Striking A Chord
HIGH Lovely soundtrack and picturesque landscapes.
LOW I would love more music interface in my music game.
WTF Crazy glitches make for awesome in-game screenshots.
Symphonia first materialized as a student project in 2020, and after just a few years, has transformed into something quite impressive for a title with such humble beginnings. Developed by Sunny Peak and published by Headup, Symphonia is a musical platformer that stars Philemon, an avian (I’m pretty sure?) violinist extraordinaire tasked with bringing the sprawling land of Symphonia back to life after music unexpectedly vanishes from the land.
in this 2D platformer, Philemon mostly gets around by using their violin bow to jump around. It acts as a skewer of sorts that allows them to stick themselves into pillows, platforms, and hanging fixtures. With each successful leap, Philemon is catapulted even further, motivating players to develop a rhythm that allows them to move seamlessly from place to place.
Although the gameplay mechanics are pretty straightforward, they are by no means easy. Many levels have sections requiring synchronized movements, including jumping, swinging from place to place, rappelling, and even freefalling when the time is right. These mechanics can be tough, but Symphonia‘s lack of combat makes it a bit less challenging overall than other platformers of its kind.
In certain spots Philemon must stop jumping and play their violin to get platforms moving, uncover hidden items and reunite missing orchestra musicians. I loved this mechanic because it encouraged me to slow down, breathe, and listen to Philemon’s lovely violin playing — their solos are intricate, with many variations to listen to.
There are also special items that players can collect if they so choose, some of which unlock interesting abilities.
For instance, teardrop-shaped memory fragments not only grant Philemon new abilities from the start menu such as a double-jump and slow-motion movement, but they also unlock images that help players interpret past events that occurred in the land of Symphonia. Interestingly enough, there’s not much lore to be discovered regarding these past events — most images depict the first chair musicians abandoning the land, but the circumstances that led to their departure are never disclosed. This is, perhaps, one of the weaker points of Symphonia‘s overarching narrative.
In terms of its campaign, Symphonia is comprised of four areas, along with a home base location called the Heart of Symphonia.
Each area contains a landscape that aligns with a musical instrument, and each level’s musical score mirrors the featured instrument — a satisfying artistic choice. I was particularly excited to see how strings were depicted, and String Meadows features glittery (and dangerous) shooting stars that litter its sprawling hills. When Philemon happens upon the cellist who inhabits the meadows, they play music together that shifts the setting of the level from night to day, to dawn, and to dusk. I adored String Meadows, and its attention to detail was a delight to experience.
While there’s no denying that Symphonia’s landscapes are visually stunning, the musical score is where Symphonia truly shines.
Composed by Olivier Esman and performed by the Scoring Orchestra Paris, Symphonia’s music is inspired by the Romantic period. Each level clearly conveys the drama associated with the music of that age, and each musical piece is sonically interesting. However, although I generally enjoyed my playthrough, I would have loved to see at least one level where the game mechanics were rhythmically aligned with the musical score.
While Symphonia is predominantly a platformer, some mechanics are reminiscent of the metroidvania genre, where rhythm and intricacy are key to successful gameplay. Players often have to be very precise to adequately jump, fly, levitate (and so forth) from place to place, and it would have been awesome to see Symphonia’s precision-heavy gameplay merged with the tempo and percussion of its musical score, offering a more unified, embodied experience. That said, Symphonia’s soundtrack is impressive regardless, and Esman’s intentionality in crafting the score is abundantly clear.
Symphonia is an audiovisual masterpiece. It’s short, sweet, and just challenging enough to keep even the most seasoned players on their toes. I look forward to returning to Symphonia’s magical soundscape when I need to feel inspired, and I am excited to see what Sunny Peak has in store for the future.
Rating: 8 out of 10
–Taylor Pryor
Disclosures: This game was developed by Sunny Peak and published by Headup Games. It is currently available on PS4/5, Switch, PC, and XBO/S/X. This game copy was obtained via publisher, and reviewed on PS5. Approximately six hours were devoted to the game, and it was completed. There is no multiplayer mode.
Parents: This game is rated E. There is Mild Fantasy Violence, which I assume occurs whenever Philemon dies, but there are no enemies to defeat and, therefore, no gratuitous or bloody battles.
Colorblind Modes: This game does not have colorblind modes.
Deaf & Hard of Hearing Gamers: The game offers subtitles, but they cannot be resized. Game speed can be changed, and players can change “screen shake effects” but there are no rumble cues, which could make gameplay difficult for Deaf and hard-of-hearing gamers. Therefore, this game is not fully accessible.
Remappable Controls: Yes, the game’s controls are remappable. Players can change the controller configuration or can opt for preset controls.
She is a lover of the RPG genre and a casual MMO player. When she isn’t writing, reading, or teaching, she can be found watching Elden Ring lore videos, playing some iteration of the Final Fantasy series, climbing rocks, or doing tarot readings.
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So this game was already on my wishlist because I was intrigued by all the music imagery, but from your review, I really don’t have a clearer idea of what the game is. Like I’m not any more likely to buy it, but I’m also not any more likely to take it off my wishlist.