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Journal #14
Name of Game:
Beatsaber 2018
Game Author:
Jan Ilavsky
Game Studio:
Beat Games/ Oculus Studios
Original Platform & control mechanism:
Originally released for PS4 and Windows that supported the Oculus VR device
Control mechanism you used:
Utilized the VR Oculus headset
Describe game play and mechanics:
The purpose of the game is to use a pair of glowing swords, called sabers, to hit color coordinated blocks that spawn in front of you in synch with a chosen song. The color-coded blocks match with the sword colors the player has, and your goal is to rack up a high score for the level of your chosen song by destroying the blocks with timed precision. The level will also feature some bomb shaped projectiles that can spawn in next to neighboring blocks that must be avoided. Additionally, there will also be walls that can spawn in throughout the level which the player may have to shift or duck to avoid the game level ending. There is no real ‘death’ scene that takes place, as the player doesn't have a physical avatar body to interact with. However, there exists a stamina or battery bar at the bottom of the screen that begins at a halfway charged point at the start of every level. As points are either gained from accurate note hits or lost from walls or bombs, the white bar will fill or decrease. If the bar decreases completely, the song ends immediately, and the level is considered a Game Over.
Describe strengths & weaknesses of art & design:
The strengths of this game are its wise use of music to drive gameplay through the fairly recent exploration and developments of virtual reality gaming spaces. Although rhythm games are no new discovery, this modern interpretation of what rhythm games have the potential to be was demonstrated quite well with the development of Beatsaber. The design of this game was also well done, as the combination of largely electronic and EDM based music meant the environment design was a satisfying blend of ambient neon lights on a minimally dressed set that almost felt ripped from the universe of Tron. Personally, I found this design choice very visually appealing and a strength to the overall art of the game. It also helped maintain the over arcing theme of the future on the players mind, as combined with the then new technology of virtual reality, the futuristic wave of a new gaming platform showcased with the fundamentals of a rhythm game that channeled the universal language of music was also a strength for the games design.
What made it fun?
What made this game fun for me was the visual appeal combined with a music range I wasn’t previously exposed to: electronic and EDM. The choice to combine music like EDM that already existed with the context of being dance/rave music and morphing into a game that required you to move was a brilliant move. As a player it was always fun to try and discover the beat of new songs I’ve never heard before and catch onto the rhythm in time to score points. I also found the ability to customize difficult at the start of every level helpful, because some of the songs did go pretty crazy, which meant the difficulty to maintain your battery score without ‘dying’ was adaptable. Also, the visuals weren’t overly distracting but succeeded at keeping me immersed in the game. Beatsaber at times often felt like stepping into an entirely different world. It was likely a result of the use of the Oculus headset, but the gameplay was very aesthetically pleasing and immersive for me. It is also definitely amped up to a higher degree due to VR technology, as well, because the 360-degree visual experience was one of the first time I was ever exposed to VR in this degree and fidelity.
Now that you’ve played it, why would this game be considered influential? How does it fit into the evolution of games?
Yes, I would consider this game influential. I think this game was a great introduction into the technology of virtual reality for gaming platforms because it showcases the potential to the technology with the familiarity of a rhythm-based game. Further, the emphasis on music was a smart choice because the universal language of music was a point of connection for players to be exposed to a new device like the VR headset without coming off as too difficult or advanced of a system to navigate. This was a selling point for myself, as a gamer, because the unfamiliarity of new consoles or games always tended to be daunting to me. Having the familiarity of a rhythm game felt less intimidating to approach on such a new piece of tech like the VR headset because I had already previously grown up around games like Guitar Hero. The game Beatsaber would arguably fit into the evolution of games in the more recent developments of modern games and console technology. Having only come out in 2018, less than a decade has passed since this game was released. The combination of music and a game that required physical movement was a smart move as well, as I see the virtual reality experience of gaming focusing on getting players to be more interactive with their environment and characters in a new way. It's an exciting place to be in the gaming industry, and this virtual reality gaming experience has largely only just begun and sits recent on the evolutionary history of games.
