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Amplitude (game)
Encyclopedia
Amplitude is a 2003 PlayStation 2
musical video game. It was developed by Harmonix and is the sequel to the game Frequency.
, or vocals, and contains a sequence of notes. As the player hits buttons corresponding to the note placement on the track, the notes activate a small portion of the track. If the player successfully activates enough notes in sequence, the track is "captured" and the section will play automatically for a number of bars, freeing the player to capture another section.
The object of the game is to capture a sufficient amount of sections to reach the end of the song. If the player continually misses notes, an energy meter empties until the game is over.
There are several different powerups available to the player to make gameplay easier. Powerups are gained by activating a series of specially shaped and colored notes. Such powerups allow immediate capturing of tracks, doubling of points scored, slowing down the speed of play, and jumping into freestyle mode (which allows the player to riff
to the music, gaining points without the difficulty of playing predefined tracks).
In single player, the object is to unlock and complete all of the songs. There are four levels of gameplay difficulty: Mellow, Normal, Brutal, and Insane. Certain songs are only available to play on harder difficulty settings. Often the player is rewarded with pieces to construct and customize their "FreQ" avatar.
The remix mode in Amplitude is much like the one in Frequency. The player may place notes to every section of the song (except the vocal section) in whatever patterns they so choose, creating a unique version of the song. The effects (chorus
, delay
, etc.) and tempo of the song are also controllable. Finished remixes are available for gameplay in both single player and multiplayer modes.
Multiplayer mode offers three distinct modes: a typical gameplay mode, a head-to-head mode and a remix mode. The main multiplayer mode offers up to four players simultaneous gameplay through any of the unlocked songs. The head-to-head mode features Simon says
-esque gameplay between two players, in which the players alternate creating riffs and then attempting to play them back. The remix mode is identical to the single player remix mode, but with the participation of more players.
Online mode offers multiplayer play with an internet connection. However, Sony of America shutdown the online Amplitude servers on February 26, 2007, preventing this feature from being used. Despite the SCEA servers shutting down, online play is still available in European countries.
and dance
to hip hop
and alternative rock
. Some of the tracks, however, were produced "in-house" specifically for Amplitude. For example, Kasson Crooker
, who served as the musical director for the game, contributed the songs "Cool Baby", "Synthesized", "Robot Rockerz" and "Spaztik", as well as "Super Sprøde" as performed by his band Freezepop
.
The following is a list of artists who contributed songs to the game, with corresponding song title, in order of gameplay. The fourth song in each section is a "boss" song while the fifth is an unlockable bonus song. "Spaztik" is unlockable only in the Insane difficulty.
Electronic Gaming Monthly
scored the game 7.5/8/7.
PlayStation 2
The PlayStation 2 is a sixth-generation video game console manufactured by Sony as part of the PlayStation series. Its development was announced in March 1999 and it was first released on March 4, 2000, in Japan...
musical video game. It was developed by Harmonix and is the sequel to the game Frequency.
Gameplay
In Amplitude, the player controls a ship (referred to as a "Beat Blaster") moving down a path of varying shapes and lengths, containing up to six tracks. Each color-coded track corresponds to a different aspect of the song, such as percussion, synth, bassBass guitar
The bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
, or vocals, and contains a sequence of notes. As the player hits buttons corresponding to the note placement on the track, the notes activate a small portion of the track. If the player successfully activates enough notes in sequence, the track is "captured" and the section will play automatically for a number of bars, freeing the player to capture another section.
The object of the game is to capture a sufficient amount of sections to reach the end of the song. If the player continually misses notes, an energy meter empties until the game is over.
There are several different powerups available to the player to make gameplay easier. Powerups are gained by activating a series of specially shaped and colored notes. Such powerups allow immediate capturing of tracks, doubling of points scored, slowing down the speed of play, and jumping into freestyle mode (which allows the player to riff
RIFF
The Resource Interchange File Format is a generic file container format for storing data in tagged chunks. It is primarily used to store multimedia such as sound and video, though it may also be used to store any arbitrary data....
to the music, gaining points without the difficulty of playing predefined tracks).
