Indiana Jones and the Great Circle
Indiana Jones and the Great Circle
Game
Game2023Published by indie.io
City of Beats
Developer Torched Hill
Shoot. Groove. Loot. Repeat. Cross an ever-changing city skyline, flowing through encounters in tune with the cityscape’s beat. From the weapons you fire, to the enemies you shoot, to the zen-like flow, the only way to win is to become one with the beat. From the Steam store page
92 reactions from 3 sources (Steam reviews, Bluesky, Mastodon) · newest Jul 26, 2026 · last updated Oct 7, 2026 · How this works
Audience score
72
Fresh
60 positive · 23 negative
95% range 62–81%
| Source | + | − | = |
|---|---|---|---|
| Steam reviews | 60 | 23 | 0 |
| Bluesky * | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Mastodon * | 0 | 0 | 0 |
* shown, not counted in the score (label accuracy below our 85% bar or not yet audited).
9 newer reactions are still waiting for a label.
Steam's own rating
Mostly Positive
109 of 143 reviews positive (all languages, per Valve)
What people are saying
Mixed reception: praised for music and concept, but criticized for difficulty and design flaws.
Many players enjoy the game's music and rhythm-based combat, calling it "smooth" and "unique." The atmosphere and visuals are also praised, with one player noting the "gloomy" cyberpunk theme. [4][14][3]
However, significant criticism focuses on the game's difficulty, particularly regarding enemy shields and upgrade RNG. Some players find the game "not fun" due to "sponge enemies with hero shields" and "crappy RNG choices." Others note that the rhythm element feels minimal, with one saying Rhythm has hardly anything to do with the gameplay. [35][36][31]
Praised Music and atmosphere · Smooth combat flow · Visuals and theme
Criticised Difficulty and enemy shields · Upgrade RNG and progression · Rhythm integration
Summary drafted by an AI model from the 36 reactions it cites ([n] links open each post), then checked by code: every paragraph cites real posts and every quote is verbatim. Written Oct 7, 2026. Method
Reactions
60 of 92 · most liked firstAccording to the achievements, I'm in the top .3% of players, having finished the main campaign loop, and then also finished all 8 challenge modes as well. I'm gonna be honest, to an extent I was spite-playing it towards the end. Some of the challenge runs are really unpleasant (others are challenging in a good way) - the one where shooting enemy shields hurts you is terrible because it breaks the central flow of the game (which is shooting and dodging in time). There's a number of things…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Written By Hidden Gems Review : https://store.steampowered.com/curator/38624426/, Follow me! City of Beats is a Rhythm Roguelite game. At the beggining of the game I thought.... it's too average game with nothing new to the genre just making phew phew with a nice rhythm sound... After a few hours I realize there it's more of what I see in the beggining, the sound is everything, you need pay attention to the beats for use the skill of the weapon without overheating, also check the sound…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Hello! I'm a composer and audio director from London UK, specialising in highly interactive and adaptive music. My last project, City of Beats, was nominated for Best Audio in an Indie Game, and Creative & Technical Acheivement in Music and Audio at the G.A.N.G Awards @ GDC 2024
unlabelledView post →This game is very hard on keyboard and mouse, and almost impossible to play with gamepad. And it's not only issue. K&M: - controls are intuitive and easy to learn - sometimes the cursor will get over the enemies or items on the screen so it's hard to see or locate it Gamepad (SteamDeck): - RS literally controls the cursor. It does not control where your character looks to shoot, it controls CURSOR. So it's impossible to shoot in another direction immediately, you need to wait until the cursor…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Simple roguelike with random generated levels where you run on building's rooftops. Enemies move to the beat and your guns make the music flow. Avoid getting hit by dashing and unlock special perk on each stage. Collect green bits to upgrade your character. Get new weapons by defeating bosses. Visuals are simple yet reliable. Atmosphere is somewhat gloomy with raining city and cyberpunk theme. Best playable with a controller. Music is good and sets the right mood for this gloomy cybertopia. Ok…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Super smooth bullet hellish rogue-lite where everything happens to the beat. And holy that beat is great! Really shines in the boss and mini boss levels. Also classic Ballhalla humour, love it. Highly recommend!
