Beat Defender (2021)

Developer: Reda, Nick
Publisher: Reda
Platforms: Windows
Genres: Action, Casual, Indie, Early Access
Rating: 3.9 of 5, 9 player ratings
Typical playtime: about 24 minutes
Where to get it: Steam

The 3D catalog: game boxes on wooden shelves, with the cat sitting at the counter next to its greeting.

The catalog in 3D

The same catalog has a room you can walk around in. The cat behind the counter is the AI Catbot, and they pick real games from it when you tell them what you feel like playing. Nothing is for sale, here or in there. Go in from here and this game is already out on the counter, with more like it waiting on the shelf next to it.

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How it feels

a fast-paced rhythm action game with precise swordplay timing, defending homeless people while earning combo ratings in a dark, emotional atmosphere

rhythmicfast-pacedatmosphericretrocombat-focusedtenseemotionalstory-richrelaxing

What players say

Players describe a rhythm-action hybrid where you defend homeless camps, but performance stutters hurt the timing-dependent gameplay. There is no story, no visual timing indicator, and no fullscreen support. Enthusiasm is tempered by a sense of untapped potential and a price some call too high.

Screenshots

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More by Nick

This page is from Underplayed Gems, a catalog of older and overlooked games. Not quite it? You can browse by platform and genre, or take this one into the 3D catalog and ask the Catbot for something closer.