Having sunk tons of time into Beat Hazard 1 and 2, I was happy to play and review Beat Hazard 3. It’s not a total overhaul, but it polishes and expands on the core gameplay, making the music-driven shooter even more interesting.
The biggest change is the new Galaxy Mode. Instead of endless, random levels, you fly around a giant galaxy – basically your whole music library come to life. Albums become solar systems, and songs turn into planets you can explore. It’s a super cool idea that makes you dig into your own music collection and find new favorites.
Exploring fuels your progress. You’ll need stuff like fuel and spare parts to upgrade your main spaceship, which is totally new to the series. These upgrades aren’t just fancy looks; they make your ship tougher and shoot better. It’s a fun cycle: beating a song (planet) gives you goodies to take on harder challenges.
The core gameplay you know and love is mostly the same. You control a spaceship that dodges and shoots enemies to the beat of the music. The 3D graphics are a nice step up, making everything look smoother than the old 2D games. The controls feel tight and responsive, so dodging those bullet showers is a blast.
That said, the Galaxy Mode isn’t perfect. The menus can be a pain to use sometimes, with lots of stuff crammed together and navigation that’s a bit clunky. Finding new music in your library could also be easier.
Another big change is that you don’t have unlimited spaceships anymore. You have a set number of ships in your fleet, which might surprise folks who played a lot of Beat Hazard 2. But there are new ways to customize your ships and even make them super strong, so it evens out a bit.
All in all, Beat Hazard 3 is a solid upgrade for the series. The Galaxy Mode adds a fresh layer of strategy and exploration, and the core gameplay is still super fun. While some menu stuff and changes to how you progress might take some getting used to, Beat Hazard 3 offers a cool experience, especially for those who want to make their own musical adventure.
- What I liked
- Galaxy Mode – A super cool idea that adds strategy and exploration.
- Upgraded graphics – 3D makes everything look slicker and more immersive.
- Customization – New ways to pimp your ship and make it play how you like.
- What I disliked
- Clunky menus – They can be a pain to use and navigate.
- Limited ships – You don’t have unlimited ships anymore like in Beat Hazard 2.
- Finding new music – It could be easier to discover new tunes in your library.
Beat Hazard 3: Beat Hazard 3 isn't a total game-changer, but it's a well-done improvement on the series. The Galaxy Mode adds a welcome dose of newness, while the core gameplay remains satisfyingly familiar. If you're a Beat Hazard fan or enjoy music games with a bit of strategy, Beat Hazard 3 is definitely worth checking out. – Tom Henry
