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THUMPER is pretty much a perfect game

Neiteio

Member
Loving this influx of new players, but where were you guys last year? The OT was full of praise. If anyone is on the fence still just buy it. Videos don't do it justice.
I have a PS4 Pro but didn't even know this game existed until the Switch. I guess it stood out more since the Switch is still forming its library?
 
There's a chance that Switch will attach to a VR headset in the future. Just a guess based on the form factor.

But yeah, I'm at Level 5 and love the game quite a bit.
 
In VR, not only the experience is multiplied but it's also easier to read the patterns ahead so it's far more confortable in the later, faster levels
 
This thread convinced me to buy the Switch version ( I am buying too many games for the darn system! ), and Thumper is very David Lynch-ian, if you will. And I love it! So yeah, no regrets. Thanks, GAF! :)
 

Orcastar

Member
My only complaint is that the game is almost completely unplayable for me ever since I returned my PSVR. Just can't get a handle on the patterns while playing on a TV, and of course the entire experience was ten times more intense and immersive in VR.
 

KooopaKid

Banned
Disagree. After the initial 2 to 3 hours, it gets repetitive, goes too fast, is too hard and more importantly, totally lose the rhythm and musical part, the patterns don't match any musical flow anymore, it just becomes a mess and a game of Simon Says. The trance is gone.
 
The good thing about playing on switch and PSVR is display reliability, the motion to photon latency in VR HMDs is blistering fast, and the switch has pre defined latency for it's IPS LCD, at least in portable mode.

Is it easier to see in VR because of stereoscopic 3D, or because you gain the benefits of parallax? Both I'd imagine.
 

ryushe

Member
I haven't played the Switch version, but I just can't get into this game no matter how much I try.

I mean, it's incredible in VR, no doubt about that but I just can't vibe with the music at all.
 

CEJames

Member
d9G6FE8.gif


Pacw of the game is perfect when I'm on the exercise bike. Intense workout!

Bravo sir. Bravo.
 

Neiteio

Member
Can I have one? :eek:
Check your PMs in a moment — I'll buy another $20 code off Amazon. Confirm it works. You can use it for whatever, but I recommend Thumper! (Shocking, I know)

All I ask is you do something nice for someone else to pay it forward. Although after this I have to stop spending money for the night!
 

EVO

Member
Disagree. After the initial 2 to 3 hours, it gets repetitive, goes too fast, is too hard and more importantly, totally lose the rhythm and musical part, the patterns don't match any musical flow anymore, it just becomes a mess and a game of Simon Says. The trance is gone.

Have you finished the game? If not, keep playing. Get better.

There's nothing more satisfying than returning to a level and finding everything has changed. What once was hard now is easy. What once felt fast now feels slow. Patterns that didn't seem to match the music before now make perfect sense and you somehow find yourself reacting to them in time, in ways you once thought was impossible. It absolutely is trance inducing, and there's no other game this gen that has come close to matching that feeling.
 

Cerium

Member
Check your PMs in a moment — I'll buy another $20 code off Amazon. Confirm it works. You can use it for whatever, but I recommend Thumper! (Shocking, I know)

All I ask is you do something nice for someone else to pay it forward. Although after this I have to stop spending money for the night!

KING
 
Wow I had no idea this game existed, and it's totally up my alley... And it's already out on Switch??!! Holy shit.

Really intrigued in trying it on VR though...
 

zigg

Member
I am so glad my TV has a sub-20ms game mode.

Also, pro tip: if you've got a long enough extension cable (like the 10' one I bought many years ago), you can plug headphones into the Switch while you play it docked. It all Just Works™.

(I tried Bluetooth headphones with my TV first. What an absolute shitshow, haha.)
 

RionaaM

Unconfirmed Member
Bit Trip is a great comparison, think of it as a faster and more 3D version.
I was already sold, and this post confirmed that it was the right decision. Totally getting this on Switch, and maybe during a Steam sale later on.