Modes
Amplitude offers four different modes of play: single player game, remix, multiplayer and online.In single player, the object is to unlock and complete all of the songs. There are four levels of gameplay difficulty: Mellow, Normal, Brutal, and Insane. Certain songs are only available to play on harder difficulty settings. Often the player is rewarded with pieces to construct and customize their "FreQ" avatar.
The remix mode in Amplitude is much like the one in Frequency. The player may place notes to every section of the song (except the vocal section) in whatever patterns they so choose, creating a unique version of the song. The effects (chorus
Chorus effect
In music, a chorus effect occurs when individual sounds with roughly the same timbre and nearly the same pitch converge and are perceived as one...
, delay
Delay (audio effect)
Delay is an audio effect which records an input signal to an audio storage medium, and then plays it back after a period of time. The delayed signal may either be played back multiple times, or played back into the recording again, to create the sound of a repeating, decaying echo.-Early delay...
, etc.) and tempo of the song are also controllable. Finished remixes are available for gameplay in both single player and multiplayer modes.
Multiplayer mode offers three distinct modes: a typical gameplay mode, a head-to-head mode and a remix mode. The main multiplayer mode offers up to four players simultaneous gameplay through any of the unlocked songs. The head-to-head mode features Simon says
Simon says
Simon says is a children's game for three or more players where one player takes the role of 'Simon' and issues instructions, to the other players, which should only be followed if prefaced with the phrase 'Simon says', for example 'Simon says jump in the air'...
-esque gameplay between two players, in which the players alternate creating riffs and then attempting to play them back. The remix mode is identical to the single player remix mode, but with the participation of more players.
Online mode offers multiplayer play with an internet connection. However, Sony of America shutdown the online Amplitude servers on February 26, 2007, preventing this feature from being used. Despite the SCEA servers shutting down, online play is still available in European countries.
Songs
There are 26 songs in Amplitude, the majority of which are tracks by popular music artists, with genres ranging from electronicaElectronica
Electronica includes a wide range of contemporary electronic music designed for a wide range of uses, including foreground listening, some forms of dancing, and background music for other activities; however, unlike electronic dance music, it is not specifically made for dancing...
and dance
Dance music
Dance music is music composed specifically to facilitate or accompany dancing. It can be either a whole musical piece or part of a larger musical arrangement...
to hip hop
Hip hop
Hip hop is a form of musical expression and artistic culture that originated in African-American and Latino communities during the 1970s in New York City, specifically the Bronx. DJ Afrika Bambaataa outlined the four pillars of hip hop culture: MCing, DJing, breaking and graffiti writing...
and alternative rock
Alternative rock
Alternative rock is a genre of rock music and a term used to describe a diverse musical movement that emerged from the independent music underground of the 1980s and became widely popular by the 1990s...
. Some of the tracks, however, were produced "in-house" specifically for Amplitude. For example, Kasson Crooker
Kasson Crooker
Kasson Crooker is an American electronic musician, composer, and the artist behind Symbion Project, his solo moniker. He also works collaboratively in The Planets Won't Let You Sleep Tonight and his past bands are Freezepop, Splashdown, Larkspur, and Sirensong...
, who served as the musical director for the game, contributed the songs "Cool Baby", "Synthesized", "Robot Rockerz" and "Spaztik", as well as "Super Sprøde" as performed by his band Freezepop
Freezepop (band)
Freezepop is an American electronic band from Boston, Massachusetts. They formed in 1999 with Liz Enthusiasm, Sean T. Drinkwater, and The Duke of Pannekoeken, an alias for composer Kasson Crooker. As of December 2009, the current lineup includes Enthusiasm, Drinkwater, Robert John "Bananas" Foster...
.
