This generation, so far, has been unbelievably disappointing in terms of rhythm based games. Rock Band 4 was, and still is a cheap copy of its former, superior self, and above all has failed to maintain the refreshing novelty which it has introduced to the genre with the phenomenal The Beatles: Rock Band. Whereas its direct competitor, Guitar Hero Live, while trying to separate itself from the days of series’ mundane repetitiveness, has created a product which in a way has introduced a breath of fresh air to the now tired plastic instruments. But instead of pushing the boundaries further, it has just like Rock Band 4, stubbornly stuck to the ways of the old, and instead of releasing a free-to-play, subscription based service, publisher Activision, has released an overly expensive disc based product which plummeted in price instantly due to its eerie business model.
However, while the giants of the genre have failed to break their shackles, which bound it to the depths of the consumerist abyss, a much smaller, minuscule even, developer Pop Sandbox, has created an experience which has easily toppled the giants of the industry, and the experience in question is: Loud on Planet X. Loud on Planet X, is a rhythm based, sci-fi cross between music games of the old, and the now forgotten Plants Vs Zombies. Within the title players are required to fight off swarms of alien creatures, in order to access the mother-like tentacle beast and return to earth, as the title begins with the player/band being sucked in by the oppressive monsters.
The entirety of the title takes place on three stages which are situated within the boundaries of three different environments. All three environments, blue, pink, and green are a host to a plethora of different artists, as well as distinct hostile creatures. For example, one environment features a massive, dome like green creature which upon death covers a large portion of the screen with green goo, which temporarily disallows the player from spotting the approaching threat. Whereas another is a host to a triangle like alien which upon being hit, accelerates rapidly towards the speakers, which are the source of the rays of light which are used to target the creatures.
On first sight, the combat system which is the foundation of Loud on Planet X, is as simple as the disarmingly charming art style of the title. However, as the game progresses, players are forced to rhythmically combat the approaching threat by pressing R1, Triangle, Square/Circle, and X, in order to target hostiles on one of the four tracks, which correspond to specific buttons. And while doing so, the player in charge of the controller while maintaining the rhythm, is required to constantly assess the situation in order to target the aliens which are most likely to cause trouble, use the power-ups, and repair the broken speakers when necessary.
If done correctly, and within the predetermined rhythm, Loud on Planet X is a breeze, however, once the player loses the rhythm, the previously easy game, turns into an absolute hell. Suddenly, it is impossible to get back into the groove, and after good 15 seconds, when the person in front of the screen is finally done panicking, and has started working on repairs, it may be already being too late as the screen will now be filled with a horde of aliens which will inevitably, breach the last line of defences, and force the player to restart.
It could be stated that the difficulty of the phenomenal Loud on Planet X, is its strongest side, as it can be as difficult or as easy as the player makes it, as it is all up to one’s concentration. However, as good as the difficulty is, it is not even in the same league with the soundtrack which is the most important thing for any rhythm based game.
Loud on Planet X, features 28 songs from 14 artists such as Health, Tegan and Sara, LIGHTS, July Talk, and Fucked Up. And while such are not as well-known as The Police, Bon Jovi, or Judas Priest, they are definitely much more suitable for the title, in fact, if Rock Band 4 featured at least half of these artists, it would be a much better title. And this statement doesn’t come from a hard-core hipster, who hangs out at cereal bars and writes miserable poems on an antique typewriter, but someone who has a Spotify playlist filled with artists such as Slayer, Death, Black Flag, and Fear, someone who sneers even at a mention of the indie music scene.
But after spending good 5 hours with the title, Back in Your Head by Tegan and Sara has now secured itself a spot between Crystal Mountain by Death and Great British Mistake by The Adverts. This is something no other game, or even a product of another medium has ever achieved. It has to be said that Loud on Planet X is the best the genre has to offer, and is one of the best indie titles of the last decade. And while the title has its issues with the loading screen from time to time, and requires the player to restart the game in order to make it work, it is still an unbelievably good game, which should be played by absolutely everybody, especially for the ridiculously low price of £5.21 for PS+ subscribers and £5.79 for those without.