Beat Saber vs Synth Riders: Which is better?

Here’s a clear to-the-point comparison of Beat Saber vs Synth Riders.

I thought choosing between being single or getting into a relationship was hard but now we have a bigger problem in hand (sorry: in VR); Beat Saber vs Synth Riders: WHICH IS BETTER?

They both mean a lot to me (you’ll know why. Keep Reading). Both have custom song support, multiplayer mode, they are amazing workouts but which one is the “one”?

(Disclaimer: This post is not sponsored by either brand. I wish🙂)

Beat Saber

Beat Saber blows the entire genre out of the water. It is the first game that I’ve ever played in VR and a majority of VR gamers will say the same thing.

Beat Saber is THE reason why I bought my first VR headset and eventually fell in love with VR. Music + VR = The perfect combination; I felt like I found the one thing that I was missing.

After playing Beat Saber continuously for 2 years now, I feel like Beat Saber is like a “Quest for greatness.” This game really makes you feel (IGN emphasis) like a rhythmic Jedi.

The extremely easy but hard-to-master gameplay and the amazing DLCs are one thing, but achieving an “SS” rank and mastering a level elevates the game (and myself) to the stratosphere. It’s like an adrenaline high like no other; a glory-like sensation.

Beat Saber can be played by anyone. Whether it’s a child, adult, beginner or an experienced player looking to test their skills.

But when it comes to modding and customization, Beat Saber is unmatched. You can customize literally anything.

Want endless custom songs? There you go.

Want to have Minecraft Swords instead of normal sabers? There you go.

Want to customize the walls and create light shows? There you go.

You can’t compete with Beat Saber in this area.

Just to give you a glimpse of how big the Beat Saber community and user base really is, consider the fact that there are custom accessories specifically designed for Beat Saber.

Synth Riders

Synth Riders was the third game that I’ve ever played in VR (now you know why these two games were special for me), and just like Beat Saber, it blew me away. I was like, “Oh my god, this game is amazing!”.

But what made Synth Riders different from Beat Saber was the fact that Synth Riders made me Dance. This game made me Groove. Synth Riders made me happy from the core.

I was used to playing “mechanically” in Beat Saber; you need to focus on when to dodge and which direction to hit. That wasn’t the case with Synth Riders.

(We have made a comparison video that we’ve embedded below. You can see the style of gameplay of each game. The song is Legends Never Die. (of course, we have chosen the best YouTubers to showcase that instead of using ours🙂.))

Just after a few days of playing Beat Saber, I moved from Normal Difficulty to Expert Difficulty. Right now, anything below Expert or Expert Plus feels too easy.

But when I play Synth Riders even on Normal Difficulty, I genuinely enjoy the level as there are a lot of movements and things you can do.

If you ask me the ONE thing I love about Synth riders then it would be the “experiences”. The Synth Riders Experiences are just…. “Ufff👉👈”.

The first experience I played was from the Lindsey Stirling DLC, and it (again) blew me away. I felt like I was flying as the earth beneath me disappeared. Powerful song + focus on achieving a high score + full-body movement = a surreal experience.

For this alone, I would recommend playing Synth Riders first. It’s one of the best things that I have ever experienced in VR. You can think of them as SHORT interactive VR experiences. (Extra info: You can buy the whole DLC consisting of all the Synth Riders’ Experiences).

I also love the DLC packs of Synth Riders more. They are limited compared to Beat Saber, but the quality is outstanding. Quality over Quantity.

Both of the games have a multiplayer mode, but the multiplayer mode of Synth Riders gives you a sense of belonging.

When you enter the multiplayer mode, you have your avatar, and you talk with the people in the lobby like you’re in a virtual room. And the “power-ups” feature takes the whole multiplayer fun to the next level. It’s like Mario Kart but with Rhythm.

If you have $30 which game you should buy first?

If you have $30 and you can just buy 1 game then I would suggest Synth Riders because the BASE THINGS that Synth Riders comes with are just amazing — The base songs, multiplayer mode and fitness value

Also, if you don’t want to bother with modding, installing custom songs etc etc then just buy Synth Riders and play the heck out of it.

Synth Riders is $25 (without sale & discounts) and Beat Saber is $30 (without sale & discounts). In that sense, you can buy one Synth Riders DLC pack along with the game

BUT

1. If you’re just starting out,
2. Want to show off VR or
3. If you don’t want to get that “FOMO” effect of not playing the biggest VR game of all time

Then I would suggest Beat Saber.

It is my go-to game if I want to show off VR to the newbies as there are less movements and the new players can choose from a vast number of DLCs and custom songs.

Beat Saber and Synth Riders are both amazing Rhythm VR Games but which is better? — My Personal Preference:

For me personally, for a VR game to be considered “better VR than the other”, it’s not simply about being able to use mods or the DLCs. They’re important, sure, but ultimately it’s about how much “fun” the game provides.

Whether that be multiple playthroughs of the same song and still finding something new and reaching the high score or just putting on the headset for a quick 5-minute ‘fun’ relaxation.

For those reasons, my personal preference would be Synth Riders because if you strip out the modding and customization from Beat Saber, then Beat Saber’s value goes down a lot.

The base game is just “Blah”. By BLAH I mean, the base songs and the base things that Beat Saber comes with. Modding and customization combined is what makes Beat Saber “The Beat Saber”.

If you want endless songs to choose from then no one can beat Beat Saber but if you like to dance, want full body workout and amazing experiences then go blindly with Synth Riders. I can’t tell you how amazing and immersive Synth Riders’ “EXPERIENCES” are. They are a must-try.

Conclusion: Beat Saber vs Synth Riders: The Reasons

To help you choose between Beat Saber and Synth Riders as easily as possible, here’s a summary of the reasons we discussed above regarding why you should buy, play, or simply compare Beat Saber and Synth Riders:

Reasons why Beat Saber is better than Synth Riders:

1. If you’re a competitive type who gets into Flow when pushed.
2. Because of Beat Saber, I explored confusing and complex topics like modding and customization.
3. The perfect beginner VR game. It teaches you the VR mechanics and it’s my go-to game for anyone experiencing VR for the first time.
4. And the final reason why I would buy Beat Saber first is because it is hugely popular, so I don’t feel left out. i.e. THE FOMO EFFECT.
5. If you’re into customization, modding and want endless replayability then I would suggest Beat Saber. Beat Saber’s modding community, userbase, and DLC packs are just unmatchable.

My Favourite DLC pack: Queen

Reasons why Synth Riders is better than Beat Saber:

1. The experiences.
2. Relaxing with varying difficulty.
3. The Base Songs variety; ie. the combos
4. Perfect for getting fit in VR. I know Beat Saber is also an amazing fitness game but Synth Riders moves your whole body and is more fun
5. It is my go-to game if I want to take a quick break (that extends from 5 minutes to 30 minutes🙂), do some “full body” exercise or just want to have fun.

My Favorite DLC pack: Lindsey Stirling

In my opinion, comparing both of these games does a disservice to both of them. Any chance I get to recommend these two games, I take that chance by pride.

Enjoyed our battle: Beat Saber vs Synth Riders? Then make sure to share this post and leave YOUR preferred game in the comments below. Let’s have a Thumping conversation!

Until Then Stay Strong VR Army!

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