Published by Circle Entertainment
Reviewed on Nintendo Switch (also available on Android and iOS)
Voez is the latest rhythm action title from Rayark Games. With its easy to learn mechanics and expansive song roster, Voez caters to players of all skill levels. Much like Rayark’s prior games, Cytus and Deemo, Voez also features elegant visuals throughout the entire experience. Voez perfectly suits the Nintendo Switch’s hardware and nascent digital library.
Voez’s mechanics are familiar yet fascinating. After selecting a song, the player responds to cues that scroll from the top of the screen on straight lanes. When these cues reach the target zones, the player taps anywhere in the corresponding lane. These cues instruct players to tap, hold, swipe, and slide their fingers on the Switch’s touch screen.
However, Voez also departs from rhythm game conventions. Many rhythm games feature a specific number of equally sized lanes, but Voez’s lanes’ size, number, and layout dynamically change. Songs may start with no lanes, but players may experience multiple lanes quickly appearing or even moving horizontally. These elements drive visual interest and keep players on their toes, yet the large and bold rhythm cues are always easy to follow. Some lanes’ appearance and color correspond to the beat, which is incredibly fun to watch. Another notable departure is that players cannot fail mid song, which allows everybody to experience songs in their entirety.
Of particular note is how well Voez suits the Switch hardware. It only supports the Switch’s handheld mode and touch controls. The Switch’s light and slim build allows players to easily hold the system while still playing with both thumbs. Furthermore, players can detach both Joy-Cons from the Switch for an even more streamlined experience.
The game’s sizable songlist and difficulty levels provide plenty of replayability. With 348 note charts spread across more than 100 songs, Voez can easily provide hours of rhythm gaming fun. The songs’ styles are rather diverse as they span fast-paced electronic beats to slower vocal melodies. Other songs like “Brightness” are rock inspired while a few others like “Kokoro” and “The Longest Night” seem influenced by folk music. The songs demonstrate respectable craftsmanship that leads to song charts that are easy to follow. Furthermore, the game’s three difficulty levels cater to a wide variety of skill levels. On higher difficulty levels, some songs require players to respond to a barrage of incoming cues by quickly alternating between tapping and sliding motions.
Voez’s interface is simple, functional, and elegant. The sizable icons are large and easy to touch, and the game repeats a diamond motif that unifies the selection and play screens. The interface indicates player performance as well. A small diamond at the top of the play screen changes color depending on the player’s combo status, and it fades if the player misses a note. Achieving a full combo will lead to a small diamond appearing over the corresponding song on the selection screen.
The game also includes incredibly well designed still images and a vibrant animated intro. Each song’s still image excellently sets the tone of the song before the game starts. Some images represent colorful characters while others depict wild dreamlike settings. For example, “Kimi to mita sora no uta” depicts a wonderful ethereal setting full of clouds and dolphins. On the other hand, “MadteK” depicts an elongated character surrounded by abstract shapes and overlapping marks. Despite having so many distinct motifs, the game’s images are unified by a strong sense of color and a fascinating expressive quality.
Completing songs also unlocks extra visual content, which further bolsters replayability. Fulfilling goals unlocks art, narrative stills, and diary entries that help provide insight into Voez’s characters and universe. These goals range from reaching a certain total score to earning letter grades in specific difficulties. Unlocking content often naturally occurs while completing songs, but occasionally players will need to return to the gallery to check the next goal’s requirements. Completing goals also unlocks chances to randomly unlock avatars, which is amusing. The colorful avatar characters include expressive faces, animals, and other characters, and they are just as visually striking as the rest of the game. Reading the diary entries is also interesting as they describe a heartwarming, familiar tale of schoolkids forming a band while juggling daily responsibilities. However, these gallery entries can feel somewhat isolated from the rest of the game experience.
Voez will easily satisfy any Switch player’s desire to play a rhythm game. The game is a well built experience that is simultaneously wonderful to play, watch, and hear. With a wide array of tunes and unlockables, its value is hard to beat and it’s especially great to see as the Switch library begins to grow.
