Deemo

Deemo
Developer(s) Rayark Games
Publisher(s) Rayark Games
Producer(s) Yu Ming-Yang
Chang Hsiang
Li Yung Ting
Platform(s) iOS, Android, PlayStation Vita
Release date(s) November 13, 2013
Genre(s) Rhythm game
Mode(s) Single-player

Deemo is a rhythm game developed by Rayark Games, an independent game developer in Taiwan. The game is available on iOS and Android mobile platforms.[1] A port for PlayStation Vita, titled Deemo: Last Recital (Japanese: DEEMO～ラスト・リサイタル～) is expected to be released in Winter 2014.[2][3]

Gameplay

The core gameplay of Deemo is a score-based music video game. Each playable song features three levels, namely Easy, Normal and Hard, each given a difficulty rating from Lv1 (easiest) to Lv10 (most difficult). The player can also customize the speed of the notes before starting a level, in a scale of 1 (slowest) to 9 (fastest).[4][5]

In each level, a black line is affixed at the bottom of the screen, and horizontal bars know as "notes" approach the line at a perspective from background to foreground. The player must tap on the notes when they coincides with the bottom line in time with the music, resembling playing on a piano. Black notes requires the player to tap each individually, while yellow notes allows the player to slide across in a chain. Black notes with a white interior is the same as normal black notes, only representing non-piano sounds.[4][5][6]

The player's performance is judged by the accuracy at which each note is hit, where a "Charming" hit is more accurate than a normal hit. At the end of each level, the game shows the player's overall performance in a result screen, providing the proportion of "Charming" hits, the longest chain of consecutive successful hits (Combo), and the overall accuracy in percentage form, with 100% denoting all hits are "Charming". The result screen will congratulate the player for hitting all notes successfully (Full Combo) or achieving 100% accuracy (All Charming). The level is considered completed when a 65% or up accuracy is achieved.[4][6]

Playable songs

Deemo uses both instrumental and vocal music to accompany its rhythm game elements. The selection consists of works from composers from multiple regions including Taiwan, Japan, South Korea, Hong Kong. Notable contributors include Earthbound Papas and guitarist Shinichi Kobayashi. Deemo also uses songs that were used in Cytus, another rhythm game by the same developer.[6]

Plot

Deemo, a tall, black and mute being eponymous to the game, resides in a castle playing piano music. One day, a girl fell from an open window in the sky. Deemo must play the piano to make a special tree grow, so that the girl may climb up and return to her own world.[6]

Each level the player completes contributes to the tree's growth. Reaching certain heights triggers cutscenes which shows the central plot of the story. The main menu also incorporates point-and-click elements, which can trigger dialogue and/or unlock playable songs. As the story progresses, rooms to the side will also be opened for exploration.[6]

Releases

Deemo was released on November 13, 2013 on the AppStore, and December 27, 2013 on Google Play for Android devices.[1] The Android version is a free trial only allowing limited progress, the full version of which can be unlocked by in-app purchases.

Different from mobile releases, Deemo: Last Recital will include additional modes for cooperative and competitive play.[2] Cutscenes will be remade with full animation and extra story exclusive to the PlayStation Vita version will be added.[3]

Reception

Smartphone game review site TouchArcade gave a 4.5-star rating, citing "the game’s art style and subtle story meld together beautifully to create an overall presentation that simply works".[7] A Kotaku review praises the story delivering spectrum of emotions while accompanied by a fitting soundtrack, akin to "the rhythm game equivalent of musical theater".[8]

Deemo was nominated "Best of 2013" in the independent developer division by Apple App Store's Taiwan division.[9] The game was later named "Best Game Music" by Google Play's Taiwan market editorial.[10]

Playable song I Race the Dawn won the Outstanding Achievement — Vocal Theme award at the 2013 Annual Game Music Awards by Game Music Online.[11]

See also

External links

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 "鋼琴演奏手機遊戲《Deemo》正式推出 Android 版". 巴哈姆特電玩資訊站. Retrieved 9 November 2014.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 "《DEEMO～最終演奏～》冬季登陸 PS Vita 搭載協奏與對戰模式". 巴哈姆特電玩資訊站. Retrieved 9 November 2014.
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 "【TGS 14】《DEEMO～最終演奏～》將推原聲帶同捆包 製作人親自示範遊玩". 巴哈姆特電玩資訊站. Retrieved 9 November 2014.
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 "【試玩】《Deemo》主打如同「彈奏鋼琴」般的嶄新遊玩方式". 巴哈姆特電玩資訊站. Retrieved 12 January 2015.
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 "Deemo: Last Recital Plays Heartful Tunes on Vita [TGS Hands-On + Trailer]". PlayStation LifeStyle. Retrieved 12 January 2015.
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 6.3 6.4 "台湾発のスマホ向け音ゲー「Deemo」はどうしてこんなに面白いのか。人気の理由を，あれこれ考えてみた". 4Gamer.net. Retrieved 12 January 2015.
  7. ↑ "'Deemo' review - A beautiful rhythmic experience". TouchArcade. Retrieved 9 November 2014.
  8. ↑ "A Remarkable Rhythm Game With A Touching Tale To Tell". Kotaku. Retrieved 26 January 2015.
  9. ↑ "App Store 公布 2013 年度最佳遊戲". 巴哈姆特電玩資訊站. Retrieved 9 November 2014.
  10. ↑ "Google Play 編輯公布「2014 上半年度最佳遊戲」名單". 巴哈姆特電玩資訊站. Retrieved 9 November 2014.
  11. ↑ "Annual Game Music Awards 2013 – Productions of the Year". Game Music Online. Retrieved 9 November 2014.