What do rhythm action games and dungeon crawlers have in common? Absolutely cack-all, but not anymore - that's where Crypt of the Necrodancer comes in. By pairing the idea of top-down 2D pixel sprite monster-slaying with movement you can only pull off if you land on the beat, it's one hell of a unique concept that thoroughly enraptured its hardcore fanbase across 2015. The music though, man. Recently there's been quite an influx of synthwave tracks that the likes of Drive, Hotline Miami, Luftrausers and Not A Hero helped showcase, and if you've heard them you can immediately imagine a hack n' slash adventure set to the bass-stabs of such impeccable rhythms. None of those games actually made the music matter directly to the playing of the game, and although it's a strange comparison, the only other title to utilise a score in a gameplay sense was the terribly implemented Def Jam ICON. For Necrodancer though, developers Brace Yourself Games knew exactly how to pull off their own concoction of crazy tunes, combining a roguelike structure with one of the most charming presentations seen in quite some time.
