Amplitude HD Reviews
Looking and playing very similarly to the 2003 original, the new Amplitude packs a thumping good progressive electronica soundtrack which suits its slick and nicely polished gameplay perfectly. Where the game does fall a little flat is in its lasting appeal. It doesn't take long to beat the campaign and unlock almost all of its tracks, and once you've done that, the leaderboards are the only place where a long-term challenge can be found.
Amplitude is a solid remix of the original that should win over longtime fans as well as new players who want to explore a fresh version of a game that brought Harmonix into prominence. The track list could have been fuller in terms of quantity and genre variety, but the gameplay remains challenging, crisp, and energetic. Put on a pair of quality headphones, and Amplitude is worth every note.
In the end, though, Amplitude is a bit of a disappointment. It plays well enough and it's awfully slick-looking, but the lack of a diverse array of songs really puts a damper on the experience. And this isn't merely subjective; as starkly different songs result in drastically different note patterns on the tracks, and even how the tracks are set up, this lack of music variety impacts the gameplay as well.
Amplitude does a solid little job of bringing back a Harmonix classic in mechanical terms, and it can be a fun distraction in small doses, but it just doesn't provide enough to sustain itself or its audience. With an expanded setlist, more genres outside of generic electronica, and some actual memorable songs, this could have been something special.
A welcome reboot of a great rhythm action game, although the lack of new ideas and disappointing soundtrack leaves things a little off kilter.
Amplitude offers fairly stock-standard rhythm gameplay and nice visuals, coupled with a rigid unlock system and a music genre of limited appeal.
Amplitude is a pseudo remake, funded through Kickstarter, of the title homonym of PS2 released in 2003, which laid the foundations for music and rhythm games to become massive in the West.
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Amplitude is a labor of love on its creator's part. What it has to offer is a testament to Harmonix's mastery of the genre: Its simple yet deeply challenging gameplay and psychedelic graphics have been honed to near-perfection, and each distinct part of every song carries its own, faithful patterns and challenges. The critical flaw is that there's simply not enough content to go around.
Improved lane-hopping controls and fun multiplayer make this a blast to play, but it's as an interactive music album where new Amplitude really shines. You need to experience it.
Having dispensed with the rock-star posturing, Harmonix's return to its abstract rhythm action roots is a textured, vibrant triumph.
Amplitude is a labor of love, polished to a beautiful shine and put into fans' hands by a developer that truly cares about the experience they are offering in revisiting this cult classic. Despite its clean exterior and simple, yet fun gameplay, I fear many will be rather quickly turned away by the steep difficulty curve and a track list that is only good, not great.
In order to keep this already long-winded review from balooning further, I'll simply sum it up at this: while Amplitude doesn't do much in the way of innovation, it does offer the strongest gameplay in the franchise thus far in terms of challenge. However, the weak track selection, questionable visual design choices and semi-botched implementation of the franchise's best gameplay methods add up to a very lackluster experience. I would be upset if I backed this on Kickstarter, not because I didn't get a good game out of the deal — which Amplitude certainly is, for sure — but rather, that the game doesn't seem as inspired as the labors of love that preceded it, which causes this particular pony to look like it's not even capable of doing its one trick nearly as well as it used to.
It's nice to see that Harmonix can still keep the beat going, even after the commercial success of Rock Band 4. Amplitude may not be as big a game as that is, but it's still a terrific experience, whether you go it alone or bring some friends into the fray. The soundtrack, while more "indie"-based, is a blast, and the gameplay delivers all the goodness we've come to expect from the brand. Now then, how's that HD port of Frequency coming along…?
Amplitude has a great soundtrack and is really addictive, but lacks any real longevity or appeal beyond the first five or six hours of play.
Amplitude manages to be both a throwback, and as relevant as ever. This feels like a Harmonix with the shackles off, free to unleash their creative side onto the rhythm-action genre once again. With its initial simplicity, mesmerising visuals, and a great marriage of music to game mechanics, Harmonix have given the world a better Amplitude. One that is simply a superb title.
The plastic peripheral-slinging music game developers at Harmonix have returned to their roots with a modern remake of Amplitude.
Overall Amplitude's return is an enjoyable one, though the game's campaign set-list has just as many tracks that would clear the dancefloor as fill it. Thankfully, the additional tracks that you unlock through play are much stronger, and will particularly appeal to fans of indie game soundtracks and their composers. However, fans of the original will likely still hanker after more variation to the included styles and genres no matter how hypnotic the action is.
Amplitude won't take over your Rock Band party nights, but it might be quirky enough to give you a few evenings of trippy, challenging button mashing. If you enjoy music games, give it a try.
Amplitude lacks both the visual and audible punch its predecessor delivered, but the gameplay still manages to be immersive, intense and often enjoyable.
So, overall the gameplay of Amplitude has been quickly and easily transported to the new generation, with some nice new touches added in by Harmonix. Gamers who loved the original will be re-addicted quite quickly, but one thing will nag at the back of their mind the whole time, and that is that the songs brought in the new version of Amplitude are simply not up to par with what we've seen before.