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[Aytrial]

Official Site: http://kickbeat.com/

Developer: Zen Studios
Platforms: PlayStation 3, PlayStation Vita
Cross-Buy: Yes
Genre: Music
Players: 1-2

Release Dates:

• September 3rd, 2013 (NA)
• September 11th, 2013 (EU)

Price: $9.99 / £7.29
Launch Promotion: 20% off for PlayStation Plus members until September 9th, 2013. (NA only)

My name is Lee. I'm a prisoner here, and yet I'm here by my own choice. How did I get here? I don't even know where to begin...

Have you ever heard of the Sphere of Music? I doubt it, only a few people in the world have.

For centuries it's been guarded by an ancient secretive sect of monks called the Order of the Melodic Fist and its leader, Master Fu.

It takes a lifetime of dedicated study to fully understand the Sphere, but what it boils down to is that every piece of music you or anybody else hears or that will ever exist is in that sphere.

Its energy takes shape as melody and rhythm. It moves the body and stirs the soul.

I almost wish I'd never heard of it.

...Almost.

From KickBeat.com:

• KickBeat is an experimental rhythm game featuring fully 3D characters and combat and high-energy music.
  
• A hard hitting soundtrack featuring licensed tracks from a diverse lineup of artists from well known bands such as Pendulum and Marilyn Manson, to indie pioneers Celldweller and Blue Stahli, to hidden talents like electronic music producer Voicians and Taiwanese rapper Shen Yi.
  
• Beautiful art style with animated cut scenes and an immersive story.
  
• KickBeat offers players several innovative ways to interact with music!
  
• KickBeat features a music analyzer that allows players to create new tracks from their own music libraries.
  
• Beat-matching mechanics with a Zen Studios original take on an acrobatic style of martial arts, turning every song into a raucous battle.

Announcement Trailer: http://youtu.be/2JUd8N54flo
Story Trailer: http://youtu.be/qNc8RRXsB-c
E3 2013 Trailer: http://youtu.be/n-BBz2pZ60Q
'War Dance' Gameplay: http://youtu.be/sFWnnMeMGJQ
'I Can't Wait' Gameplay: http://youtu.be/Zti9A_CRAy4
Neil Sorens Commentated Gameplay: http://youtu.be/ZmsbPp5J7Hs (contains outdated information regarding online multiplayer and exclusivity)

Gaming Trend: 84/100
Destructoid: 80/100
Push Square: 80/100
Gaming Nexus: 74/100
GameSpot: 70/100
Gamestyle: 70/100
Gaming Age: 67/100
IGN: 65/100
Canadian Online Gamers: 65/100
Armchair Empire: 60/100
Hardcore Gamer Magazine: 50/100
Pocket Gamer UK: 50/100

What are the controls for KickBeat?
You can use either the d-pad or face buttons to hit your enemies depending on their location (D-pad Up or Triangle for Up, D-pad Right Circle for Right and so forth). Additionally, Vita players have the option to use the front touchscreen to hit enemies by tapping their location. It is possible to use all three control schemes in tandem with each other.

Certain enemies will also carry power-ups, ranging from extra points to recovering your health. These power-ups can be collected by quickly double pressing for an attack instead of just a singular press and are activated via a press of one of the shoulder buttons.

How many tracks does KickBeat have?
KickBeat comes with 18 licensed tracks as part of its single-player campaign.

Despite this seemingly low number, KickBeat has the potential to have endless hours of gameplay thanks to its in-game Track Generator. Using the Track Generator, you are able to import music from your PS3 or Vita's library and create your own custom tracks to duke it out to! Check out the video above to see it in action.

Will there be DLC?
Neil Sorens of Zen Studios has said that Zen Studios currently have no plans for additional DLC as they believe people will get a lot of mileage out of the in-game Track Generator. However, if there is demand, DLC may be considered in the future.

Is there a Platinum Trophy?
Sorry for you Trophy Hunters out there, but there is no Platinum for KickBeat. For those interested, the complete trophy list can be viewed here.

Does KickBeat have multiplayer?
The PS3 version of KickBeat has a split-screen head-to-head multiplayer mode. Unfortunately, the previously announced online multiplayer has been cut from both versions.

-----

Not related KickBeat, but I'd like to note that this is my first time creating an OT. If anyone has anything they'd like to add or tips to take on board for future OTs, please let me know.

 

[GalacticMouse]

Nice OT, OP. Definitely interested in seeing the reviews and impressions of this one. The track creator could be a game changer.

 

[shaowebb]

Oh hey this is by the Zen Pinball guys! I love that team. I usually dont rhythm game ,but I'll give this a shot. I like the aesthetic and love the studio enough to support them.

 

[Ran rp]

So the only way you know which button to press is by watching the fighters' movements? Is there going to be a demo?

