts my brain. Literally all you do is move around a dungeon to the beat, attacking enemies simply by bumping into them. There ?are some basic buffs and item pickups, but at its heart, it's exactly ?what it looks like.

It's all about reading and responding to patterns in the most simple manner possible, and it's wildly addictive. Every time I start playing NecroDancer, I lose hours to it. On the face of it, Crypt of the NecroDancer is very basic. And yet, there's nothing else quite like it. NecroDancer uses its simplicity to its advantage to create one of the most en??joyable rhythm experiences out there.

12. Patapon 2 Remastered

Patapon 2 was initially released for the PSP in 2008 and requires you to input four-button sequences in beat with the music to control troops in battle. While it sounds simple, there’s a whole lot more at play here. You need to constantly increase your combo so that you can gain Fe??ver, allowing you to perform miracles that affect the weather, and you need to match the flashing at the edge of the screen if you want to succeed. 

Patapon 2 Remastered was released for PlayStation 4 in 2020 and features everything that was beloved about the original version. With a long list of different sequences to remember in order to control the troops, Patapon can be a little? frustrating and will definitely test your memory, but it’s also incredibly enjoyable as well. 

11. UNBEATABLE [white label]

Unbeatable is what happens when you combine the genre of rhythm gaming with the genre of anime fighting. The game itself has been on the cards for a long time, with the hand-drawn title set to release at an as yet un??specified time in 2025. The concept of the game is simple - music is illegal, but that won’t stop you from playing it, so get out there and commit some crime.

Unbeatable[white label] acts as a very impressive pseudo-demo, and is an exclusive side story set within the world of the yet-to-be-released full game. The art style is fully hand-drawn, and New content is added with episodical updates, and there’s even a Demo Tapes DLC which can give you the soundtrack to listen to at leisure without the pressure of performing. Unbeatable [white label] is incredibly fun and satisfying to play, not to mention?? it’s free (alt?hough the Demo Tapes will cost you $4), so you’ve got nothing to lose by giving it a go. 

10. Geometry Dash

Now listen, I know this probably isn’t something you expected to see on this list, but I’m throwing it in anyway because there is an undoubtable element of rhythm to Geometry Dash. Admittedly it doesn’t come from matching the beat of the background music as is the case with the vast majority of other rhythm games, but you find your own rhythm with your jumps and inevitable rage-filled d??eaths. 

There’s something undeniably satisfying about getting a level under your belt, because they are absolutely difficult to complete at times, and?? you can find yourself losing your own rhythm to that of the music that accompanies each level. You’ll need more than good timing to get through each level of Geometry Dash, with skill mastery from practice and awareness of what’s to come as you progress. 

9. Headbangers Rhythm Royale

It’s hard to even begin to explain Headbangers Rhythm Royale, but I’ll start with the vaguest of descriptions to hopefully drag you in the same way that I was when I first heard about this gem: large nu?mbers of pigeons in fanciful costumes playing rhythm games to come out on top. Yes, you read that right. 

There are 23 different individual music-based mini-rhythm games, and you get to compete with 29 other players in four that are randomly chosen for each game. Imagine Fall Guys, but there’s no running, and instead, you’re bobbing your little pigeon head to the beat, guessing t?he instruments, or trying to flick balls into a goal. All while trying to survive to the final round, prove your sense of rhythm, earn Crumbs to customize your pigeon, and win the “Master Headbanger�title. 

As I said, Headbangers Rhythm Royale is very hard to explain in any way that will actually make sense to anyone who has never played? it. You just have to experience it for yourself.

8. Rhythm Doctor

Set in a struggling cardiac hospital, Rhythm Doctor has you playing as a surgeon whose? job is to restart patientsâ€?hearts by rhythmically tapping a single button. If that sounds a little too simple for you, don’t worry, it all gets a little complicated when the game shrinks its own window and starts throwing itself around your screen, forcing you to pay more attention than you ever expected to going into it, especially if you have more than one monitor. 

The music is amazing and fun, the characters you meet are genuinely interesting, and you’ll find yourself wanting to relive the experience once all is said and done. Each patient has their own unique heart rhythm to learn, making each rhythm battle interesting and fun. Rhythm Doctor is still in early access, despite being initially released back in 2021, but there are 20 leve??ls (each of which has a more challenging “Night Shift�mode for those who want to try their luck), and you can even play co-op with a friend. 