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Has several fundamental flaws 4/10. The game looks and sounds nice, is overpriced for what it provides, and disrespects your time with meaningless upgrades while relying on passive upgrades you can buy after an attempt to get any real progress. 1. The biggest issue is that weapon attacks will get eaten by input delay. The game tries so hard to sync up weapon attacks with the music, that it will straight up ignore inputs until you press them again. I frequently had to double press power shots…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →I suck with music-based games or shooters, but this game does a great job providing just enough help that even I can enjoy the game. The upgrades you can gather while playing a run provide a different game experience and change your gaming style. The game has 3 different weapons too in addition to the variation of weapon upgrades. Three base levels with different opponents, mechanics, and elements are waiting to be defeated. If you fail (which isn't the biggest deal, it is a roguelike after…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Unique, challenging and rewarding shooter which breathes fresh air into the rhythm/music genre. I'm not very good at rhythm games but this feels different- I love the way the weapons make music and how everything syncs up. It's initially punishing but once I got the rogue-like aspect I could appreciate how quickly you improve and how tweaking and upgrading makes a difference to your play-style. Highly recommended!
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Rhythm has hardly anything to do with the gameplay
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →I don't understand why I have to play the entire game with the right trigger pressed. It seems to add nothing to the game. So I redefined the fire button to be space bar and sat my bluetooth speaker on it to hold it down and this made the game 200% better. But it wasn't a complete solution because it interfered with other UI stuff so I had to keep picking it up and putting it back down. There is an electricity gauge that builds up, and the tutorial keeps telling me to use it but whenever I did…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →It's a very nice, albeit not very long, rogue-lite rhythm-synced game. Nice visuals, fine music (although I expected more of it), gameplay is challenging and satisfying. Actual rhythm part does not play a huge role in the game, so if you expected something like BPM, where you have to time your shots precisely, this is not it. On the technical side, I really appreciated how optimized the game is. There are no overt loading screens, and the "hidden" loading is very short. My only issue with the…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Please consider following my [url=https://store.steampowered.com/curator/41005226/]Curation page. I cover a wide range of genres both paid and unpaid, providing unbiased opinions as well as regular giveaway events. Full Review: https://www.taptap.io/post/5316265 Lacks replay value after 2 hours The game provides a small bowl of content before you start to feel full and put off by the continuous repetitive gameplay, with the same powerful upgrades, rather than feeling like you would want to…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →I didn't play tons of this yet, but it seemed more difficult than fun. And now, I have a notification prompt from Steam that this has been removed from my account? Why? I didn't use a gray market key or antyhing...we'll see if this review goes through... Edit: here's the explanation, but it's still dumb ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥: https://support.fanatical.com/hc/en-us/articles/21894443738514-City-of-Beats-has-been-removed-from-my-Steam-library?input_string=key+being+revoked+through+steam%3A+city+of+beats
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →The upgrades are HIGHLY situational, and sometimes you don't even get something to trigger those upgrades and the repeater feels too weak
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Kinda of fun but the difficulty of basic enemies vary wildly.
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Neat concept but not fun. Some twin-stick shooters are super hard but feel fair when you die, making you want to jump back in. This isn't like that. Sponge enemies with hero shields. Aiming feels off. Think its gimped on purpose so you can upgrade the accuracy later. Upgrades dolled out at a snail's pace. All crappy RNG choices. Limited color palette looks cool but hard to discern projectiles. It's one of those branching-path games that lead you to a final boss level. But in this game they…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Removed from library. Don't know why. EDIT: Game came back later the same day. Will play then edit review later EDIT: Fun but I die so easily. Fun game that I get bored of after 30 min of playing. I died in the hub world which is dumb
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →A nice concept with a good execution, it challenge you to follow the rhythm of the enemies while some catchy tunes are playing. Simple but effective.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Years ago, I had the chance to participate in an early test of CoB. I had been eagerly waiting to get my hands on the game ever since. Now, having seen the final product, I understand where all the effort of the developer went. CoB has become a very smooth and well-thought-out experience. Everything makes sense, everything works, everything looks good, and everything has its place. So my first impression is very positive. However, I will update my review as always once I have spent more time…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →So. Many. Shields. Enemies are invincible most of the time, and the ones that are the most dangerous also spend the most time invincible. Not clear what the pattern to shields are if any. It is a pain in the butt to even see anything either, there's too much glow going on. The trait cap is weird, and probably worst of all the perks are truly useless most of the time, being both weak and extremely situational. There's just a lot to not like about this game despite the fun concept.
