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A great game for any music fan

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 8 / 8
Date: August 21, 2005
Author: Amazon User

Musical fans will really get into Amplitude. Modern songs are pulled apart, and the game is actually playing out the various parts of the song, in time.

Sometimes you don't realize just how much intricacy there is to a song until you start to listen to each track separately. Look at how the drums counterpoint the rhythm guitar. The voice interweaves perfectly. It's fascinating to play along with a given part, to see just how well it fits into the mix.

The downside of any game like this is always going to be the music mix. For example, Amplitude includes songs by Garbage, Quarashi, Chris Child, Run-DMC, The Baldwin Brothers, Weezer, and more. If these bands appeal to you, you'll have a blast. If you really hate these bands, you might enjoy the game, but it will madden you to have to listen to the songs over and over again.

I fell somewhere in the middle. I really enjoyed some songs, but just didn't like others. Luckily, I only had to win through a given song once before I could put it behind me :)

Graphics are reasonably good, but really the sound is key here. You barely notice the graphics that swirl around you as you focus on the song, the track markers, and the notes you're aiming to hit.

The game has great difficulty progressions so you could literally play this game for a year or more before you master some of the more difficult levels. If you have any interest at all in being a musician at all, those skills aren't wasted, either. Being able to master those complex rhythms are a real life skill that will serve you well.

Highly recommended.

Rock On and On and On

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 10 / 12
Date: March 30, 2003
Author: Amazon User

Amplitude is a music game which is unique in the fact that it uses songs from established artists - some you most certainly have heard. If you are familiar with music games you would be at home here - the music plays and you perform a part by "playing" the controller while the "music" moves by on the screen. It is the sequel to a game called Frequency and some of this review compares this game to that one.

The game also allows you to remix songs but I did not get into that on Frequency and again fail to find it enjoyable. Also the head-to-head mode of this game is kind of strange - the single player is much more enjoyable in my opinion.

One of the best parts about Frequency was getting introduced to groups I hadn't heard before and hopefully some of these artists will turn out the same. The music in Amplitude is a mix of familiar and unfamiliar artists. Strangely it seems to be harder to play the songs that I know (Weezer - Dope Nose or Blink 182 - Rock Show) than songs I haven't heard before. Some of my favorite songs on Amplitude are Baseline by Quarashi, Cherry Libs by Garbage, and Urban Tumbleweed by the Baldwin Brothers. Ultimately I feel like somehow these artists were picked to promote them for Sony - I wish there were more variety of tracks.

Amplitude is easier to beat than Frequency was - there are 4 difficult modes (Mellow, Normal, Brutal, and Insane) and I started on Brutal when I first got it and played through in about 2 1/2 hours. The expert mode of Frequency was much more difficult. Easy mode is easy enough for my 6 year old to play.

I would have been happy with the Frequency base game with new music - what Sony needs to do in the future is modify this game with new music every 3 to 6 months and rerelease it for $20 or so. Much of the effort in the sequel seems to have gone into the system that allows you to create your own "guy" and as you play you unlock new clothes - whatever. Your guy sort of plays along with you - if you are on a guitar track he plays guitar and when you play drums he switches to drums.

A final word about the music. I love 4-letter words in my music as much as anybody but while I enjoyed playing Frequency with my kids, some of the songs in Amplitude have bleeped out words and are about mature subjects - and some words that in my opinion should be bleeped aren't.

Great improvements!

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 5 / 5
Date: March 22, 2003
Author: Amazon User

I had a chance to play Amplitude at this year's Game Developers Conference and I must say I was quite impressed.

The gameplay is very similar to that of it's predecessor, Frequency, with some minor changes here and there to have it play smoother.

The graphics look a lot brighter and cleaner than Frequency. The little FreQ avatar is no longer just an icon but a 3D model that break dances and plays different instruments depending on what trpe of track you are currently on.

On the music side, Ampitude keeps it kickin' with popular artists such as blink-182, Garbage, Weezer, David Bowie, Run-DMC, and Pink. There are also quite a few returning artists from Frequency such as Freezepop and SymbionProject.

