Amplitude – Special P.O.D. Edition
Hey, someone was bound to review it.
Published: November 13, 2003
We're pretty hardcore Amplitude fans around here. I personally have managed to rope my significant other into playing and she's hopelessly addicted now (she's actually playing as I type this). This pleases me, as I genuinely feel the game offers something for nearly everyone. Of course, none of that explains why I'm reviewing the special edition single song version of Amplitude that comes bundled with P.O.D.'s new self-titled second album.
To which I answer... Why not?
Since this is really a review for the more hardcore players (if you want to experience Amplitude, drop another $20 and get the full game), I'll grade it more on the fun factor of the patterns and the song itself rather than breaking down the merits of the game. For a review of Amplitude proper, just click here and you'll get a rather exhaustive description of what this game is that still has me retarded over it a good six months after it was released.
Now for those that don't know, the special edition of Amplitude the comes with the P.O.D. disc contains but a single song: an unreleased version of the track "Space" (which, interestingly enough, isn't one of the songs on the new album). Those that played the full version of Amplitude know that P.O.D.'s "Boom," remixed by The Crystal Method was used in the game's intro video and is the first song you play in the game, so it's not a total surprise that Harmonix and the band collaborated again.
Anyone who's progressed through at least Brutal difficulty on Amplitude proper will balk at even the Insane difficulty patterns on Space, but then it's fairly obvious from the lower difficulty levels that this is merely meant to tease newcomers to game with something that's easy to get into. One of the truly cool things about the songs in Amplitude on the harder difficulty levels is that as you ramp up, you actually begin to "play" each of the instruments. In other words, by the time you play the song on Insane, you're tapping along with every guitar pick, word spoken, drum beat, etc.
It's also important to note that anyone picking up the full album not only gets an enhanced CD with some interviews and footage from shows, but on the Amplitude DVD you'll get a 50 minute three-part documentary on the culture that's sprung up around the band. For the fans, it's nice chance to see what happens in the studio and in the city the band calls home.
Again, the special edition of Amplitude, despite only having one song, looks and sounds just like the full game. Samples are crisp and clean enough, the level is actually lifted straight from the full game (nothing new or extra special here, sorry kids), and if there are any hidden goodies, we couldn't unlock them.
Since you can't buy the special edition separately (and only one song that's average at best, why would you?), there's no point in recommending anyone run out and buy it, but for those curious as to how the song itself turned out, we're happy to say that despite being a pretty run-of-the-mill set of tracks with fun patterns to play, and if getting people teased on one song is enough to get them to try out the full game, then so much the better.
To which I answer... Why not?
Since this is really a review for the more hardcore players (if you want to experience Amplitude, drop another $20 and get the full game), I'll grade it more on the fun factor of the patterns and the song itself rather than breaking down the merits of the game. For a review of Amplitude proper, just click here and you'll get a rather exhaustive description of what this game is that still has me retarded over it a good six months after it was released.
Now for those that don't know, the special edition of Amplitude the comes with the P.O.D. disc contains but a single song: an unreleased version of the track "Space" (which, interestingly enough, isn't one of the songs on the new album). Those that played the full version of Amplitude know that P.O.D.'s "Boom," remixed by The Crystal Method was used in the game's intro video and is the first song you play in the game, so it's not a total surprise that Harmonix and the band collaborated again.
Anyone who's progressed through at least Brutal difficulty on Amplitude proper will balk at even the Insane difficulty patterns on Space, but then it's fairly obvious from the lower difficulty levels that this is merely meant to tease newcomers to game with something that's easy to get into. One of the truly cool things about the songs in Amplitude on the harder difficulty levels is that as you ramp up, you actually begin to "play" each of the instruments. In other words, by the time you play the song on Insane, you're tapping along with every guitar pick, word spoken, drum beat, etc.
It's also important to note that anyone picking up the full album not only gets an enhanced CD with some interviews and footage from shows, but on the Amplitude DVD you'll get a 50 minute three-part documentary on the culture that's sprung up around the band. For the fans, it's nice chance to see what happens in the studio and in the city the band calls home.
Again, the special edition of Amplitude, despite only having one song, looks and sounds just like the full game. Samples are crisp and clean enough, the level is actually lifted straight from the full game (nothing new or extra special here, sorry kids), and if there are any hidden goodies, we couldn't unlock them.
Since you can't buy the special edition separately (and only one song that's average at best, why would you?), there's no point in recommending anyone run out and buy it, but for those curious as to how the song itself turned out, we're happy to say that despite being a pretty run-of-the-mill set of tracks with fun patterns to play, and if getting people teased on one song is enough to get them to try out the full game, then so much the better.
