Beatdown City Survivors Review

I’ve lost count of how many games are now available with the word Survivors in the title. I’m always pleased to see them, though, as I’m a big fan of the genre and love their moreish, addictive gameplay loop. Beatdown City Survivors is now available on Xbox One and Xbox Series X/S. The game is also available as part of the Xbox Game Pass Ultimate catalogue and the PC Game Pass. You may also be pleased to hear it is Xbox Play Anywhere functional and also optimised for handheld devices. How does this experience from NuChallenger stack up against the other games in the congested genre? Read on and find out how I got on during my playtime on console, PC and handheld.

Gameplay In The Ghetto

Beatdown City Survivors has a unique twist on the way these kinds of titles play. Instead of just blasting away enemies, levelling up and surviving, you’ll need to adapt as you go along. You’ll be scouring the streets to find survivors to join you to help, using interactive hazards in the environment to assist you and buying upgrades from food trucks. Surviving waves is pretty intense, and you’ll collect orbs from fallen enemies to then level up to gain weapons, upgrades and buffs to make you stronger. Weaponry ranges from pipes, boots, steel chairs, tin cans and a whole feast more. As you progress, you can increase the damage and range of weapons to make them more impactful. Choose your upgrades wisely, though, as going all in on some things could make you weaker in other areas overall. As runs progress, they become increasingly harder with bosses also being thrown into the mix, so build carefully. There is a generous roster of characters, all with unique movement styles, attacks and individual strengths. Playing runs with several different characters actually makes each playthrough feel slightly different, which encourages replaying the same missions. Between runs, you’ll also be able to buy permanent boosts to make future attempts more bearable and comfortable.

Visuals & Audio

For the majority of this review, I played using the Xbox Series X. I did, however, play a few hours across my gaming laptop and Lenovo Legion Go. Across all devices, the game ran silky smooth. The majority of the game takes place in dark, gritty urban environments awash with neon lights and run-down buildings. Interactive elements such as bins, hydrants, lamp posts and more change the direction and pace of gameplay. The animations of water flying into the air or a burning car spreading fire make runs far more interesting. When it comes to the audio, the soundtrack was the standout for me. With grime and hip-hop music ringing through, it really suits the tone and atmosphere the game is going for. Sound effects are what you’d expect from this style of game, with attacks being heard along with the groans of enemies. The team have done a great job across the board with the presentation, both visually and in how the game sounds in the ears.

Final Thoughts

Beatdown City Survivors strays away from the traditional bullet heaven style that the majority of the games in the genre adopt. It is perhaps one of the most challenging survivors games I’ve played, but with the addictive gameplay loop, I kept going back for more. You feel like you constantly have to move, adapt and scour the map to stay alive; that’s what I loved about this one. With unique weapons, a fantastic soundtrack and a great mix of characters, it’s a fantastic time. If you’re an Xbox Game Pass subscriber, then it’s a win-win with it being on the service. Fancy picking up a copy for yourself, though? You can do so HERE. For the reasonable cost of £8.39, I do think it’s well worth it for the hours you get in return.