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Looks quite cool, just starting out, will update.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Massively recommend this if you're looking for a fun indie game to play, music and atmosphere is top tier, gameplay is good fun and the dialogue is funny, and you get your very own robotic dog! The developers are great people who deserve more exposure! One improvement I could suggest is adding character customisation options like there was in Road to Ballhalla
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Everything i like in one: -Rougelike -Rhythm -Enemies and attacks synced to the rhythm (thats just so nice) The game looks beautiful, only thing id want is maybe the ability to change some controls, and maybe some music tuning? to better differentiate between some of the stuff. GOOD GAME
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Really like how combat and sound work together in making the gameplay flow. Feels unique. The bow play style is my favorite at the moment. Highly recommend checking it out.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Yes, as has been pointed out, this is not Road to Ballhalla 2. Instead this is a rogue-lite with all that it entails, randomised maps, levels and enemies - and loot. All this happens while you have a weapon that fires on a beat and you use it on the Zeitgeber and its robot minions. Pros: - The music. This cannot be overstated. It is perfect in setting the tone and brings together the feel of your weapons - The graphics. Yes this is an indie title and it should be judged with that in mind. But…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →such a gorgeous hidden little gem
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →boring. After more than 2 hours, there's no variety in the gameplay. Always the same enemies and level. That's it?
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →City of Beats is an interesting game, gonna need to play it some more, maybe I'll get lucky and clear the first level? Thank you @rainestormfall.bsky.social and @saberslashpaladin.bsky.social for the raids! We sent the snuggles over to @vtyumiyumi.bsky.social
unlabelledView post →Felky Fun Meter |-------|---| [7/10] Pretty fun! I'll just say this first since I assume most people are going to look at this game for the "Rhythm" tag : I wouldn't consider this a Rhythm game at all. Yes when you shoot your gun it makes music; yes when some things happen you can hear them in the song, but there is no input that you have to do on-beat like a real Rhythm game would make you. That being said the game is pretty good and above average for most of its content; upgrades, enemies,…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Man, underated as hell... such a neat concept, enemies and bullet on beats and not forced to fire but just hold the button and it will fire beats... it will create music, even enemies.. I reached 2nd zone and even poison ticks are on beat.. <3 love it!
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Fun rogue-lite rhythm-based twin-stick shooter. It has some neat ideas on how to integrate rhythm into the gameplay - weapons fire to the rhythm and add to to the music, and to maximize damage you need to time your power attacks well, or else your main attack will stop firing. If you liked Ballhalla's humor, this game has it too but not nearly as much. The only thing I didn't like is that some upgrades are highly situational or are useless if you don't have specific upgrades.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Upgrades In the game suck, Take a note from hades because the base green upgrades feel like they do absolutely nothing, the level upgrades all are stuff i do not want. This game is wayyyy to hard with the current system and i wont be back. Fix the balance issues. Would not recommend.
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Honestly pretty fun game. If you like to die over and over again but be making beats along the way then this the game for you ;)
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →This is so much fun. The music is great too. I'm pleased I don't have to shoot on the beat like most rhythm games. The enemies attacks are well telegraphed with audio cues that fit in well with the music. I feel like I've just scratched the surface and can't wait to find more of those sweet synth beats.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →I REALLY wanted to like this game, but the balance is out, the weapons are uninspired, and the "rhythm" aspect is almost entirely lacking. I hate to say it, but the whole thing feels really... bland?
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →TL;DR Good, but with a steep learning curve City of Beats is a fairly simple semi-rhythm roguelite at first glance, but the more you play, the more its satisfying game mechanics grow on you. At first, you'll struggle to deal with a few things that put a steep challenge in front of new players. Some enemies will use shields in specific patterns, forcing you to learn their patterns and fight to the beat. Many of the upgrades the game presents you with aren't actually all that helpful, and…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →From the creators of Road to Ballhalla, comes yet another fantastic game. Good gameplay, good music, good humour, and for a roguelike, it's not very long, which is great.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →minimalist Hades. cute, sweet, tough.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Great Game and soundtrack, really enjoyed playing! The rhytm based combat feels really smooth and the various weapons, upgrade and enemies makes each run feel different and unique. Can't wait to play more and highly recommend it!
