A City Sleeps
- October 16, 2014
- Harmonix Music Systems
A City Sleeps has too little content and a frustrating main conceit
Get on Steam"A City Sleeps" is a rhythm-action game where you play as a spirit battling other spectral entities to protect a sleeping city. Using a variety of attacks synced to the game's music, you'll navigate through ever-changing levels, battling bosses and collecting power-ups. The game features a unique visual style and a hauntingly beautiful soundtrack that complement the gameplay.
Mac OS
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Windows
Reviews
- The game features an amazing soundtrack that enhances the gameplay experience.
- The art style is visually appealing and contributes to the overall atmosphere of the game.
- The unique combination of rhythm-based mechanics and bullet hell gameplay offers a fresh and engaging experience.
- The game is very short, with only three levels, which may leave players wanting more content.
- Controls can feel clunky and unresponsive at times, leading to frustration during gameplay.
- The reliance on music for shooting mechanics can lead to unpredictable gameplay, making it difficult to maintain consistent firepower.
- music118 mentions
- 49 % positive mentions
- 48 % neutral mentions
- 3 % negative mentions
The music in "A City Sleeps" is widely praised for its exceptional quality and ability to enhance the gameplay experience, with many reviewers highlighting the soundtrack as a standout feature. The integration of music with gameplay mechanics, where enemy actions and player fire are synchronized to the beat, is seen as a unique concept, though some players feel it can hinder gameplay flow. Overall, the soundtrack is considered a major draw for the game, making it a must-play for music lovers, despite some criticisms regarding the game's execution and level design.
“The visual style is very appealing and as you'd hope for in a music game, the OST is amazing.”
“A city sleeps, while short, is actually a very satisfying bullet hell where the bullets are fired in the rhythm of preset songs, which I would usually have an issue with but I love the peaceful yet straining electronic soundtrack.”
“As I said before, the music is amazing and worth playing for the music alone, even if you're not huge on the bullet hell thing.”
“A middling bullet-hell shooter with dual-stick mechanics whose soundtrack far exceeds the game itself.”
“I found myself wanting to just listen to the music more than actually play.”
“But I think the music is wasted on this game.”
- gameplay32 mentions
- 44 % positive mentions
- 47 % neutral mentions
- 9 % negative mentions
The gameplay is a unique blend of rhythm and bullet-hell mechanics, offering fluid controls and beautiful art that enhances the experience. While some players feel the synchronization between music and gameplay could be improved, many appreciate the high production quality, replayability, and engaging power-ups. Overall, it stands out as a polished title in its genre, despite some initial learning curve.
“It's a great bullet hell shooter with fantastic art, music, and gameplay.”
“The gameplay is fluid and flows perfectly, the art is beautiful and each enemy stands out.”
“This is an amazing combination of rhythm and shmup gameplay.”
“A middling bullet-hell shooter with dual-stick mechanics whose soundtrack far exceeds the game itself.”
“Tl;dr: while it's an interesting notion, Harmonix failed to sync the gameplay with music like it promised.”
“The whole rhythm affects gameplay thing.”
- graphics16 mentions
- 75 % positive mentions
- 25 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game are highly praised for their polished and captivating art style, which complements the sound design and game mechanics effectively. Reviewers appreciate the aesthetic appeal and visuals, noting that they enhance the overall gameplay experience. Fans of the genre and art style are particularly encouraged to try the game for its impressive graphics and integration with music.
“I personally love the art style and can't get enough of it.”
“A really well polished game with an amazing art style and soundtrack that go well into the game mechanics, and despite its short length, offers a fair amount of fun.”
“If you enjoy the art style and are a fan of this genre, as well as are intrigued by the idea of the music pretty much dictating the game flow, this is a game you shouldn't miss.”
- replayability10 mentions
- 20 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 30 % negative mentions
The game offers a decent level of replayability through its unlockable special abilities, modifiers, and a ghost mechanic that encourages players to experiment with different strategies on previously completed levels. Although it is relatively short, consisting of only three stages with three chapters each, the combination of these features, along with its appealing art and fluid gameplay, enhances the overall replay value.
“The ghost mechanic gives the game additional replayability as you probably will want to try a different approach on a level you've already beaten.”
“It's quite short, only three stages with 3 chapters each and some incentive for replayability in the form of unlockables and new difficulties.”
“There is a system where you unlock different modifiers you can place in slots in the level, that seems to be where they are aiming for replayability.”
“Unlockable special abilities change up the levels and add significantly to replayability.”
- story4 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
The game's story is generally considered lackluster and minimal, with many players noting its brevity and the limited content available beyond higher difficulty levels.
“My only gripe is that the story is lackluster and the game itself is very short, with only higher difficulties to play through.”
“There isn't much of a story.”
- atmosphere2 mentions
- 150 % positive mentions
- -50 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game's atmosphere is characterized by a quirky and heartfelt tone, enhanced by its unique art style and engaging music, which some users find reminiscent of early internet culture. Despite its flaws, the combination of groan-worthy dialogue and a passionate presentation creates a distinctive experience that resonates with fans.
“The art style sets such a perfect atmosphere for the tone of the game, creating a unique and immersive experience.”
“The music is incredibly good, adding to the overall atmosphere and emotional depth of the game.”
“This game is full of heart, and the atmosphere really reflects the passion and creativity behind it.”
