The simplistic style barely taxes the PlayStation's hardware to be sure, but it gives the game a very defining look that definitely adds to the game. The entire game is drawn in a line-based style, giving the game a very Tempest-like vector graphics look. The graphics are another interesting part of vib-ribbon. It feels as though your button-pushing is keeping the music going (which, technically, it is), and you feel compelled to keep the beats rocking for as long as you possibly can. The game requires extreme concentration, and after a while you get completely absorbed in the game. Slower songs usually result in slow-moving levels that are fairly easy to complete, while dropping some up-tempo tracks will make Vibri's job extremely difficult.
The game will generate levels based on the beat and tempo of any track you give it. But the game gets really wild when you start popping your own music into the PlayStation.
GREAT SONGS FOR VIB RIBBON FULL
The songs that come with the game are full of tempo changes and other musical tricks that make the levels interesting. The levels and shapes are all based on whatever music track is currently playing. Timing plays an extremely important role in vib-ribbon. The rabbit form will transform into a winged prince if you're doing well or to a frog or worm if you're constantly mistiming your moves. After a few hours of play, the combo shapes become second nature.ĭepending on your skill at passing these obstacles, Vibri will evolve or devolve as you play. So if you see a loop made of squiggly lines, you'll need to hit both R1 and the X button. These combo obstacles require you to hit two buttons simultaneously. There are four basic shapes, but sometimes two shapes will combine to form a new type of shape. So you'll have to hit the R1 button to successfully traverse a loop, X for squiggly lines, "down" for dips in the road, and L1 for block shapes. Each obstacle has a button assigned to it. As Vibri walks across a level, obstacles such as loops, crevices, and, uh, squiggly lines force you into action. In vib-ribbon, you play as Vibri, a rabbit-like character. But while vib-ribbon's music-game stylings might not be for everyone, it manages to be the type of cult game that demands attention. Then there are titles like vib-ribbon, which makes just about any other game seem completely mainstream by comparison. For the most part, the Japanese gaming scene remains pretty true to itself, pumping out many of the same games that domestic gamers will be playing a few months down the line, with a few token "weird" games, like dating simulations and esoteric strategy games based on semipopular anime. The world of import gaming is a very strange place.