Sound Shapes
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‘Sound Shapes’ creator Jessica Mak is making a game with Annapurna Interactive
Almost 10 years after the release of "Sound Shapes," Jessica Mak is working on a new project.
Sound Shapes, Muramasa, and more get PSN Ultimate Editions
If you're looking to catch up on some of the PlayStation Network's best releases to date, a gaggle of new digital Ultimate Editions have launched this week, offering DLC-bundled versions of Sound Shapes, Muramasa: The Demon Blade, and Batman: Arkham Origins. Other newly-collected Ultimate Editions include Dead Island: Riptide, The Amazing Spider-Man 2, and Toukiden: Age of Demons. Sony is also hosting a sale this week on many previously-released Ultimate Editions, including Deadly Premonition: The Director's Cut, Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance, Saints Row 4, and Resident Evil 6. PlayStation Plus members get an additional discount on top of listed price drops. Sale prices remain in effect through October 20. [Image: Sony]
New Sound Shapes DLC hits PSN today
Developer Queasy Games will launch two new DLC packs for its synesthetic platformer Sound Shapes on the PlayStation 4, PS3, and PS Vita in North America later today. The Brass Sound Pack premieres today, adding jazzy horn effects for player-created levels and introducing a collection of new Beat School levels and five unlockable silver trophies. Level designers may also opt for the Nature Art Pack, which features a series of fauna-themed backdrops and level surfaces. Players in Europe got an early look at the new packs last week, and the user-created level above showcases how elements from both can combine to form unique level layouts. The new packs are priced at 99 cents each. [Video: Queasy Games / Kelly Callebaut]
Sound Shapes celebrates PS4 launch with new levels, DLC
Commemorating last week's launch of Sound Shapes for the PlayStation 4, developer Queasy Games has released a series of new community Milkcrate levels, Sound Packs, and Art Packs compatible across all versions of the game. Priced at 99 cents each, the Vocoder Sound Pack and Old School Sound Pack add electro funk and jazzy bass options to user-made tracks, while the City Art Pack lets players customize levels with buildings, bridges, and other construction-themed decorations. The new community-sourced Milkcrate levels are free, and are included as part of Sound Shapes' latest patch. Sound Shapes is available as a Cross-Buy release that bundles the PlayStation 3, PS4, and PS Vita versions of the game together in a buy-one-get-three package. PlayStation 4 owners who previously purchased the PS3 or Vita versions of Sound Shapes can download the new PS4 edition free of charge.
Flower, flOw, Sound Shapes, Escape Plan coming to PlayStation 4 in November
Sony announced today that upgraded PlayStation 4 versions of Flower, flOw, Sound Shapes, and Escape Plan will hit the PlayStation Network shortly after the console launches at retail next month. The PlayStation 4 version of thatgamecompany's Flower will run at 60 frames-per-second and in 1080p when it premieres alongside an updated version of Queasy Games' rhythm-platformer Sound Shapes on November 15. On November 29, Sony will launch PS4 ports of thatgamecompany's flOw and Fun Bits Interactive's PS Vita puzzler Escape Plan, both of which feature reworked controls optimized for the DualShock 4. All four games are Cross-Buy titles, and will be available as free downloads for players who purchased previously-released editions for the PlayStation 3 or PS Vita. Sony additionally revealed that the PS Vita version of Flower will feature Cross-Buy support when it hits PSN on November 15.
Sound Shapes celebrates first birthday with sale, free DLC
Tomorrow will mark one full year of existence for Sound Shapes and to celebrate this milestone, the game and all its DLC will be half-off until August 13. If you already own the cross-buy enabled PS3 and PS Vita game, you can grab some free DLC – the Car Mini-Album and Entity Pack – by posting in this special thread. Sound Shapes is a quirky platformer with a distinct musical hook, where players can create and share their own custom levels online. It's a game we absolutely enjoyed, an experience a few of us found to be among the best of 2012.
Best of PlayStation Network Vol. 1 coming to retail next month
A boxed retail collection of PlayStation Network titles will hit store shelves on June 25, bringing four games and a $40 price tag with it. Best of PlayStation Network Vol. 1, the first in a series of "Best of" releases according to the announcement, includes When Vikings Attack, Sound Shapes, Tokyo Jungle and Fat Princess. No word on when Vol. 2 will follow or what games will be included with it, but for the time being this seems like a pretty legit way to save "nearly $15." Folks interested in internetless PlayStation Networking might also want to check out Journey's Collector's Edition, which is also a collection of acclaimed PSN games on physical caveman media for cavemen.
