Movement and music in games have long been a desired play style since the ‘golden age’ of Dance Dance Revolution. Systems have incorporated new console additions such as the PS-Move, the Wii, and Xbox Move, to create more physical games. When VR came along, the game was changed. Games like Beat Saber have only exponentially upped the ante as a rhythm + controller game. But soon enough Harmonix, the developers behind Rock Band and Guitar Hero, decided they needed to bring back their own version of rhythmic gaming with their upcoming title Audica.
Audica was revealed recently on the Harmonix Twitter account, calling it a rhythm shooter that combines precision shooting tactics and a ‘killer soundtrack’. It’s actually pretty intense:
The trailer shows off the cosmic area that the game takes place in. Whether it’s planet or a ship is not specified, but it does add to the sci-fi futuristic vibe of the game. The beams (which brought a small trip down memory lane to an old Corridor Youtube video) aren’t just one specific kind either. There are different ways to approach the beat or note depending on what’s needed: holding a note, a quick rapid succession of beats, a single note that has an incoming notification. There’s only a few shown off, but there’s bound to be more added.
The game focuses mostly on electronic music, and the early access will showcase 10 of them for the time being. The full release is expected to have 25 songs and will most likely add on as they can once Audica is fully out. It’s also anticipated that Audica will have a campaign mode, practice mode, additional environments, new weapon sets, new leaderboards and possible new mechanics.
As for now, players can sign up for Early Access on Steam, and the Oculus Store and begin playing on March 7, 2019. There they can enjoy just a taste of what Audica will have with the 10 song, the one environment (the one from the trailer), a weapon set, and some temporary leaderboards.