7. Beat Saber

While the rest of the games on this list require no more movement than twitching your fingers, Beat Saber will get you up and out of your seat. Admittedly, adding it to this list might be stretching the boundaries of accessibility, as you’ll need both a VR headset and?? a considerable amount of room to play, not to mention that you’ll need to make sure there aren’t any pets or children around who might end up getting caught in your arm-swinging crossfire.

However, it somehow doesn’t feel quite right to write up a list of rhythm games without including Beat Saber. Not only is waving your arms around and hitting things with VR lightsabers incredibly fun, but it’s also a gr?eat stress reliever, and it awakens a c??ertain primal part of the human brain in a way that simply pressing a button doesn’t quite manage to do. 

6. Taiko no Tatsujin: Drum ‘n�Fun

One thing that I love about Taiko no Tatsujin games is the versatility offered by the myriad of different ways in which you can actually play. Whether you want to play using a touchscreen, by pressing dedicated buttons, or even with a dedicated physical drum controller, there are many ways to play. However you play, you do one action for red notes, and another action for blue notes. Taiko no Tatsujin ?is remarkably simple, but that’s a huge part of the appeal. 

You could switch out Drum ‘nâ€?Fun for any of the other Taiko no Tatsujin games. Picking which one to play is as simple as looking up the tracklist for each, but Drum ‘nâ€?Fun earns a place on this list because it features some absolute bangers. While pretty much anyone can play Taiko no Tatsujin, mastering the art of getting it right?? is incredibly difficult, b??ut you’ll have a lot of fun along the way. 

5. Hatsune Miku: Project DIVA Mega Mix+

Let’s be honest here, did you really expect to click on a list of rhythm games and not see a Hatsune Miku title on it? While we’re being honest, you could absolutely replace this entry with any of the other Hatsune Miku Project DIVA games and it would still be accurate. In the absence of Dance Dance Revolution or Guitar Hero, Hatsune Miku games scratch the rhythm game itch for ?any ??fan. 

Although having said that, Hatsune Miku takes the proven concept and absolutely kicks it up a level in terms of difficulty. Rather than having a single bar to focus on in terms of what button to hit, with notes coming in from a single direction, Hatsune Miku games thr?ow notes at you from all directions and move your focus around the screen like a cat with the 3 a.m. zoomies. It’s definitely a challenge to clear levels, especially at higher ??difficulty levels, but it’s endlessly satisfying when you manage to get it right. 

4. Theatrhythm Final Bar Line

If you’re a fan of either rhythm games in general, or Square Enix games, then you’ve definitely heard of the Theatrhythm series. There are five games in total, and all of them feature iconic tracks from beloved Square Enix titles such as Dragon Quest and Final Fantasy. Final Bar Line was released in 2023, after a six-year break from the previous Final Fantasy All-Star Carnival. 

Final Bar Line had 385 songs included at launch, all of which were from Final Fantasy titles both new and old. Additional DLC packs add further Final Fantasy tracks, but also songs from other Square Enix titles, and if you purchase all of the DLC you’ll end up with over 500 ?songs to play through. Completing battles to the rhythm of familiar and nostalgic music never gets old, and there’s endless replayability as a result. 

3. Hi-Fi Rush

I love Hi-Fi Rush. The story captures your imagination, the art style is stunning, the characters are lovable, and the implement?ation of rhythm-based gameplay feels utterly seamless. Past the tutorials close to the beginning of the game, you’re left to remember different rhythms to deal with different types of attacks, all aided by the music in the bac?kground. 

It’s all about timing, and there’s something about Hi-Fi Rush that will always leave you wanting more. Everything happens in beat to the music, from the combat to your movement, and even the action in the world around you as you play. If you’ve ever walked down the street with headphones on and tried to match your steps to the beat of your chosen song, then Hi-Fi Rush won’t fail to keep your attention. 

2. Super Crazy Rhythm Castle

I first discovered Super Crazy Rhythm Castle when it was free on Epic Games, and I will forever be grateful that I took a chance and downloaded it. It’s playable single-player, or with others through online play, and it’s delightfully fun for all involved. With absolutely absurd settings, characters, and a long list of earworm tracks that you’ll still be humming weeks after you finish playing, I can’t say enough good things about Super Crazy Rhythm Castle. 