Sound Shapes lays down more DLC on May 14 in NA, May 15 EU
Sound Shapes, Queasy Games's synesthetic platformer, gets another batch of DLC on May 14 in North America, May 15 in Europe. While Queasy's announcement was coy, PSNStores says it's confirmed the DLC comprises two sound packs: one 1980s-themed, one dubstep. As PSNStores notes, the two DLCs packs accidentally appeared in a PS Store update for Asia back in March, and their trophies are listed too. The 80s are back in style and dubstep isn't going away anytime soon, so the timing looks metronomic for some new beats.
ESRB rates 'Best of PSN' collection, with Sound Shapes, Tokyo Jungle, Fat Princess
A new ESRB rating suggests that Sony's going to bottle some of its PSN magic for sale on retail shelves. The rating is for " Best of Playstation®Network Vol. 1," which compiles action strategy game Fat Princess, Tokyo Jungle, Sound Shapes, and When Vikings Attack."Sony has yet to officially announce the collection. We've asked SCEA for more details on this intriguingly diverse, seemingly appropriately titled collection.
Sound Shapes DLC throws down cars, campaigns, obstacles, more
Sound Shapes wants to pump up the volume today with a few downloadable additions, first with the Car Mini-Album and Creator Pack, which runs $2 and adds two new vehicles, new levels, a Sound Pack, new editing options, Beat School lessons and trophies.The Community Milkcrate includes six new albums and a total of 35 levels created by players just like you (but probably with more dedication to Sound Shapes level creation), hand-picked by the developers at Queasy Games. The Community Milkcrate is a free update, and so is the addition of offline play – sync levels while connected to the Sound Shapes servers, and then play those levels whether on- or offline.Queasy teased this massive DLC and update back in February, noting that it is Cross Buy enabled, and kept successfully silent until now. For a game called Sound Shapes, that's no easy feat.
Sound Shapes patched with next DLC, allows offline community levels
When the Sound Shapes DLC drops on March 12 – whatever it may entail – it will launch alongside a patch for the game, PSN Stores reports. The patch will add the ability to download community levels and play them offline, a handy trick for anyone with a wifi-only Vita and who enjoys the multitude of user-created levels in the Sound Shapes universe.The Sound Shapes DLC will support Cross Buy, meaning a purchase on Vita transfers to your PS3 version of the game, and vice versa. Sony will release more information about the DLC itself "soon."
Sound Shapes DLC landing March 12
Queasy Games has announced that a new bundle of Sound Shapes DLC has had its debut performance scheduled for Wednesday, March 12, and that said DLC will indeed be Cross-Buy enabled. It's sort of like when you buy a modern album on vinyl, but it also comes with a code for a digital copy.Unfortunately, Queasy neglected to mention what the DLC actually is, and instead only revealed its release date, saying that more information will be forthcoming. Personally, we're hoping for an "all MIDI dog sounds" pack.
Best of the Rest: JC's picks of 2012
Joystiq is revealing its 10 favorite games of 2012 throughout the week. Keep reading for more top selections and every writer's personal, impassioned picks in Best of the Rest roundups. Kid Icarus UprisingI tried not to push Kid Icarus Uprising on my coworkers, despite enjoying it more than anything else I played this year. It's ... not the friendliest game, and requires an investment to enjoy that maybe I wouldn't have put in, had I not reviewed the game. I hated it until I loved it.The insane, uncomfortable control scheme is a massive turnoff for the first few hours of gameplay, though I swear it clicks later (and is deeply customizable). The script is goofy to the point of being embarrassing, though it also swung to "hilarious" as the game went on. And the multiplayer takes a lot of "training," being based on the same weird control scheme as the ground battles from the single-player game – and it became the only online multiplayer game I cared to put hours of my own time into in 2012.Kid Icarus Uprising's high barrier to entry makes it very un-Nintendo-like, and the kind of game I usually wouldn't deem worthy of a second look. I'm the kind of person who doesn't want to play a game if I have to wait for it to get fun. But Uprising's payoff is so worth it.