Multiplayer has had quite a bit of change. The play field is no longer divided into 4 squares when 4 people are playing. Instead, everyones is on the same screen and the tracks are laid out in a semi circle (as opposed to the "tunnel" in Frequency). There is also a new power-up: Slow-Mo. Which (obviously) slows down the music for a short period of time. There is built in net play for all of you with the network adapter (perfect for those times when you don't have anyone to play against).

I only got to play multiplayer at GDC, but from the limited time I spent with it I was hooked. The only disapointment came when I heard it wouldn't be realease till the end of March.

Fantastic!

4 Rating: 4, Useful: 5 / 6
Date: April 10, 2003
Author: Amazon User

My addiction started with Frequency, which I picked up for cheap at a used store. I was hooked from the beginning. As soon as possible, I got Amplitude. It fixed the one thing I didn't like about Frequency, and greatly improved on other things that I had no complaint about.
First off, the FreQs. They're so much better now. As your avatar in the game, there is a huge selection to go through making your FreQ, and if you don't feel like doing that, there are pre-generated ones to choose.
The graphics are awesome, the backgrounds are great. It's smooth, and no glitches at all.
For multiplayer, they have standard two player, and Harmonix jumped on the bandwagon and made Amplitude online. That's awesome. It's extremely useful to have a keyboard for messages, but other than that, it totally enhances the replay value.
Most importantly, the music. That was the only complaint I had about Frequency, I knew hardly any of the songs, and they were rather difficult, even on the easiest setting. Amplitude fixed that by getting more mainstream bands such as Blink 182, Pink, David Bowie, Papa Roach, Garbage, Run DMC, etc. Also, the learning curve is much better, it's a more gradual progression in difficulty.
Finally, the tutorial. It's incredible. It makes the game so easy to understand! It's very simple and easy to use without being condescending.
All in all, five out of five!

Highly addictive and the highest replay value ever in a game

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 4 / 4
Date: March 05, 2004
Author: Amazon User

Just when I thought they couldn't improve anymore, Harmonix goes full out and surprises even me. This is probably one of the best games I've ever own/played, and that's probably thanks to my love for music, but still.

Amplitude has, without a doubt, the BIGGEST REPLAY VALUE EVER in a game. Not only with it improving the variety and amount of songs its has and the added extras from the first and all the improvements, but it also keeps the imfamous REMIX function(with even more functions this time around)

One of the most evident improvements is graphics-wise. The backgrounds and "scenery" while playing the game are no longer a killer to your eyes. The menus and "note-blaster" and all the little things are improved to give the game that added kick.

Another big improvement are the FreQs(your on-screen alter ego). They're now 3-D characters!! Woohoo!!(even though the FreQs in the last game were somewhat more customizable) The FreQs in this game don't just flash in your face. They dance and play all the instruments as you switch the different tracks. And as you progress through the game you can unlock different accessories for your characters.

In Remix mode, they also made some adjustments. The vocal tracks are now automatic, so now you don't have to go through and hold ONE button for EACH segment. And while your switching through the different sections of the song, its now AUTOMATIC!! Yay!(let me explain...in FreQuency you have to wait for the sections to play through before its switches...which makes sense, 'cause it plays through the sections smoothly that way...but thats not the point in Remix mode!!)

So, in conclusion, this is an amazing improvement to a seemingly perfect game. And hell, pick up the original FreQuency while you're at it. Believe me, its worth it.

later

-tom-

Compelling and Addictive

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 3 / 3
Date: September 25, 2003
Author: Amazon User

This game has me in its grasp. I've been playing it for about 3 months now and have tried to beat it at every level. The slightly unusual controls (you use the shoulder buttons almost exclusively) took a bit of time to get used to, but the game makes it worth the effort.

Like Tetris, the game is deceptively simple: you use your ship to shoot note capsules which release the energy of the music you're listening to. Shoot enough capsules to complete a phrase, and the track plays for 8 bars before you have to return and re-activate it. Each song has six tracks to keep active, so you spend a good bit of time moving back and forth to keep them all alive. The more consecutive phrases you complete, the more points you score.