Just remembered, Bit.Trip Runner 3 is going to come out on Switch too. Man, this is going to be a beautiful rhythm games machine! All it's missing is a Theatrhythm port (with all the content in Curtain Call plus new stuff), that would make this a perfect console.

Have you finished the game? If not, keep playing. Get better.

There's nothing more satisfying than returning to a level and finding everything has changed. What once was hard now is easy. What once felt fast now feels slow. Patterns that didn't seem to match the music before now make perfect sense and you somehow find yourself reacting to them in time, in ways you once thought was impossible. It absolutely is trance inducing, and there's no other game this gen that has come close to matching that feeling.
Your description reminds me of Super Hexagon, the sense of accomplishment in that game was huge. Guys, please stop, my Switch hasn't arrived yet!
 

tenz0r

Member
Is this game worth it? Hows the difficulty? I'm not that good on my gaming reflexes like I use to be when I was younger. I have a $15 balance on my eShop account, but I don't want to waste it on a game that I will have trouble playing in terms of being frustrated with difficulty.

I might just save the $15 to put towards Street Fighter, since money is tight for me anyway. I know I'll enjoy Street Fighter, since I've played that type of game before. This game just looks and sounds so cool though, so it has me intrigued. I really wish they had released a demo for it.
 

Maiden Voyage

Gold™ Member
Is this game worth it? Hows the difficulty? I'm not that good on my gaming reflexes like I use to be when I was younger. I have a $15 balance on my eShop account, but I don't want to waste it on a game that I will have trouble playing in terms of being frustrated with difficulty.

I might just save the $15 to put towards Street Fighter, since money is tight for me anyway. I know I'll enjoy Street Fighter, since I've played that type of game before. This game just looks and sounds so cool though, so it has me intrigued. I really wish they had released a demo for it.

There are a few areas where you may struggle, but the overall difficulty is not that bad. There is a window for you to respond in. If you have a PC, get it on Steam and get a refund if it's not for you.

Reading this thread makes me want to play through again.

That trailer just looks like you are on rails. What do you even do?

The character moves on rails, but needs you to press buttons as things happen on the rails. Check the QL from Giant Bomb to get a better idea. It looks far less exciting & intense than it actually is when you are playing yourself.
 

Jyester

Member
It's a cool game for sure. Although I think I prefer playing in short bursts. Yesterday I played all the way from level 1 to the start of level 5 and was getting all kinds of frustrated.

Just played a few stages during my break and had a lot of fun. Really don't get the love for HD rumble though. Don't notice it at all while I'm playing. Definitely way less impactful than VR.

Disagree. After the initial 2 to 3 hours, it gets repetitive, goes too fast, is too hard and more importantly, totally lose the rhythm and musical part, the patterns don't match any musical flow anymore, it just becomes a mess and a game of Simon Says. The trance is gone.

I gotta say that I was surprised by the difficulty spike that happens around the beginning of level 4. Also, the patterns in some cases indeed do not seem to match the music, which makes it more of a visual experience. Kinda weird.
 
It is this console generation's Geometry Wars Retro Evolved. I own it on PC already and will double dip on PS4 again eventually when I buy my own VR because it's even more insane in VR.
 

Timedog

good credit (by proxy)
I got through several levels and still had no idea how to play the game. I like...wasn't doing anything. Seemed more like an fmv that you interact with every 15 seconds or so.
 

mindsale

Member
Is this game worth it? Hows the difficulty? I'm not that good on my gaming reflexes like I use to be when I was younger. I have a $15 balance on my eShop account, but I don't want to waste it on a game that I will have trouble playing in terms of being frustrated with difficulty.

I might just save the $15 to put towards Street Fighter, since money is tight for me anyway. I know I'll enjoy Street Fighter, since I've played that type of game before. This game just looks and sounds so cool though, so it has me intrigued. I really wish they had released a demo for it.

