This year, the RPG Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 got a lot of credit for its rhythm-infused turn-based battles. Rhythm combat in role-playing games isn’t new, of course, and while older games like Paper Mario are often cited as examples, a great, overlooked game from just last year put its own spin on it. And from now until August 7, it’s free to claim on PC through the Epic Games Store.
Set in a world where music is outlawed, Keylocker puts players in the role of the cyborg B0B0, one of the world’s few remaining musicians, and therefore, a fugitive. The game begins with a prison break, during which B0B0 finds Rocket, a sort of sentient robotic jukebox. From there, the pair team up with B0B0’s brother, Dealer, to foment a worldwide rebellion against rulers called Satellites, responsible for the ban, and who keep access to electricity under tight control.
Keylocker is a rhythm-centric RPG with a fantastic soundtrack.
The story, frankly, isn’t Keylocker’s strongest suit and can be a bit hard to follow at times. In short, the main party discovers that the god-like rulers of Saturn, where the game takes place, are more mortal than they appear, and they set off to destroy them, bringing freedom and music back to the people. But while it might not be the most satisfying narrative, it sets a defiant tone for the game that’s carried through in its music and combat.
A good soundtrack alone can’t make a game great, but Keylocker’s comes pretty close. At first, the game is eerily silent. Reflecting the fact that B0B0 is in prison in a world where music is banned, the game’s opening features hardly any music, until the party begins to come together and start their fight for freedom. From that point on, Keylocker’s soundtrack is a delight. Synths dominate the soundtrack, which ranges from moody and dark to funky and danceable. It’s fairly typical but excellently made music for a cyberpunk game, but it really shines when it breaks out of that mold. In addition to synthy background music, some tracks heavily feature guitars and drums with soaring vocals, adding some extra punch to important moments in the game. Like in Sayonara Wild Hearts, which similarly saves the vocals for key points, hearing a voice kick in is a sign to listen in here, because the soundtrack is about to take off.
Despite its flaws, Keylocker is a defiant music-based RPG that feels utterly original.
Moonana Games
As you’re listening along, you’ll spend most of your time in Keylocker in turn-based battles, which are a touch uneven. Keylocker is a tough game, there’s no way around it. Timed button presses can let you totally avoid damage or massively boost your attacks, but getting them right can be a real struggle. The timing windows for button presses are extremely tight, which at times does make it an enjoyable challenge. But it can also feel so difficult that it’s hard to determine whether your timing is just off or you’re actually not aiming for the right thing at all. Missing the timing too much can make battles incredibly challenging and also slow down the pace, as you’ll be forced to heal more often and just launch far more attacks to burn enemies down.
All that can make Keylocker’s combat a pain if you’re not rhythmically inclined, but if you’re able to perfect its timings, the difficulty can make the game even more fun. Boss fights often have unique mechanics to take advantage of in addition to getting your timing right, and outside of combat, music mini-games keep the focus on rhythm.
Keylocker definitely isn’t the most polished game around, but that doesn’t mean it should be written off entirely. It’s got plenty of quirks in and out of combat that drag the experience down, but it’s still one of the most memorable games I played last year. Everything about it just feels original, and even the parts that aren’t perfectly executed are at least bold and interesting. With the game free now on Epic, it’s worth checking out even if it doesn’t end up being your jam. At the very least, you’ll probably end up with a new game soundtrack to play on repeat.
