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THUMPER is pretty much a perfect game

F

FlashbladeGAF

Member
Neiteio said:
I love this game so much. I know I keep saying it, but every time I play, it feels like a rollercoaster ride. Same sense of speed, intensity, theatricality. It really stands out from my other games in this respect.

Like, there are a lot of games that are "fast," but it's something about the way this game is fast. I think it's how it focuses your attention down the track, so you're mentally leaning into the ride, so to speak. And how every action and reaction has this visceral HD Rumble feedback (on Switch), combined with the flashy effects and pitch-perfect sound and general atmospherics.

It's amazing. It's possible I may encounter a challenge too great in this game, at some point, but I'll always have fun replaying the previous worlds.
Click to expand...

I feel like the greatest challenges were the unmissable ring and lane switching.

If you can get past that you can get past anything.

VICTORsaurio said:
I gave up at 5-3... Will revisit it later today.
Click to expand...


If I remember correctly, the course teaches you the sequence before the unmissable laser ring returns.
Basically they give you a trial/practice run before they give you the life or death test.

I actually missed this little detail/hint my first playthrough because I was so intimidated by that thing.
 
T

Twenty7KVN

Member
This game is fucking awesome on the switch, this game is making me save up some money towards a vr headset. But damn that 7-7 boss is kicking my ass, the way track moves is trippy as fuck.
 
P

phanphare

Banned
CloudWolf said:
I just started playing this because of this thread (and it was 30% off on Steam) and I'm loving it, but I'm not entirely sure how this is a 'rhythm game'. In the first two levels the patterns follow the rhythm only pretty sporadically, it feels like a pattern recognition game where your input enhances the soundtrack (like in Rez).
Click to expand...

it's all rhythm, the patterns are essentially rhythmic dictation exercises
 
N

Neiteio

Member
FlashbladeGAF said:
I feel like the greatest challenges were the unmissable ring and lane switching.

If you can get past that you can get past anything.

If I remember correctly, the course teaches you the sequence before the unmissable laser ring returns.
Basically they give you a trial/practice run before they give you the life or death test.

I actually missed this little detail/hint my first playthrough because I was so intimidated by that thing.
Click to expand...
The unmissable ring (first introduced in 5-1) was one hell of a difficulty spike. But it's a very easy section to repeat until you get past it. And once you do, you'll pretty much never miss blue panels again. The breakthrough was learning to look down the track; don't pay attention to the foreground, but adjust your timing to the appearance of blue panels on the horizon. Hard to describe, but when it clicks, it clicks.

That being said, the 6-Omega boss is kicking my ass with one of those. Like, it doesn't seem hard, and it's SUPER-FUN to retry (as I have been for hours now, lol), but I keep screwing up at the last second, haha. But I really am enjoying it, and have been smiling at every attempt (even the brutal ones that were SO CLOSE).
 
Mossybrew

Mossybrew

Member
Personally I played it in VR and didn't really care for it, but I understand a lot of folks dig it, just not my thing.
 
trikster40

trikster40

Member
This game seems to get a lot of love. I played the demo onPSVR; is that representative of the full game? It was good but I didn't get the kind of impressions most others seem to be getting.

I don't want to miss out on an amazing experience but if I shouldn't expect more than the demo gave me, I'm not sure if I need to take the plunge or not. I feel like this game and Rez kind of fall into the same category for me: they're good, but I can't understand the GotY hype levels.
 
Kssio_Aug

Kssio_Aug

Member
Seems REALLY great in the visual aspect. Pretty impressive stuff.

But reading some comments here, I think I'll avoid this one. Am not really looking for a super hardcore game... =/
 
F

FlashbladeGAF

Member
Neiteio said:
The unmissable ring (first introduced in 5-1) was one hell of a difficulty spike. But it's a very easy section to repeat until you get past it. And once you do, you'll pretty much never miss blue panels again. The breakthrough was learning to look down the track; don't pay attention to the foreground, but adjust your timing to the appearance of blue panels on the horizon. Hard to describe, but when it clicks, it clicks.

That being said, the 6-Omega boss is kicking my ass with one of those. Like, it doesn't seem hard, and it's SUPER-FUN to retry (as I have been for hours now, lol), but I keep screwing up at the last second, haha. But I really am enjoying it, and have been smiling at every attempt (even the brutal ones that were SO CLOSE).
Click to expand...

quoting myself from earlier...

