Beat the Beats is a VR rhythm boxing game that makes workouts more intense and entertaining.
Breathe. Uppercut. Breathe. Duck. Breathe. Hook. For anyone who has ever entered a boxing class, these fundamentals will make sense instantly. Most physical and combat training classes incorporate some semblance of what boxing is. Jiu-jitsu, HIIT, or the once-famous P90X fitness program uses some form of boxing for high-calorie-burning sessions. Virtual reality is no stranger to apps that help keep exercise enthusiasts in shape, with Beat The Beats making it as easy as can be to break a sweat at home while keeping it fun.
Beat the Beats, as its name implies, is a VR rhythm boxing game where players punch incoming colored boxes to the sound of the electrifying music. The added benefit of the sense of being inside an environment that only a virtual reality headset can provide is used to the fullest here. Its slick and responsive menu makes sure of it. From a stationary area—there’s no need to move around—blocks paired to the color of your fists instinctively tell you which to use when it gets closer.
A brilliant use of the headset rumble on PlayStation VR2 is when every so often a projectile will swing by and a swift dodge is needed to not ruin your score. To feel the intense vibration as you avoid the incoming attack keeps you on your toes. Like most rhythm-based games, the soundtrack is where a game like Beat the Beats lives and dies. Luckily, the variety in electronic genres, the B-sides of all songs, and increased difficulty make workouts lively in each session. Certain levels throwing curveballs made for more interesting moves before being able to master them.
Starting from a basic training level that teaches you to punch straight ahead, do an uppercut, do a hook, and dodge the previously mentioned attacks. Much like Dance Dance Revolution before it, in the main menu there are statistics like how many songs were played or the calories burned in any given day. Progressing through the Arcade career to unlock all the songs there eventually makes way for the Daily Mix and new Game Modes.
For those who would like to have a change of pace from the 45 thumping tracks on offer, the Daily Mix also has a leaderboard. Depending on how good your score is, you can boast within the Beat the Beats community about how good of a shadow boxer you are. The Impact and Hit Speed modes, on the other hand, are seriously no joke. Highly intense physical sessions that will test players’ endurance, these optional modes help in variety for players seeking an added fitness challenge. Because the headset can be affected by too much sweat, it is recommended to do these activities in intervals and thoroughly clean oneself in between sessions.
There are many ways to spice up one’s daily workout routine. If you have a VR headset, these options increase tenfold. In Beat the Beats’ case, the sheer amount of modes and handpicked songs make it a solid go-to choice. Physical activity does not need to be tedious, and mixing things up with the several options on queue ended up inspiring me to exercise just a tiny bit longer because of how much I enjoyed the various levels. I can definitely see myself incorporating it into my daily training.
Beat the Beats is out now for Meta Quest, Pico 4, SteamVR, and PS VR 2.
