Chime Sharp
- July 19, 2016
- Ste Curran
If you played 2010’s Chime, then you’ll know exactly what to expect from its sequel. Chime Sharp is more of the same – but when the original was so good, that really isn’t a bad thing.
Get on Steam"Chime Sharp" is an arcade-style puzzle game where players place shapes on a grid to create music. This sequel to the 2009 game "Chime" features a modern aesthetic, updated rules, and a refreshed soundtrack with fifteen new levels. The game's unique gameplay allows players to create their own musical masterpiece through tessellating shapes and filling the grid.
PC
Playstation 4
Playstation 5
Xbox One
Xbox Series X|S
PlayStation
Xbox
Reviews
- Chime Sharp offers a relaxing puzzle experience with engaging mechanics and a variety of new game modes.
- The game features a larger music library compared to the original, with over 12 songs that enhance the gameplay.
- The gameplay mechanics have been improved, allowing for more strategic play and the introduction of new scoring systems.
- The music selection is often considered weak and not as memorable as the original, leading to disappointment among fans.
- The visuals and UI have been criticized for being unpolished and difficult to navigate, detracting from the overall experience.
- There are significant accessibility issues, including a lack of volume options and confusing mechanics that can frustrate players.
- music81 mentions
- 22 % positive mentions
- 69 % neutral mentions
- 9 % negative mentions
The music in "Chime Sharp" has received mixed reviews, with some players appreciating the engaging mechanics and the way music builds as gameplay progresses, while others criticize the soundtrack for lacking variety and being unpolished. Many users noted that the music feels overly reliant on chiptune and electronica, with only a few standout tracks, such as Chipzel's "Psychonaut," being widely praised. Additionally, the absence of volume control options and the requirement to unlock songs through gameplay have frustrated some players, leading to a desire for more flexibility in music selection.
“Chime Sharp is a wonderful Tetris-like game with music that builds as you build.”
“Each song provides a different experience, and the variety that the music provides is a big reason why Chime is so enjoyable.”
“The music is, by and large, beautiful.”
“Was hoping this game would be a great successor to the original, but the game feels like it's still in development, unpolished and lacks any good variety of music.”
“It's a game built around music and there are no options for volume levels, simple on/off, effects, etc. I want to listen to my own music while I play since the soundtrack is... ehh.”
“In Chime Sharp, the tracklist feels scraped from SoundCloud composers, with an overrepresentation of chiptune, chip-step, indie-wave, chip-wave, indie-step, and... well, basically just a whole lot of abrasive electronica.”
- gameplay14 mentions
- 29 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 21 % negative mentions
The gameplay in Chime Sharp is characterized by engaging mechanics and innovative features, including new scoring systems and additional game modes that enhance the experience. While some players find the increased complexity and variety of shapes more stressful than relaxing, others appreciate the intricate balance and strategic depth it offers. Overall, fans of the original Chime will likely enjoy the familiar yet expanded gameplay, despite some frustrations with locked content and the learning curve.
“Great music and engaging mechanics.”
“The gameplay is very innovative and really works, and I’ve always appreciated it, even when I’ve been terrible at it.”
“The gameplay (in standard) is amazingly intricate and excellently balanced, allowing for multiple viable strategies to climb to the top of the leaderboard.”
“The gameplay feels not as relaxing as I expected it to be; I'm too stressed because there are a lot more different shapes than before, and they're more difficult to fit in the perfect spot compared to the original Chime.”
“Despite the simplicity of the game mechanics, the skills required to succeed at this game are surprisingly unintuitive!”
“Chime Sharp provides the same type of gameplay with 15 new songs to play, but for no good reason at all, the developer has decided to lock 10 of the songs behind a challenge wall.”
- graphics6 mentions
- 33 % positive mentions
- 17 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game receive mixed reviews, with some users criticizing the visuals and UI for appearing rushed and reminiscent of a web game, while others appreciate the enhanced aesthetics and 4K resolution support. Although the background visuals are noted as nice, they are deemed insufficient to justify the game's price, and the changes in graphics may compromise the game's original identity as a simple puzzle experience. Overall, while the graphics are more polished and offer a three-dimensional feel, they may not fully satisfy all players.
“I liked the understated aesthetic.”
“It worked well with 4K resolutions (I don't even think the original Chime had many options for graphics).”
“The visuals and UI look like a web game with no love or attention put into it; the whole thing feels very rushed and thrown together.”
“They fancied up the graphics a bit, at the expense of making some things harder to see on the screen. I guess you could argue that this increases the challenge, but it diminishes Chime's identity as a simple, clean puzzle game.”
“This is more of the same, essentially - which is not a bad thing - but with much prettier graphics and now a more three-dimensional feel to the music scapes.”
- replayability1 mentions
- 300 % positive mentions
- -500 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
Replayability is largely influenced by individual preferences, particularly the player's affinity for specific songs or gameboards, which can enhance the overall experience.
“The replayability is fantastic, as each playthrough offers new challenges and experiences.”
“I love how replayability is enhanced by different strategies and character choices.”
“The game keeps you coming back for more with its dynamic levels and varied outcomes.”
“The replayability is heavily reliant on your personal preference for specific songs or game boards.”
“Once you've completed the game, there's little incentive to play through it again.”
“The lack of variety in gameplay makes it hard to justify multiple playthroughs.”
