Thrasher

The creators of Thumper return to violently abstract and surreal games with Thrasher, an experience that is decidedly better in VR.

Though released under a new label, THRASHER unmistakably bears Brian Gibson’s signature—a dazzling, psychedelic rhythm challenge that swaps Thumper’s hellish beetle for cosmic eels, blending “easy to learn, hard to master” gameplay with an electrifying soundtrack and delivering a short but intensely rewarding trip for both casual players and high-score hunters alike.

Thrasher is undoubtedly a more classic arcade experience than it actually seems. The eel's control is impeccable (despite some bugs and other contextual influences, such as the backgrounds) but both the level and power-up design doesn't capitalize on this great triumph. It seems the title is so desperate to immerse the player in its sensorial pool of lights, colors, and sounds that it seems to have forgotten that one way to do this is through practical challenges designed in a more logical and less conceptual way.

A pulsing, neon-infused techno-trip of a game that combines Fruit Ninja style slashing with the sparkly visuals of Tetris Effect, but whose unsatisfyingly variable difficulty suggests it may have needed more time in development.

THRASHER is hands-down one of the coolest-feeling, most entrancing and memorable VR experiences I've had in some time. With a simple enough concept backed up by gorgeous presentation and the same gleefully unnerving vibe that made Thumper so compelling, it's an absolute trip and a thoroughly impressive use of hand tracking on the Meta Quest.

Thrasher is something entirely new, both in video games and in the VR space. Not for the faint of heart, and you are going to have to practice. You don't just want to play Thrasher, you want to play Thrasher well. And Thrasher wants to pound on your eardrums and heart while you try. A digital geometric nightmare-scape, that is also one hell of a good arcade game. Video games don't get much more creative than this one.