Keylocker needs you to play with rhythm and music to protect yourself and slam your enemies in its turn-based combat.
In this cyberpunk future, music is illegal (hence why the game can be pretty quiet at times). This makes Bobo, a singer and song writer, a perfect instrument for a revolution against those who would keep the people down and the tunes low. So, you’ll need to turn your musical talents (as well as those of your fellow rebels) against the regime that’s overtaken the world. Just…do it carefully at times. The trouble with you being a music-based rebel is that it makes you easy to find since you and your band are kinda loud.
Playing loud is the best way of laying down beatings on sinister agents, though. When you get into a fight, you’ll need to figure out the rhythm of you attacks and those of your foes. The game plays a bit like Mario & Luigi titles where you can hit the attack button with good timing to do more damage. Each attack (yours or those of your enemies) have specific movements and timings to them, though (and some musical themes) that you’ll want to learn if you want to do extra damage or protect yourself from incoming hits. This makes combat lively and tense as you try to get new enemy timings down. If you’re having trouble with that timing, you can easily repeat battles until you get it.
The vibrant, lighthearted designs make that combat even more entertaining in Keylocker. You’ll find yourself in fights against some interesting creature designs, adding even more fun to the fight as you figure out how to deal with their attacks. The rest of the world is equally appealing, and I highly enjoyed seeing the array of colorful, futuristic places as much as I got a kick out of the new creatures. Offering satisfying, challenging battles in a fun, yet serious look at a gloomy anti-music regime, it’s a fantastic time.
Keylocker will be made available today on the Nintendo eShop, PlayStation Store, Microsoft Store, and Steam.
About The Author
Joel Couture
Joel has been covering indie games for various sites including IndieGames.com, Siliconera, Gamasutra, Warp Door, CG Magazine, and more over the past seven years, and has written book-length studies on Undertale and P.T.. Joel is constantly on the lookout for digital experiences that push the boundaries of what games can be, and seeks to delve into the creative process, meanings, and emotion labor that goes into the work of artists worldwide.
