‘Vectronom’ Gets You Bouncing to the Beat

Vectronom is the latest title from game developer Ludopium. Ludopium is a team from Germany whose other games include Vandals and Bury Me, My Love. Vectronom is a game that feels like a platformer but is actually a puzzle game. Each stage is set above a void that needs to be navigated. The rhythm of the music sets the pace for the stage, in addition to providing clues about the hazards of the stages. In Vectronom, stages are solved with planning rather than quick reflexes.

As a rhythm game, Vectronom relies heavily on its music and no detail was overlooked in the game’s catchy tunes. A shift in instruments or a crescendo announces large-scale changes in the stage and an easy-to-follow beat keeps the player on track. Later stages involve listening more than seeing. Understanding a stage’s pattern is the key to success and makes seemingly impossible stages manageable. Each stage has its own music and players earn a bonus to their score for staying on beat throughout the entire stage.

Graphically, Vectronom is a smooth game and the moving parts of the stage are usually easy to distinguish. The platforms don’t shimmer unless they’re about to move and visual cues like spikes alert players to changes. The latter stages are an exception as they’re a little confusing. But this departure feels more like an intentional design choice by then. The possible reason for the increasing complexity could be to encourage thoughtfulness in the player.

In Vectronom, stages are solved WITH planning rather than quick reflexes

Many platformers and puzzle games follow an easy to beat and difficult to master format. Where the bare minimum for progression is easier than getting 100% completion. Vectronom is no different and most stages contain one or two bonus objectives. These objectives are usually out of the way or require a thorough understanding of the pattern of the stage. The game also notes when a player completes the stage in perfect rhythm and without deaths.

Ultimately Vectronom is a good game for rhythm game fans wanting a more cerebral experience. Vectronom is about taking the time and listening to the beat and understanding the music’s audio cues instead of reacting to music with twitchy reflexes. Players can expect a fun challenge that will take one or two afternoons to finish, and even longer to clear 100%. Also after beating the game at least once stages can be played on different tempos. The tempo can be made slower for practice, or faster for a challenge.

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