I actually hit a wall there when I played it back on PS4

Couldn't get past 5-1

So I was showing VR to my friend's kids and they loved Thumper.
So much so that they spent the entire day playing it.

When my friend's 13 year old got to 5-1, they passed it on their third try.

Took it home and managed to pass it myself after getting over my mental hangup.
EDIT: Couldn't let my friend's kid 1Up me.


Now on the Switch (and probably because there is no lag) I can pass it without any trouble.

But fuck that thing.
It's one thing to make a mistake, but for them to say you have to pass this shit perfectly just intimidated the heck out of me for some reason.

Kssio_Aug said:
Seems REALLY great in the visual aspect. Pretty impressive stuff.

But reading some comments here, I think I'll avoid this one. Am not really looking for a super hardcore game... =/
Click to expand...

The game does a great job of training you for those challenging parts.
It's really not as bad as we make it sound.
It's more about us making mistakes than the game being super hard or cheap
It's great fun.

Give it a shot!
 
Kssio_Aug

Kssio_Aug

Member
FlashbladeGAF said:
The game does a great job of training you for those challenging parts.
It's really not as bad as we make it sound.
It's more about us making mistakes than the game being super hard or cheap
It's great fun.

Give it a shot!
Click to expand...

I'll wishlist it on Steam and consider buying some time later! Thanks! =)
 
S

Skinpop

Member
i really hate the time delay added when you do the thump combo thing. it actually made me so pissed that I completely stopped playing the game when I realized what was happening. went from love to hate faster than ever before.
 
Tathanen

Tathanen

Get Inside Her!
Skinpop said:
i really hate the time delay added when you do the thump combo thing. it actually made me so pissed that I stopped playing the game. went from love to hate faster than ever before.
Click to expand...

A million times this. I don't want to do any combos because the "whoa so cool" slowdown totally destroys any sense of rhythm I have going, which is pretty shit in a game that is literally all about maintaining a rhythm.
 
G

GokouD

Member
Damn this is cool, I've never played anything with such intense audio-visual-haptic feedback, it really does feel like nothing else. I played some Mario Kart 8 after a long session and it just felt a bit...bleh.
 
N

Neiteio

Member
Skinpop said:
i really hate the time delay added when you do the thump combo thing. it actually made me so pissed that I completely stopped playing the game when I realized what was happening. went from love to hate faster than ever before.
Click to expand...
If the time delay is always the same, wouldn't you just anticipate that rhythmic variation and time yourself accordingly?

trikster40 said:
This game seems to get a lot of love. I played the demo onPSVR; is that representative of the full game? It was good but I didn't get the kind of impressions most others seem to be getting.

I don't want to miss out on an amazing experience but if I shouldn't expect more than the demo gave me, I'm not sure if I need to take the plunge or not. I feel like this game and Rez kind of fall into the same category for me: they're good, but I can't understand the GotY hype levels.
Click to expand...
I'm not sure what's in the demo, but if it's just the first world, the game ramps up considerably in complexity as it goes on. Simple to learn, challenging to master.
 
N

Naked Snake

Member
I'd like to get this on Switch, but I bought Fast RMX at launch and only played it a couple of times because Zelda is still taking all my play time (which is also currently limited)... I worry if I buy Thumper I'll end up ignoring it until I'm done with Zelda... So rationally I should wait :/
 
P

Peltz

Member
I think it's a good game, but not great in all honesty. The soundtrack is the biggest disappointment to me.
 
N

Neiteio

Member
So prior to this game, I never heard of DROOL. Did they make any games prior to Thumper? Are they working on anything new now? And is it true that they're only like two people?
 
F

fabricated backlash

Member
A perfect game? Eh. I kind of feel buyers remorse over getting this game. Currently at the final boss of level 6, and it's just a clusterfuck of arythmic shit and screen filling effects that obfuscate the lane making it basically necessary to learn the whole shit patterns by memory...

The game works when the level has an actual rythm, but at times it just doesn't work for me.

I'll try tomorrow, but right now the game is more frustrating than enjoyable.


If at least they'd tone down the fucking screen splash effects.
 
N

Neiteio

Member
Continuing to read the website, I'm learning the official lingo for all of the track elements:


"THUMPS" are the white rectangular panels that you tap A to, well, thump. "BONUS THUMPS" are for extra points and restore your "SHELL" after you've taken damage.


