Deadbeats Encore Review: A Hololive Rhythm Game That Actually Slaps (Grudgingly)
I booted up yet another fangame expecting amateur hour garbage, but Deadbeats Encore's Everhood-inspired bullet hell rhythm hybrid actually made me stop scrolling Twitter. Color me shocked.
First Impressions (Or: When Fangames Don't Immediately Disappoint)
Listen, when I see 'Hololive fangame' my brain immediately goes to the absolute bottom of the barrel. Fan projects are usually held together with duct tape, prayers, and stolen assets. So when I clicked on Deadbeats Encore expecting to suffer through another poorly-coded tribute to some VTuber I've vaguely heard of, imagine my genuine surprise when it actually... worked? And looked good? The developer fie clearly worships at the altar of Everhood, and you know what? That's the right church to attend. The psychedelic rhythm-battle aesthetic translates perfectly to Calliope Mori's music, and within thirty seconds I realized I wasn't dealing with some weekend Unity project. The game opens with style, the controls are responsive, and I didn't immediately want to close my browser. That's already winning.
Gameplay: Everhood But Make It Reaper
If you've played Everhood, you know exactly what you're getting into here. If you haven't, picture a rhythm game where the notes are trying to murder you. You dodge incoming attacks timed to the music while occasionally needing to jump, and it's that perfect blend of pattern recognition and panic that makes rhythm games addictive. Deadbeats Encore doesn't reinvent this wheel, but it doesn't need to â it just executes the formula competently with Calliope Mori's catalog. The difficulty curve is brutal in that satisfying way where you KNOW you can beat it if you just focus, which kept me coming back despite dying embarrassingly often. My only real complaint is that some attack patterns feel less musically motivated and more 'we need to make this harder,' which breaks the rhythm-combat synergy that makes this genre sing. Also, that 'press R three times to reset keybindings' thing is the most annoying UI choice I've seen this month.
The Music (AKA The Entire Point)
Here's where Deadbeats Encore justifies its existence. The game features actual Calliope Mori tracks â not MIDI covers, not chiptune approximations, the real deal â plus remixes by Solkatt-P and scarps that genuinely slap. I'm not even a Hololive fan and I found myself nodding along, which is more than I can say for most rhythm games that think 'beep boop' constitutes a soundtrack. The track selection leans into Mori's hip-hop and rock influences, and the heavier tracks work perfectly with the bullet hell gameplay. When the music syncs perfectly with dodging a wall of projectiles, you get that chef's kiss moment that reminds you why rhythm games exist. My only gripe is the tracklist isn't huge, so you'll hear everything pretty quickly, but what's here is quality over quantity. Also, the audio mixing is actually competent, which shouldn't be noteworthy but here we are.
Visuals: Psychedelic Reaper Aesthetic Done Right
The Everhood influence is impossible to miss, and honestly? Good. That game's visual style works, so borrowing it for a Hololive rhythm experience is smart, not lazy. The backgrounds pulse and shift with the music, character sprites have personality, and the bullet patterns are clear enough to read while still looking chaotic and overwhelming. I appreciate that fie didn't just slap some anime girl sprites over basic shapes and call it a day. There's actual art direction here, even if it's derivative. The color choices pop without being seizure-inducing, and I never felt like I died because I couldn't see what was happening â only because I suck at dodging. My one complaint is that after an hour, the visual variety starts to feel samey, but for a free fangame, I'm not exactly expecting Revolutionary Girl Utena levels of artistic evolution.
The Fangame Question: Does It Respect the Source?
I'm not deep in Hololive lore, but even I can tell this was made by someone who genuinely appreciates Calliope Mori's work. The game isn't just using her music as background noise â it's built around it, celebrating it, and giving fans a way to engage with her catalog beyond passive listening. That's what separates good fangames from cash grabs or lazy tributes. The Deadbeats theming is woven throughout, and while I can't speak to every deep cut reference, the vibes check out. This feels like a love letter, not a cynical exploitation of someone else's IP. The developer even recommends downloading over browser play for better performance, which is the kind of detail that shows actual care. If you're a Deadbeats fan, this is clearly made FOR you, and if you're not, it's still a solid rhythm experience that doesn't require a Hololive wiki to enjoy.
What This Game Gets Right (Reluctantly)
Deadbeats Encore succeeds because it knows what it is. It's not trying to be the next genre-defining indie darling â it's a competent rhythm-bullet hell game wrapped in Hololive theming, and it executes that vision without major stumbles. The gameplay loop is addictive, the music is legitimately good, the presentation is polished beyond what you'd expect from a free fan project, and it runs smoothly whether you're playing in browser or downloaded. For a solo developer making a tribute to a VTuber's music catalog, this is how you do it right. My biggest compliment is that I kept playing after I had enough material for this review, which almost never happens. When a free game earns extra minutes of my time in 2024, that's genuine praise. I'm still not convinced fangames are a sustainable creative outlet, but if they're all this competent, maybe I'll stop rolling my eyes quite so hard.
Rating Breakdown
Surprisingly polished for a free fangame â no crashes, smooth performance, and the Everhood-style presentation actually works instead of feeling like a cheap knockoff.
It's literally Everhood with Hololive branding, which I haven't seen done THIS specifically before, but let's not pretend mixing rhythm games with bullet hell is revolutionary in 2024.
It's free, features actual licensed Calliope Mori tracks with quality remixes, and gave me two solid hours of entertainment â I can't complain about free when it's actually good.
The rhythm-bullet hell fusion kept me engaged way longer than expected, though I died seventeen times on one track and nearly rage-quit like it was 2010.
Calliope Mori's tracks absolutely carry this experience, and the visual presentation nails that psychedelic Everhood vibe without making my eyes bleed â legitimately impressive.
I'll probably come back for the harder difficulties when I hate myself enough, but once you've cleared the tracklist, there's not much pulling you back beyond masochism.
What Didn't Annoy Me
- Actually polished and functional unlike 90% of fangames I've suffered through
- Features real Calliope Mori tracks with quality remixes that don't sound like garage band projects
- Nails the Everhood rhythm-bullet hell formula without feeling like a soulless clone
- Free and generous with content for what it is
- Runs smoothly and looks genuinely good in a psychedelic acid trip way
What Made Me Sigh
- Limited tracklist means you've seen everything in a couple hours
- Some attack patterns feel arbitrary rather than musically motivated
- Basically no reason to replay once you've cleared everything unless you're a completionist masochist
- The keybinding reset requiring three R presses is pointlessly annoying
Look, I went into Deadbeats Encore expecting to write a scathing takedown of yet another amateur fangame, but fie actually made something competent here. It's Everhood with Hololive branding, sure, but it's GOOD Everhood with Hololive branding, featuring real tracks that slap and gameplay that kept me engaged despite my natural cynicism. At seven out of ten, this is genuinely above average for the rhythm genre and miles ahead of most fan projects. If you like Calliope Mori's music or rhythm-bullet hell games, this is worth your time. If you like both, download it immediately. It's free, it's polished, and it respects both your time and its source material. I hate that I'm recommending a fangame in 2024, but here we are. Play it, enjoy it, and maybe remember when games were this focused and fun without needing seventy-dollar price tags.
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