Gameplay (2024)

Overview[]

Beat Saber is a music and rhythm-based video game where the objective is to use handheld controllers to "slash" through virtual reality boxes. Each block varies in color, corresponding to the color of the saber that should be used to slash it, defaulting to red on the left hand, and blue on the right. It may also be marked with an arrow indicating one of eight possible directions in which the block may be required to be slashed through. There are also blocks with dots instead of arrows, which players may hit in any direction. When a block is properly slashed by a saber, it is destroyed and a score is awarded, based on the length and angles of the swing and the accuracy of the cut. In addition, there are occasionally mines (also known as "bombs") that the player should not hit, and obstacles in the form of oncoming walls that the player's head should avoid. There is also a white bar underneath the path where the blocks travel, which slowly fills up as the player hits notes correctly. If the player hits any note in the incorrect direction, the white 'health bar' will become less full by a small chunk. If the player completely misses a note, the bar will lose a large chunk. If the bar becomes completely empty, the game will end.

The game also features the option of playing some songs in 360°, or 90° orientations where blocks approach from various directions around the player.

Difficulty Levels[]

The game includes several songs with up to five levels of difficulty, starting from Easy all the way to Expert+. The player uses VR motion controllers to wield a pair of lightsabers, the left one colored red and the right one colored blue by default. In each song, the game presents the player with a stream of approaching blocks, laid out in sync with the song's beats and notes, located in one of the 12 possible positions of a 4x3 grid.

Game Modes[]

Since its early access stages, the game included a single-player mode as well as a party mode, which features a leaderboard with the player's names, which are entered after each song is played. Additionally, the 1.0 release version introduced a level editor and a practice mode which allows the player to alter the song's speed, or start playing it from some point in time other than the beginning, as well as custom songs.

Scoring[]

As mentioned in the overview, scoring is based on the angle of the pre and post-swing into a note, as well as the accuracy of the swing (how close it landed to the center of the note). The exact mechanics of this are as follows:

• A 100 degree pre-swing into the note will award 70 points, with a decreasing amount of points for a smaller pre-swing angle
• A 60 degree post-swing out of the note will award 30 points, with a decreasing amount of points for a smaller post-swing angle
• A cut which reaches the exact middle of the cube will award 15 points, with a decreasing amount of points the more inaccurate the cut is.
• In chain notes, an arrowed link gives a maximum score of 85 points, each dotted link scores 20 points
• Dotted link cuts don't matter to accuracy and swing angles as long as you touch the dotted link
  • How "accuracy" is calculated: Upon hitting a note, Beat saber draws a straight line through the block based on the trajectory of the saber at the moment it touches the block. The closer the line is to the middle of the note, the higher the points that are rewarded, to the maximum of 15.
• A cut in the wrong direction or the wrong color will decrease your health and multiplier indicated by an X (called a bad cut)

• A miss means you are swinging too early or too late, this decreases your multiplier and health
  • A bad cut takes less health away than a complete miss

• In chain notes, you must hit EVERY single arrow link and dot links without any bad cuts or misses, otherwise your multiplier and your health reduces

Common Misconceptions:

• The height setting does NOT affect scoring.
• Speed of a saber does NOT affect scoring.
• Hitting the note at a certain time will NOT award a higher score

Gameplay Elements[]

Element	Name	Description
	Red Block/Note	Hit these with your left saber in the arrow direction
	Blue Block/Note	Hit these with your right saber in the arrow direction
	Sabers	What you will use to hit the blocks/notes with
	Bombs	Don't hit these. Hitting these will break your combo and your life gauge will go down.
	Walls	Do not let your head touch these. If it does, the music will become much quieter, and your health bar will drain rapidly.
	Chain Blocks/Notes	Hit these with the corresponding saber in the direction indicated, then follow through the rest of the blocks/notes.
	Arc Blocks/Notes	Hit these like regular blocks/notes with the corresponding saber. The linking arc is a guide you can choose to follow or not to follow.

Gallery[]