"RED BARS" are where you hold A to "SLIDE" (I didn't realize you were sliding, and I thought they were orange!)


"BLUE RINGS" are collected by holding A and tapping forward on a thump to "JUMP." Consecutive jumps is how you "FLY."


While airborne, pulling back over a thump is how you "POUND" (lol).


"BARRIERS" are the flashing red walls; "BANKING" is the preferred lingo for turning there!


Again, we already know these mechanics... but it's neat to know the correct terms.
 
N

Neiteio

Member
Who was it in here who said the World 7 boss is one of the toughest in the game? Just beat it on my third or fourth try.

Now the World 6 boss, on the other hand, really tested me. Took me an hour or two. (So much fun, though!)

Diff'rent strokes, I s'ppose.
 
A

Aroll

Member
Thumper is neat to me in that it proves how great HD rumble
Is better than 1 2 Switch. A perfect match for this game
Would be in VR with HD rumble. I know so many folks still laugh off the entire concept of HD rumble, but this game proves it's a real thing and no other system or controller on the planet can compare.
 
D

dock

Member
I really enjoy seeing the excitement and fervour people have for Thumper. It's a game that seems to really stir people.

Unfortunately, I bought this on PS4, played it for about 30-40 minutes and just couldn't enjoy it. I didn't like anything about it and I regretted that I couldn't get a refund.

Nevertheless, it makes me happy that games like this can exist and hit so perfectly for some players.

I should play more Rhythm Paradise on the 3DS.
 
N

Neiteio

Member
My friend and fellow journalist has a background in music (teaching it, making it, writing about it). I showed him the game today and he was stoked when he heard Lightning Bolt did the music. I don't know anything about that band, but my friend listens to everything under the sun and kept gushing about them.

It was also cool to hand him the game and see him take to it so well, despite rarely playing videogames himself. Thumper is just beautifully designed.
 
rexpro

rexpro

Neo Member
MaverickHunterAsh said:
Hmm, interesting! Our tastes usually align completely, Neiteio, but I'm going to be the obviously lone voice of dissent here and say I'm not a fan of Thumper!

I do think Thumper is a great game outside of my own issues with it and I can see why it's popular, but as an existing hardcore rhythm game fan, I don't like it at all. Weird, right?

I think it has to do with the "rhythm violence" conceit and the overall focus on creating an oppressive, unsettling, uncomfortable atmosphere for the player and the music it uses to achieve that. I agree that Thumper absolutely, fully sells the dark atmosphere it's all about presenting and successfully marries that with its gameplay, but I've found that's just not what I'm looking for in rhythm games. I'm not a fan of industrial, metal, and hard-style "dark" electronic music outside of games, so it goes to follow that I wouldn't really enjoy that within the games I play either. I think I also just associate rhythm games with peppy, positive, bright vibes in general (see most mixes of most Bemani titles, Rhythm Heaven/Tengoku, Hatsune Miku, etc.).

Anyway, I digress. I applaud Thumper's developer for creating what is certainly a singular rhythm game experience (and also for tweaking the Switch port to take full advantage of the system) and I recognize it's a great game despite my personal tastes, but it's just not for me and this is not at all the kind of music and visual presentation I'd ever want to see the genre trend toward overall.

And before anyone who isn't Neiteio accuses me of drive-by shitposting, I've played Thumper on PS4 several times, PSVR included... which only exacerbated the issues I have with the game as described above. Remember, I'm not trying to say it sucks, I'm just explaining why it hasn't won me over like it has so many others. ;)
Click to expand...

Well you are not alone, i kinda see a trend around here, the more you like/have spent time with rhythm games the less probable you are gonna like this game. The graphics the design the innovation is all very well done but the problem lies in the gameplay which is not as "rhythm game like" as one would be used to, so it leaves you witha bag of mixed feelings.
 
J

jariw

Member
Aroll said:
Thumper is neat to me in that it proves how great HD rumble
Is better than 1 2 Switch. A perfect match for this game
Would be in VR with HD rumble. I know so many folks still laugh off the entire concept of HD rumble, but this game proves it's a real thing and no other system or controller on the planet can compare.
Click to expand...

