Rift of the NecroDancer is a 2025 rhythm game developed by Brace Yourself Games and Tic Toc Games, and published by Klei Entertainment. A spin-off of Brace Yourself Games' previous title Crypt of the NecroDancer, it features the player pressing buttons corresponding to 3 lanes as enemies with different behaviors approach the bottom of the screen.
The game was released on February 5, 2025 for Microsoft Windows and received positive reception. It was later released for Nintendo Switch on March 27, 2025. The game has received various downloadable content since its release, collaborating with other intellectual properties such as Celeste, Pizza Tower and Hatsune Miku.
Gameplay
Rift of the NecroDancer is a rhythm game that has the player press specific buttons in time with the music. The player controls Cadence, the returning protagonist from Crypt of the NecroDancer, as she progresses through a series of stages in 3 different game modes.
In the main game mode "rhythm rift" enemies advance towards Cadence down 3 lanes, and the player must press the corresponding button for each lane when an enemy reaches the front. Different enemy types have different behaviors such as moving between lanes, or requiring multiple button presses to defeat.[2] If the player fails to defeat an enemy, Cadence will lose health, and the stage is failed if her health reaches zero. The player can collect food items during stages which restore some of Cadence's lost health.[3] In boss battle stages the player must press buttons at the correct time to avoid attacks from the boss, and then counter attack until the boss is defeated.[4] The game also contains minigame stages heavily inspired by Rhythm Heaven.[5] Like the other modes, the player must press buttons in time with the music, but each mini game has a different setting and rules, such as Cadence needing to pose at the correct time during a yoga class.[6]
The game's story mode has players progress through stages in a linear order, with story cutscenes in-between gameplay sections. Players can alternatively select individual stages from the menu and choose to play on one of four difficulty levels. There is also a practice mode where players can practice stages without a failure state.[7] Rhythm rift stages also have a remix mode, where enemy types and positions are shuffled for a different experience each time. Every day there is daily challenge where players can compete for a high score playing the same remixed stage.[8] The game also allows players to create custom stages using outside music, and share their creations with other players via Steam Workshop.[9]
Development
Rift of the NecroDancer was first revealed on August 4, 2022 alongside a trailer for the Crypt of the NecroDancer: SynchronyDLC.[10] A gameplay trailer announcing a Microsoft Windows release was later posted on August 24, 2022.[11] A Nintendo Switch version was also confirmed during the April 2023 Nintendo Indie World Showcase targeting a 2023 release date.[12] One month later Brace Yourself Games laid off 50% of its staff, but confirmed that development of Rift of the NecroDancer would continue.[13] In August 2023, Brace Yourself Games announced the game would be delayed to 2024 and also be published by Klei Entertainment.[14] In November 2024, the release was delayed again, with the Microsoft Windows version releasing on February 5, 2025.[15] The Nintendo Switch version would release a month later on March 27, 2025 after the Nintendo Direct on the same day.[16]
The game has received various free and paid updates utilizing characters and music from other intellectual properties.
Rift of the NecroDancer received an 79/100 aggregate review score on Metacritic, indicating "generally favorable reviews".[24]
Charlie Wacholz of IGN described the game as a "Greatest Hits box set for rhythm games," praising the different game modes inspired by various other rhythm games, but noted that the variety results in a game that is "missing a sense of cohesion at times."[3] Giovanni Colantonio from Digital Trends complimented the gameplay and how it felt similar to playing a musical instrument, comparing learning how enemies behave in rift mode to learning how to read sheet music. Colantonio was more mixed on the story mode however, commenting that the boss stages felt "anticlimactic" after the more difficult rhythm rift stages.[9] RPGamer's Ryan Costa also enjoyed the gameplay, but felt the game had some difficulty balance issues, and commented that extended play sessions and the higher difficulty levels were "physically punishing."[7] Ronald Ingram of Nintendo Life also criticized its difficulty, claiming that the harder difficulties "became a step too far" in the latter half of the game, but praised the medium difficulty as leading to "in-the-zone play".[26] Lucas White of Shacknews criticized the lack of any RPG elements compared to Crypt of the NecroDancer. Reviewing the game on Nintendo Switch, Willem Hilhorst of Nintendo World Report wrote the control options are unsatisfactory, feeling that the Joy-Con's directional buttons combined with the game requiring fast inputs made the game unforgiving.[27] Many reviewers compared the game's various modes to games such as Guitar Hero, Rhythm Heaven and Punch-Out.
Reviewers praised the game's soundtrack, noting its use of multiple composers across a variety of music genres.[3][9][7]
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