First-person shooter plays to the beat of music.
Imagine going into a match in your favourite first-person shooter video game. You spend some time getting ready with your load-outs, doing some warm-ups to get your reflexes in check, and making sure you are satisfied with your appearance in the game. Now imagine that with each shot you take in the game, you are keeping in time with the beat of a song playing in the background. You are waiting for a beat change in that song so that it can transform the terrain around you, and the only way you can get to your opponent quickly is to perfectly time your rhythm. This is the madness of the musical first-person shooter Chroma that has just begun development.
The game has only been announced for PC so far, but consoles shouldn’t be ruled out yet; the game is run by two of the top developers in the industry. Harmonix, the creator of major hits such as Rock Band and Dance Central, will handle the musical aspect of the game, while Hidden Path Entertainment, makers of Counter Strike: Global Offensive and Defense Grid will control the first-person shooter side. Chroma looks like every other first-person shooter, with multiple classes, primary and secondary weapons, and challenges, all matched up with the beat-matching and rhythm you would expect from Rock Band.
In each match, a song will begin playing as soon as you spawn into the game, and is the foundation for everything that you will do. If you are not paying attention to the beat, you will miss out on bonuses, and depending on the class you choose, you may not even be able to use any of your weapons.
So far it has been announced that the game will be free-to-play, with additional maps and modes available for purchase. However, none of the payable purchases will give the player an advantage in the game to avoid the annoying ‘pay-to-win’ scenario. The game is in early development, so plans will still likely be changed. The public beta will be opened later this year, with a planned release around fall. Chroma will definitely be a game to keep an eye out for, as it combines two of the most popular styles of gameplay.
