Amplitude Reviews
Check out Amplitude Review Scores from trusted Critics below. With 13 reviews on CriticDB, Amplitude has a score of:
Amplitude is back after a successful Kickstarter campaign, which began in 2014! The original game’s code was used to faithfully create a sequel to the PS2 original that many have been waiting almost 13 years for. The original Guitar Hero was kind of like “Amplitude 2” (or “Frequency 3”), and the home music/ rhythm genre hasn’t gotten away from instrument-based peripherals, and gone back to the frantic controller-based gameplay of the original, until now. I played a lot of Insane-level Amplitude circa 2003, so when I found out that it was getting an official sequel in 2016, I was excited! And guess what? It’s wonderful… and only $20!
Amplitude allows players to take part in the music and gaming revolution by keeping beat with top named recording artists and gamers around the world in an all-new auditory and visual gaming experience.
A major perk over the Rock Bands of the world is the lack of peripherals and external hardware. This game doesn't require anything more than a console and a standard controller, but still manages to make players feel like they are in control of a full band. The title seems like a perfect fit for the PS Vita, so we hope to see a port over to the handheld at some point. A slight downside of playing on the big screen, which will only impacts some gamers, is that the swirling backgrounds are very likely to make some people feel dizzy or disoriented.
Despite its improved HD veneer and tweaked controls, I just didn’t find the Amplitude of 2016 to be as addictive or long-lasting an experience as the Amplitude of 2003. I had some fun with it for as long as it took to play through its hypnotic campaign and unlock all its tracks in the quickplay mode, but the samey soundtrack and meagre selection of modes meant that I had little motivation to return to it thereafter. Committed high score-chasers will probably stick around in an effort to top the online leaderboards since the challenge is most certainly still there, but for everyone else Amplitude will likely feel like a commendable cover of a classic, but a mere cover all the same.
However, the lack of familiar tracks with which to experiment and limited diversity in music deters from what is otherwise a solid gaming experience. These pitfalls mean that Amplitude is unlikely to ever hit super status. If Guitar Hero can be likened to that of an insanely popular band selling out arena shows, then Amplitude is the musician that serenades a few loyal followers down the local pub. It doesn't break the mould, but that's never what it set out to do. Instead its simplified mechanics and homebrew song selection take you on a musical journey that is in equal parts challenging, sat…
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.
Before the musical camaraderie of Rock Band and before the introduction of plastic instruments with Guitar Hero, Harmonix was making a very different kind of rhythm game. The developer has long been a master of this genre, with a history on PlayStation stretching back to 2001 with the release of FreQuency on PS2. Its 2003 follow-up Amplitude went on to become a cult classic thanks to its satisfying gameplay and catchy soundtrack. More than a decade later, and after a successful Kickstarter campaign, Amplitude is back – but has it still got its groove?
Graphics: 7.5 Gameplay: 6.2 Sound: 7.0 Control: 7.7 Replay Value: 6.6 Online Gameplay: 8.0 Overall Rating: 6.5 Publisher: Harmonix Developer: Harmonix Numbe ...
Amplitude is a competent rhythm game that should provide lots of fun at parties, but the hamstrung tracklist is a severe detriment to its longevity. Harmonix was able to preserve the classic experience, but may have gone overboard in its effort to do so.
<img decoding="async" data-attachment-id="23045" data-permalink="https://press-start.com.au/reviews/2016/01/20/amplitude-review/attachment/b_presentation-11/" data-orig-file="https://press-start.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/B_PRESENTATION.jpg" data-orig-size="2000,160" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-meta="{"aperture":"0","credit":"","camera":"","caption":"","created_timestamp":"0","copyright":"","focal_length":"0","iso":"0","shutter_speed":"0","title":"","orientation":"0"}" data-image-title="B_PRESENTATION" data-image-description="" data-image-caption="" data-medium-file="https://press-start.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/B_PRESENTATION-300x24.jpg" data-large-file="https://press-start.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/B_PRESENTATION-600x48.jpg" class="size-full wp-image-23045 aligncenter" src="https://press-start.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/B_PRESENTATION.jpg" alt="B_PRESENTATION" width="2000" height="160" srcset="https://press-start.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/B_PRESENTATION.jpg 2000w, https://press-start.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/B_PRESENTATION-300x24.jpg 300w, https://press-start.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/B_PRESENTATION-600x48.jpg 600w, https://press-start.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/B_PRESENTATION-560x45.jpg 560w" sizes="(max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px" />At first glance you could compare the visuals of Amplitude to those of the Audiosurf games on PC, but there’s a lot more going on when it comes to its design. Amplitude’s narrative is set within the human brain, where the player vehicle travels throughout the various cerebral cortexes in order to repair brain function. Within the reality of Amplitude, the inside of our brain is showcased is showcased by a large array of psychedelic and abstract visuals that are showcased with a wide range of color and light.<img decoding="async" data-attachment-id="23039" data-permalink="https://press-start.com.au/reviews/2016/01/20/amplitude-review/attachment/s_amp_a/" data-orig-file="https://press-start.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/S_AMP_A.jpg" data-orig-size="1500,400" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-meta="{"aperture":"0","credit":"","camera":"","caption":"","created_timestamp":"0","copyright":"","focal_length":"0","iso":"0","shutter_speed":"0","title":"","orientation":"0"}" data-image-title="S_AMP_A" data-image-description="" data-image-caption="" data-medium-file="https://press-start.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/S_AMP_A-300x80.jpg" data-large-file="https://press-start.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/S_AMP_A-600x160.jpg" class="size-full wp-image-23039 aligncenter" src="https://press-start.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/S_AMP_A.jpg" alt="S_AMP_A" width="1500" height="400" srcset="https://press-start.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/S_AMP_A.jpg 1500w, https://press-start.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/S_AMP_A-300x80.jpg 300w, https://press-start.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/S_AMP_A-600x160.jpg 600w, https://press-start.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/S_AMP_A-560x149.jpg 560w" sizes="(max-width: 1500px) 100vw, 1500px" />There isn’t much negative to say on the game’s behalf, considering its visual presentation relies on such a solid case of art design, which effectively enhances the gameplay experience. You’d expect to focus more on the main highway of gameplay, but as you look towards your next section of notes you might find yourself a little bit distracted by your surroundings, which in this case is more of a compliment rather than a concrete issue, considering that effect will most likely vary greatly between different players.
Those that played Amplitude back on PlayStation 2 may be able to gleam some nostalgic enjoyment from its modern offerings, but unfortunately, in a world where Rock Band and Guitar Hero rule the music rhythm game genre there isn’t much room for a little spaceship and its collection of repetitive techno tracks. Had the game included a wider selection of music it might have been a different story, but unfortunately fans of Amplitude are probably best sticking to the original.
Last year we saw the two titans of the music genre resurrect. Now, this early in 2016, we get the chance to take a look at another, longer lost, legend of the music genre: Amplitude. Although it might not be as well-known as Guitar Hero or Rock Band, Amplitude does have a niche audience from its glory days. For you might not have heard of it before, but this isn’t Ampiltude’s first outing, as it once existed back in the humble days of the PS2. It was a bit of a cult hit, and after a successful Kickstarter is now back to recapture the hearts of everyone who can handle the bright lights and neon tunes.