Chime is a music/puzzle video game developed by Zoë Mode for Xbox Live Arcade. The game is the first title released by the non-profit video game publisher OneBigGame. Chime was released on 3 February 2010. On 26 August 2010, Zoë Mode revealed that a port of Chime was in development for the PC and would be released via Steam. This updated version of the game features a new level based on Still Alive, the theme song from the popular video game Portal.[1]
Gameplay[ | ]
Chime is a block-dropping game that combines elements from both Lumines and Tetris. Players control a single shape at a time, and can move, rotate, and then place it onto a grid. A beat line moves across the grid in time with the music, setting off events when it hits placed shapes. Quads are created by placing shapes in solid blocks of 3x3 or more. When a quad is completed and the beat line hits, different musical samples are triggered dependent on its shape. The size of the quad denotes the score, and multipliers can be achieved by having several quads on the screen at once. Once the beat line hits a completed quad, it is stamped down into the grid, earning the player coverage. The overall objective is to achieve 100% coverage to earn more time and score points.
Game modes[ | ]
There are two basic modes in the game, Timed Mode and Free Mode. Timed Mode pits the player against the clock, with three different levels of difficulty based on time limit. Free Mode acts as a very basic sequencer. There is no time limit and the player is able to place shapes at their leisure to create different sounds and alter the music as they see fit.
Featured artists[ | ]
Chime features a variety of different musical styles and artists. Philip Glass, Paul Hartnoll, Moby, Markus Schulz and Fred Deakin have all donated tracks to the game pro bono.[2]
Reception[ | ]
Chime has received largely positive reviews from critics. Metacritic records an average score for the game of 80/100.[3] IGN praised the game and rated it 8/10, saying, "Chime is easy to recommend. It's cheap, it'll keep you amused for hours, and the $5 you spend goes to charity."[4]