Ryan Lesser here, Art Director at Harmonix, and I have some awesome news that I wanted to share with PlayStation fans. We are launching a Kickstarter to fund a new version of our DualShock-controlled rhythm-action PlayStation 2 classic, Amplitude, for PlayStation 3 and PlayStation 4, and we need your support!
Thirteen years ago, Harmonix created our first music game – FreQuency for PS2. It wasn’t a commercial hit at the time, but fans and critics loved it. Even so, we knew we could do better. We polished, tweaked, and tightened the experience, and in 2003, we released Frequency’s sequel, Amplitude. I was the Art Director and part of the “design cabal” for the original title, and I’m excited to be the Creative Lead for this updated version of Amplitude!
If you missed the original release, Amplitude is a fast-paced rollercoaster ride through an all-digital landscape, where musical notes have been “silenced” by encapsulating gems. By destroying the gems with their ship, the Beat Blaster, players release the music within. Each track on this crazy ride represents a specific instrument, so gems can activate sounds including guitar riffs, bass lines, drum beats, vocal lines and more. Players blast through each song section, building the music, darting from track to track, and locking that soundscape together before transitioning to the next musical area.
Amplitude has a fast, arcade-like pace. Players scurry around to blast notes, grab power-ups, and capture successive musical phrases, and can skyrocket their score by never missing a note and streaking for multipliers. Finding the optimal line through the level is the key to mastering the gem patterns and topping the leaderboards. When the game first came out, we watched players spend hours lost “in the zone,” perfecting their playthroughs!
We love this game, and PlayStation fans have asked us for years to revive the franchise. We think that in a post-Rock Band world, a new Amplitude will really blow people away. It smashes together familiar beatmatch mechanics with fast-paced navigation, tactical terrain choices, and an intensity that is totally addictive. With the inclusion of four-player local multiplayer, online leaderboards, and other great improvements, we think we can build something really special for the new generation of PlayStation consoles.
Please check out the Kickstarter project for more information on how we plan on updating Amplitude for PS3 and PS4, and how you can help. Thanks!
OMG OMG OMG OMG OMG OMG OMG OMG OMG OMG!!!
I pledged for $15. That’s all I can afford at the moment. I need a job. T_T
So backing this. The original Amplitude game was one of my favorites back when I was a kid, especially when playing on some of the more difficult levels (aka Synthesized & Spaztik).
Gyoh woah O_O
Ooohhhh maybe if you have the time maybe port Chroma to Next-Gen when it’s out of Alpha and Beta phases maybe when if you have the time maybe. ._.
I will love you forever…for another 100 years.
I’ve never played it but I can remember hearing nothing but glowing praise. Any chance of a Vita version as well?
Saw the word Amplitude, did a double take…read again. Yep, definitely kickstartin’ this…
This would be AWESOME
F*** YEA! Pledgin when i gets paid fo sho ma bro
First of all: YES. Second, are you guys going for a graphical fidelity like in the concept art? Would be awesome to see it look that detailed.
I liked the original Amplitude, but there’s no reason for a company like Harmonix to be using Kickstarter. You guys have made entirely too many profitable games to need crowdfunding. Also, considering how done the game looks, there doesn’t seem to be any reason to be asking for so much money either, and it also shows that there’s already been considerable funding into the project already. It’s easy to come to the conclusion that this was from your publisher. This just seems to be a company trying to make a game for free so that all of the sales will be pure profit, and it’s sad. I’m sure they’ll try and justify it, but I don’t believe anything they say will be anything more than a lie. Simply because there’s no reason such a studio with so many successful titles would need money for a project. Especially not one in the genre they made so much money with already. It’d be like Infinity Ward creating a Kickstarter for a new Call of Duty game.
oh man, amplitude…so many good memories. Happy to support this; BACKED!
I agree with ExHaseo. A company like Harmonix shouldn’t be crowdfunding for a game. They have the means to find investors within the industry. I’m sure they’re going the kickstarter route so that they aren’t beholden to actual investors and can reap all of the profits themselves.
Kickstarter should be restructured so that contributers get a percentage of the profits based on their donation. Like in the real world.
I never played the original one, but as a fan of rhythm games, I would love to give this a shot.
Also, I know you guys are raising money to make a PS3 and PS4 version, but is there any chance you guys would be willing to make a Vita version as well?
I loved FreQuency and Amplitude so much. It would be awesome to get a new one but with a goal of $775k I’m a little doubtful it will happen. Maybe a few years ago when music games were hot but not now. Good Luck though.
Frequency was better
They’re both amazing games!