PREVIEW : Sonority Demo (PC)
Hanging Gardens Interactive’s creative minds created Sonority, a music-based puzzle game distributed by Application Systems Heidelberg. The game is scheduled to launch in the first quarter of 2021, but I was recently able to play a demo that gives me a taste of what to expect when the full game launches.
Esther, a young girl trying to “unveil the secrets of music,” is the protagonist of Sonority. In a marvellously animated environment, she utilises her beloved panpipe to solve riddles and unravel the secrets that surround her. While the sample does not go into great detail about the tale, it does a fantastic job of introducing Esther and giving a taste of what the game world will be like when it is released in its whole. There aren’t many supporting characters, however there is a talking raccoon. You can’t really ask for anything more! In terms of plot, the demo provides just enough to pique my interest without giving too much away about what will happen next. It’s a delicate balancing act, but one that I believe has been accomplished admirably.
Using melodies as a puzzle mechanic, it’s a one-of-a-kind
In Sonority, players enter a lost world where music has magical properties and with which they can proceed through the game.
The puzzles are solved by arranging the notes in the correct order. The answer can be found acoustically or by symbols. No prior musical experience is required.
The player assumes the role of Esther, a young girl who embarks on a quest to aid a friend. She arrives in the mystery rockery, pan flute in hand. However, her route soon becomes blocked, and she must rely on the power of music to overcome the challenges. It’s not always a simple task. Esther rediscovers ancient songs and mossy works of art in a world that has fallen silent. Singing stones and other natural aids. The famed music preceptors, however, appear to have vanished.
While having a good plot is excellent, it’s not what the Sonority demo is supposed to show. The demo’s true highlight is the innovative music-based gameplay. While most music-based games focus on timing moves to the beat of the music, Sonority deviates from the norm and tries something completely different. Each challenge is solved by moving objects using a mix of musical pitch intervals. If you wish to raise a block one level, for example, you use a one-note interval. A three-note interval is used to raise the pitch three levels. The riddles start out easy and get more challenging as you progress. The possibilities for Hanging Gardens to build extremely tough puzzles in the entire game appear to be limitless, and it’s an intriguing notion.
My only genuine reservation about the gameplay is that I’m not sure how well it will translate to non-musical players. I’m a professional musician and music instructor, so it’s only natural that the problems would appeal to me while also being doable. However, it’s possible that the design will be tough for those who don’t have any prior musical experience. Despite this, the demo keeps things basic, giving me hope that it will be accessible to both musicians and non-musicians.
Finding a means to challenge both of those groups will be difficult, and I’m looking forward to seeing how Hanging Gardens addresses this task once the entire game is out.
Sonority is an intriguing premise with a beautifully crafted universe and inventive riddles that should be on everyone’s Steam wishlist. There’s a lot of promise here, and the variety of future options for Hanging Gardens has me salivating at the possibility of playing the entire game in the coming months. Keep an eye out for this one; I’ll be looking for it!