The following is a list of artists who contributed songs to the game, with corresponding song title, in order of gameplay. The fourth song in each section is a "boss" song while the fifth is an unlockable bonus song. "Spaztik" is unlockable only in the Insane difficulty.
| Song title | Artist | Tier | Original track created for Amplitude? |
|---|---|---|---|
| "Boom (The Crystal Method Mix) Boom (P.O.D. song) "Boom" is the third single off P.O.D.'s second major label studio album Satellite. While it did not chart as well as the album's previous singles, the song has appeared significantly in film and television... " |
P.O.D. P.O.D. Payable on Death is an American Christian metal band formed in 1992. The band's line-up consists of vocalist Sonny Sandoval, drummer Wuv Bernardo, guitarist Marcos Curiel, and bassist Traa Daniels. Their Christian faith is an important part of their music.They have released seven studio albums and... vs. T.C.M. The Crystal Method The Crystal Method is an American electronic music duo that was created in Los Angeles, California by Ken Jordan and Scott Kirkland in the early 1990s. The Crystal Method's music has appeared in numerous TV shows, films, video games, and advertisements. The most prominent is the US television... |
1. Neotropolis | |
| "Cherry Lips Cherry Lips "Cherry Lips", also known as "Cherry Lips " is a 2001 song written, recorded and produced by alternative rock group Garbage for their third studio album, Beautiful Garbage. It was released the following year by Mushroom Records as the albums second international single, with the exception of North... " |
Garbage Garbage (band) Garbage are an alternative rock band formed in Madison, Wisconsin in 1994. The group consists of Scottish singer Shirley Manson and American musicians Duke Erikson , Steve Marker and Butch Vig . All four members are involved in songwriting and production... |
1. Neotropolis | |
| "Baseline" | Quarashi Quarashi Quarashi was a rap and hip-hop group from Reykjavík, Iceland. It was composed of Hössi Ólafsson , who was the lead vocalist and frontman of the group, Ómar Swarez , rapper and hype man, and Steini a.k.a. Stoney , also rapper and hype man... |
1. Neotropolis | |
| "Shades of Blue" | Chris Child featuring Melissa Kaplan Splashdown (band) Splashdown, formed in Allston, Massachusetts, in 1996, was an American pop rock band. The group disbanded in 2001; their last show was at the release party for the debut CD of Freezepop on February 2 of that year. Splashdown gained a small but extremely loyal following in the Northeast United... |
1. Neotropolis | |
| "Uptown Saturday Night" | Logan 7 | 1. Neotropolis | |
| "King of Rock (X-Ecutioners Remix) King of Rock (song) "King of Rock" is a 1985 single by Run-D.M.C. and the title track from their album King of Rock. It was featured on the video games Guitar Hero: Aerosmith, "Thrasher: Skate and Destroy" and is a downloadable track on "Rock Band 3. The song was sampled for Michael Jackson's song "2 Bad.", and was... " |
Run-DMC | 2. Beat Factory | |
| "Urban Tumbleweed" | The Baldwin Brothers The Baldwin Brothers The Baldwin Brothers are a Chicago-based lounge/electronica duo composed of Jason Hinkle and TJ Widner. The two met in junior-high school and have been composing electronic dance, pop and jazz music since 1983. The band signed with TVT Records in 2001 and are now represented by The Orchard after... |
2. Beat Factory | |
| "Dope Nose Dope Nose "Dope Nose" is a song by American alternative rock band Weezer. It is the first single off the band's fourth album, Maladroit. It was officially released in 2002, though it had been performed live and in the studio during the band's 2000 summer tour comeback after hiatus."Dope Nose" was said to... " |
Weezer Weezer Weezer is an American alternative rock band. The band currently consists of Rivers Cuomo , Patrick Wilson , Brian Bell , and Scott Shriner . The band has changed lineups three times since its formation in 1992... |
2. Beat Factory | |
| "Everyone Says 'Hi' (Metro Remix) Everyone Says 'Hi' "Everyone Says 'Hi" is a song written by David Bowie for the album Heathen , the only single from the album that was available to purchase in the United Kingdom. The single reached #20 in the UK singles chart. It was produced by British duo Brian Rawling and Gary Miller, with vocals produced by... " |
