Rhythm
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'Beat Saber' players were so fast that they broke Steam VR
Beat Saber, one of the coolest and most physical games available on VR, has some incredibly fast players. Valve recently announced that it updated Steam VR to "increase limits of what we thought was humanly possible for controller motion based on tracking data from Beat Saber experts." That's because some players are so good at the rhythm game that Steam VR couldn't even track them.
Rhythm hit 'Beat Saber' is coming to PlayStation VR
Beat Saber has been one of the more attention-grabbing VR titles on PCs as of late, and it's not hard to see why: it amps up the familiar rhythm game formula with an immersive experience that turns every note into a dramatic sword swing. It makes sense, then, that the creators at Beat Games would want to expand their audience. They've announced that Beat Saber is coming to PlayStation VR at some point in the near future. There isn't even a hint of a release date, but knowing that it's on the roadmap might help if you were looking for reasons to justify a PSVR headset.
The rhythm action of 'Thumper' hits Nintendo Switch May 18th
Late last year, PC and PS4 gamers were treated to an surreal rhythm experience when Thumper asked them to pilot a metallic scarab down a highway of intimidating, abstract set pieces. The game is as bizarre as it is intense -- but timing movements to the game's fast-paced soundtrack and be incredibly satisfying, too. Soon, you'll be able to attain that satisfaction on the go: the game's developer has announced that the Nintendo Switch version will be available on the eShop in just two weeks.
Trippy rhythm-action game 'Thumper' is coming to Xbox One
No matter what platform you own, you'll be able to play last year's excellent rhythm game, Thumper. Developer Drool writes on Xbox Wire that the equally trippy and violent music game will make its way to Xbox One sometime this spring, teasing that more details will soon follow. And, in related news, if you want something to play on your shiny new Nintendo Switch, Thumper will make its way there as well in the same vague time period. Who said you needed VR to enjoy what the game has to offer, anyhow? And if you're a big fan of the music you can even get that on vinyl. Unlike so many other gaming soundtracks, though, this one won't cost you an arm and a leg.
KickBeat Special Edition now fighting to Xbox One's beat
KickBeat Special Edition is now fighting through waves of enemies to the beat of music on Xbox One for $9.99, following its bouts on PS4 and Wii U earlier this month (and January's Steam Edition). Expanding on Pinball FX 2 developer ZEN Studios' departure from flippers and bumpers, KickBeat's "Special Edition" bit comes from extra stages that weren't in its 2013 launch on PS3 and Vita. No worries if you're not big on KickBeat Special Edition's setlist (also listed after the break) though – there's also a tool to generate levels to your own songs. Senior Reporter Jess Conditt fought off KickBeat's menacing crowds of thugs during Gamescom 2012, describing success against its mounting complexity as "extremely satisfying." If a glimpse of gameplay could give you a better sense of what's in store, a trailer for Special Edition is awaiting you after the break. [Image: ZEN Studios]
On my iPad: Ephemerid
My iPad is rapidly becoming one of my favorite gaming platforms. It's lightweight, has a nice big screen, and there's a wonderful variety of gaming experiences available for it. The app store, on the other hand, is a nightmare, and finding quality games in there just by poking around is nearly impossible. I find most of my favorite stuff via word of mouth or just plain dumb luck, which is a less than ideal methodology. With "On my iPad," I'll point you to some games that I've found to be worth checking out. They may be new or just new to you, but hopefully you'll discover something that you'll enjoy. Ephemerid is a "musical adventure" starring an unlikely hero: a mayfly. Part rhythm game, part musical storybook, Ephemerid takes you through the charming little bug's life as he flutters through the trees, rescues bees, is trapped by a spider, and meets the night amongst the stars. Real mayflies aren't nearly as adorable as the star of Ephemerid, but they share one sad trait: an extremely short life span. Adult mayflies typically live for just one day, an odd quirk of nature that suits the brief format of the game extremely well. Plus, it makes our little winged hero quite the underdog; the poor guy only has from sunup 'til sundown to make the most of things, so naturally you want to help.
