Harmonix announces musical, FPS mash-up in Chroma

Harmonix has recently announced a new IP that seems to marry the disciplines of Rhythm Gaming and FPS combat, but will it all work out in the end?


Published: February 19, 2014 11:00 AM /

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Chroma Concept Art

Harmonix is working on a musical, first-person shooter called Chroma; it has been announced this week. The company that brought you Rock Band and Guitar Hero is now combining its musical talents and expertise with the world of gunshots and grenade explosions. This is a pretty unique combination, and it's not exactly something that most developers will have a history of working on, so how is this going to work?

“Completely reimagining the classic Arena FPS formula, Chroma infuses fast-paced PC shooter action with music-driven gameplay. Join the fight as a Fader, a musical icon of the future, and battle for control of the all-encompassing cultural feed known as The Signal. In Chroma, music is your weapon. Sound is your arsenal,”

the developer’s website boasts.

The early signs and snippets from Harmonix do seem to match up to the hype. The game is in very early Alpha as it stands, with a lottery-type system in place for players wanting to get their hands on the revolutionary game plus help in its development. Just click here for details.(UPDATE: The beta application process is now closed, so you'll have to wait for the full game release to play it. 

The footage that has been released by Harmonix shows concept art of how the game will look and feel upon completion. If the developers manage to pull off this musical-shooter hybrid, the visual effects will be sensational. Even the name 'Chroma' is Greek for colorfulness or perception of color, which the latest footage suggests will be a major graphic influence in how the game is played and created. The trailer shows huge bursts of color emitting from the weapons in the game, whilst also discharging a flurry of musical notes.

Players will apparently be able to use the music to change the arena to their advantage, with bonus points being scored for creating a perfect harmonious melody. It does seem strange to be using words like harmonious in a FPS, but it looks like Harmonix are willing to push the boundaries on this one. The world and the internet is watching and listening.

Chroma will be free to play and Multiplayer, releasing on PC via steam later this year.

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I'm a part time programmer and full time gaming fanatic. When I'm not busy building virtual Empires and puzzling through adventure games, I write… More about Melissa