COUNTING MILLISECONDS
There’s an error in my review in which I inform readers to try the demo, and when I wrote that (on the day of release) I checked and it was still available. However, it has since been taken down which I think is a shame because this is a game that does a better job showing how it plays rather than describing it. I suggest finding a video of gameplay in order to maybe understand the concepts a bit better than just words, but still know that I recommend playing this game to most people.
When Disc Room was first announced I thought the idea looked like crap. Until I played the demo I kept thinking that. It looked like a mediocre bullet hell like game where the whole goal was to survive a bombardment of saw blades. Surviving the onslaught is important, but boy did I judge this book by its cover.
Each room filled with discs presents its own goals to meet. Sometimes it’s just surviving a couple of seconds (easier said than done) while others involve getting killed by a certain amount of saw blades. Each room feels like a familiar, yet very much its own challenge. Further rooms present new obstacles based on their theme, such as lights that dim leaving the room plunged into darkness temporarily or a creature that will swallow the player if they tread into its mouth. My favorite in particular were rooms that only advance the timer while standing on a specific part of the floor, which are both cruel and a great twist on the gameplay. That’s not to mention the different variety of discs that all act differently.
PLATFORMS: PC, SWITCH
MSRP: $14.99
PRICE I’D PAY: $14.99
Once the goals are met, jump into a disc to die and move on to the next room or try to beat the developer times, which I could not do. A minute seems way longer than it is in Disc Room.
There are multiple powers that help the player through rooms, like a dash that grants invincibility while the dash is happening, making clones, and a power that slows down time, among others. I’ll admit I only found the dash truly useful, but that’s probably because I have a hard time just sitting there waiting and feel it necessary to always move around (and inevitably get myself killed).
The music by Doseone is also fantastic, but I should note that I’ve liked Doseone since discovering his work with Aesop Rock and TOBACCO. I have to admit my bias, but I do think the soundtrack really amplifies the tense gameplay.
My only complaint are the rooms that have a goal related to surviving a certain amount of time in all unlocked rooms. It’s a scaling goal that becomes harder based purely on exploration, and some rooms are already hard enough to survive in. These rooms would be easier to clear the less rooms you’ve unlocked. A neat idea, but in execution it punishes players for trying to unlock as many rooms as possible, which is sort of the goal of the game.
Disc Room is an addictive title that lends itself to short bursts of play. On its surface it’s a very basic title, but in reality it plays with its formula in such fun ways that make it more than just dodging discs. Anyone on the fence like I was should try out the demo, which is a great taste for what the game offers, because I don’t think I’m doing this game justice. Neither does all the promotion Devolver has done for this game. Disc Room is something different, and I like it.
Review copy of game provided by publisher.
