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Sound Shapes
A recent hands-on NGP event that I attended contained a lot of games that had been previously announced or that I would expect to see on a Sony console – an Uncharted spin-off, a new Hot Shots Golf, a new Wipeout, etc. But one colorful, unique title completely surprised me and stood out from the rest: Sound Shapes, the new game from the same mind that brought us the PSN classic Everyday Shooter.
Continuing creator Jonathan Mak’s proficiency with blending gameplay and music, Sound Shapes puts players into platforming challenges where every enemy and obstacle builds onto the sonic bliss. A pulsing laser shoots in time to bass hits. Spike-covered squares that serve as enemies will roll along, adding a tiny ping to the music with each movement. If these enemies are destroyed, their bit of music will disappear.
Players will control a circular creature that can stick to walls and ceilings, providing more mobility than the average platformer. In addition to working through each single screen’s challenges, players can pick up dots that fill the obligatory role of a platformer collectible while also adding more layers onto the music with each that you pick up.
While the gameplay looks clean, simple, and challenging, the real stand-out feature of Sound Shapes is its easy-to-use level editor. Blank levels vaguely resemble sheet music, and all a potential musical genius needs to do to start creating is tap where they want to begin placing enemies, platforms, and collectibles. The 30 levels included with the game will likely be worth the price of admission on their own, but considering the ease of sharing user-created levels on PlayStation Network with the NGP, Sound Shapes should be able to keep fans of platformers and music enthralled for a long time.
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