 

[Aytrial]

So the only way you know which button to press is by watching the fighters' movements? Is there going to be a demo?

That's the impression I get from the gameplay demo. There are a couple of key aspects that make it less chaotic, such as the defined "rings" so that you can see how many enemies are approaching, and that they are highlighted with a white outline as they are about to attack you.

And yes, there will be a demo.

 

[hitmon]

That's the impression I get from the gameplay demo. There are a couple of key aspects that make it less chaotic, such as the defined "rings" so that you can see how many enemies are approaching, and that they are highlighted with a white outline as they are about to attack you.

And yes, there will be a demo.

Nice to know there will be a demo. I'm interested, but I'm curious about the gameplay.

 

[Ran rp]

That's the impression I get from the gameplay demo. There are a couple of key aspects that make it less chaotic, such as the defined "rings" so that you can see how many enemies are approaching, and that they are highlighted with a white outline as they are about to attack you.

And yes, there will be a demo.

Sweet. I also see that they always line up vertically or horizontally with the player before attacking, so it isn't as hard to read as I thought it was.

 

[VanWinkle]

Nice OT. I'm really excited for this game.

 

[Aytrial]

Sweet. I also see that they always line up vertically or horizontally with the player before attacking, so it isn't as hard to read as I thought it was.

The only thing that I'm curious about is attacking three enemies simultaneously. It seems like a really awkward input to pull off.

 

[Callibretto]

The only thing that I'm curious about is attacking three enemies simultaneously. It seems like a really awkward input to pull off.

well, OT said you can use dpad or face button, so with 2 thumbs that shouldn't be too awkward to input imo.

 

[Aytrial]

well, OT said you can use dpad or face button, so with 2 thumbs that shouldn't be too awkward to input imo.

Oh, I'm well aware of that, it's just that I'm used to ever having to deal with only two inputs simultaneously (Project Diva, DJMax).

 

[Callibretto]

Oh, I'm well aware of that, it's just that I'm used to ever having to deal with only two inputs simultaneously (Project Diva, DJMax).

I've played DJ Max, and I can only play that game with 5 button, with dpad right share the same function as square button. more than 5 button and my brain just can't keep up, maybe on the low level song. lol

edit: oh wait, now I get what you mean by 3 input at the same time. don't know what I was thinking at first. I guess it depends on the speed of the game. I haven't seen the video for this game and how rapidly they expect you to input the command. I imagine if the timing depend on character animation, it can't be that fast, at least not on the level of dj max.

 

[Open Source]

So the only way you know which button to press is by watching the fighters' movements? Is there going to be a demo?

Yes, except on Normal difficulty, where there's also a giant button icon on the ground that lights up during the "attack window" for each enemy. These icons are essentially the game's training wheels, and they come off for other difficulty levels.

And as said earlier, there will be a demo (I believe it's just 1 track, with all 4 difficulty levels available).

 

[Aytrial]

And as said earlier, there will be a demo (I believe it's just 1 track, with all 4 difficulty levels available).

Nice! Very few games allow players to try out higher difficulty levels in demos, especially rhythm games.

 

[ReaperXL7]

I have been waiting for this game for a very long time. Will easily be buying it as soon as it goes up on the store. Zen Pinball 2 is one of my most played games on vita, own all but 2 tables, and before that I was a big fan of the original, . Want Castlestorm aswell, but for now its all about Kickbeat.

 

[PAULINK]

The concept sounds interesting without a doubt. Will definitely look forward to trying out the demo. Games like Audiosurf and Beats (PSP) were interesting but neither held my attention for very long. Let's hope the track generator is really good.

 

[Tizoc]

Wonder what playing this game will be like with So no chi no sadame playing...

 

[Aytrial]

GAF's own BlueMaxima has uploaded an overview of the Vita version of KickBeat to his Youtube channel. Check it out!

 

[Open Source]

GAF's own BlueMaxima has uploaded an overview of the Vita version of KickBeat to his Youtube channel. Check it out!

I commented on the video, but I'll go into more detail here.

The beat calculation tool can take a few tries to get just right. Once you've done the calculation, you'll need to hit the Listen button and fast forward to different spots in the song to see if the beat that's been calculated (the sound of drum sticks being smacked together played on top of the song) matches the song's beat. Even if you're not adept as getting good numbers, you can get the correct numbers from a friend, the Kickbeat forum, etc. and manually enter them. That way, you don't have to mess with the tool at all, and you'll get 100% accuracy. Otherwise, you end up with enemies not synced with the beat, which kind of defeats the point of a rhythm game.

The final boss is a bit odd, but it doesn't change the actual mechanics. The enemies move normally (though they look different), and rather than powerups, some carry "spike" orbs that deal damage to you if you fail to collect them. This might be the source of confusion for BM as he probably took damage from the orbs by not double-tapping to "collect" the orbs even though he defeated the enemies themselves.