'Rock Band' team hits Kickstarter to fund a remake of its cult classic, 'Amplitude'
The team behind Rock Band and Dance Central wants to return to its roots, but needs your help to do so. That's right, Harmonix Music Systems is revisiting the PlayStation 2 cult classic Amplitude and have turned to Kickstarter to fund development. Harmonix says that while making Rock Band, the plan was to use the new beat-matching tools it developed for that game and apply them to a sequel to its classic rhythm title. That fell by the wayside, however, as publisher-funded games naturally took priority over a passion project. For the new version, Harmonix plans to apply the improvements afforded by the last 11 years (namely: widescreen HDTVs, more powerful consoles, the development team's talent) and marry them with the original's game-play. Because Sony still owns the property, the game's only been announced for PS3 and PS4 release, though. One aspect of the original that won't make the cut, however, is online play -- you'll have to make due with leaderboards and local multiplayer.
inSynch is a simplistic rhythm game built in stop motion
inSynch has something to do with music, but nothing to do with goodbyes or frosted tips – it's a rhythm game that allows players to compose their own songs or attempt to survive for as long as possible. It's simplistic and unique, with four shapes rolling down four concrete pathways, meeting in the middle at a well. Pop the shapes up as they reach the spring-loaded platform above the well by pressing one of four keys, and that sound is added to the soundtrack. Explore mode allows players to craft music themselves, and Exploit is a survival mode, throwing harder and harder combinations of shapes and sounds at players as the game goes on. "The game is entirely crafted and animated by hand using traditional stop-motion animation techniques, giving a fragile and delicate feel to this musical experience," Them Games Lead Game Designer Oscar Barda says. "Don't let yourself be tricked though, Exploit gets hellishly difficult." InSynch is due out on Thursday, April 24, for PC, Mac and Linux, available through the Humble Store or the Them Games site. [Image: Them Games]
Harmonix announces 'rhythm-runner' Record Run for mobile
Harmonix announced the development of a new free-to-play game at PAX East in Boston today called Record Run. Described by the developer as a "rhythm-runner," the game is "coming soon" to as-yet-undetermined mobile platforms. Record Run features gameplay that compares to Gaijin Games' Bit.Trip series, according to Harmonix head Alex Rigopulos. The game uses songs from players' mobile devices as the backdrop for its levels, which features a character running down a sidewalk, avoiding obstacles and collecting music records, all seen during Rigopulous' presentation. He noted that Harmonix has "lots of other irons in the fire on mobile" aside from Record Run. [Image: Harmonix]
Rocksmith is losing its religion, gaining REM DLC
The latest batch of DLC for Ubisoft's guitar tutor Rocksmith 2014 adds a handful of singles from early-90s college radio mainstay REM to a game that already boasts tracks from Oasis, Aerosmith and Weezer, among others. Included in the downloadable content release are five tracks: "Uberlin," "Everybody Hurts," "The One I Love," "Shiny Happy People," and "What's The Frequency, Kenneth?" As usual, each of these songs bears a $3 price tag, though you can grab them all at once for $12. Ubisoft claims that Rocksmith 2014 is able to teach users to play the guitar in just 60 days, though you may need to allot extra time to "Everybody Hurts." Lengthy crying jags can take a lot out of you.
Scosche's new heart rate armband helps you leave the smartphone at home
Forgotten about your New Years' resolutions yet? Don't worry; Scosche is announcing another fitness wearable that'll help you make up those lost days. The company is unveiling the Rhythm Smart+, an armband designed to optically monitor your blood flow and heart rate that's apparently much more accurate than a traditional chest strap. The unit is able to pair with both smartphones and sport watches over Bluetooth or ANT+, and will work with the usual bunch of apps including RunKeeper and Strava. If, however, you prefer to leave the other gear at home, embedded memory will track your stats for upload later. It'll arrive at some point between April and June, priced at $99.
