View source for BPM: Bullets Per Minute

{{Short description|2020 video game}}
{{Infobox video game
| title = BPM: Bullets Per Minute
| image = File:BPM Bullets Per Minute cover art.jpg
| developer = Awe Interactive
| publisher = Awe Interactive (Windows)<br>[[Playtonic Games|Playtonic Friends]] (consoles)
| director = David Jones
| designer = Josh Sullivan
| composer = Sam Houghton<br/>Joe Collinson<br />Reuben Hawthorn
| engine = [[Unreal Engine 4]]
| platforms = {{ubl|[[Microsoft Windows|Windows]]|[[PlayStation 4]]|[[Xbox One]]|[[Nintendo Switch]]}}
| released = '''Windows'''<br/>September 15, 2020<br/>'''PS4''', '''Xbox One'''<br/>October 5, 2021<br/>'''Switch'''<br/>September 8, 2022
| genre = [[First-person shooter]], [[rhythm game|rhythm]], [[roguelike]]
| modes = [[Single-player]]
}}
'''''BPM: Bullets Per Minute''''' is a [[roguelike]] [[rhythm game|rhythmic]] [[first-person shooter]] developed and published by Awe Interactive. The game incorporates elements from [[rhythm game]]s and [[roguelike]]s. It was released for [[Microsoft Windows]] in September 2020, for [[PlayStation 4]] and [[Xbox One]] in October 2021, and for [[Nintendo Switch]] in September 2022.
==Gameplay==
The game is a [[first-person shooter]] in which the player assumes control of a [[Valkyrie]] who must combat various monstrous creatures across different realms. The player can choose from ten characters, each of whom has their own unique abilities, strengths and weaknesses.<ref name="ten characters"/><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.pcgamer.com/if-doom-was-a-rhythm-game-it-might-look-a-lot-like-bullets-per-minute/|title=If Doom was a rhythm game it might look a lot like Bullets Per Minute|first=Andy|last=Chalk|work=[[PC Gamer]]|date=May 2, 2020|accessdate=October 7, 2021|archive-date=October 7, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211007111314/https://www.pcgamer.com/if-doom-was-a-rhythm-game-it-might-look-a-lot-like-bullets-per-minute/|url-status=live}}</ref> Similar to rhythm games such as ''[[Crypt of the NecroDancer]]'', the players must use abilities, reload, and shoot their weapons on beat to the game's [[Heavy metal music|heavy metal]] [[background music]]. As with many rhythm games, each successful beat match boosts a score multiplier, while their guns will misfire if the player loses the beat.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://kotaku.com/bpm-bullets-per-minute-is-a-shockingly-fun-first-perso-1845079348|title=BPM: Bullets Per Minute Is A Shockingly Fun First-Person Rhythm Shooter|first=Ash|last=Parrish|work=[[Kotaku]]|date=September 16, 2020|accessdate=October 7, 2021|archive-date=October 7, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211007111315/https://kotaku.com/bpm-bullets-per-minute-is-a-shockingly-fun-first-perso-1845079348|url-status=live}}</ref> The game features dungeons that are [[procedurally generated]], and the player must defeat seven different [[boss (gaming)|boss]]es in order to finish the game.<ref name="RPS PC Release">{{cite web|url=https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/rock-rhythm-fps-bullets-per-minute-is-out-now|title=Rock rhythm FPS Bullets Per Minute is out now|first=Lauren|last=Morton|work=[[Rock, Paper, Shotgun]]|date=September 16, 2020|accessdate=October 7, 2021|archive-date=October 7, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211007111316/https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/rock-rhythm-fps-bullets-per-minute-is-out-now|url-status=live}}</ref>
==Development==
The game was developed by Awe Interactive, which was a two-person team based in the UK. The game was inspired by early first-person shooters such as ''[[Doom (video game)|Doom]]'' and ''[[Quake (video game)|Quake]]'', while some of the gameplay mechanics were influenced by ''Crypt of the NecroDancer'' and ''[[Cuphead]]''. Originally the team wanted to use music from various artists, but they decided to work exclusively with Sam Houghton and Joe Collinson after hearing their work.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.pcgamesn.com/bpm-bullets-per-minute/making-it-in-unreal|title=Making it in Unreal: tying the knot between Doom and metal in BPM: Bullets Per Minute|work=[[PCGamesN]]|date=November 10, 2020|accessdate=October 7, 2021|archive-date=October 7, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211007111310/https://www.pcgamesn.com/bpm-bullets-per-minute/making-it-in-unreal|url-status=live}}</ref> The game is powered by [[Epic Games]]' [[Unreal Engine]], and used assets from their cancelled project, ''[[Paragon (video game)|Paragon]]''. One of ''Paragon''{{'}}s characters, Sevarog, appears in the game.<ref name="ten characters">{{cite web|url=https://www.gamesradar.com/the-best-character-in-epics-cancelled-moba-finds-new-life-in-rhythm-fps-bpm-bullets-per-minute/|title=The best character in Epic's cancelled MOBA finds new life in rhythm FPS BPM: Bullets Per Minute|first=Austin|last=Wood|work=[[GamesRadar]]|date=September 15, 2021|accessdate=October 7, 2021|archive-date=October 7, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211007111310/https://www.gamesradar.com/the-best-character-in-epics-cancelled-moba-finds-new-life-in-rhythm-fps-bpm-bullets-per-minute/|url-status=live}}</ref>
