Vib-Ribbon (PS1, 1999)
Graphics-7.5 Sound-7.5 Control-8 Challenge-7 Story-N/A
Level Design-7 Frustration-8 Fun-7 Originality-7
Overall Score-7
+
Can insert your own music CDs and play to the songs (adds replay value) - start the game mode then replace the disc with a music CD and the game auto-generates levels and a difficulty curve. Can choose to play one song at a time or the whole CD. The auto option plays a demo showing you how the song is competed
The above mode also includes a speed challenge mode where you try to get as far as possible before a song finishes (three difficulty modes, didn't try it yet)
Indie/DIY aesthetic mixing linus på linjen/la linea and old school disney (chip 'n dale voices and doo-wop title music) vibes with japanese indie rock/pop/electro music
Good art direction inspired by visual representations of sound waves
Some creative mechanics (tempo shifts during songs, endless runner/rhythm hybrid, obstacles moving faster than other obstacles so that they reach you before an obstacle you saw earlier)
Difficulty options (three courses with two unique songs each - easy, normal, hard)
+/-
Pausing takes you to a menu so you can't see the level while the game is paused
Can't create your own levels
Your HP is represented by a circle of dots+your avatar shrinking and deforming into a snake/camera thing - you become super vibri and score more points if you do well (have a long streak of well timed moves)
Textless HUD in-game - score is represented by a spinning circle of symbols and the timer by the curved line at the bottom turning yellow
Can gain more points by performing moves while there are no obstacles (don't have to be on beat for these) - otherwise there's not much self-expression as there's no free style mode that checks if you're on beat and no sustained moves/notes a la Guitar Hero. You also can't be timing the drum beat with one hand while moving to the melody or harmony with another
Non-interactive and incomplete tutorial
-
Can't pause without quitting or restarting a song
Trial & error (can't see far ahead, have to check the manual for most combo moves as obstacles don't come with what button you're supposed to press unlike in other rhythm games of the time)
Sudden difficulty spikes due to how the game suddenly introduces new moves which are only explained in the manual or lets you forget about them and then throws them into a sped up part of a song in a trollish way
Gold course is much harder than the previous two
Distracting shake effect on the visuals for some later songs as well as when you do poorly and get hit
Sometimes overly garbled or abrasive music (in part thanks to the tempo shifts) and some of the music can get distracting when the game gets harder
Very short main mode (only a couple of songs per difficulty/course, can't even play the easy or normal mode songs in a harder mode)
No ending
Level Design-7 Frustration-8 Fun-7 Originality-7
Overall Score-7
+
Can insert your own music CDs and play to the songs (adds replay value) - start the game mode then replace the disc with a music CD and the game auto-generates levels and a difficulty curve. Can choose to play one song at a time or the whole CD. The auto option plays a demo showing you how the song is competed
The above mode also includes a speed challenge mode where you try to get as far as possible before a song finishes (three difficulty modes, didn't try it yet)
Indie/DIY aesthetic mixing linus på linjen/la linea and old school disney (chip 'n dale voices and doo-wop title music) vibes with japanese indie rock/pop/electro music
Good art direction inspired by visual representations of sound waves
Some creative mechanics (tempo shifts during songs, endless runner/rhythm hybrid, obstacles moving faster than other obstacles so that they reach you before an obstacle you saw earlier)
Difficulty options (three courses with two unique songs each - easy, normal, hard)
+/-
Pausing takes you to a menu so you can't see the level while the game is paused
Can't create your own levels
Your HP is represented by a circle of dots+your avatar shrinking and deforming into a snake/camera thing - you become super vibri and score more points if you do well (have a long streak of well timed moves)
Textless HUD in-game - score is represented by a spinning circle of symbols and the timer by the curved line at the bottom turning yellow
Can gain more points by performing moves while there are no obstacles (don't have to be on beat for these) - otherwise there's not much self-expression as there's no free style mode that checks if you're on beat and no sustained moves/notes a la Guitar Hero. You also can't be timing the drum beat with one hand while moving to the melody or harmony with another
Non-interactive and incomplete tutorial
-
Can't pause without quitting or restarting a song
Trial & error (can't see far ahead, have to check the manual for most combo moves as obstacles don't come with what button you're supposed to press unlike in other rhythm games of the time)
Sudden difficulty spikes due to how the game suddenly introduces new moves which are only explained in the manual or lets you forget about them and then throws them into a sped up part of a song in a trollish way
Gold course is much harder than the previous two
Distracting shake effect on the visuals for some later songs as well as when you do poorly and get hit
Sometimes overly garbled or abrasive music (in part thanks to the tempo shifts) and some of the music can get distracting when the game gets harder
Very short main mode (only a couple of songs per difficulty/course, can't even play the easy or normal mode songs in a harder mode)
No ending