Software:Synth Riders

From HandWiki
Short description: Virtual reality rhythm game
Synth Riders
Synth Riders cover photo.jpg
Developer(s)Kluge Interactive
EngineUnity
Platform(s)PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Oculus Quest, Meta Quest 2, Meta Quest 3, Oculus Rift, Meta Quest Pro, PlayStation VR, PlayStation VR2, Windows, HTC Vive, Valve Index, Pico Neo 3, Pico 4, Apple Vision Pro
ReleaseJuly 12, 2018
Genre(s)Rhythm
Mode(s)Single-player, Multi-player

Synth Riders is a virtual reality rhythm game developed and published by the Los Angeles-based studio Kluge Interactive. It involves players touching spheres ('notes'), tracing lines ('rails'), and avoiding obstacles that move towards them. Title of the game reflects its connection to the world of music and the stylistic influences of synthwave. The game's immersive experience is enhanced by its incorporation of retro-inspired elements, evident in the soundtrack and overall aesthetic. Following an early access release in July 2018, the game was officially released for Steam VR and Meta Quest on May 21, 2019, and supports most virtual reality headsets including Oculus Rift, Oculus Quest, Quest 2, Quest 3 and Quest Pro, PlayStation VR, PlayStation VR2, HTC Vive, Pico 4, Valve Index and Apple Vision Pro.

Gameplay

The game is designed for virtual reality headsets and requires at least one motion controller on all platforms except for Apple Vision Pro, which utilizes hand tracking. Players have access to a diverse selection of music tracks, each of which can be played at different difficulty levels. Additionally, players can choose from a range of virtual environments known as 'Stages', which can be paired with any song. Alternatively, they may opt for one of the 'Experiences'- visual animations inspired by and synchronized with specific songs.[1] Upon selecting a song, notes and rails appear and move towards the player who must match the correct colored hand to the object. Aside of the regular objects there are also special sections attracting bonus points. These are either gold objects, which must be played with both hands, or green objects, where the player must use the hand first used to complete all objects in that section.[2] Additionally, players need to navigate around obstacles that occasionally appear in the game, which can be accomplished through ducking or dodging to the sides.[3]

Music Packs

Music Pack Songs Release Date Ref.
Ninety9Lives Essentials 12 January 10, 2019 [4]
Synthwave Essentials Vol 1 20 May 21, 2019
FiXT Essentials Vol 1 12 June 20, 2019 [4]
Electro Swing Essentials 12 April 23, 2020 [5]
Cyberpunk Essentials 13 August 13, 2020
Synthwave Essentials Vol 2 8 January 14, 2021
Adrenaline Essentials 13 March 25, 2021
Caravan Palace Music Pack 5 July 9, 2021 [6]
Muse Music Pack 5 September 17, 2021 [7]
Lindsey Stirling Music Pack 5 April 14, 2022 [8]
League of Legends Music Pack 5 September 1, 2022 [9]
Groovin’ Essentials 5 December 15, 2022 [10]
Gorillaz Music Pack 7 February 22, 2023 [11]
Synthwave Essentials Vol 3 10 July 13, 2023 [12]
Electro Swing Essentials Vol 2 9 January 23, 2024 [13]

Development

Synth Riders’ development started in 2016, when Kluge Interactive began experimenting with VR technology.[14] It was conceived by Creative Director, Abraham Aguero, who collaborated with another developer, Jhean Ceballos, in designing and building the game.[15] The concept of the game took shape through a series of prototypes, and it made its debut on July 12, 2018 as an early access title on Steam. After the release, Aguero dedicated himself to listening to community feedback as the game underwent successive updates. Reflecting on the initial years, he mentioned, "The first two years were pretty much me watching people play on Twitch for hours. I'd jump into their stream, hearing their feedback, asking them questions."[14]

The game left Steam early access and was officially released for Steam VR and Meta Quest on May 21, 2019. In the following years, the game was progressively expanded through the addition of new gameplay modes. Major updates included cross-platform multiplayer[16], Spin Mode[17], Spiral Mode[18], and Mixed Reality Mode[19]. Creative Director of the game claims, that part of the team's strategy involves porting Synth Riders "everywhere we can" 2023 alone including Pico 4 and PlayStation VR2 ports.[14]

Reception

Synth Riders received "generally favorable" reviews according to Metacritic.[20]

The game was featured by Forbes in their list of The Top 50 VR Games of 2019.[21] In 2020, The Guardian acknowledged the fitness aspect of the game, placing it among the top 10 VR fitness apps, calling it "Joyful, even if you look ridiculous to onlookers."[22] Push Square appreciated the ability to personalize gameplay according to one's preferences. As they noted, "The game is also a very malleable one, with an almost overwhelming number of modifiers and settings to play around with."[23]

Awards

Year Award Category Result Ref.
2020 XR Awards 2020 VR Game of the Year Finalist [24]
VR Fitness Insider’s 2020 VR Fitness Awards Best VR Fitness Game of the Year Finalist [25]
Best VR Rhythm Game of the Year Finalist
2022 UploadVR's Best of VR 2022 Best Updated VR Game Nominated [26]