It’s not easy, either. Sure, it starts off pretty simple. Pressing buttons to match those shown on screen is a staple of the rhythm game genre, after all. But?? then additional mechanics get thrown in, most of which are definitely easier with more than one player. While one person focuses on the rhythm aspect, another can deal with enemies who are trying to kill you or focus on slotting machines into the right holes so that the music can charge them before they’re used to get through obstacles. 

“Super crazyâ€?is definitely an appropriate description for this rhythm game, but there’s a lot of fun to be had in the chaos, and you’ll spend a lot of time laughing. Plus, I haven’t played in months, and I still can’t get Hippo and Frog out? of my head. 

1. Metal: Hellsinger

As a fan of metal music for many years, and equally a rhythm game player since childhood, Metal: Hellsinger appeals to me on an almost visceral level. Inspired by iconic FPS games like DOOM, Metal: Hellsinger takes you t??hrough multiple levels on a demon world, accompanied by absolutely stun?ning heavy metal tracks, with damage being increased if your attacks are in sync with the beat of each track. 

It’s infuriatingly difficult to complete any level while managing to be 100% on the beat, but replaying them is absolutely worth it just to listen to the amazing soundtrack all over again, so it’s not too much of a big deal. Admittedly, you probably need to actually enjoy the metal genre of music to appreciate Metal: Hellsinger as muc??h as I do, but I can’t even begin to recommend this one enough.? 

Plus, as if the base game wasn’t enough, there ?are DLC packs including songs from Muse, Disturbed, and rather more surprisingly, Icona Pop. Even for the biggest heavy metal fans, there’s something endlessly enjoyable about running around hell and shooting demons to the beat of “I Love It� 

The post 16 best rhy??thm video games you can actually buy, ranked appeared first on Destructoid.

Much-loved rhythm action game headed to PS5

As part of its 2023 Consumer Electronics Show (CES) offerings, Sony has announced that rhythm action title Beat Saber and stylish, road-rippin' racer Gran Turismo 7 are both headed to the PSVR2 platform.

Speaking in the publisher's press conference, PlayStation president Jim Ryan singled out the titles as two of "over 30 games" that are currently in development for the PS5's virtual reality hardware, which is currently set to launch in February of this year. Little more was offered in the way of information, though Gran Turismo 7 owners will be able to upgrade t??o the PSVR2 ed??ition of the title for free.

No release date was offered for the PSVR2 port of Beat Games' Beat Saber, which stands proud today as one of the most ??loved and recognized rhythm action titles for the modern gaming era. The colorful and exciting ??game is currently available on PS4 (via PSVR) and PC via HTC Vive, Oculus Quest, and Valve Index.

PSVR 2 will launch worldwide on February 22, priced at a princely $550. The current PSVR catalogue will not be comp??atible with the new hardware. You can watch Sony's CES 2023 conference, including the PSVR2 update and details of the PS5's recent sales figures, in the video embedded below.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v??=U??VMcjxW68Bc&ab_channel=Sony-Global

The post CES 2023: Beat Saber & Gran Turismo 7 coming to PSVR2 appeared first on Destructoid.

It's like I'm really there.

The Oculus Quest line of standalone virtual reality head-mounted displays has been around for three years now. As one of the only people in my friend group who has a Quest 2, I still get the same exact question every time I bring it up: "Are there any good games on there?" The answer, of course, is yes. There are plenty of great games on the Quest 2. However, there are also plenty of bad games on the Quest 2, and separating t??he wheat from the chaff ??can be a bit of a challenge.

Virtual reality is still a bit of a niche market, so it's tough to get a sense of which VR games are actually worth playing. Since so much discussion is centered on PC VR, it can be even tougher to figure out which Quest 2 games deserve your attention. I've been tooling with this thing for a couple of years now, and I'm pretty happy with this list of five, but it's by no means definitive. There are a lot of great games on Quest 2, and I've excluded some for reasons that are, quite honestly, a little silly. That's the cost of whittling a list down to five, but it's also a good reason to explore other corners of the platform's library. After you've played thes?e five, of course.

5. Beat Saber

This one is kind of a free space. If you've played one game on Quest 2, it's probably Beat Saber. It's the game that Quest 2 owners love to bring out to demonstrate the potential of the hardware to neophytes, and it's the game that most non-VR people I've talked to mention as soon as I bring up VR. There's a good reason for that: Beat Saber rules.