Move to the music or die trying in Soundodger+
In recently-released rhythm game Soundodger+ by Studio Bean, you play as a circle trapped in a circle, while the game's soundtrack - or your own, should you choose to import songs - creates particles you must dodge to survive. It's kind of like that scene in The Matrix, except instead of dodging bullets, imagine Neo dodging sweet beats. The game, as described on its website, features "hand-choreographed bullet patterns," as well as an original soundtrack featuring Danny Baranowsky (Super Meat Boy) and Disasterpiece (FEZ, Runner 2). If the game's 23 original songs aren't your thing, you can import your own music library and create your own levels using the included editor, or have the game auto-generate levels for you. The game released yesterday on Steam, and is currently on sale for $6 until October 18, at which point it will become $8.
KickBeat heading to Vita, PS3 with Cross Buy support in September
Zen Studios' music-meets-fighting game KickBeat will launch on Vita and PS3 on September 3. The rhythm game will support PSN's Cross Buy feature, so players that pick up one copy will have access to both versions. KickBeat tasks players with defeating enemies using timed button-presses to the beat of licensed musical artists such as Rob Zombie, Marilyn Manson and Pendulum. The game also features a track generator, which allows players to turn their own music into KickBeat levels. %Gallery-195672%
Daily iPhone App: Pivvot mixes music and mayhem
I really have a thing for simple games. And I'm not using the word "simple" as a replacement for "easy." I just mean that if a game can teach me how to play it without having to explicitly explain how, I'm much more likely to enjoy my first experience with it. Pivvot is that kind of a game. Part puzzle game and part rhythm game, Pivvot teaches you everything you need to know about it within the first 45 seconds of playing. You control a floating orb that is tethered to a long track. Your only input comes in the form of swinging your orb in one direction or the other in order to avoid various obstacles. These obstacles are sometimes attached to one side of the track, prompting you to swing in the opposite direction, or spread across both sides with one side being impassable and the other being a tight, but necessary squeeze. If your orb touches one of these objects, it disintegrates in a multicolored explosion and you'll have to try it again. There are two main modes of play, a checkpoint-based run where your progress is saved, or a more intense ride where the speed of the course ramps up quickly and a single failure sends you back to the very start. Regardless of which you choose, it's no cakewalk, and the "Expert" variations of both of these modes make things considerably harder. There's also a truly sadistic "Berserk" mode that throws a ton of obstacles at you at high speeds. This core gameplay is satisfying in its own right, but what really makes Pivvot worth playing is its soundtrack. The techno tracks match the minimalistic art style perfectly and many of the obstacles twist or sway along with the beat, adding an additional layer of complexity. Playing the game with headphones is an absolute treat. Pivvot makes it a point to say that the game features no in-app purchases whatsoever, which I can appreciate. However, the game does cost US$2.99 upfront, so it's a bit of a tradeoff. Still, the game is undoubtedly worth its asking price and if you're looking for an arcade-style thrill that is instantly accessible, Pivvot is for you.
Beatbuddy breaks out the turntables this summer
Beatbuddy has been jamming on its own for far too long, and it's finally ready to share some sweet tunes with the world. Beatbuddy is coming to PC and Mac this summer, but first it's stopping off at PAX East, in booth 1048, to show some hands-on demos.Beatbuddy is a musical platformer, featuring levels and enemies synced to the individual rhythms of entire songs, all of which are manipulated as you travel throughout the worlds. One level is put together by Grammy-nominated Journey composer Austin Wintory.Play the demo on Steam, for free, if this news alone doesn't set your toes tapping.%Gallery-183260%
Daily iPhone App: Square Enix's Unreal game is called Demons' Score
Oh man, Square Enix's entries to the App Store just keep getting weirder. We heard a while back that the company would be working on an original game using Epic's Unreal engine for iOS, and here it is: It's called Demons' Score, and it's a rhythm-based shooter. No, really. The idea of the game is that, like the great Elite Beat Agents (which, by the way, should probably get an iOS port sooner rather than later), you have to tap circles on the screen as they count down, in time to whatever track is playing. In the background, then, your character (in this case a scantily dressed female named Serenity with a teddy bear sidekick -- oh, Japan) fights demons with a firearm, in time to your tapping. If it sounds weird, that's because it really is. And some of you might (and probably should) be tempted to pick this up just because it is so completely strange. But a rhythm game like this depends on its music, and while Square Enix's pedigree is high, hiring composers like the folks behind Kingdom Hearts, Secret of Mana and Groove Coaster, the tunes here weren't that great to my ears. They're not bad, just not really something I'd want to listen to and play again and again. Unless you just want to see the weirdness for yourself, Demons' Score might be a tough title to recommend at $6.99. But it is a universal app, which is nice, and kudos to Square Enix for being ready and willing to go off the reservation with an original iOS title. I'm ready to support this one, if for no other reason than that.
