A City Sleeps may tend to favor its least interesting and impressive elements, but while it runs short, in its most accessible state it is also its most ingenious.
A City Sleeps2014
A City Sleeps
2014 Harmonix Music Systems62Worthwhile
Playtime
BriefTypically 1.5 hours
Playable on
- Steam DeckVerified
- Steam MachineVerified
Available on
- $9.99
Game modes
Details
- Launch
- September 4, 2014
- Developer
- Harmonix Music Systems
- Publisher
- Harmonix Music Systems
- Themes
- Genres
Overview
From the creator of Rock Band and Amplitude comes a fresh new approach to the traditional shoot 'em up! All the action is driven by an entrancing soundtrack- no beatmatching required. The Idol System introduces a tactical layer on top of proven shmup gameplay allowing for a range of play styles.
Screenshots
Reception
Press62
Players59
WorthwhileMediocre- Metacritic61from 11 reviews
- OpenCritic64from 8 reviews
A City Sleeps is a better experiment than it is a game for dedicated fans of rhythm games and shoot-'em-ups. The fusion makes for a game that sounds great on paper, but tying the shots so tightly with the predetermined rhythm makes for a less-than-satisfying experience. The difficulty spikes and haphazard way in which the power-ups are strewn about...
In the end I hate to say it, but I've never been so bored with a shooter before.
A City Sleeps is a great looking shooter with compelling mechanics, but it suffers under the weight of its ambitions and prohibitive difficulty.
A City Sleeps feels like a half-made game. Perhaps if they had a little more time or budget to add a few more Dreams, and even out the experience for players of all skill levels, it might have been something special. As it is, A City Sleeps is strictly for hardcore shoot-'em-up fans and people who are intensely curious about the future of rhythm games...