LOUD

LOUD is a fun, cell-shaded rhythm game with a catchy instrumental-rock soundtrack that requires a fast reaction time to master! A bit short, but enjoyable the whole time.

The best way to think of LOUD is like an interactive demo tape in the form of a Switch game. It doesn’t have the flash, licensed music, or sheer song count that bigger-budget rhythm games tend to shoot for, but in its place its something fresh, original, and invigorating in its raw energy. While it falls short of its narrative ambitions, it makes up for that in a kickass soundtrack and finely-tuned rhythm action core—and aren’t those the most important things in any music game?

With rhythm games, I’m really looking for two things at the end of the day. First, are the gameplay mechanics easy to pick up, but scale up in challenge well? And second, is the music good? LOUD passes both of those tests well. The rocking soundtrack is pleasing to the ears, and while the gameplay isn’t the most original thing I’ve played, it does its job the way it should. Throw in a high-quality presentation and a story that managed to hold my interest and you’ve got a pretty cool game.

Everything is fine, it’s all serviceable, and if you prefer real instruments to the standard electronic and anisong mix that you might get with DJMAX or Cytus, LOUD might have something for you. But there are certainly better rhythm games out there on the Switch, too.

With the lack of true musical and aesthetic variety, and either too easy or too challenging difficulty modes, LOUD feels like how my dad describes my music taste – just noise, with no substance. At the heart of LOUD is a fun arcade-like rhythm game that falls short in comparison to many other releases of the same genre. Big props for the Soccer Mommy shoutout, though.

LOUD is very polished and offers light, quick gameplay perfect for a handheld. I’ll be surely coming back to improve my score on some levels, but due to the game’s disappointingly simple story and bland songs the primary feeling I was left with was the urge to dust off DJ Hero.

Wrapping a rhythm game around a heartfelt indie works wonders for Loud, elevating the gameplay and delivering a short but sweet musical experience that’s well worth the price of admission. Occasionally clumsy controls and a brutal difficulty curve are an issue, but rhythm fans will get a kick out of this one.

LOUD is a sparse and not very elaborate offer, a title with an independent breath that has no big cards to play except a catchy pop punk soundtrack, unfortunately subservient to a playful recipe that leaves something to be desired.

Loud is a perfectly serviceable rhythm game, but a forgettable soundtrack and a lack of content makes it hard to recommend.

LOUD is a groovy rhythm game that has some excellent tunes to pair with a charming protagonist and a solid gameplay layout. There’s great incentive to replay, and I’ll surely be coming back to master those levels that I barely got past the first time around. It's a perfect pickup on Switch, and I’m sure it’ll also be quite enjoyable on PC.

These issues aside, there’s no denying that LOUD is an enjoyable little music rhythm game with a lovely positive message and plenty of spirit. It may be a little brief and rather basic, but it’s nicely presented and well put together. If you’re into rhythm games and rock music it’s worth a look, but it definitely won’t blow your socks off.

While I found my playtime kneecapped by the physical hardware, Loud has nice tunes playing in sync to plenty of fun note tracks. Astrid’s tale isn’t particularly deep (what happened to her band?), but she’s a likeable character who grows into her music over the three years of the story. The twelve tracks have plenty of replayability thanks to the multiple difficulty levels, and there’s even an extra-hard bonus tune awarded in the free-play mode after game completion. Loud is a capable little music game with a lot of heart, but be aware you need either small hands or maybe a Pro Controller to get the most from it.