If you are even slightly into music apps, you already know exactly who Rayark Games is. They practically own the mobile rhythm space after dropping absolute bangers like DEEMO and VOEZ. But Cytus II? This is their undisputed masterpiece. It takes everything that made the original game legendary and completely turns it up to eleven.

THE MYSTERY OF THE MISSING VIRTUAL DJ

The lore here is actually ridiculously good for a music game.

Imagine a futuristic world where the internet and reality are completely synced up. Everyone hangs out in this massive virtual mega space called cyTus. And ruling over this digital universe is a mysterious, faceless DJ named Æsir. His beats literally touch people’s souls. Nobody knows who he is.

Out of nowhere, he announces his first ever massive virtual concert, Æsir FEST. The hype is unreal. Millions of people log in, completely shattering global server records just to finally see his face. But when the countdown hits zero? Absolute chaos. The show derails, the DJ vanishes, and the story kicks off right there. You are dragged straight into the mystery.

HITTING THE ACTIVE JUDGEMENT LINE

If you are tired of stiff, boring rhythm mechanics, this engine will completely ruin other games for you.

Instead of notes just falling from the top of your screen, the game uses a slick “Active Judgement Line” that sweeps up and down the board. The line physically speeds up and slows down depending on the actual tempo of the beat. You are tapping, holding, and sliding five different types of notes exactly as the line hits them. It creates this insanely immersive flow state where you literally feel the music pulsing through your fingertips. With over 300 different charts ranging from perfectly chill to absolute thumb breaking nightmares, it scales flawlessly to your skill level.

A MASSIVE GLOBAL SOUNDTRACK

A rhythm game is completely worthless without good music. Fortunately, the tracklist here is an absolute monster.

You are getting over 100 high quality songs produced by top tier composers from Japan, Korea, the US, Europe, and Taiwan. The base game hooks you up with over 35 killer tracks right out of the gate. If you get hooked and want more, there are over 70 additional songs available through in app purchases. It covers everything. Hardcore electronic. Heavy rock. Classical mashups.

SCROLLING THE VIRTUAL TIMELINE

The way the developers feed you the story is incredibly clever.

Instead of boring cutscenes, you use an in game social media platform called the “iM” system. You literally scroll through a virtual feed, reading arguments between characters, checking out news articles, and unlocking cinematic visual files. You actively piece together the dark truth behind Æsir’s disappearance just by exploring the digital world.

A QUICK REALITY CHECK ON MATURITY AND SPENDING

Let’s talk about the heavy stuff for a second.

The story gets surprisingly dark, packing some mild violence and vulgar language, so it is strictly rated for players fifteen and older. Also, a quick heads up on the business model. While the base game is totally packed with content, diving into the deeper character expansions requires real cash. Buy the song packs if you love the artists, but obviously, do not blow your rent money on virtual anime DJs. Keep your playtime in check, don’t play until your thumbs bleed, and just enjoy the ride.

Stop playing clunky piano tiles. Grab your best pair of headphones, load up cyTus, and try to keep up with the beat.