8 Best Rhythm Games You Can Play On The PS5 (2024)

This article is part of a directory: A Complete Guide to the PlayStation 5

The rhythm genre exploded onto the scene via arcades with such hits as Dance Dance Revolution. It then made its way into homes with innovative titles like Parappa the Rapper on PlayStation. The genre has evolved to include more gameplay elements than just hitting an arrow or normal button in time with the beat.

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There are action-adventure games, RPGs, shooters, and more. Thanks to the power of backward compatibility, the PS5 is one of the best places to play a plethora of modern and classic rhythm games across all sub-genres. Some of them will be familiar while a few others are a bit more obscure but still worth the time.

8 BPM: Bullets Per Minute

BPM: Bullets Per Minute combines the concepts of shooters, roguelikes, and rhythm games. Players must shoot enemies to the beat of the music which is displayed in a pulsing meter. Shooting, reloading, and even movement should sync up with the music. It’s a slick package with a few caveats.

Dungeons are randomized and not much carries over between runs. It’s an innovative idea to blend these genres but the challenge level is exceedingly high. It might be too much for some but that's the case for many rhythm games.

7 Persona 5: Dancing In Starlight

Persona 5: Dancing in Starlight and Persona 3: Dancing in Moonlight both launched at the same time. It was like Sega’s attempt at creating a Pokemon effect but for rhythm games. Even the boxes are themed around similar colors of red and blue. Both games follow the same story more or less.

The differences are with the characters and music. There’s also a spinoff about Persona 4 which came out way before these two games. It would have been a little cooler if these were motion-based rhythm games like Just Dance, but they’re still good as they are.

6 PaRappa The Rapper Remastered

PaRappa the Rapper Remastered is an all-time classic that can be thanked for popularizing the genre on consoles. The remastered edition makes the colorful art style pop even more than on the PS1. The second game also got remastered although it is not as good as the original.

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The tracks in the original are still bangers decades later. The only thing that is holding it back is its run time. It’s only about a half-hour long. It’s so good though that any amount of cash is worth the price of admission. It is still one of the better remasters from the PS4 and even better now on PS5.

5 Patapon Remastered

The PS4 was home to many remasters including games from the underrated PSP. That’s where Patapon originated. The first two games were remastered but the third remains an exclusive on PSP to this day.

This trilogy can best be described as a rhythm-based strategy RPG. Players will tap to the beat of the drum thus controlling their party of adorable soldiers. Inputting different combos will create alternative attack patterns. It’s a bit hard to master at first, but with practice, it’ll be hard to get “Patta Patta Pon Pon” out of the brain.

4 Rock Band 4

Rock Band 4 may not technically be the best game in the series. Rock Band 2 was like the peak point of this instrumental sub-genre of rhythm games. However, there’s not a story to follow in these games so each new entry is like a revision of a hub.

Starting with the original up until this game, nearly every piece of music carried over. That was the whole gimmick of the series and it did not disappoint. While Rock Band may be dead as a brand, this band simulator is still fun to break out for parties. Whether someone wants to rock out on guitars or show off their hot vocal prowess, Rock Band 4 will still let the good times roll.

3 Crypt Of The NecroDancer

Crypt Of The NecroDancer managed to blend rhythm games and roguelikes into an addictive night in the underground clubs. There is a heart that symbolized the beat players have to sync up to as bars fly across the screen. If players get on a roll, the music will change and bonuses will even be added to the character.

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The game was so successful that the developer got approached to do a sequel based on The Legend of Zelda. Unfortunately, that sequel cannot, and will not, leave the Switch anytime soon. It’s still worth mentioning for those PS5 players that also have a Switch lying around.

2 Rez Infinite

Rez Infinite is a remake or reimagining of the original. This rhythm game should cater to shooter fans out there that also wish to jam out to music while they blast away baddies. Rez is a game that transcends time.

It keeps popping up with ports, remasters, remakes, and other experimental side projects. For those with a VR headset, Rez Infinite also supports that. VR will kick things up to the next level which may be a bit too intense for some.

1 Tetris Effect

Tetris Effect is another game that supports VR. This began as a PlayStation exclusive but it has since been ported to other consoles via the name Tetris Effect: Connected. That update added multiplayer to the mix, making an already great game even better.

It may not exactly be a rhythm game but it is still in the realm of music. The music has always been catchy in this series, but Tetris Effect raises the bar significantly. This is true alone on a TV, with a VR headset, or with friends.

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