David Bowie David Bowie David Bowie is an English musician, actor, record producer and arranger. A major figure for over four decades in the world of popular music, Bowie is widely regarded as an innovator, particularly for his work in the 1970s... |
2. Beat Factory | |
| "Super-Sprøde" | Freezepop | 2. Beat Factory | |
| "Respect" | Pink Pink (singer) Alecia Beth Moore , better known by her stage name Pink , is an American singer-songwriter, musician and actress.... |
3. Metaclouds | |
| "M-80 (Explosive Energy Movement)" | Papa Roach Papa Roach Papa Roach is an American rock band from Vacaville, California. Their first major-label release was the triple-platinum album Infest . The group's success continued with their gold album Lovehatetragedy , their platinum album Getting Away with Murder , The Paramour Sessions , and Metamorphosis... |
3. Metaclouds | |
| "What's Going On" | Mekon with Roxanne Shante Roxanne Shanté Roxanne Shanté is an American hip-hop pioneer. Born and raised in the Queensbridge Projects, Shanté first gained attention through the Roxanne Wars and her association with the Juice Crew.... |
3. Metaclouds | |
| "Rockit (2.002 Remix) Rockit "Rockit" is a song recorded by Herbie Hancock. It was released as a single from his 1983 album Future Shock. The song was written by Hancock, bass guitarist Bill Laswell, and synthesizer/drum machine programmer Michael Beinhorn.-History:... " |
Herbie Hancock Herbie Hancock Herbert Jeffrey "Herbie" Hancock is an American pianist, bandleader and composer. As part of Miles Davis's "second great quintet," Hancock helped to redefine the role of a jazz rhythm section and was one of the primary architects of the "post-bop" sound... with Mixmaster Mike, Grand Mixer DXT Grand Mixer DXT Grand Mixer DXT is an American turntablist. He was formely known as Grand Mixer D.ST. "D.ST" is a reference to Manhattan, New York City's Delancey Street on the Lower East Side... , Rob Swift Rob Swift Rob Swift is an American hip hop DJ and turntablist. Swift is a former member of the turntablist group The X-Ecutioners as of late 2005 and as of 2006; with Mike Patton’s project Peeping Tom.-Early life:... , Q*Bert, Babu DJ Babu DJ Babu is a Filipino-American DJ. One-third of the hip hop group Dilated Peoples , Babu is also a member of the Beat Junkies DJ crew, and together with rapper Defari forms the duo the Likwit Junkies. DJ Babu, Evidence and Pharoahe Monch also feature in the song H! Vltg3 on Linkin Park's... , Faust, Shortee |
3. Metaclouds | |
| "Rockstar" | The Production Club | 3. Metaclouds | |
| "Cool Baby" | DJ HMX Kasson Crooker Kasson Crooker is an American electronic musician, composer, and the artist behind Symbion Project, his solo moniker. He also works collaboratively in The Planets Won't Let You Sleep Tonight and his past bands are Freezepop, Splashdown, Larkspur, and Sirensong... with Plural |
4. Elektro Kore | |
| "Kimosabe" | BT BT (musician) Brian Wayne Transeau is a classically trained and Grammy-nominated American music producer, composer, audio technician, multi-instrumentalist, singer and songwriter better known by his stage name, BT. He is an artist in the electronic genre... with Wildchild Wildchild (rapper) Jack Brown, better known by his stage name Wildchild, is a rapper and member of the Lootpack. He has released two solo albums. The first, Secondary Protocol, released on Stones Throw Records, featured contributions from Oh NO, Percee P, Medaphoar, Planet Asia, Aceyalone, and Phil da Agony, and... |
4. Elektro Kore | |
| "Nitro Narcosis" | Manchild | 4. Elektro Kore | |
| "I Am Hated" | Slipknot Slipknot (band) Slipknot is an American heavy metal band from Des Moines, Iowa. Formed in 1995, the group was founded by percussionist Shawn Crahan and bassist Paul Gray... |
4. Elektro Kore | |
| "Push" | Game Boyz | 4. Elektro Kore | |
| "The Rock Show The Rock Show "The Rock Show" is the first single from Blink 182's 2001 album Take Off Your Pants and Jacket. It was released in June 2001. The song was the most successful song on Take Off Your Pants and Jacket, peaking at #2 on the Billboard Modern Rock chart, #71 on the Billboard Hot 100, and #14 on the UK... " |