How would you rate this game (1-5 Stars (5 stars good))
4.5/5
Name of Game:
Beatsaber 2018
Game Author:
Jan Ilavsky
Game Studio:
Beat Games/ Oculus Studios
Original Platform & control mechanism:
Originally released for PS4 and Windows that supported the Oculus VR device
Control mechanism you used:
Utilized the VR Oculus headset
Describe game play and mechanics:
The purpose of the game is to use a pair of glowing swords, called sabers, to hit color coordinated blocks that spawn in front of you in synch with a chosen song. The color-coded blocks match with the sword colors the player has, and your goal is to rack up a high score for the level of your chosen song by destroying the blocks with timed precision. The level will also feature some bomb shaped projectiles that can spawn in next to neighboring blocks that must be avoided. Additionally, there will also be walls that can spawn in throughout the level which the player may have to shift or duck to avoid the game level ending. There is no real ‘death’ scene that takes place, as the player doesn't have a physical avatar body to interact with. However, there exists a stamina or battery bar at the bottom of the screen that begins at a halfway charged point at the start of every level. As points are either gained from accurate note hits or lost from walls or bombs, the white bar will fill or decrease. If the bar decreases completely, the song ends immediately, and the level is considered a Game Over.
Describe strengths & weaknesses of art & design:
The strengths of this game are its wise use of music to drive gameplay through the fairly recent exploration and developments of virtual reality gaming spaces. Although rhythm games are no new discovery, this modern interpretation of what rhythm games have the potential to be was demonstrated quite well with the development of Beatsaber. The design of this game was also well done, as the combination of largely electronic and EDM based music meant the environment design was a satisfying blend of ambient neon lights on a minimally dressed set that almost felt ripped from the universe of Tron. Personally, I found this design choice very visually appealing and a strength to the overall art of the game. It also helped maintain the over arcing theme of the future on the players mind, as combined with the then new technology of virtual reality, the futuristic wave of a new gaming platform showcased with the fundamentals of a rhythm game that channeled the universal language of music was also a strength for the games design.
What made it fun?
What made this game fun for me was the visual appeal combined with a music range I wasn’t previously exposed to: electronic and EDM. The choice to combine music like EDM that already existed with the context of being dance/rave music and morphing into a game that required you to move was a brilliant move. As a player it was always fun to try and discover the beat of new songs I’ve never heard before and catch onto the rhythm in time to score points. I also found the ability to customize difficult at the start of every level helpful, because some of the songs did go pretty crazy, which meant the difficulty to maintain your battery score without ‘dying’ was adaptable. Also, the visuals weren’t overly distracting but succeeded at keeping me immersed in the game. Beatsaber at times often felt like stepping into an entirely different world. It was likely a result of the use of the Oculus headset, but the gameplay was very aesthetically pleasing and immersive for me. It is also definitely amped up to a higher degree due to VR technology, as well, because the 360-degree visual experience was one of the first time I was ever exposed to VR in this degree and fidelity.
Now that you’ve played it, why would this game be considered influential? How does it fit into the evolution of games?
Yes, I would consider this game influential. I think this game was a great introduction into the technology of virtual reality for gaming platforms because it showcases the potential to the technology with the familiarity of a rhythm-based game. Further, the emphasis on music was a smart choice because the universal language of music was a point of connection for players to be exposed to a new device like the VR headset without coming off as too difficult or advanced of a system to navigate. This was a selling point for myself, as a gamer, because the unfamiliarity of new consoles or games always tended to be daunting to me. Having the familiarity of a rhythm game felt less intimidating to approach on such a new piece of tech like the VR headset because I had already previously grown up around games like Guitar Hero. The game Beatsaber would arguably fit into the evolution of games in the more recent developments of modern games and console technology. Having only come out in 2018, less than a decade has passed since this game was released. The combination of music and a game that required physical movement was a smart move as well, as I see the virtual reality experience of gaming focusing on getting players to be more interactive with their environment and characters in a new way. It's an exciting place to be in the gaming industry, and this virtual reality gaming experience has largely only just begun and sits recent on the evolutionary history of games.
How would you rate this game (1-5 Stars (5 stars good))
4.5/5
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