If money is tight for you I'd consider getting Disgaea over Street Fighter. Disgaea has hundreds of hours of content, and Ultra Street Fighter is just Street Fighter II with two new characters (who are modified existing characters) and a broken Haduken Mode using Street Fighter IV assets. Besides, Smash is almost certainly coming. Or wait and see if Rime reviews well and has many hours of content. It kind of looks like a 3rd person Witness, completing puzzles on an island to form a greater cohesion.

Thumper is a lovely game aesthetically (though kind of repetitive visually) but becomes punishingly difficult if your rhythm reflexes aren't up to task by the later stages. Mine definitely weren't. If you can play it in VR, which is how I played it, I'd recommend PSVR or Steam (I believe the PC supports VR for Thumper). It's one of maybe like two PSVR titles that didn't make me nauseous (Resident Evil VII was the worst offender). Felt like a roller coaster. Really sold me on the immersion.
 

Draper

Member
Check your PMs in a moment — I'll buy another $20 code off Amazon. Confirm it works. You can use it for whatever, but I recommend Thumper! (Shocking, I know)

All I ask is you do something nice for someone else to pay it forward. Although after this I have to stop spending money for the night!

Wow. What an incredibly nice gesture. We need more of this on Gaf.

As for the game. I need a new game for my Switch, but I'm still on the fence. My reaction time sucks.
 
Love it in VR, it's a really intense experience, but honestly I don't really like the soundtrack, game would be GOAT material with The Prodigy or something like that ;)
 

WITHE1982

Member
d9G6FE8.gif


Pacw of the game is perfect when I'm on the exercise bike. Intense workout!

Hmmmmm. very Interesting.

I'm wondering if I dare try a PSVR/exercise bike combo?... On second thoughts the levels of sweat I produce would probably short my headset out.

I missed out on buying this in a recent sale but all these impressions are seriously testing my resolve.

Check your PMs in a moment — I'll buy another $20 code off Amazon. Confirm it works. You can use it for whatever, but I recommend Thumper! (Shocking, I know)

All I ask is you do something nice for someone else to pay it forward. Although after this I have to stop spending money for the night!

Good guy Neiteio. Doing solid work, well played sir.
 

EVO

Member
I got through several levels and still had no idea how to play the game. I like...wasn't doing anything. Seemed more like an fmv that you interact with every 15 seconds or so.

By the end of the game it's more like 15 interactions every second or so.
 

PudieRSC

Member
I'll attempt to explain, but only with this caveat: You really have to try it to understand the appeal. Also note: The game gradually rolls out mechanics and explains them well.

So you're a space beetle hurtling along a silver track. A number of course elements will come your way. I will give some examples, but it's not comprehensive:

- Glowing panels. When these pass by you, hit A to "thump" them. You can safely pass over them without thumping; however, you score points by thumping. And, during boss battles, you have to hit all of them in a row and then hit the boss's charge shot (a bright green light coming down the track) to repel the shot back down the track at the boss.

- Orange lines of light. These are horizontal on the track. As these come down the track, you need to hold A to break through. There are often many in a row, with panels in between, so you'll have to alternate between tapping and holding. If you hit one without holding, you'll take damage.

- Spike traps. Resemble pink spikes. You need to tap forward and hold A to fly over them. If you hit them, you'll take damage. You can also fly off glowing panels to reach optional rings over the track. Also, when there's a panel at the end, you can pull back on the stick to SLAM down. This will expel a beam of light that will break a boss's shield, at which point you can hit them with a counterattack. Can also be used on glowing panels for more points.

- Walls. These pop up at corners and have red flashing lights. Some are long, some are short. You hold in the direction you wish to turn while holding A during the turn. You can start holding A and turning early, before you reach the wall, but it appears that for the most points, you need to do it right upon reaching the wall. If you hit a wall, you'll take damage.

