With nearly 100 Playstation 2 titles scheduled for release before Christmas, the hard-core gamer won't have any problem keeping busy. But if you can carry a tune and are in the mood to try something besides blowing away bad guys, check out "Frequency," the new interactive music game from Sony Computer Entertainment America.
Developed by Harmonix, "Frequency" will have six different modes of play featuring tracks from The Crystal Method, DJ Qbert, Dub Pistols, Juno Reactor, Orbital and Fear Factory. Though the demo only offered the single player mode, multiplayer and even an online mode will be available on the full release when it debuts Tuesday.
The game's interface is hard to describe, but it's kind of like zooming down a many-sided rabbit hole decorated by the Mad Hatter armed with an endless supply of neon tubing. Each wall of the tunnel represents an instrument (synthesizer, drums, guitar, bass, vocals, etc.), and the goal is to hit the correct combination of controller buttons that correspond to beats or chords of a song. As you rotate around the tunnel, negotiating each instrument's part of the music, the song can change, highlighting the part of the track you're playing while muting the other areas.
The single-player mode isn't just about navigating a song, though. Each stage has both a goal to reach and a life meter to maintain in order to progress through the game.
For one player, though, "Frequency" can get a little monotonous. The true test will be the online mode, which will allow players to challenge their friends by sending them their latest remix or by playing against up to four other in an attempt to traverse the musical course faster than their opponents.
The game, rated E for everyone, definitely won't appeal to all gamers. But for budding DJs and those hankering for a multicolored musical battle in the land of Tron, "Frequency" is probably worth a look.
E-mail: brady@desnews.com