The game features a wide variety of song styles, with artists ranging from old known hands like David Bowie, Herbie Hancock and Run-DMC to newer artists like Pink, Garbage, P.O.D., and Slipknot to some really obscure bands like Freezepop. The variety is part of what keeps the game compelling--going through a level or two comes off like the world's strangest mix tape...the songs have nothing in common except that, within the game, they get progressively harder to beat. With up to 25 songs available (depending on difficulty mode) and the ability to jump around as you unlock each new level, it's easy to find a new challenge: I typically warm up for "Brutal" mode by playing a song or two that I didn't score so well on in "Normal" mode. This not only warms up my fingers, but it gives me a chance to up my overall score in the lower levels.

The Freqs (characters who dance and play instruments while you perform) come in all shapes and sizes, and each Boss and Bonus song you complete (there's one on each level) will unlock more options for customizing your Freq. They're great fun, but they're really there for anyone who's watching you play: your attention will be focused on the music tracks, and you'll really only notice your Freq when you're between sections or songs.

If all this wasn't enough, the game has an edit mode where you can create your own game-playable remixes of the tracks in the game, uploading them to other players to give them new challenges with old songs.

I've yet to play anyone head-to-head or online, but I'm looking forward to the opportunity. I can only imagine what competition would bring to an already fast-paced game.

If you like music games, you have to have this one. This is the closest thing to a perfect game I've ever played. I have just one complaint...I WANT MORE!

Amplitude will rock!

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 4 / 6
Date: February 06, 2003
Author: Amazon User

Frequency is an amazing game and if you havent played it--BUY IT! This game will engross you and your time. You will not know what happened to all those hours that go by playing it. This sequel will be a lot better than the original, updated graphics, more songs, and you dont have to disc swap to play online. It will be great and I cant wait!

Amplitude Is My Favorite Game Ever!!!

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 3 / 4
Date: March 30, 2004
Author: Amazon User

I got this game on March 24, 2003, the day it first came out. I felt stupid because there were only two copies in the store and both were for the only two people to reserve the game: my friend and I. We picked up our games and went home to play. One year and 6 days later, I just finished playing the game. The music is good for the most part, but some songs are a bit easy and some are a bit hard. Your skill level will depend strongly on your ability to keep a steady beat and hold a rhythym. I, for one, and 16 years old and am in my 6th year of school band, took private lessons for 3 years, took piano for 6 months, took drums for 6 months, am in jazz band, pep band, and marching band (section leader). I am a huge band geek, so my rhythym is superb. This can be attributed to my rank of 357 out of over 2000 people. The game is played by using the L1, R1, and R2 buttons to shoot lasers at pods of sound, which releases the energy inside. The rhythyms start out very simple, in a classic-rock-beat-esque style, but eventually become very complex, with no real countable rhythym. The online play is amazing, allowing you to play with a total of 4 people together. As you win games, your rank drops, with the obvious goal of getting #1. If you buy this game, you will not regret it, I promise. This game is good for anyone with any rhythymic talent whatsoever. Any negative reviews are simply because the reviewer was bad at it and wouldn't give it time. Before I bought this game, I had Frequency, its predecessor, and was very bad. But now I rock against people and my rank just keeps dropping. If you won't buy the game for only $20.00 USD, at least rent it. It is worth your money and time. It is the only purchase I have ever made with no buyer's remorse! My Amplitude name is eggBEATer. Enjoy!

Its not awesome, its SUPER SPRÃ~DE!!

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 2 / 2
Date: April 17, 2003
Author: Amazon User

Amplitude is the best way to spend your money on a PS2 game right now. Even if you haven't ever played a music game, or haven't played Frequency (the 1st in the series,) you will be hooked instantly. I can't think of one thing wrong with this game. The music is great. The graphics are great. The game is great. If you're still skeptical, rent it. But be warned: its cheaper to buy it than rent it over and over again.

Beat Thumping game makes you the DJ!!

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 2 / 2
Date: April 27, 2003
Author: Amazon User

Ever wonder what The executioners job is like? Want to know how it feels to provide the beats? Well This game has it all from Solo DJ games to Fierce Multiplayer competition. This sequel to Frequency steps it up a notch with the availability to go online and duel other "Mix Masters." And with great names such as David Bowie, Blink 182, Pink, P.O.D., and Slipknot providing the songs there is something for everyone! And with the new level "INSANE" this game becomes very adicting!! Buy this game and if you like it I recommend you check out frequency!!

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