Captured on Nintendo Switch (Handheld/Offline)
When you think of “musical game” you probably think of “rhythm action”. Well, Stockholm-based indie band Ichigoichie are here to deliver with Backbeat, a diabolical funky puzzle game on the subtleties of playing in a group.
Ichigoichie’s first game was Hexagroove in 2019, where they were already revolutionizing music games by mixing dance music creation, DJing and guitar man– Rhythm action style following the track. The studio’s legacy even dates back, via co-founder David Ventura, to the Nintendo DS classic Osu. Tatakae! Ouendan! (ancestor of Elite Beat Agents in the West). And the silliness of this game’s story and character-filled world map extends its tendrils through the decades to the Backbeat of 2023 as well.
Despite its background, however, Backbeat is not a game characterized by acting out a beat, or even hitting the right notes. The gameplay, whose significant depth was introduced on many levels, involves manipulating four timelines, one for each member of a funk band, as they move across a map to reach an objective area. Each move takes a turn, advancing through the timeline, while pressing “B” takes you back, allowing you to rework your possible solution. This interaction happens in parallel between the four characters, and their interactions with the level alter the chances of their gang mates.
Captured on Nintendo Switch (Handheld/Offline)
Each stage is supported by scenes from the story. It’s a little simple, but it colors the proceedings and manages to keep a highly technical set of rules light. In short, a young bassist, Watts, gets her start in her parents’ garage in a Mid-Atlantic town in the 90s. She rounds up a band of misfits and sets them on an unlikely path to playing funk in the coolest place. chic in town. It’s all lovingly dressed in VHS distortion, videotape rental shops, retro shopping malls and cell phone surprises. Coupled with a very neat graphic style in various and attractive color palettes, the visual presentation is perfect.
Basically, the game is just as refined sonically as it is visually. Each step is backed by a very simple metronomic rhythm, which doesn’t really add pressure, but a kind of anticipation. As you plan your characters’ movements, which is a bit like a turn-based strategy game, they start playing funky tunes from their instrument: bass, keytar, drums, or saxophone . As their solution unfolds, the individual parts merge into a jam session, with the entire level culminating in a full performance presentation as everyone heads for the finish line.
Listening to the game is a delight – it sounds like a small group on your Switch having fun with ideas. Ichigoichie touted the ability to set your own unique soundtrack as you play, but in practice puzzle logic was driving our choices, not musical potentials.
Captured on Nintendo Switch (Connected)
Although there is no rhythm action, it is very true that Backbeat is a “musical game” of a different kind. In addition to the plot and its confrontation between the groups, the mechanics create a fascinating feeling of playing in a group. On the one hand, the different movements of the characters distinguish them and give meaning to their instruments: the drummer makes ample and clear movements in the rhythm, the walking bass and the key-tar are played to cover the boxes that the other can’t . . , and the lead sax moves in jazz triplets: three steps on each beat. The set of rules that constrains these movements requires the regularity of direction changes on the beat, the variety of different beats with each band member, and the careful timing of solos to support each other or give room to show off.
By the time the full range of mechanics have been thrown into the mix, it becomes very complex, and the process of putting it all together really feels like refining a composition. Sometimes we weren’t sure if we were creating a puzzle solution that felt like a piece of music or if we were making a piece of music that felt like solving a puzzle. The only slight downside with the ambitiously complex mechanics and interface is that editing a decision made earlier in the level requires you to undo everything that followed, but that’s not a jaw-dropping irritation. . It’s fascinating that despite this inherent musicality, you can play Backbeat with the sound muted. It’s a musical game that makes you think about music, but doesn’t force you to play or listen to it.
Captured on Nintendo Switch (Connected)
The lack of action gameplay means you’re free to plan, rewind and rework your jam session as much as you like, which is a good thing as it usually takes us around half an hour to complete the most stages. complex, and one in particular puzzled us for a long time. And that brings us to how Backbeat handles its difficulty. The new mechanics that pile up so frequently create a steep learning curve, though at least it’s very smooth. However, if you TO DO stuck, there is no hint system in the game. Tutorials are required to appear online, so Ichigoichie seems to have decided to delegate tips and advice to the internet rather than control this experience. It’s a bit awkward because the game world is so smart and sophisticated that it would have been nice to stay there and get some good advice.
Another side effect of the increasing complexity of mechanics is that going back to previous steps can feel quite strange. There are critical path stages that must be completed to progress through the game, but there are more sub-stages that are unlocked alongside the main ones. This means that if you run through key story mode levels before returning to sub-stages, you’ll find yourself playing without the post-game mechanics you’re now used to. It’s a testament to how the advanced rules blend together that feels frustrating, but limits replayability somewhat. Proofreading for an S+ rank is handled well, as the final solution is saved and you can rework it instead of starting from scratch. However, we found that there was rarely a big difference in difficulty between simply completing a tricky stage and getting the perfect score.
conclusion
Backbeat stands out among puzzle games for its attractive graphics and vibrant, vibrant soundscape, but most of all for its impressive depth of mechanics. Juggling phrase lengths, time signatures, alignment, scaling, soloing, and special moves, all in interactive levels filled with moving parts, is like having a wah-wah pedal strapped to your brain. Aside from an occasionally convoluted interface and limited replayability, Ichigoichie hit all the right notes.