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BOOTS AND CATS AND BOOTS AND CATS AND BOOTS AND CATS AND BUMBLEBEE BUMBLEBEE...
(For those of you who know a thing or two about beatboxing).
It took me almost 10 years to play this game myself, but not because I was hesitant or apprehensive, it just didn't happen and I was too distracted with other things. The first time I noticed the existence of this game, was when I was traveling by train for a gig in Hamburg (Funny coincidence, since Threaks was a studio located in Hamburg) and next to me and my partner sat a mother with her son who was nodding his head and grinning while playing something on his Wii.
As soon as we sat down with them, I was very curious about what he was playing, but I didn't want to be rude and the kid also had headphones on and I didn't want to interrupt him either, so as he was sitting directly opposite me, I couldn't catch a glimpse of the game but I wanted to find out what was going on. After a while, the boy finally took a break, put the console on his lap and accidentally kicked me under the table as his handheld almost slipped off. He looked at me and apologized very politely and there was my chance to ask...
I could tell the story in even more detail and go into what the boy told me about the game back then and what he liked and didn't like about it, but who really cares about that? right? You probably just want to know whether I can recommend Beatbuddy Tale of the Guardians or not, which I definitely do if you are looking for a little fun and charming musical adventure, in a wonderful looking world with its groovy captivating gameplay. The game features 6 distinct levels, each with 5 chapters that are implemented with great creativity in terms of audiovisual presentation and level design.
And musically, there's entertaining and driving electroswing to enjoy.
Beatbuddy Swing by Parov Stelar is a kinda signature work of the Austrian producer and provides an immediate boost into the game and makes your foot bounce. The song Love Swing by Sabrepulse is just as dynamic and brimming with energy. It incorporates more chiptune elements, which is hardly surprising for those familiar with the artist's style, and also fits in perfectly here. The next one takes on a more soulful turn and is one of my personal highlights of the soundtrack. Lost In Yesterday by Europa Deep is a beautiful dreamy acid-jazz song with equally captivating vocals. Fancy more Jamiroquai or Prince vibes? Then here's my next favorite: I'm Your Star by Curtis Newton, probably the guy from Munich who stole Captain Future's name ; )
I have to say at this point that what he usually does is not my cup of tea at all, I'm so not into deep house and techno, and although the song copies patterns and styles extremely, but it's a good one and here it works wonderfully. You Are The One by La Rochelle Band shifts again to a more electronic stomping sytle, it’s likely the soundtrack needed a kinda classic four-to-the-floor track, which I can understand and totally accept. Stingin' Swing by Austin Wintory bears some similarities to the previous one but stands out way more with its own distinct flair. It's packed with a variety of sounds, instruments, and shifting patterns. The blend of these elements with the classically sung vocals creates an epic and captivating listening experience.
I had plenty of fun during my time there in Symphonia, and even though opinions and feelings on the spin-off are quite divided, I’ll soon be playing Beatbuddy On Tour as well. Something else I can imagine is a sequel: Beatbuddy Remixed.
I could come up with tons of ideas right now, but unfortunately it will probably never happen, which is a shame because a game like Beatbuddy is something for young and old children who love those kind of games. Well, if you had the game on your list for a long time like I did or just discovered and now decided to play it, I can only hope that it gives you as much pleasure as it did for me.