Airtone
- June 8, 2017
- historia Inc
- 2h median play time
Get on Steam"Airtone is a VR rhythm game with innovative gameplay, where players match hand controller movements to markers in time with music, while traversing through a vibrant world with a deep story. With 25 tracks spanning various genres and three difficulty levels, players can expect approximately 2 hours of engaging, delightful music and compelling graphics."
PC
Playstation 4
Windows
PlayStation
Reviews
- Airtone features vibrant and colorful visuals, creating an uplifting and immersive experience that enhances gameplay.
- The game offers a unique blend of rhythm mechanics that require both hand movements and button presses, providing a fresh challenge for players.
- With a high difficulty ceiling and a variety of songs, Airtone encourages players to improve their timing and execution, making it rewarding to master.
- The English voice acting for the character Neon is often criticized as being amateurish and detracting from the overall experience.
- Unlocking new songs can be a slow process, requiring players to replay older songs multiple times, which may feel tedious.
- Some players find the tutorial lengthy and unskippable, leading to frustration before they can fully engage with the game.
- music190 mentions
- 25 % positive mentions
- 73 % neutral mentions
- 2 % negative mentions
The music in Airtone has received mixed reviews, with some players finding it catchy and enjoyable, while others describe it as mediocre or not engaging. The game features a predefined selection of 25 songs across three difficulty levels, which some players appreciate for its variety and upbeat nature, though the lack of custom song options and slow song unlocking process have been noted as drawbacks. Overall, while the music complements the gameplay and visuals well, opinions vary widely on its appeal, particularly for those who prefer familiar tracks.
“The songs are great, and the song difficulty scaling is smooth; going from jamming out on basic to a moderate dance workout on hard!”
“Combined with the mostly upbeat and occasionally wistful soundtrack, these elements create a smooth and relaxing experience.”
“The music is overall very good, mostly a mix of Asian pop and electronica. This isn't really my sort of music but it is perfect for this type of game.”
“A bit boring for me as I don't like the music, just not my cup of tea.”
“The only thing holding this game back from gathering sort of a real community of dedicated players getting better at the game is a beatmap creator for users to make their own songs in.”
“I didn't expect this to have as much replayability as 'choose your own song' VR rhythm games, but the replayability of 25 short songs (even on 3 different difficulties) seems far too little.”
- gameplay42 mentions
- 43 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 7 % negative mentions
The gameplay in this VR rhythm game is highly praised for its innovative mechanics that effectively utilize the player's full arm span, combining traditional rhythm elements with motion controls for a dynamic experience. Players enjoy the fluidity and precision required, with a variety of tracks and difficulties that keep the gameplay engaging and rewarding. The polished visuals and interactive elements enhance the overall experience, making it a standout title in the genre.
“This game has already perfected VR rhythm gameplay, and I don't think any other game has come close.”
“The mechanics make great use of your full arm span, combining individual notes into big movements that feel amazing to execute.”
“Not only is the core gameplay lots of fun with a good amount of content, but the game in general feels very polished with beautifully trippy visuals, a light storyline with a fully-voiced, well-animated character, and even a hub world with interactable collectibles.”
“The first video that shows someone playing the game may make it look boring, but the gameplay is a lot more fun than it looks; the beat maps almost make you feel as if you are dancing (albeit standing in place).”
“It's graphically simple, with primarily flat tones to its visuals which ensures it runs smoothly, and crucially there is never a moment where the visuals interfere with gameplay.”
“The gameplay is very unique for a VR rhythm game and it takes advantage of the format really well.”
- story41 mentions
- 10 % positive mentions
- 83 % neutral mentions
- 7 % negative mentions
The game's story is described as light and optional, providing flavor for those interested while allowing others to focus on gameplay. Players can unlock a backstory through interactions in a hub area, with a main storyline that progresses as they improve their scores and unlock songs. While some find the narrative elements a bit nonsensical and slow, the overall presentation is praised for its polish and engaging visuals.
“The story is there for those who want it and provides good flavor, but can also be ignored for those who just want to get to the gameplay.”
“Not only is the core gameplay lots of fun with a good amount of content, but the game in general feels very polished with beautifully trippy visuals, a light storyline with a fully-voiced, well-animated character, and even a hub world with interactable collectibles.”
“Overall, I'd give this game a solid 8/10, with beautiful set pieces, a variety of music, and a decent story for a genre that doesn't really need one; there's a lot to do in this game despite the low song count.”
“She makes some reference to saving the worlds, but you don't really get much of a backstory; it's all very out of place and nonsensical.”
“The only downside is the story element they tried to make and how slow Neon talks; it's painful.”
“You'll be expected to replay older songs quite often on other difficulties before you can progress the story and play with a new song.”
- graphics40 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 43 % neutral mentions
- 8 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game are widely praised for their cute, super-Japanese aesthetic and beautifully trippy visuals that enhance the overall experience. Reviewers highlight the polished and clean design, with a bright color palette and smooth performance that never interferes with gameplay. Many consider it the best-looking rhythm game on VR, showcasing superb production quality and a visually engaging environment that complements the music.
“Not only is the core gameplay lots of fun with a good amount of content, but the game in general feels very polished with beautifully trippy visuals, a light storyline with a fully-voiced, well-animated character, and even a hub world with interactable collectibles.”
“Firstly, it looks great, with a bright and colorful trippy aesthetic, where you speed far above a landscape that pulses and shifts in time with the music.”
“In addition to the main gameplay being highly polished, it also features great production quality, solid tech (including great image quality), and extremely aesthetically pleasing design both during the songs and throughout the menu/hub.”
“It's graphically simple, with primarily flat tones to its visuals which ensures it runs smoothly, and crucially there is never a moment where the visuals interfere with gameplay (as in Audioshield's visual effects and notably its horizon environment).”
“From gameplay to the art style, it screams 'benami'.”
“Despite the art style, the song selection is fairly varied, so don't let that turn you away.”
- replayability8 mentions
- 13 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 38 % negative mentions
The game offers a decent level of replayability through the unlocking of various hub furniture and the challenge of mastering its songs. However, some players feel that the limited number of 25 short songs, even with three difficulty levels, diminishes its overall replay value, especially in comparison to more expansive rhythm games that feature customizable song choices and higher difficulty options.
“The game also has a lot of replayability as you can unlock a variety of furniture for the hub and because it will take a while to master all of the songs.”
“I didn't expect this to have as much replayability as 'choose your own song' VR rhythm games, but the replayability of 25 short songs (even on 3 different difficulties) seems far too little.”
“But where's the replay value for a rhythm game if there's no insane difficulties, right?”
“The game also has a lot of replayability as you can unlock a variety of furniture for the hub, but it will take a while to master all of the songs.”
- emotional4 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The emotional aspect of the game is criticized primarily due to the English voice actor's performance, which is described as stiff and lacking in emotion, often sounding unnatural and as if she has a cold. While some may argue that this fits the character of an android, the overall sentiment leans towards disappointment in the emotional delivery.
- grinding2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Players generally feel that while the game is enjoyable, the grinding aspect feels unnecessary and somewhat detracts from the overall experience.
“It's not quite grinding, because the game is a blast to play, but it feels like an unnecessary requirement.”
- optimization2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game is praised for its graphical simplicity, utilizing flat tones that contribute to smooth performance and ensure that visuals do not disrupt gameplay. This optimization allows for a seamless gaming experience without the interference often seen in more visually complex titles.
“It's graphically simple, with primarily flat tones to its visuals which ensures it runs smoothly, and crucially there is never a moment where the visuals interfere with gameplay.”
