Write a commentReady to take on the monumental task of being the manager of a band destined for…wait, where’d they all go? They were supposed to meet me here at 9 AM! Oh no, they’re probably down at the bar again. What have I gotten myself into… Well, welcome to ROCKBEASTS, and your chance to help bring a rowdy, ragtag group of misfit bandmates trying to make it big in the world of music in the mid-1990s.
You’re the coordinator of all of their decisions from dawn to dusk and back to dawn. These choices will include things like when and where they’ll eat and relax, or how and how well they’ll play the songs on their setlist for shows. Keeping the whole group on a tight schedule that balances money, health, hype, and mood whilst using their limited “Focus” to grow as a band is a tall order, but one that flows naturally and comedically, with full voice acting throughout. There are over 90 characters and tons of interactions to discover, and the demo we played did an amazing job of introducing us to the main players and gameplay style.
As you meet new supporting characters dotted around the tiered world maps that allow you to jump from busy street to bustling neighborhood, you’ll have the chance to use your good luck and persuasive managerial chops to get your band into recording studios, smaller gigs, and eventually headlining shows. Along the way you’ll build deeper and deeper relationships with your bandmates, and their opinion of you and each other will evolve with your choices. The unique setup for the story and the unique characters and animation will have you constantly entertained. There was nary a moment where I wasn’t enjoying myself, even when I felt like I didn’t have enough time in the days in-game to do all that I wanted to.
The actual performance sections are interesting, if few and far between. All the performed music in the game seems to be original, and so far have been engaging and not repetitive. Over the course of your band’s ascension, there seems to be two paths: stick to your indie roots and gain fame that way, or go for the big bucks and bow to corporate wills for the money. These paths unlock different songs and other rewards, and a lot of the conversations that affect the direction of your band usually deal with this main question. I’m curious how it will handle potential “middle ground” decisions, because so far it seems to be one way or the other, but maybe that’s the point? I can foresee schisms in the group forming because of these type of choices, and I’m interested in how the writers will handle it. Speaking of writers, Jakub Szamalek (senior writer of The Witcher 3, principal writer of Cyberpunk 2077 and the upcoming The Blood of Dawnwalker) is the main writer on the project, so it’s sure to have a solid guiding hand in that department.
Of course, with a name like ROCKBEASTS, you’d hope that there are a ton of beasts in the game. Luckily for us, the game is packed with animal anthros of all sorts and sizes. Bears and dogs walk the streets, a cat runs the record store, a koala mans the recording studio (that is being hoarded by a trio of goats.) It’s an absolute treat for fans of furries and talking animal people. I can’t wait to see what other characters will inhabit the world when the full game releases in 2026.