Best of the Rest: Sinan's picks of 2012
Joystiq is revealing its 10 favorite games of 2012 throughout the week. Keep reading for more top selections and every writer's personal, impassioned picks in Best of the Rest roundups. Dragon's DogmaThere are so many things wrong with Dragon's Dogma, as noted in Joystiq's scathing review. For starters, its unwillingness to offer guidance makes the Souls games look helpful, its dialogue repetition is nothing short of maddening – yes I freaking know wolves hunt in packs – and no game has ever made fast travel more of a chore. But when it's good, oh how good it is. Combining in harmony with my troupe of automated pawns to take down giant foes in simplistic yet epic, challenging combat is just too delectable to exclude Dragon's Dogma from mention, flaws or no.
Sound Shapes Holiday Sound Pack is a free gift to you
Sound Shapes developer Queasy Games wrapped up a present for everyone this holiday season, and this package is simply stunning. Look at the care that went into that tape, the love in the creases, the compassion in the folds – oh, fine, rip it apart. Just tear it open. You animal.The Holiday Sound Pack has five new, Christmas-themed instruments from classic carols, and it's an automatic addition to all Sound Shapes games, whether on Vita or PS3, that are connected to the internet. If you're so overwhelmed by this act of kindness, you can give back to the Queasy team by uploading your own holiday level with the tag #XMAS for them to play over the break.That will almost make up for your treatment of the wrapping paper. Almost.
Sound Shapes Music Shop launches with 3 sound packs, terrain pack
Sound Shapes is expanding today with the launch of an in-game music shop. Up for grabs are three new sound packs, the Acoustic Sound Pack, Drum Kits Sound Pack and 8-Bit Sound Pack. The packs will be available for $0.99 each, and all feature five new instruments, their own Beat School Levels and Trophies. Also available today will be the free Curved Terrain Pack.Furthemore, Sony has revealed a new feature set to debut later this month called the Community Milkcrate. The Milkcrate will showcase curated albums of user-created levels, each centered around a specific theme. Next year will see the release of special Milkcrate albums curated by "entertainment industry luminaries including game developers, music composers and other notable fans of the game." New vehicles will be introduced next year as well.Check out the trailer above for a peek at the new sound packs.
The Sound Summer of PSN
You're reading Reaction Time, a weekly column that claims to examine recent events, games and trends in the industry, but is really just looking for an excuse to use the word "zeitgeist." It debuts on Fridays in Engadget's digital magazine, Distro. Remember when the summer lull signaled a blissful break from the year's onslaught of new games? July was the perfect pitstop, where you'd catch up on that bloated backlog and shake off that vague, gnawing stress that comes from wanting to play everything and knowing you never will. There used to be a gap, right over here.If things felt lethargic to you in August, you must not have been too keen on the downloadable games finding their way to the PlayStation Store – or the ones getting horribly lost and asking for directions to some nested nightmare in the current Xbox 360 dashboard.Sony's efforts this year have been especially strong, with several standout games forming a loose alliance around music. The PlayStation Network hosted the debut of Dyad, a tumultuous, trippy shooter that puts your brain in a slingshot and fires it straight down a LED-lined tunnel. It's a product of Toronto's indie game scene and designer Shawn McGrath, who says it was relatively easy to gain Sony's stamp of approval.
Sound Shapes review: A live concept album
Sound Shapes is definitely a music game, but it doesn't fit into any existing music game framework. Your movements aren't judged by their adherence to the rhythm of the in-game music, nor do your movements create the music.Instead, the world is literally made of music.%Gallery-162054%
PSN Tuesday: Sound Shapes, The Walking Dead
It's a great week for PlayStation Plus subscribers, who can grab the first two episodes of Telltale's The Walking Dead adventure game for free on the PlayStation Store today. As we noted earlier, Sound Shapes ($15) also launched today, and those that buy the PS3 version of the game get the Vita version for free. Oh, and PS Plus subscribers also get that game 20% off.Joining Sound Shapes are Hyperdimension Neptunia mk2 ($50) and The King of Fighters XIII ($30). Payday: The Heist's Wolfpack DLC is out this week for $10 as well, and can be purchased with the game in a bundle for $20. Sound Shapes launches as part of the PSN Play promotion, which includes a bonus theme for those that pre-order Papo & Yo ($15), next week's PSN Play game. What's more, PS Plus members can do just that for 20% off.
Sound Shapes coalescing into an available game today
Sound Shapes will be released today on PS3 and Vita whenever PSN is updated. Soon, these soothing tones and beautiful landscapes will be something you can actually play. For now, they're a new trailer you can stare at.
