- Primary Subject: Dead as Disco
- Key Update: Dead as Disco is a highly stylish and rewarding indie rhythm action game that captures the spirit of classics like Jet Set Radio.
- Status: preview
- Last Verified: 2026-05-14
- Quick Answer: Dead as Disco is a new indie rhythm action game that offers a vibrant, stylish experience with unique combat mechanics.
May has been a wonderful month for independent titles, and we're only halfway done with it. Among the major releases, there's one particular title that's on everyone's radar and for good reason: Dead as Disco.
The game has slowly but surely crept up on people's lists of must-play 2026 games, not just within the indie scene, as over 200k players have already tried this joyous rhythm action game by Brain Jar Games, which oozes flair and style.
I'll have a more detailed review at a later date. In the meantime, after playing the first couple of hours, I can safely say that if you yearn for the colorful, urban, high-octane vibes of Jet Set Radio, Dead as Disco is right up your alley.
It isn't a 1:1 comparison, of course, but that's exactly what makes it great. Dead as Disco is very much its own mesh of rhythm-action gameplay and that vibrant, neon-soaked cel-shaded aesthetic. The best way I could describe combat is: imagine the Arkham games, but each punch, counter, and ability is set to the beat of its music. You can make an argument that Hi-Fi Rush is exactly that, but the focus on melee combat and knowing when to dodge/counter makes Dead as Disco much more in line with Rocksteady's system mechanics.
Just like Jet Set Radio, which puts a ton of emphasis on music and syncing your actions, Dead as Disco just feels extremely rewarding when you do things on beat. In SEGA's cult classic, there isn't a direct correlation between your actions and keeping things on beat, but it just feels good. That's something modern gaming lacks; everything has to have an immediate reward or a reason for existing, nothing can be cool anymore for the sake of it. But I digress.
Dead as Disco is one of those games that will reward you for entering the flow state of its gameplay. The rhythm of beating up baddies, dodging, countering, and using your abilities will have your eyes tearing up due to a lack of blinking. It can be a bit much at times, but when you just immerse and throw yourself into the absolute balls-to-the-wall twitch action that awaits you.
The music is a blast, of course, with plenty of tracks and licensed music from the get-go, but you can also upload your own music, fine-tune the beats-per-minute (BPM), and rock away to anything you can think of.
As I've said, I'll have a review proper in the coming weeks, but if my initial impressions are anything to go by, this is a proper indie gem in the making.
Dead as Disco is available as an early access title via Steam, with a nice little Steam Deck verification on top of that.
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