Is the hand-tracking on Quest precise enough for a rhythm game, especially one that demands low latency and accurate inputs? After diving into the early access version of BEATABLE—XR Game’s latest offering that gets you tapping, clapping, and snapping in sync with the beat—I found it quite adequate for casual play, though I’m left pondering whether it’s truly precise and responsive enough at this stage.
BEATABLE Details:
- Developer: XR Games
- Available On: Horizon Store (Quest 2 and above)
- Reviewed On: Quest 3
- Release Date: April 10th, 2025
- Price: $10
Note: This game is in Early Access, meaning the developers consider it incomplete and likely to undergo changes. This review reflects its current Early Access state and does not include a numerical score.
Gameplay
Whether you’re seated or standing, Beatable only needs a small space on your desk or table. The game sets up four tapping lanes where beats approach from the horizon. The area you need is about the size of a keyboard, where you will interact with two types of beats to hit (‘note’ and ‘hold note’), along with clapping and finger snapping above your workspace. While Beat Saber often leaves you swinging your arms and burning calories, Beatable provides a refreshing, less physically demanding experience. Plus, it includes a mixed reality mode, which is a neat touch.
Learning Beatable is as straightforward as getting the hang of Beat Saber. You simply tap on the table with your open palm, making onboarding much quicker compared to something like Guitar Hero that requires memorizing button combinations. Despite being easy to pick up, I’m not sure I’ll reach expert levels in Beatable for several reasons.
Nailing a sequence with a quick snap of the fingers on one hand while tapping notes with the other is enjoyable, but I suspect Quest’s hand-tracking might not be tight enough to build the kind of muscle memory needed for expert play.
In truth, I can’t precisely measure how reliably I hit notes or if my ‘Perfect’ score is genuinely perfect, so experiences might differ. For now, precision feels sufficient for casual play, although mastering it might demand experimenting with optimal hand placements. I found myself lightly hovering over notes, attempting strikes with minimal force, resulting in mixed outcomes.
Given its reliance exclusively on hand-tracking, Beatable adapts when it comes to note activation. The developers mention that any tracking delay is compensated by "applying a small input and audio delay, syncing detection accordingly," a technique also popular in console development.
Your best strategy is to meticulously align your playing space with your table before you dive in; otherwise, you might consistently miss notes by being either too early or too late. Crucially, ensure your lighting is spot on for the best performance.
Although hitting every note is critical for high-level skill, it wasn’t my primary issue with Beatable, nor was it the catchy (albeit somewhat generic) music selection. For me, the gameplay’s "stickiness" was the main concern, which I will delve more into in the immersion section below.
Immersion
I find myself torn. With VR rhythm games, there’s usually this knack for making players feel cool—even if they look somewhat silly in reality, something I’ve never minded. Sadly, Beatable lacks this for me.
The tapping and beat-hitting is engaging, and the intermediate to expert tracks have intriguing patterns. Nevertheless, Beatable doesn’t go beyond the physicality of desk-slapping and clapping.
While Beat Saber won’t turn you into a master swordsman, nor Dance Dance Revolution into a professional dancer, they offer that momentary illusion. In Beatable, I’m not quite sure what the aim is—I’m just following along. Maybe that’s fine, but perhaps having it set up as bongos, or with an engaging scenario like managing a potentially explosive panel would up the excitement—a bit more than just fancy visual flourishes embellishing basic table taps.
The people at XR Games probably intended to tackle the major hand-tracking issue—the absence of haptic feedback. Beatable smartly uses the table as a ‘button’, seamlessly turning a potential hurdle into an advantage. I just wish the ‘button’ were more consistent.
Comfort
Beatable scores high on the comfort scale since it can be played sitting or standing anywhere with a flat surface, and there’s no need for artificial movement.
If you’re going to be tapping away for a prolonged period, or haven’t perfectly gauged the force needed for reliable note-hits, consider using those large foam pads for tabletops to soften both impact and noise.
Conclusion
What Beatable offers is satisfactory precision for casual players, though the path to mastering it is still uncertain to me. The brilliant concept of using the table for haptic feedback is noteworthy, and I hope the developers push this innovation further to enhance Quest’s hand-tracking challenges. If the game continues evolving through regular music DLCs and feature improvements, Beatable could become a trailblazer in a fresh and intriguing subgenre of XR gaming.
Note: This game is in Early Access, meaning the developers consider it incomplete and likely to undergo changes. This review reflects its current Early Access state and does not include a numerical score.
