Sound Voyager Review
10 07 07 - 21:55
In my daily life I have stashes of stress. Everyone does, right? It's hard to imagine someone out there who lacks the occasional teeth grinding moment. Biggie Smalls was rich and he was bitching about his mo' problems! So no small part of surviving life is finding those calm little places to crawl into and decompress. Nintendo's SoundVoyager just might help you unwind through the power of your GBA or DS. Can you dig it?
SoundVoyager is a small suite of mini-games, that is a part of the Japan-exclusive Bit Generations series. The Bit Generations line of games are designed to deliver unique gameplay innovation with a modest price tag, and even more modest graphics. Taking this cue to the nth degree, SoundVoyager's graphics are so modest, so minimal to the point of non-existence. That's because after a few moments of a new game, the graphics of the game consist of nothing more than a sparce starfield background. The reason is that SoundVoyager is played exclusively through your sense of hearing. Equipping yourself with a good set of headphones you'll test that oft underused gamer power, hearing, to complete a variety of goals.
The experience is unique and takes a little getting used to. The first game, Sound Catcher, is the simplest. In this game you have to pilot your 'character' left and right to home in on slowly descending 'sounds'. The 'sounds' are looping instruments or noises unique to each song. As each 'sound' falls, you'll hear it from either your left or right headphone. Pressing the D pad in the direction of the sound, you'll slowly notice the the sound grow louder in the opposing headphone. Once you you're directly underneath the falling sound, both headphones will be equal. As the sound falls closer to the ground it'll also get louder. If you successfully hit the sound it'll be added to the soundtrack for that level. If you miss it, no big deal you get another chance to catch it. Progressing through the level builds a song of growing intricacy, many of which are fairly decent songs - although a little techno-y.
Sound Catcher is just one mode. Other modes find you navigating your way through traffic or chasing chickens in the fantastically, unfortunately named "Sound Cock" mode. Now, the game itself is good, it's original, it's cool. But the fact that you can play with your sense of hearing alone, means that after a while you might find yourself closing your eyes totally. Concentrating with your eyes closed and your headphones filled with rhythmic audio, for me, produces a near-meditative state. You're playing a game, you're definitely playing a game, but you're immersed in a way that even the most realistic graphics can't do. The game becomes everything, it's all that you're aware of. If you're lucky and so inclined, time just melts away. In a fascinating experiment in human neurophysiology, I noticed my closed eyes would involuntarily try and follow the sounds as they passed from my left ear to my right. Eerie.
It's a genuinely unique experience. It's a good game, but it's certainly something unlike what you're currently playing right now. Maybe the solution to all your problems can't be found in a $25 game... but a good game is a good game. Everyone deserves a break.
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