Beat Saber is a fairly simple rhythm game. You simply stand in place and swing two copyright-proof things that look like lightsabers but definitely aren't lightsabers to the beat. Beat Saber's simplicity is its secret sauce - it's readable and immediately playable for everyone, regardless of ?their level of VR literacy, and it makes excellent use of the Qu??est 2's limited hardware.

4. Superhot VR

Superhot has been a favorite game of mine ever since the origin?al Game Jam prototype was released in 2013. It's got a pretty straightforward conceit: it's a first-person shooter where time only moves when you move. That means moving slowly allows you to pull off incredibly slick bullet-time stunts, while moving quickly turns the game into a hectic first-person bullet hell.

Superhot is always great, but it's at its greatest in VR. Having full control over your body makes the game feel even more like an incredible action movie. Like Beat Saber, the simplistic graphics and limited use of color provide full immersion without pushing the ha?rdware beyond its limits.

3. Five Nights at Freddy's: Help Wanted

Listen, I get it. It's 2022. You're tired of Five Nights at Freddy's. But I really need you to hear me out on this one - Five Nights at Freddy's: Help Wanted is great. The Five Nights at Freddy's formula is kind of perfect for virtual reality. The first three games in the series are all about sitting still in an unsettling environment. The control schem?e is incredibly simple and the scares are ultra-effective.

Help Wanted lovingly recreates all three of those original games, and it also includes some neat mini games based on later entries in the series. It doesn't reinvent the wheel by any means, but it's still a pretty scary wheel, and it's made even scarier when you're right in the middle of it. If nothing else, Help Wanted is a great way to remember why everyone was so entranced by FNaF in the first place.

2. VRChat

Is VRChat a game? Kind of! It's more like a virtual reality Roblox, a platform for hobby developers to deliver a whole bunch of miniature games of their own. It's also a virtual reality social media platform, and one of the only places where you can watch Rei Ayanami and Pickle Rick furiously debate over the best Shrek movie. It's an outlet for creative expression in the absolute rawest sense. Everyone is exactly who they want to be in VRChat, for better and for worse.

For some people, VRChat will be unbearably annoying. It doesn't look very good, and its player base is roughly ??75% young children who haven't learned mic etiquette just yet. Still, there's nothing else quite like it, and it's absolutely worth trying at least once. Who knows? maybe you'll find that S??SJ3 Goku avatar that makes the whole thing click.

1. Resident Evil 4

What is there to say about Resident Evil 4? It's Resident Evil 4. It's one of the greatest games ever made, and absolutely nothing has been lost in the transition to virtual reality. In fact, there's a very real case to be made that Resident Evil 4 in virtual reality is the best version of Resident Evil 4 ever made.

Resident Evil 4 fans have extolled the virtues of the Nintendo Wii version of the game for years. RE4 just feels right with a light gun. Now imagine, if you will, playing the Wii version of Resident Evil 4... but in virtual reality. It's honestly a pretty breathtaking experience. For me, as a devout Resident Evil 4 enjoye?r who owns the game four times over, it's an incredible way to recontextualize an experience I've had more times than I can count.

For a newcomer, it's probably the most accessible and immediately enjoyable version of the game. If I could install one game on every single Quest 2, it would be this one. It's the perfect version of an? already perfect game, and it's hands down ?the best experience you can have on the platform.

The post Top 5 Best Games for Oculus Quest 2, Ranked appeared first on Destructoid.

Turns out I'm 100% a gamer

Lizzo has been one of the most prolific pop artists of the last few years, releasing bop after endlessly catchy bop. She made news recently by elegantly playing the former president James Madison's crystal f?lute in the Library of Congress, reminding us that she's not just a great performer, but also a highly trained musician. Lizzo has brought fresh, bright sounds to pop that have been missing for a while, and she's also done a lot to give back after all of her success. If you can't tell, I'm a big fan of hers, so it's cool to see her influence cross over into the games space. Considering Lizzo's contributions to modern pop music, it was only a matter of time that she was immortalized by one of the highest honors in the land -- her own Beat Saber DLC pack.

As something of a Beat Saber aficionado myself, I can say with confidence that Lizzo's upbeat, bubbly, and groovy pop songs are nothing short of perfect for the VR rhythm game. The pack will also a include special environment that is themed after Lizzo's newest album, Special, featuring purple and yellow bl??ocks, a rainbow, and Lizzo's name? spelled out in lights.