Also, the game really starts on Hard, in my opinion, as this gets rid of the "training wheels" of the button icons shown on the ground, and the animations start flowing together better with higher enemy density. These are just there to help you get used to the positioning/timing, but the game is intended to be played without them. It is challenging at first, but if you focus on the enemies and ignore all the powerups (except health) at first, you should be able to pass songs within a a few attempts. As with most rhythm games, it shines in the top difficulty levels, because then we can script to fit the music well without worrying about whether it's too hard.

The transition from bars/arrows/icons to 3d animated characters as action cues is basically a change in the signal to noise ratio. The former are pure information presented as cleanly as possible, whereas the latter add "noise", thus upping the challenge level. The actions themselves are actually less difficult (fewer cues, generally - you don't have enemies as close together as, say, notes in a fast guitar solo in Rock Band). But the increased amount of "noise" compensates for this. Once your brain has adjusted to filter the "noise", which just happens over time as you attempt difficult levels, the game becomes easier, and it is possible to succeed on the higher difficulty levels.

Another tip for succeeding on higher difficulty levels is playing with both hands vs. just one. Although the button icons shown on the ground in Normal are the face buttons, the directional buttons perform the same function as the face buttons and can be used in combination with them. By offloading presses to the second hand, the faster sections, more frequent simultaneous enemies, etc. become easier to deal with.

 

[Aytrial]

First review is up.

Destructoid has given KickBeat 8/10.

 

[Open Source]

First review is up.

Destructoid has given KickBeat 8/10.

A fair review. I hope we can make the unlocks less restrictive in an update, because that is a very valid complaint.

I'm not sure what to think of the soundtrack complaints in this and some reviews from minor outlets. You're not going to get a wide variety of mainstream music in a sub-$10 game, for one thing, simply because of the licensing costs. For another, it's a fighting theme - it should have fight music that makes punching and kicking feel like appropriate things to be doing. It's like how Parappa was full of cheesy rap - nothing anyone loved on its own, but in the context of the game it was fine. Plenty of other music games come with a soundtrack of nothing but a specific genre of electronica, or J-pop, or what have you, and they don't get the same complaints about variety. /*end whining*/

 

[Open Source]

Here's a video example of a song that works well with the import tool: "Heavy" by Collective Soul:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SCkaVe-dk40

Note that you can take these beat settings (0.258 beat start, 106.883 bpm) and enter them manually if you have this song, and it will work - you won't have to go through the BPM calculation step. The only caveat is that the version you use must have the same amount of silence at the beginning. Otherwise, you'll have to adjust the beat start time to compensate.

And If you have an identical file as someone else using the same settings, it will generate an identical track. However, different amounts of compression, intro silence, leveling, etc. will cause pattern differences, so if you want to (unofficially) compete with a friend, you'll want to use the same exact source.

 

[Open Source]

edit: taking this complaint down for now, until there's some resolution by the offending site's editorial staff...

edit: ok, general complaint about game reviewers. I gave this game 4 years. You can't give it 2 hours before you give up and whine about it being too hard once the training wheels come off? That's how it is with all good rhythm games. And then you give it some time, your brain rewires, and it's 10X more fun than it was on Easy. Sigh.

 

[Open Source]

Hmm, I guess rhythm games are dead after all.

 

[Dragon]

Hmm, I guess rhythm games are dead after all.

Hopefully people are playing it instead of posting . Ima bout to buy it.

 

[jwk94]

how do you cross-save?

 

[Dead Prince]

Hmm, I guess rhythm games are dead after all.

buying it. since it's just $10 and want to see a new game on ps4 ;P

 

[VanWinkle]

Hmm, I guess rhythm games are dead after all.

I'm loving it. I can tell it will take some time to get great at the controls, but its really cool. Graphics blew me away on Vita, too. Great job.

 

[Open Source]

how do you cross-save?

There's no cross-save, only cross buy. It was a data size limitation thing. I know i really wanted it after having to unlock everything on both games over the past week...

I'm loving it. I can tell it will take some time to get great at the controls, but its really cool. Graphics blew me away on Vita, too. Great job.

Thanks. It certainly does take getting used to. I recommend starting out using both hands (directional + face buttons) because playing with just face buttons is nearly impossible at high difficulty levels. You'll have to do things like double-tap 3 simultaneous enemies, which is easier if you double-tap 2 with one hand and 1 with the other. Getting in the habit early really helps.

Kind of discouraging that some reviewers are only spending a couple hours with the game and writing it off after finishing what is essentially just the noob training, and giving up when they fail a couple times on the second-easiest difficulty level.

 

[VanWinkle]

There's no cross-save, only cross buy. It was a data size limitation thing. I know i really wanted it after having to unlock everything on both games over the past week...

Hmm yeah, more reason to have the extra options (like the song import feature) unlocked from the start.

