Dead as Disco: we said the combat was good. We were right.

In our preview, we said the combat had something. An Arkham legacy in the combos, a pleasure in reading enemies, a fluidity that doesn't reduce to three words. Early Access has been out since May 5. We confirm.

Charlie Disco and revenge in music

The setup: Charlie Disco was the absolute icon of his band. His partners betrayed him, left him for dead, and thrived without him. He resurfaces. He wants back what belongs to him, one ex-bandmate at a time.

It's not the most sophisticated story in the world. Dead as Disco doesn't claim otherwise. What it does is create a framework that justifies the game's structure: each level corresponds to a former band member, each with their own musical style. Punk rock, Rammstein-style metal, Asian pop in this version. Country, rap, R&B, pop-rock across others. This isn't a skin over generic levels. The musical style changes the visual atmosphere, changes the enemies, changes the energy of each arena. It's coherent and it's smart.

Batman Arkham on the dance floor

We already knew it, but Early Access confirms it with more substance: Dead as Disco's combat system is a genuine success. Brain Jar Games cited Batman Arkham and Devil May Cry as inspirations. The result draws from both without copying either.

Quick strike, heavy strike, dodge, parry, ranged attack, special moves based on performance. The controls are simple, reading enemies is immediate, and combos flow naturally after a few minutes. But it's when you start hitting in rhythm with the music that the game truly opens up.

Striking on the beat triggers additional effects, a satisfying visual and audio feedback that makes you feel in sync with the track. It's not a punitive system: you don't fail the level for being off-rhythm. It's a reward. A dopamine hit that turns a good fight into a memorable moment. The difference between "playing" and "performing."

Playlist mode: the game within the game

Outside the main campaign, Dead as Disco offers a Playlist mode where you choose a track from the soundtrack and chain enemy waves while chasing the best score. It's the mode that reveals just how much each song's BPM changes the experience: a slow country track sets a contemplative pace, a 180 BPM metal track turns the arena into organised chaos.

And there's more: you can import your own music. For now, it remains a PC exclusive, with the developers acknowledging the feature is trickier to deploy on other platforms. But the idea is there, and it's an idea that changes the equation. A beat 'em up where you can smash enemies to your own playlists is a hard argument to ignore.

Also in the pipeline: an arena creation system similar to Beat Saber, where players could build their own levels, from track selection to enemy wave composition. If it lands, Dead as Disco could become a tool as much as a game.

What's still missing

The skill tree is planned, not yet there. Character appearance customisation either. Other game modes are announced but not detailed. These are the honest promises of an Early Access, and Brain Jar Games has clearly named them rather than hiding them.

The content currently available is enough to justify the entry price, but if you're waiting for a complete game with everything that's been promised, the 1.0 release will be the right time. The current game is a very solid foundation. The final version could be something exceptional.

The verdict

Dead as Disco is what the demo promised: a rhythm beat 'em up that knows what it is, built by a team that knows their craft. The combat is fluid, the music is a mechanic in its own right, and the game's personality is strong enough to stick. Early Access leaves boxes to fill, but the foundations are solid. Charlie Disco is well on track to be one of the indie hits of the year.

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Review based on the Early Access version. Dead as Disco is available on PC.