Whilst I’m certain that there will be objectively better games that release in 2026, I doubt there will be any that bring an equal sense of unbridled joy as Dead as Disco. Whipping out its cha-cha pow to mix with its quickstep dodges, Brain Jar Games’ Early Access title is a pure, unadulterated thrill. After many an hour throwing hooks and smashing guitars against goons, I’m still oh-so excited at the possibilities that lay ahead.
When you can say you’ve nailed a grunt’s head to the floor in time with Linkin Park’s Faint, you know you’re on to a winner. Smash Mouth’s All Star was pretty good in Shrek, but it’s elevated to new levels when synced to the disco combat vibes here. Without further ado, let’s get into the heart of this disco beat.
Move Like a Butterfly, Sting Like a Bee Gee
The set up of Dead as Disco is pretty simple – Batman: Arkham styled combat with strikes, counters, dodges and special moves, alongside a rhythm-timing system synced to the beat of the song. If the idea of matching your inputs to the beats feels intimidating, fret not, for Dead as Disco is impressively intuitive. Unlike other rhythm action games, I barely had to think about matching the beat, and the punishment for going off-step is negligible.
Combat, for the most part, is fluid, free-flowing and a hell of a good time. While my dancing can be likened to a gargoyle stuck in a volcano of treacle, Charlie Disco can glide about with ease. Enemy attacks are given plenty of signposting and input timing is pretty forgiving. Bosses throw up much more of a challenge, but most mobs can be handled with the confidence of an 80s mullet.
I encountered a couple of quirks in the fisty cuffs sandbox, namely when exiting i-frame animations (i.e from takedowns) and getting smacked with an un-counterable attack at the same moment, despite it appearing visually I should still be safe. Overall, however, the Arkham styled combat is fluid and solid, especially considering it’s matched to the BPM of the music.
Taking On The Village People
Adding some depth to proceedings is the five currently available special moves, styled after the bosses you overcome in the story. While initially appearing somewhat superfluous, once you’ve gotten to grips with their role alongside the jabbing and weaving, they become an important means of skill expression. Smashing a group with Hemlock’s guitar is forever satisfying, while Arora’s electric chain is essential for managing mobs of elite foes.
Speaking of elites, these foes come in the usual expected variety. Shield-totting riot soldiers, ranged-focused mannequins, charging brutes, Dead as Disco runs the gauntlet of tougher enemies. While there is a decent amount of variety on show, I did find myself wishing for a little more after a couple of hours pummeling them to the tune of the Final Countdown.
Bosses, however, are fantastic, multi-stage dances of beatdowns. Each has their own unique fighting style, environmental hazards and combo strings. Arora especially is tough as nails, owing to her mix of ranged assaults and melee combos. There’s four available to best thus far, with more to come by the time of the game’s 1.0 release.
Queen of the Dancefloor
Each of Dead as Disco’s bosses are former band members of Charlie Disco’s… well, band. Bringing them back into the fold means besting their own levels. Missions are loosely connected fight sequences that have sick transitions and ebb with pazazz. The connecting tissue of the levels was very apparent, for me, but what it lacks in substance, it makes up for with glitz and glam.
Levels take 10-20 minutes to complete, with Charlie graded from 1-5 stars depending on how large a combo you can build, how quickly you can overcome the level, and whether you get punched into submission or not. While standard fare for the genre, Dead as Disco has plenty of replayability thanks to the leaderboards and use of collectibles to find within the stages of levels to progress the story.
It does also mean repetition of the same stages multiple times, which can become somewhat tedious after a couple of runs. I found it especially so when having to get to later chunks of a level just to find a poster to progress a bandmate’s story. In fairness, it’s not too intrusive and thankfully the levels are a visual feast, which kept me invested in maintaining the disco fever dream.
Upgrades Worthy of Prince
Overcoming Charlie Disco’s bandmates additionally unlocks new skill trees to invest your fame (read: XP) into. More health, additional Disco Fever bars and upgrades to special moves are all on the menu, as are a wealth of cosmetic items for both The Encore (your hub) and Charlie himself. Skill trees make a significant difference to your abilities, and the variety of cosmetics are a fun way to see The Encore progress from it’s initial mess of a state.
Many of these unlocks are tied to items found in missions, or in the Infinite Disco challenges. Here, you’ll find various songs to dish out the pain alongside, as well as modified setups to practice and test your knowledge of the combat sandbox. You’ll also face off against multiple bosses at once… which is, well, like trying to dance the Tango and Waltz simultaneously, while being smacked in the head by a bass speaker. Can’t deny they’re fun challenges, however.
This is also where you can upload any of your own music to jam out to. It’s shockingly addictive, to the point I was losing hours finding the best songs to crack skulls to. Who knew APT would work so well when you’re uppercutting goons while wearing a florescent yellow jacket before dropkicking some unknowing fool. What a time this game is.
Disco and The Sunshine Band
I had a few issues getting Dead as Disco running smoothly on my PC, though this was more pronounced on the more visually intense set pieces. After a bit of rummaging through the settings, I managed to get it to be relatively stable at 60fps. I suspect this’ll be ironed out during the Early Access period, but there are some rough edges to Charlie Disco’s chiseled jawline.
I’d argue the performance hits are probably worth it however, as Dead as Disco is ridiculously flamboyant in its aesthetics. Arora’s arena is a literal spectral plane complete with black hole. Prophet hurls rap lyrics in golden glow at you from his stage. Everything has a certain flair and stylishness that can be tough to capture without being overbearing, but Brain Jar Games have nailed it here.
Which is probably how I’d sum up the game itself: it just nails the joy of rhythm combat. Its own soundtrack is a delight, the wealth of modes is superb, and there’s a visceral thrill that oozes out of these dancing shoes. I spent every moment of this game with a stupid grin on my face. Throw those elbows, launch those kicks, I daresay you’ll have little as much excitement or entertainment in 2026 as you will playing this harmonic gem.
Now off with you, I need to master my counters to the tune of Maniac and Rebel Yell.
Dead as Disco is available now on PC via Early Access (review platform).
Developer: Brain Jar Games.
Publisher: Brain Jar Games.
Disclaimer: In order to complete this review, we were provided with a promotional copy of the game. For our full review policy, please go here.
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