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →I've played it for a few hours now.. I am honest: Initially I thought that I might not like these kind of games, since I'm not very skilled at fast reaction games... BUT the rhythm and music-based action within CITY OF BEATS is so engaging that it sucks you into the game and keeps you hooked. The game's mechanics are easy to pick up (even for me), but the challenge ramps up quickly, making it a perfect balance of fun and difficulty that wants you to become better and better over time. If…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →This game was pretty unique. I felt that the balance of rhythm game and bullet hell didn't quite work out but I like the graphics and music.
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Hotline Miami but you gun goes bee bo boo bo bee bo boo bee bo bee bo
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →This game is great. I love anything that puts a rhythm aspect into a genre, and City of Beats uses rhythm tastefully while also having some great soundtracks. Highly recommend for any rhythm fan.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →The inconsistent input controls sadly make a fun game nearly unplayable. Switching between power and standard attacks will likely cease all inputs and leave you moving your character around without doing anything while enemies pile up. Attacks might not fire, dashes might not dash, and considering those are the only two things you're doing it's a real anti-picnic. It has great humor, it's music based, and in many regards a fun game, but knowing what to do and being unable to do it is a serious…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Was writing this review because of The Steam Awards, so I'll get straight to the point: - Seems easy visually, but difficult to play in person - The soundtrack is nice, you could purchase the OST if you liked it (after you've played through the story mode) - I've noticed this game since the Beta release (running in Unreal Engine by the way), do like the concept (and how polished the full release is compared to the early access version) - Some jokes here and there, to make you feel engaged (some…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →very interesting take on a rougelite imo. bit of a different take on rhythm games with the way it doesn't require you to follow the music in a specific way. very nice aesthetic and a pretty soothing game to play as well (for the most part)
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Good and challenging roguelike
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Its not bad...but it is not good either. Actually i am not even convinced that music really even plays a roll in it. I could just play this in silence and have the exact same experience. The game is fun for the first couple levels...and then it sinks in: this is as good as it is going to get. Its like having vanilla ice cream: sure it is good at first...but do you want to eat it every hour? Do I feel bad for getting it? Not really....I got it in a bundle for $1.39. But I am not going to put…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Solid game with some awesome music.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Im very excited to see where this goes. The first rhythm game that feels solid that i've played in a long time
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Verey polished and very relaxing. If you like roguelikes and rythm games, this is your sweet spot.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Awesome game! super satisfying music mechanics and loved the overall neon style, really enjoying it.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →A straight-forward game with a very, very, very solid base. The game is a rouge-lite with a branching path similar to FTL where during a run you choose between a few different levels for different rewards (upgrades, currency, shops, etc). Then there are a few different upgrade types you keep between levels. Character stats, weapons, and boosts (kinda like Hades) Lots of wit throughout the flavor text which made it enjoyable to read through all the small details you'd normal smash A to skip…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Tested this out back at EGX 2022 and it felt great, but I was curious to see how it would play in the long run. Only an hour in and each weapon plays to the beat differently, and combining attacks makes for some neat rhythms. Super chill game to play and has all of the rogue lite elements we like seeing these days.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Loving this game so far. I'm terrible at most shooters but found the difficulty curve on this to be just right- it's challenging but rewarding without being too off-putting when you have to repeat a run. Feels great when you get into the groove. Can't wait to progress further!
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →So i´ve been following this Game for a while within their discord, and closed beta and even a short speedrun competition (i lost..not a speedrunner it seems haha) but here is my take on it: -The game has amazing music and rhythm to it, sure you can just clock left click and spray and pray, but you can also try shooting in rhythm and even sort of create your own music in a way, every weapon will sound different to generate different sounds, i´ve been enjoying it! -The upgrades throughout the…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Very satisfying gameplay. Making music with the normal and powershot feels really cool. The weapons feel different and powerful in their own ways. It does come off as a little short, though. The base upgrades might also need some balancing as they feel too cheap for how much they facilitate the game.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Such satisfying gameplay, and just absolutely stunning graphically as well, love it!
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Really nice game. The combat system is fun to learn, and the music is good.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →
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