The game was published by [[Playtonic Games|Playtonic Friends]], the publishing arm of Playtonic Games, the developer behind ''[[Yooka-Laylee]]''. The game was released for [[Windows]] on September 16, 2020.<ref name="RPS PC Release"/> The game was released for [[PlayStation 4]] and [[Xbox One]] on October 5, 2021, and was released for [[Nintendo Switch]] on September 8, 2022.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2021-09-15-retro-rhythm-roguelike-bpm-bullets-per-minute-arrives-in-october|title=Retro rhythm roguelike BPM: Bullets Per Minute arrives in October|first=Tom|last=Phillips|work=[[Eurogamer]]|date=September 15, 2021|accessdate=October 7, 2021|archive-date=October 7, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211007111314/https://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2021-09-15-retro-rhythm-roguelike-bpm-bullets-per-minute-arrives-in-october|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2022-08-25 |title=BPM: Bullets Per Minute coming to Switch on September 8 |url=https://www.gematsu.com/2022/08/bpm-bullets-per-minute-coming-to-switch-on-september-8 |access-date=2022-08-25 |website=Gematsu |language=en-US |archive-date=2022-08-25 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220825164551/https://www.gematsu.com/2022/08/bpm-bullets-per-minute-coming-to-switch-on-september-8 |url-status=live}}</ref>
==Reception==
{{Video game reviews
| MC = (PC) 74/100<ref name="mc-pc">{{cite web |url=https://www.metacritic.com/game/bpm-bullets-per-minute/critic-reviews/?platform=pc |title=BPM: Bullets Per Minute for PC Reviews |website=[[Metacritic]] |access-date=2021-10-24 |archive-date=2020-09-29 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200929181756/https://www.metacritic.com/game/pc/bpm-bullets-per-minute |url-status=live}}</ref><br/>(PS4) 80/100<ref name="mc-ps4">{{cite web |url=https://www.metacritic.com/game/bpm-bullets-per-minute/critic-reviews/?platform=playstation-4 |title=BPM: Bullets Per Minute for PlayStation 4 Reviews |website=[[Metacritic]] |access-date=2021-10-24 |archive-date=2021-10-07 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211007115837/https://www.metacritic.com/game/playstation-4/bpm-bullets-per-minute |url-status=live}}</ref>
| PCGUS = 68/100<ref>{{cite web |last1=Kemp |first1=Luke |title=BPM: Bullets Per Minute review |url=https://www.pcgamer.com/bpm-bullets-per-minute-review/ |website=[[PC Gamer]] |date=18 September 2020 |access-date=24 October 2021 |archive-date=1 November 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201101062902/https://www.pcgamer.com/bpm-bullets-per-minute-review/ |url-status=live}}</ref>
| TG = {{Rating|4|5}}<ref>{{cite web |last1=Evans-Thirlwell |first1=Edwin |title=BPM: Bullets Per Minute review – Doom meets Rock Band in a pulsing retro blaster |url=https://www.theguardian.com/games/2020/sep/22/bpm-bullets-per-minute-review-doom-meets-rock-band |website=[[The Guardian]] |date=22 September 2020 |access-date=24 October 2021 |archive-date=1 January 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210101171228/https://www.theguardian.com/games/2020/sep/22/bpm-bullets-per-minute-review-doom-meets-rock-band |url-status=live}}</ref>
| NLife = {{rating|6|10}}<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nintendolife.com/reviews/switch-eshop/bpm-bullets-per-minute|title=Mini Review: BPM: Bullets Per Minute - A Ripping Roguelike FPS, Metal But Muddy|first=Scott|last=McCrae|date=2022-09-08|access-date=2022-10-27|website=[[Nintendo Life]]|archive-date=2022-11-08|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221108002359/https://www.nintendolife.com/reviews/switch-eshop/bpm-bullets-per-minute|url-status=live}}</ref>
}}
According to [[review aggregator]] [[Metacritic]], the Windows version received "mixed or average" reviews while the PlayStation 4 version received "generally positive reviews".<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.metacritic.com/game/bpm-bullets-per-minute/critic-reviews/?platform=pc|title=BPM Bullets Per Minute for PC reviews|work=[[Metacritic]]|accessdate=October 7, 2021|archive-date=September 29, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200929181756/https://www.metacritic.com/game/pc/bpm-bullets-per-minute|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.metacritic.com/game/bpm-bullets-per-minute/critic-reviews/?platform=playstation-4|title=BPM Bullets Per Minute for PS4 reviews|work=[[Metacritic]]|accessdate=October 7, 2021|archive-date=October 6, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211006172544/https://www.metacritic.com/game/playstation-4/bpm-bullets-per-minute|url-status=live}}</ref>
==References==
{{Reflist}}
==External links==
* {{Official website|https://www.bulletsperminute.com/}}
[[Category:2020 video games]]
[[Category:First-person shooters]]
[[Category:Indie games]]
[[Category:PlayStation 4 games]]
[[Category:Playtonic Games games]]
[[Category:Rhythm-action games]]
[[Category:Roguelike video games]]
[[Category:Single-player video games]]
[[Category:Unreal Engine 4 games]]
[[Category:Video games based on Norse mythology]]
[[Category:Video games developed in the United Kingdom]]
[[Category:Video games featuring female protagonists]]
[[Category:Video games set in hell]]
[[Category:Windows games]]
[[Category:Xbox One games]]