You play in a small band and your manager just informed you he’s gotten you a last minute gig. You can’t be late; you have to get there NOW! Oh, did I mention the gig is on another planet? Intrigued? Well read on, Stereo Aereo may be for you.
"A lot of people don't think they can count on me, but I've never missed a gig in my life." - Johnny Thunders
Stereo Aereo tells the tale of the band Stereo Aereo, a small indie band that is dreaming big. Right now they need a gig and their manager just got them one. Needing to get there as soon as possible, they find there are only a few things in their way, traffic, and bad guys.
The gameplay of Stereo Aereo is a mix of rhythm and shooter style games. The playing field is laid out like a track from Guitar Hero or Rock Band. Only it’s lanes of interstellar traffic that you’re navigating your ship along to get to the gig on time. You will play by using a combination of dodging (through traffic) and shooting (incoming projectiles). Sounds easy enough, right? It might be if you can match your dodges and shots to the beat of the music. To really rack up the big points you have to keep in time with the rhythm. There is even a sweet spot on the track in front of you. Time your shots right, and hit the target in that sweet spot, so you’ll score the most points.
"When I started I'd fly across the country to do a gig for a hundred bucks." - David Spade
The look and feel of Stereo Aereo are all ‘80's. The cartoon graphics have that bright, colorful, happy look while the music itself is pure big hair synth rock. Both come together for a good look. The voice acting not so much, but then again this is a small budget indie title. I give them credit for the effort.
"With every gig we have to prove ourselves better than the night before." - Ron Wood
The one thing about Stereo Aereo is it that it’s not easy. I played through the tutorial with all the confidence in the world and then started the first level. I was humbled quickly on normal difficulty. So I tried again, and again, and again. Then I switched from using the gamepad controller to keyboard. I got further but was still getting my butt handed to me. I swallowed my pride and stepped down to easy. It pains me to admit, I made it to the second track after some struggles.
Fast twitch rhythm gaming is not my strong suit. The difficulty here ramps up considerably, at least for me. I liken it to many of the cutesy rhythm games that come from Japan. They only look easy until you start to play them.
Overall
I really like Stereo Aereo, it has quite a bit here to like, fun cartoon art, 80's style synth rock, and a real challenge. For me, it was too much challenge. I just couldn't get into it. Oddly, it has elements like one of my all time favorite games, Audiosurf. But even on easy, Stereo Aereo will be the one that I will have to bow out of, for now. It's a good challenging game, but it’s not for me. I give a 3.5 out of 5. Lots of fun there for those that can hack it, but not so much for those who can’t keep a beat.
For more information on Stereo Aereo, see their Steam page.
Quick Updates
Two games previously reviewed, Chime Sharp and The Warlock of Firetop Mountain, I want to give some quick updates on. Both games saw recent new releases on different platforms from their initial launch.
Chime Sharp, which I first reviewed for its Steam version, has now launched on the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One. I got to play the PS4 version and my original review stands. I happily lost hours to this music puzzle game again, just on a new platform.
Read my original review here, and get more information on Chime Sharp here.
The Warlock of Firetop Mountain made the jump to iOS where its table top miniatures role-playing game (RPG) style fits in nicely. I have enjoyed moving down its pathways, fighting various creatures for treasures and adventure. It is a perfect for RPG gamers on the go.
Read my original look at The Warlock of Firetop Mountain here, and get more information here.
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