The pack's full track list includes:

• "Be Loved (Am I Ready)"
• "About Damn Time"
• "Cuz I Love You"
• "Everybody's Gay"
• "Good as Hell"
• "Juice"
• "Tempo (ft. Missy Elliot)"
• "Truth Hurts"
• "Worship"

The new song pack is out today, and goes for $11.99, or $1.99 per individual song. It's been a minute since I've played because of how annoying it is to redownload my Beat Saber mods every time the game updates, but considering this is an ??officially released song pack that won't give me that same issue, it might be time for me to dust off the Oculus after a few months away.

The post Beat Saber’s newest DLC pack features Lizzo’s most iconic songs appeared first on Destructoid.

The truest form of Choose Your Own Adventure

I think by this point it'??s pretty clear that my favorite thing about games is how they can tell stories in whole new ways. Usually that means games that put narrative design at the forefront, with cinematic cutscenes or branching storylines that let you choose how the characters move forward through the plot. One type of narrative design I don't think about as often as I should, though, is the idea of emergent storytelling in games, w?hich has been around for years.

What is emergent narrative?

It's a bit of a complex topic, mostly because emergent storytelling has a ton of crossover with the design of gameplay systems?. The idea is that emergent stories aren't plotlines that were placed there by the devs for you to find, but instead, ??they're the stories that you create on your own based on how you play.

These narratives come about in just about every game genre, with the only real criteria being that they're stories that the devs didn't put there intentionally. They may have put the tools in place for you to be able to create a narrative of your own, but ??you're the one who has to put the pieces together.

//www.re??ddit.com/r/Breath??_of_the_Wild/comments/u43s6h/totally_didnt_just_run_across_a_half_of_hyrule/

One of the best ways I've heard to know if something has an emergent narrative is if you tell your friends stories of your time playing the game. You know, the classic "you had to be there" story. It's like trying to tell someone about something awesome that happened in your Dungeons & Dragons game, or a rea?lly cool?? dream that you had. We love to share these stories regardless �you see them all over Reddit and Twitter.

The stories write themselves

I recently started playing Pokémon for the first time ever as an adult, and the way the gameplay is designed, it's so perfect for making you feel like you're on your very own adventure. I had one of those classic narrow escapes where I was about to be team-wiped,? but?? then one of my benchwarmers swooped in to triumphantly save the day, and it was awesome.

The list of video games with these types of stories is endless, from open-world games like Breath of the Wild to rhythm games like Beat Saber. While I find conversations about more structured, traditional kinds of stories in games can be ?equally as gratifying, there's something so special, so electric about creating your own stories from the pieces the developers gave you. When we give in to the fantasy of the game we're playing, whatever that might?? look like, it gives us the autonomy to make-believe in ways that we haven't done since we were kids. I also love that no one sets out in a game thinking "I'm going to make a really cool story happen." Instead, these meaningful moments come about as a direct result of us just playing and trying to have a good time.

//www.reddit.com/r/AnimalCrossing??/comments/u3ih7k/gayle_thievery_??is_wrong/

Trying to tell other people about our endeavors may feel a bit like an attempt to relay something that happened in a dream �you kind of had to be there, but that's kind of what makes it feel significa?nt. It was a singular moment that only you were there for, where you truly felt something based on how you chose to interact with a virtual world. Sometimes it's thrilling, other times it's somber and moving, and some of the most enjoyable moments of emergent gameplay are when you've accidentally launched yourself off a cliff, and suddenly you're busting a gut at what a ridiculous, futile end the hero of the game has just suffered.

The freedom to explore

There's some really great literature out there that discusses how we can use games to explore new ways of seeing the world. It's a super low-stakes environment, because whatever happens, you can always restart the level, or create a whole new save file, or just shut the game off for good. Even with the heaviest of in-game consequences, there will never be any real-world consequences for what we do ??in a video game, withholding obvious exceptions. In a world that demands perpetual perfection from us, being able to enter a space where we can just throw ourselves at the wall to see what sticks without any fear of judgment, I think, is one of the most freeing things we can do. It's why I love picking the mean dialogue choices in games �that's not something I do in the real world (or at least I try not to).