Blink-182 Blink-182 Blink-182 is an American rock band consisting of vocalist and bass guitarist Mark Hoppus, vocalist and guitarist Tom DeLonge, and drummer Travis Barker. They have sold over 27 million albums worldwide since forming in Poway, California in 1992... |
5. Blastlands | |
| "Sub Culture (Dieselboy Dieselboy Dieselboy is the stage name of Damian Higgins, an American drum and bass DJ, producer, remixer, founder of the Human Imprint music label, and co-founder of its sublabel SubHuman : Human Imprint which launched in September 2010... + Kaos Rock Remix)" |
Styles of Beyond Styles of Beyond Styles of Beyond is an underground rap group from the San Fernando Valley of Los Angeles, California. The group consists of MCs Ryan Patrick Maginn and Takbir Bashir , Colton Raisin Fisher , and producer Jason Rabinowitz . They have released two LPs, one mixtape and were heavily featured on Mike... |
5. Blastlands | |
| "Out the Box" | Akrobatik Akrobatik Akrobatik is a rapper from the Dorchester neighborhood of Boston, Massachusetts. He has collaborated numerous times with many fellow Boston rappers , and recently formed a hip hop collective named The Perceptionists with Mr. Lif and DJ Fakts One.... vs. Symbion Project Kasson Crooker Kasson Crooker is an American electronic musician, composer, and the artist behind Symbion Project, his solo moniker. He also works collaboratively in The Planets Won't Let You Sleep Tonight and his past bands are Freezepop, Splashdown, Larkspur, and Sirensong... |
5. Blastlands | |
| "Synthesized" | Symbion Project | 5. Blastlands | |
| "Robot Rockerz" | Komputer Kontroller Kasson Crooker Kasson Crooker is an American electronic musician, composer, and the artist behind Symbion Project, his solo moniker. He also works collaboratively in The Planets Won't Let You Sleep Tonight and his past bands are Freezepop, Splashdown, Larkspur, and Sirensong... |
5. Blastlands | |
| "Spaztik" | Cosmonaut Zero Kasson Crooker Kasson Crooker is an American electronic musician, composer, and the artist behind Symbion Project, his solo moniker. He also works collaboratively in The Planets Won't Let You Sleep Tonight and his past bands are Freezepop, Splashdown, Larkspur, and Sirensong... |
5. Blastlands |
Reception
- Game RevolutionGame RevolutionGame Revolution or GR is a gaming website created in 1996. Based in Berkeley, California, the site includes reviews, previews, a gaming download area, cheats, and a merchandise store, as well as webcomics, screenshots, and videos...
- B - GameSpotGameSpotGameSpot is a video gaming website that provides news, reviews, previews, downloads, and other information. The site was launched in May 1, 1996 by Pete Deemer, Vince Broady and Jon Epstein. It was purchased by ZDNet, a brand which was later purchased by CNET Networks. CBS Interactive, which...
- 8.8/10 (great) - GameSpyGameSpyGameSpy Industries, Inc., known simply as GameSpy, is a division of IGN Entertainment, which operates a network of game websites and provides online video game-related services and software. GameSpy dates back to the 1996 release of an internet Quake server search program named QSpy. The current...
- 79/100 - GameZoneGameZoneGameZone is an American multiplatform video game website. GameZone's daily coverage includes reviews, previews, news, hints & cheats, and editorials. Additionally, GameZone offers downloads, a child-targeted website and in association with GameStop, hosts GZGameShop, an online retailer...
- 9.7/10 - IGNIGNIGN is an entertainment website that focuses on video games, films, music and other media. IGN's main website comprises several specialty sites or "channels", each occupying a subdomain and covering a specific area of entertainment...
- 9.3/10 - Game InformerGame InformerGame Informer is an American-based monthly magazine featuring articles, news, strategy, and reviews of popular video games and associated consoles. It was formed in August 1991, when FuncoLand started publishing a six-page magazine, free in all its retail locations...
- 8.75/10
Electronic Gaming Monthly
Electronic Gaming Monthly
Electronic Gaming Monthly is a bimonthly American video game magazine. It has been published by EGM Media, LLC. since relaunching in April of 2010. Its previous run, which ended in January 2009, was published by Ziff Davis...
scored the game 7.5/8/7.
- Gamerankings - Aggregate score of 85.30% (as of 10/21/10)