Scosche's Rhythm pulse monitor for iOS tracks your run, lets you change the beat (video)
"Appcessories" is probably one of the more abrasive, yet devilishly descriptive, portmanteaus we've heard in recent years. But, if you're still not sure what it means, consider the Rhythm pulse monitor from Scosche a perfect example. The forearm-mounted device is a pulse / heart rate monitor with an iOS companion app. Working with some of your phone's inner smarts (like GPS), along with a dedicated accelerometer, the hardware / software combo logs vital data from your work out, which you can then share with the world, or enjoy broken down into detailed statistical analysis. If you've ever gone jogging with your iPhone, you'll know how fiddly it can be to change music tracks on the hop, so you'll be pleased to know the Rhythm covers that too. If this sounds like what your workout is missing, you can strap-up right away from any Apple or AT&T store (real or online) for $99, with other outlets, including Best-Buy stocking in time for Christmas.
The Zen of KickBeat
Zen Studios is best known for its prowess in the pinball market, amassing its fame from titles such as Pinball FX, Zen Pinball and Marvel Pinball (Notice a trend?). This success has enabled Zen to expand its creative department and develop a wide range of games for varying platforms.KickBeat, for example, is a music-based crossover action title for Vita that throws a brilliant twist into the tired rhythm genre. It combines the quick dexterity of classic rhythm games with a few of the industry's favorite tropes and trends: fighting and ninjas.The most noticeable fad that Zen Studios doesn't integrate in KickBeat also happens to be the game's best feature: It has absolutely no touchscreen or rear touchpad functions.
XSEED announces rhythm/strategy title 'Orgarhythm' for Vita
Move over Theatrhythm, there's a new absurdly titled and unpronounceable handheld rhythm game in town: Orgarhythm. Developed by Acquire (in association with Neilo) and set to be published in North America by XSEED sometime this year, Orgarhythm is a hybrid rhythm/strategy game for the Vita.Acting as the God of Light, players do battle against the diametrically named God of Darkness by commanding armies of elementally-themed soldiers. The game's soundtrack, described as "a hypnotic mix of rock, club and tribal music," affects how and when your units attack, with the beat of the music acting as a quantifiable resource to be spent on stronger attacks. The music also dynamically alters itself depending on the circumstances of the battle, adding additional layers of complexity as more troops enter the fray.As implied by the rather artsy trailer above, commanding your army is handled entirely by the Vita's touchscreen – tapping to select troops, swiping to direct them towards the desired target, etc. Said troops also have a Pokemon-esque relationship with the enemy, due to the fact that every unit is either an Earth, water or fire-type, with all the inferred weaknesses and strengths you'd expect from such a system.Eventual DLC is mentioned by the press release tucked away after the break, but no specific plans are actually outlined. If you're an aspiring musician, however, take note: XSEED will be looking for independent artists sometime in the near future to bolstier Orgarhythm's aural catalog.%Gallery-154740%
BlackBerry phones could get rhythm-to-unlock, like dun-da-da-dun-dun
Who needs face unlock when you could just tap out a private ditty on your smartphone? Maybe you'd risk giving away your credentials to any vaguely rhythmic phone thief within ten feet, but RIM's engineers have a patent-approved answer to that: Rather than just sensing rhythm, they reckon a phone's accelerometer could also detect the magnitude and location of each tap, which would make it harder for eavesdroppers to mimic. Just don't pick something too syncopated -- not unless you're this guy.