//www.reddit.com/r/Eldenring/comments/u45yj1/i_invaded_s?omeones_swamp/

Then there's the world of multiplayer, which allows for a whole new slew of emergent narrative possibilities. The Soulsborne games are an amazing example of emergent multiplayer gameplay, and if you need convincing, go and watch any Bloodborne invasion compilation on YouTube. Epic sagas of betrayal, humiliating moments of crushing defeat, genuinely touching moments of unspoken friendship �it's all there, and it's all because those situations arise organ??ically from players interactin??g with each other online. It's amazing, and it's so unique to games.

I think that's what really gets me about this whole thing. Games ?can do their best to replicate film or TV, or even carve their own path by taking well-known story conventions and reimagining them for the interactive medium, but the kinds of stories that come from the act of play itself? Only games can do that, and at risk of sounding so cheesy, I think that's beautiful.

That sentiment is one of the hardest things to get non-gamers to understand, and yet it's one of the most i??mportant things to telegraph if you want them to see why we love not only the art of games them?selves, but the art that comes from playing them. Try as I might, there will always be important people in my life who will never be able to understand the gratification and artistic autonomy that comes along with the act of play, and honestly, that makes me really sad for them.

Story Beat is a weekly column discussing anything and everything to do with storytelling in video games.

The post The art?? of make believe: ??emergent narrative in games appeared first on Destructoid.

PS VR owners can't compete against PC VR or Oculus Quest players in online multiplayer

Thanks to a better-late-than-never update, the PlayStation VR version of Beat Saber now has multiplayer. The online mode rolled out for free on PS4 today, which is just in time to help offset all of that pre-Halloween candy-jar snacking some? of us have been enjoying.

//youtu.be/ZMBqlCRwCg8

In online multiplayer, up to five Beat Saber players can compete with cartoonish ??avatars slashing the night away to the rhythm of the music. Private and public matches are supported, and players can earn multiplayer badges for their feats. If you're matching via Quick Play, for instance, you can set it to Ea??sy, Normal, Hard, Expert, or Expert+ difficulty.

It's been a full year since SteamVR and Oculus players were able to try out Beat Saber multiplayer, so some PS VR owners were starting to lose faith in developer Beat Games. This was one of those frustrating situations where in-the-know fans had to constantly keep tabs, and ev??ery time they looked into it, the release date was still up in the air.

Speaking of which, PlayStation VR players can compete in Beat Saber multiplayer, but not against other platforms �as the developer confirmed today, "cross-play for PS ??VR is currently not supported." Additionally, you'll need a PlayStation Plus membership.

Beyond the stylized trailer, here's some actual PS VR footage from PSVR ZEST.

//youtu.be/4VPyP95Si84

This song, "Spooky Beat," is a new drop. The track is out now for free.

In September, Beat Games said it was "exploring ways" to implement cross-play for PlayStation VR, which may or may not open the door just a crack for another update in the future. Cross-play can be a major boon, but considering that Beat Saber is a top-five most-played PS VR game (per Sony), there should be a d?ecent-sized audience to play against.

"It was a complex feature to develop and we’re so happy we can finally share this with all of you and welcome new players online," head of marketing Michaela Dvorak said on the PlayStation Blog.

I wonder if Beat Saber will be one o??f the "bonus" PlayStation? Plus games in November.

The post Bea?t Saber for PlayStation VR just got multiplayer, minus cross-play appeared first on Destructoid.

Working out can be fun, who knew?

Exercise and I haven't always agreed. In high school, while ?my brother and twin sister were out winning state track titles, I was taking naps in my car during practice. I just find it difficult to enjoy something that makes me feel like my heart is going to explode?, but I think the biggest problem with running is that there's nothing distracting me from how much pain I'm in.

Growing up, I was constantly being told that exercise was something that I needed to do, and I hated it, and then I would feel gu?ilty about hating it. It became a vicious shame cycle I couldn't e?scape.

As I got older and gaming became a bigger part of my life, fitness games became a more attractive option. I tried many of the classics over the years �Just Dance, Dance Central, Zumba Fitness, Wii Fit, more recently Ring Fit Adventure �/i> but the cycle was always the same. I ?would play for a few days, maybe even a few weeks if I was feeling extra motivated. But eventually it would fall to the wayside, and whichever re??levant plastic fitness gaming accessory would be left collecting dust.