There are more mechanics beyond these. In World 4 they start adding multiple rails — you may find yourself shifting between five of them at a time, dodging incoming enemies such as silver centipedes that come hurtling down the track.

If you take damage once, your beetle loses its chrome armor. Take damage again, and it's back to the beginning of the stage. You can get back your chrome armor by thumping certain blue panels, such as the ones that always appear at the end of each stage.

It doesn't sound like much on paper. But in practice, it's incredible.


Perfect explanation. Thanks!
 

The_Super_Inframan

"the journey to a thousand games ends with bad rats. ~Lao Tzu" ~Gabe Newell
One of my favorite games last year, and yes, pretty much perfect...

I have yet to try it on my friends Vive, but I just post here to tell that the game is also pretty amazing on a 144hz monitor...

Playing this with 144 frames per second really ads to the game.
 

tenz0r

Member
If money is tight for you I'd consider getting Disgaea over Street Fighter. Disgaea has hundreds of hours of content, and Ultra Street Fighter is just Street Fighter II with two new characters (who are modified existing characters) and a broken Haduken Mode using Street Fighter IV assets. Besides, Smash is almost certainly coming. Or wait and see if Rime reviews well and has many hours of content. It kind of looks like a 3rd person Witness, completing puzzles on an island to form a greater cohesion.

Thumper is a lovely game aesthetically (though kind of repetitive visually) but becomes punishingly difficult if your rhythm reflexes aren't up to task by the later stages. Mine definitely weren't. If you can play it in VR, which is how I played it, I'd recommend PSVR or Steam (I believe the PC supports VR for Thumper). It's one of maybe like two PSVR titles that didn't make me nauseous (Resident Evil VII was the worst offender). Felt like a roller coaster. Really sold me on the immersion.

Thanks for the insight, I'll hold off for now since money is tight, and I don't want to put it towards I game I may not enjoy and feel like I wasted my money. The only reason I would get Street Fighter is I just need a game I can play on the go with Mario Kart for a quick fix. Like something to play in short bursts to get my gaming fix. Fighting and racing games are usually my go to for short bursts gaming these days.

I never played Disgaea before, I remember it being like a strategy game. I'll check up some videos for it.
 

GenG3000

Member
Loving this influx of new players, but where were you guys last year? The OT was full of praise. If anyone is on the fence still just buy it. Videos don't do it justice.

Not gonna pay 400 bucks for a VR set on top of a console. Now I have the chance to play it on Switch.
 
I am so glad my TV has a sub-20ms game mode.

Also, pro tip: if you've got a long enough extension cable (like the 10' one I bought many years ago), you can plug headphones into the Switch while you play it docked. It all Just Works™.

(I tried Bluetooth headphones with my TV first. What an absolute shitshow, haha.)

This. I use my HyperX headset (which has a very long cable) with the Switch and it's perfect!!!!
 

zigg

Member
Great game but I'm starting to think I'm too uncoordinated for it, lol
I've been trying d-buttons this morning instead of analog. Makes me feel a good deal more precise, but I'm still failing, so who knows 😄

Level 4 has some sweet phrases.
 

robotrock

Banned
Hmmmmm. very Interesting.

I'm wondering if I dare try a PSVR/exercise bike combo?... On second thoughts the levels of sweat I produce would probably short my headset out.

I missed out on buying this in a recent sale but all these impressions are seriously testing my resolve.

J3TT9fV.jpg
 
I'm not very far in but I'm absolutely in love with this game so far. Looking forward to getting my headphones on when the kids are in bed and putting some serious time in with it. Thanks again to Neiteio for his random generosity, I'm loving every second of it.
 

septicore

Member
I can't decide if I want to grab this on Switch or PC because it's full price on the Switch but 30% off on Steam at the moment.
 

Caponetone

Neo Member
I was already leaning toward getting it but this topic pushed me over the top and I picked it up on Steam. No Regrets. Intense and a lot of fun.
 
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