 

[ThoughtsOfSpeaking]

Guys, this game seems cool and all but its a rhythm game and they are all a bit gimm----

Using the Track Generator, you are able to import music from your PS3 or Vita's library and create your own custom tracks to duke it out to!

Bought.

 

[Squire]

So, what's it like using the Track Generator? I love games that let you import your own music.

 

[Dead Prince]

So, what's it like using the Track Generator? I love games that let you import your own music.

Remembering Beats for psp.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=93zRQEAO8UA

"Game" had potential.

 

[Squire]

Remembering Beats for psp.

???

 

[Dead Prince]

???

Sorry. it was a game for psp back then that lets you use songs in your game and it generates buttons. it wasn't calculating anything but i liked to pretend it did.

 

[Open Source]

So, what's it like using the Track Generator? I love games that let you import your own music.

I linked this video a few posts up showing the full process and then playing the track.

 

[Aytrial]

Hmm, I guess rhythm games are dead after all.

But then!

 

[hitmon]

Looking forward to trying out the demo. Do you have to unlock the ability to use custom tracks or is it unlocked right away?

 

[Open Source]

Looking forward to trying out the demo. Do you have to unlock the ability to use custom tracks or is it unlocked right away?

You have to play through 18 songs first. I'm hoping we will change this in an update. Of course, my original design didn't have it locked in the first place, so not entirely sure what happened there.

 

[Dead Prince]

i see that @Wario64 bought the game as well.

 

[bigfunkychiken]

Not sure if this has been stated, but this game reminds me of the bonus levels (dreams) in Daxter for the PSP. Especially the Matrix-themed one.

 

[Open Source]

Haha. No, I've been playing the game on Expert and Master difficulty, and it's an amazing game. Really satisfying and still challenging after all this time. All the tracks are like old friends now. Our team solved design and technical problems that no one ever has to create it. People told us we wouldn't be able to do licensing with major artists / labels on our own, and we did. The project was almost canceled a dozen times. And yet, here it is, a crazy idea that was crazy difficult to make, and it turned out great. That happens for maybe 0.01% of game designers in their lifetimes. I'm claiming victory. Reviews from people who couldn't hack it beyond noob mode in their 1-2 hours with the game or who didn't even try the music import mode don't change that a bit.

You can use your own music in the game in an unlockable mode, but with the low capacity and high price of Vita memory cards I doubt too many people are keeping a vast library on their Sony handhelds to take advantage of this feature.

 

[Open Source]

Not sure if this has been stated, but this game reminds me of the bonus levels (dreams) in Daxter for the PSP. Especially the Matrix-themed one.

Yeah...I'd actually never seen that until someone mentioned it in the comment on our first gameplay vid a year and a half ago or so. Gitaroo Man had a similar mechanic.

But the actual inspiration for it was the dojo scene from Fist of Fury: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uLSefwsluR0 (around 1:00).

 

[hitmon]

Got my first crack at story mode in the demo after completing training. Just got murdered at my first attempt at story mode. Didn't expect such a difference in speed.

 

[GuitarAtomik]

I remember hearing about this game a LONG time ago but completely forgot about it. Definitely going to give it a try this week.

 

[hitmon]

The more I play, the more I'm enjoying it. The color difference in enemies really helps when I have the volume down. Still haven't completed the first song yet, but it feels like I'm making progress.

Just completed the story song in the demo, man feels good.

 

[QisTopTier]

Really enjoying the game so far

Anyone that likes DDR or Stepmania should check it out

 

[Dragon]

Love the game so far. Got to the final boss and died three times and quitting for the night. Got a perfect to Papa Roach which is hilarious since I never liked the song growing up.

 

[Wario64]

I think it's a neat game, my main complaint though is that on harder difficulties where the button prompts are gone, it's hard to distinguish which fighter you're suppose to hit next, especially when you have a 3 blue-guy sequence coming up. The flashes tell you who to hit, which is helpful but not helpful enough. And after the first blue guy, most often it's hard to figure out which guy to hit after that.

But other than that, I found my time with the game to be more positive with each hour added to the playtime. There is a learning curve in "reading" the notes and some of the timing may sound a little off at times, but it's a very original game in the rhythm genre.

I think the game is best played on Vita since the buttons are very close to each other. And cause it was made for Vita anyway before it became a cross-buy title.

Also, I think the whole unlocking business goes a little too far. The survival mode should be unlocked when beating any difficulty and the use your own music thing should be a feature from the start

 

[QisTopTier]

It just requires a ton of focus, you can tell the order of the blue guys in advance from how close to the center they are and from pretty much the order they spawn in. At later difficulties this becomes really hard but once you get in the zone you feel bad ass.

It feels fine on ps3 to me just because you can use the dpad as well... maybe it's just cause I'm used to pad ddr haha