3/5 ★ – RawMetal's review of Sound Shapes.

System: PlayStation 4 Started: September 24, 2015 Ended: September 26, 2015 Flashback Review One thing I like about the Sony PlayStation 4 console is the Group Voice Chat system, which matches up with the Xbox 360 console. Another feature of the PS4 was the time spent on the Sony PlayStation Plus membership, which allows you to get two free games to download every month. I remember getting PlayStation Plus and chatting with friends while browsing the free options on the PlayStation Marketplace, and Sound Shapes was one of them. I downloaded it just for the hell of it and played it while chatting with my friends. Sound Shapes reminded me of that rhythm/arcade shooter game, Retro/Grade, but it's a platformer this time. Sound Shapes is considered a music/rhythm platformer, as you play as some kind of circle dial, navigating through a music track level by collecting musical notes while avoiding obstacles in your way. Each obstacle and background plays in rhythm with the music, which is interesting. As you start a level, you only hear the beats of the song track, but the more notes you collect, the more instruments are added to the song. Sound Shapes is innovative with its rhythm/music gameplay. I appreciate how the more notes you collect, the more instruments will be played for the actual song. The level design is creative, even though it has that CalArts and Corporate Memphis art influence. Each level features unique platforming segments that are actively in sync with the music. This aspect will likely get people's attention, making players think that such a design has never been done before. I’m even surprised that popular music artists like Beck and Deadmau5 contributed to this indie title. The most notable aspect was the Beck tracks. One friend I met in high school is a huge Beck fan. Thanks to him, I got into that Guero album and that catchy song E-Pro, which was played on the car radio and in the game Rock Band. Those songs from Beck were released exclusively for Sound Shapes and never got an official release. There's even a level creator that allows you to share creations online, but unfortunately, its online servers are closed. Sound Shapes is geared more towards the casual audience. I think it's the perfect game for anyone new to video games entirely and is well-suited for the niche indie gaming scene. The problem is it's a short game too; by the time I finished it, I did not even bother going back to it. However, it left a good impression because of its artistic merits as an indie title. If you are a fan of casual music games like Retro/Grade or others that involve geometric shapes, such as The Impossible Game and Geometry Wars, Sound Shapes is worth checking out. It's not an absolute must-play, but it's a good choice if you want to spend 5-10 minutes on something quick. If you are a fan of Beck or Deadmau5, you might want to give this a try.