TumbleSeed also makes a extremely good use of the joycon HD Rumble.


rexpro said:
Well you are not alone, i kinda see a trend around here, the more you like/have spent time with rhythm games the less probable you are gonna like this game. The graphics the design the innovation is all very well done but the problem lies in the gameplay which is not as "rhythm game like" as one would be used to, so it leaves you witha bag of mixed feelings.
Click to expand...

I have only played a couple of worlds yet, but to me it seems like the game tries to be something different than just a "traditional" rhythm game. In some levels, it seems like the immersion part gets so much priority that the rhythm game part suffers (on a first run, at least).
 
J

Jawbreaker

Member
Neiteio said:
My friend and fellow journalist has a background in music (teaching it, making it, writing about it). I showed him the game today and he was stoked when he heard Lightning Bolt did the music. I don't know anything about that band, but my friend listens to everything under the sun and kept gushing about them.

It was also cool to hand him the game and see him take to it so well, despite rarely playing videogames himself. Thumper is just beautifully designed.
Click to expand...

Lightning Bolt is an amazing noise band. Thumper was actually co-created by the bassist, which makes it even more interesting.
 
C

CloudWolf

Member
Jawbreaker said:
Lightning Bolt is an amazing noise band. Thumper was actually co-created by the bassist, which makes it even more interesting.
Click to expand...
Heh, I had no idea the bassist of Lightning Bolt was involved with this. Fun fact: He also worked on Rock Band and Guitar Hero.

Also, Lightning Bolt is the most intense live show I've ever seen. That was fucking amazing.
 
C

collige

Banned
Been playing this on my Vive recently and while it's definitely good, there are some very glaring flaws that are holding it back for me (I've beaten world 3 so far)
- The lack of texturing on the track really hurts the sense of speed while the lack of a first person camera makes you lose out on a sense of scale
-The levels are wayyyy too long. They have no business having 20+ stage. This is especially egregious to me because...
-The music is boring and repetitive. Like really, how are you gonna have a rhythm game with crappy music?

Overall, I probably would've just preferred a VR version of Audiosurf
 
W

wild wild rice

Member
Since Lightning Bolt was heavily inspired by Boredoms, it makes sense that this game feels like a late era Boredoms track in nightmare video game form.
 
A

AllIsOneIsNone

Banned
It starts to get pretty damn hard at the end of level 5, I kind of stopped playing for a while and just picked it back up again yesterday on my Rift. Game is crazy, when you hone your focus in and start to get on a roll it's extremely intense and satisfying. It makes you feel like you're doing a lot more than you really are. It's difficulty is perfectly balanced too, the game knows exactly how your mind reacts to different things.
 
J

jon_dojah

Banned
collige said:
Been playing this on my Vive recently and while it's definitely good, there are some very glaring flaws that are holding it back for me (I've beaten world 3 so far)
- The lack of texturing on the track really hurts the sense of speed while the lack of a first person camera makes you lose out on a sense of scale
-The levels are wayyyy too long. They have no business having 20+ stage. This is especially egregious to me because...
-The music is boring and repetitive. Like really, how are you gonna have a rhythm game with crappy music?

Overall, I probably would've just preferred a VR version of Audiosurf
Click to expand...

Yea the music in a rhythm game has to be liked foremost before enjoying it as a whole. Luckily for me as someone who never had an interest in the industrial noise genre really end up digging this games soundtrack going as far as downloading the OST to listen to outside of the game.

Btw Audiosurf was supposed to have VR suppport back in the DK2 Rift era. Not sure what happened with it.
 
N

Neiteio

Member
Thumper is a rhythm game, but I don't think a rhythm game has to be a "music game" — at least, not in the sense of melodic music.

The music in Thumper creates an atmosphere, a mood. This atmosphere is by turns intense and unsettling.

It can still inform how you play, but the rhythmic elements are more about pounding percussion and cacophonous crescendos, timed to the cadence of obstacles. Adding to this is the HD Rumble on Switch, which makes you feel like you're pounding your fists and stamping your feet.

It's not meant to be something you hum. It's something you feel — a tension during the level and a release when you thump the last thump.
 
D

deadfolk

Member
Have this on PSVR and liked but didn't love it. Really agonised over getting it on Switch, but I've already played the Switch version more and I'm loving it.

I think the convenience is a big thing for me. This is the kind of game I'm far more likely to play when I can just pick it up any time.
 
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