Persona is good. And Guitar Hero is good. So how great would it be if somebody put them together? Loud, an upcoming rhythm adventure from developer Hyperstrange seems to answer that question, and it’s available now to add to your Steam wishlist.
Playing as Astrid, a young, aspiring musician, Loud challenges you to button beat along to a series of increasingly complex – and most probably loud – rock songs, looking like a cross, mechanics wise, between Guitar Hero, Rock Band, and Parappa the Rapper, may he rest in peace.
Alongside the arcade-style gameplay, you follow Astrid’s journey from a bedroom-bound wannabe guitarist to fully-fledged stadium rocker. Combined with the game’s colourful art style, and narrative focus on ambition and teen dreams, Loud’s also got a hint of the Persona series. Fashion, music, and adolescent anxiety all combine here to make a promising-looking coming-of-age tale.
There’s no official launch date yet – Hyperstrange, which previously developed the affectionate Postal spin-off Brain Damage, says the game will release “when ready to rock!” – but you can find Loud on Steam now and add it to your wishlist.
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As Astrid grows up, as well as her music, her outfits, hair, and venues all change, too. It comes with 12 levels, each featuring their own distinctive soundtracks, and three difficulty settings, with an unlockable “extreme” mode also available. If like us you remember nailing Knights of Cydonia on expert mode, and turning to face your adoring fans, only to find them drinking and talking with each other because you were at a party, and no-one was really impressed with how good you were at Guitar Hero, that setting’s for you.
Hopefully Loud will let us recapture some of that vicarious, interactive cool. If not, we can always get the Rock Band drums out of the attic.