Chorus is a 2021 space combat game developed by Fishlabs and published by Deep Silver. The game was released for Luna, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Stadia, Windows, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S on 3 December 2021.
| Chorus | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Developer(s) | Fishlabs[a] |
| Publisher(s) | Deep Silver |
| Artist(s) | Kareem Leggett |
| Composer(s) | Pedro Macedo Camacho |
| Engine | Unreal Engine 4[1][2] |
| Platform(s) | |
| Release | 3 December 2021 |
| Genre(s) | Space combat |
| Mode(s) | Single-player |
Chorus received generally positive reviews from critics and failed to meet the sales expectations of Embracer Group.
Gameplay
editChorus is a space combat video game played from a third-person perspective. The game's protagonist, Nara, pilots a sentient starcraft known as Forsaken. Forsaken can be armed with a variety of weapons such as missile launchers, gatling guns and laser cannons. Forsaken also has three slots for mods, which can be used to alter the ship's performance in combat. The game is set in an open world, and the players can complete various optional quests. As Nara explores the world, she will encounter various ancient temples.[3] Upon exploring these temples and solving puzzles, Nara will gain aether powers that grant her new combat abilities. For instance, the "Rite of the Hunt" ability allows Forsaken to warp directly behind enemies.[4]
Synopsis
editNara (portrayed by Jess Chanliau, voiced by Cassie Bradley), a top pilot with a checkered past, and her sentient starfighter Forsaken must work together to defeat the Circle, an oppressive cult led by the Great Prophet who seeks to dominate the whole universe.[5]
Development
editChorus was developed by Fishlabs, which is most known for developing the Galaxy on Fire series for mobile devices. Development of the game commenced in 2017.[6] The game was announced on 7 May 2020 during Microsoft's Xbox 20/20 event.[7]
Reception
edit| Aggregator | Score |
|---|---|
| Metacritic | (PC) 76/100[8] (PS5) 73/100[9] (XSXS) 78/100[10] |
| Publication | Score |
|---|---|
| GamesRadar+ |    [11] |
| Hardcore Gamer | 4/5[12] |
| IGN | 8/10[13] |
| Push Square |   [14] |
| Shacknews | 7/10[15] |
Chorus received "generally favorable" reviews from critics, while the PS5 version received "mixed or average" reviews, according to review aggregator website Metacritic.[8][9][10] The game won Best German Game at Deutscher Computerspielpreis in 2022.[16]
Jon Bailes of GamesRadar+ wrote that the game "conjured the feel of a good Star Wars scene," praising its ship designs, space battles, controls, and special powers while criticizing the bland story and bad bosses. Dan Stapleton of IGN praised the game's scenery and dogfights while calling the story "respectable even though it threatens to drown you in lore." Ollie Reynolds of Push Square praised the slick combat, DualSense feedback, side missions and accessibility options while criticizing the poor dialogue, low framerate, and in-game map.
In February 2022, Embracer Group (parent company of Deep Silver) revealed that Chorus had failed to meet sales expectations.[17]
Accolades
edit| Date | Award | Category | Nominee(s) | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| November 16, 2022 | Hollywood Music in Media Awards | Best Original Score – Video Game | Pedro Macedo Camacho | Won | [18][19][20]
|
| Best Original Song – Video Game | Pedro Macedo Camacho, Vocals performed by Úyanga Bold | Nominated |
Notes
edit- ^ The game is co-developed with Dambuster Studios.
References
edit- ^ Crecente, Brian. "Unreal helped shape space-combat game Chorus". unrealengine.com. Retrieved 3 July 2024.
- ^ "Chorus". moddb.com. Retrieved 3 July 2024.
- ^ Reeves, Ben (September 23, 2021). "Chorus Looks To Reinvent The Space Shooter". Game Informer. Archived from the original on September 23, 2021. Retrieved September 24, 2021.
- ^ Castle, Katharine (September 23, 2021). "Chorus is an exhilarating space combat shooter with a rhythm all its own". Rock, Paper, Shotgun. Archived from the original on September 23, 2021. Retrieved September 24, 2021.
- ^ Severin, Tobias (May 7, 2020). "Chorus, a New Space Combat Shooter, is Coming to Xbox Series X in 2021". Archived from the original on October 25, 2021. Retrieved September 24, 2021.
- ^ Yin-Poole, Wesley (May 7, 2020). "What it's like to develop a game for Xbox Series X - according to the creator of Chorus". Eurogamer. Archived from the original on September 24, 2021. Retrieved September 24, 2021.
- ^ DeAngelis, Marc (May 7, 2020). "'Chorus' is a space shooter about a pilot and her sentient ship". Engadget. Archived from the original on October 28, 2021. Retrieved September 24, 2021.
- ^ a b "Chorus for PC Reviews". Metacritic. Archived from the original on December 4, 2021. Retrieved December 11, 2021.
- ^ a b "Chorus for PlayStation 5 Reviews". Metacritic. Red Ventures. Archived from the original on December 5, 2021. Retrieved December 7, 2021.
- ^ a b "Chorus for Xbox Series X Reviews". Metacritic. Red Ventures. Archived from the original on February 27, 2023. Retrieved December 7, 2021.
- ^ Bailes, Jon (3 December 2021). "Chorus review: "Conjures the feel of a good Star Wars scene"". GamesRadar. Archived from the original on 3 December 2021. Retrieved 4 December 2021.
- ^ Bohn, Jason (3 December 2021). "Review: Chorus". Hardcore Gamer. Archived from the original on 3 December 2021. Retrieved 4 December 2021.
- ^ Stapleton, Dan (4 December 2021). "Chorus Review". IGN. Archived from the original on 4 December 2021. Retrieved 4 December 2021.
- ^ Reynolds, Ollie (3 December 2021). "Mini Review: Chorus (PS5) - Stunning Space Exploration with Slick Combat". Push Square. Archived from the original on 3 December 2021. Retrieved 4 December 2021.
- ^ Jarrard, Chris (3 December 2021). "Chorus review: Breaking the circle". Shacknews. Archived from the original on 3 December 2021. Retrieved 4 December 2021.
- ^ Gameswirtschaft (2022-03-31). "Deutscher Computerspielpreis 2022: Chorus ist bestes deutsches Spiel". GamesWirtschaft.de (in German). Retrieved 2024-06-21.
- ^ Harradence, Michael (17 February 2022). "Saber Interactive Has 7 AAA Projects In Development, Chorus Did Not Meet Financial Expectations". PlayStation Universe. Retrieved 2023-04-18.
- ^ "2022 HMMA Nominations". Hollywood Music in Media Awards. Retrieved November 3, 2022.
- ^ Grein, Paul (November 3, 2022). "Rihanna, Lady Gaga, & More Nominated for 2022 Hollywood Music in Media Awards: Full List". Billboard. Retrieved November 3, 2022.
- ^ Anderson, Erik (November 3, 2022). "'Black Panther', 'Bros', 'Everything Everywhere All at Once', 'Guillermo del Toro's Pinocchio' lead Hollywood Music in Media Awards (HMMA) nominations". AwardsWatch. Retrieved November 3, 2022.