References

  1. ↑ Burke, Ron (2023-03-04). "Synth Riders Remastered Edition Review on PSVR2 -- Smooth as Silk" (in en-US). https://gamingtrend.com/feature/reviews/synth-riders-remastered-edition-review-on-psvr2-smooth-as-silk/. 
  2. ↑ DiPersio, Francis (2021-08-10). "Synth Riders Review: Beat Saber For the VHS Generation" (in en-US). https://www.heypoorplayer.com/2021/08/10/synth-riders-review-psvr/. 
  3. ↑ Spoonauer, Mark (2024-01-30). "Apple Vision Pro review: A revolution in progress" (in en). https://www.tomsguide.com/computing/smart-glasses/apple-vision-pro-review. 
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 Hayden, Scott (2019-11-01). "Rhythm Game ‘Synth Riders’ Arrives on Quest, Leaves Early Access on PC VR" (in en-US). https://www.roadtovr.com/synth-riders-quest-pc-vr-launch/. 
  5. ↑ Hayden, Scott (2021-07-29). "‘Synth Riders’ for PSVR Now Set to Release August 10th" (in en-US). https://www.roadtovr.com/vr-rhythm-synth-riders-psvr-release-date/. 
  6. ↑ Hayden, Scott (2021-07-05). "‘Synth Riders’ & ‘OhShape’ to Release Caravan Palace Collaborative Music Pack on July 9th" (in en-US). https://www.roadtovr.com/synth-riders-ohshape-caravan-palace-music-pack/. 
  7. ↑ Baker, Harry (2021-01-14). "Muse Songs Now Available In Synth Riders" (in en). https://www.uploadvr.com/synth-riders-muse-update/. 
  8. ↑ Smith, Mark (2022-05-11). "Lindsey Stirling Music Pack for Synth Riders Review – PC" (in en-US). https://gamechronicles.com/lindsey-stirling-music-pack-for-synth-riders-review-pc/. 
  9. ↑ Banas, Graham (2022-09-01). "Synth Riders Announces Latest Song Pack, Features League of Legends Music" (in en-GB). https://www.pushsquare.com/news/2022/09/synth-riders-announces-latest-song-pack-features-league-of-legends-music. 
  10. ↑ "Bruno Mars joins Synth Riders in “Groovin’ Essentials” Music Pack" (in en-US). 2022-12-15. https://6dofreviews.com/news/groovin-essentials-synth-riders/. 
  11. ↑ Skinner, Tom (2023-02-15). "‘Synth Riders’ announces Gorillaz music pack for PlayStation VR2 edition" (in en-GB). https://www.nme.com/news/gaming-news/synth-riders-announces-gorillaz-music-pack-for-playstation-vr2-edition-3399081. 
  12. ↑ Rigsby, Noah (2023-07-13). "Synth Riders celebrates 5-year anniversary with Synthwave Essentials 3 collection" (in en-US). https://gamingtrend.com/news/synth-riders-celebrates-5-year-anniversary-with-synthwave-essentials-3-collection/. 
  13. ↑ Cunningham, James (2024-01-25). "Groove Back Into the Dance Line with Synth Riders Electro Swing Volume 2 Release Trailer" (in en). https://hardcoregamer.com/groove-back-into-the-dance-line-with-synth-riders-electro-swing-volume-2-release-trailer/. 
  14. ↑ 14.0 14.1 14.2 Stockdale, Henry (2023-08-16). "Synth Riders Dev Plans Continued Updates While Building Horizon Project & Fighting Game" (in en). https://www.uploadvr.com/kluge-interactive-synth-riders-final-fury-interview/. 
  15. ↑ Kamel, Omar (2019-10-31). "DevTalk | Synth Riders Q&A with Kluge Interactive |" (in en-US). https://6dofreviews.com/features/synth-riders-qa/. 
  16. ↑ Hayden, Scott (2020-02-28). "Rhythm Game 'Synth Riders' Gets Cross-platform Multiplayer in New Update" (in en-US). https://www.roadtovr.com/rhythm-game-synth-riders-gets-cross-platform-multiplayer-mode-new-update/. 
  17. ↑ Treese, Tyler (2020-07-16). "Synth Riders Introduces Spin Mode For Free In Packed Update" (in en-US). https://www.vrfitnessinsider.com/synth-riders-introduces-spin-mode-for-free-in-packed-update/. 
  18. ↑ "It’s Synth Riders With a Twist - Free “Spiral Mode” Update Coming to Synth Riders on All Platforms This Thursday". 2021-10-26. https://www.gamespress.com/Its-Synth-Riders-With-a-Twist---Free-Spiral-Mode-Update-Coming-to-Synt. 
  19. ↑ Erl, Josef (2023-10-10). "Meta Quest 3: Synth Riders is getting a Mixed Reality mode" (in en-US). https://mixed-news.com/en/meta-quest-3-synth-riders-is-getting-a-mixed-reality-mode/. 
  20. ↑ "Synth Riders" (in en). https://www.metacritic.com/game/synth-riders/. 
  21. ↑ Damiani, Jesse. "The Top 50 VR Games Of 2019" (in en). https://www.forbes.com/sites/jessedamiani/2020/01/15/the-top-50-vr-games-of-2019/. 
  22. ↑ Dredge, Stuart (2020-07-26). "Can virtual reality really get you fit?" (in en-GB). The Guardian. https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2020/jul/26/can-virtual-reality-really-get-you-fit. 
  23. ↑ Banas, Graham (2021-08-10). "Synth Riders (PSVR) – A VR Rhythm Game with a Different Sound" (in en-GB). https://www.pushsquare.com/reviews/ps4/synth_riders. 
  24. ↑ "Winners and Finalists 2020" (in en-US). https://xrawards.aixr.org/winners-and-finalists-2020/. 
  25. ↑ Hoalst, Shane (2020-12-30). "VR Fitness Insider's 2020 VR Fitness Awards" (in en-US). https://www.vrfitnessinsider.com/vr-fitness-insiders-2020-vr-fitness-awards/. 
  26. ↑ "UploadVR's Best of VR 2022 – Game Of The Year & More" (in en). 2022-12-21. https://www.uploadvr.com/uploadvr-best-of-vr-2022/. 



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