Klang Resonated With Us At PAX West
Despite all the big showings at PAX West, the event is known almost just as much as it is for its variety of Indie titles that are on display. On the top floor, you could partake in a variety of indie titles of all shapes, sizes and genres, and Klang is one title you’ll regret not getting to try out. A mix of neon-infused graphics, pumping music and tight rhythmic controls make this one heck of an indie title, and Klang is helmed by an incredibly talented two man team.
Klang takes place in a futuristic world, where music is as much a source of enjoyment as it is a dangerous weapon. You assume the role of a nameless “Rave Warrior” who makes use of two tuning forks to revolt against what seems to be a pretty harsh ruler. Klang may be light on the story, but it isn’t here to tug at your heart. It’s here to blow your ears away, and it does it almost effortlessly. bLiND is a veteran of his craft, and it shows in the sound design. The tracks amp you up in true electronic fashion, and help you focus on the various challenges thrown at you throughout each level, keeping the idea of a rhythmic platformer close at heart. The soundtrack resonates incredibly well with the game-play, and this could only be achieved if both team-members bring their A-game, and bring it they did.
Everything is paced quite well, and levels will try to throw you off your rhythm as you successfully fend off danger and maintain your combo. You’ll run, jump, slash and dodge across all sorts of neon landscapes, and Tom-Ivar’s made sure that the gameplay doesn’t feel cheap. You’ll be blasting some serious combo chains as you jive with the music, and the gameplay is very responsive. You’ll use the face buttons to handle the four primary directions, and the right control stick to deal with any sort of diagonal attacks. As the game progresses more and more, the combinations get more and more intense, but you’ll be thumping your feet and zoning in like you wouldn’t believe. Each zone feels incredibly unique too from what I could tell, as what I’ll call “Neon-Buddhism” is definitely something that hasn’t been seen before in this industry. It’s got crisp colors that stand out, and it just oozes style.
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“Klang may be light on the story, but it isn’t here to tug at your heart. It’s here to blow your ears away, and it does it almost effortlessly.”
The title stood out to me as especially impressive in this case, as it’s only two hard-working, talented folks.. bLiND handled everything aural, from sounds to music. He took special care to make sure it all meshes together without interrupting the player. Tom-Ivar handled everything else. From graphics to gameplay to general art design, he’s an absolute beast of a developer. This title is very polished, and with such a small team you’d think Klang had more hands in the mix. It’s coming out very, very soon as well, and on September 22, 2016, you’ll be able to blast some excellent music and engage in some highly re-playable levels as you pursue those perfect scores.
Be sure to keep it locked on COGconnected for more info on Klang, but be sure to give Tom-Ivar and bLiND some love on twitter as well. You can head on over to the Steam page for more details on the game as well.
