There are only a few games that have been able to move me emotionally. In every situation, it’s something related to the narrative the title is presenting. AVICII Invector is a rhythm game, a genre which I would consider very unlikely to give me an emotional reaction. Yet here we are, a rhythm game has moved me.
AVICII Invector
Developer: Hello There Games
Price: $19.99
Platform: PC, PS4, Switch, and Xbox One
MonsterVine was supplied with a PS4 code for review
AVICII Invector from Hello There Games is a highly involved rhythm game whose library of songs center around the works of EDM artist Tim Bergling (known more commonly by his moniker Avicii). When I start the first song of AVICII Invector I’m greeted with a message:
“In loving memory of Tim Bergling” issues the beginning of my journey through a library of songs that serve as highlights to Bergling’s upsettingly short career. The gameplay involves pressing face buttons to the beat while quickly moving a starship onto adjusting tracks. Sometimes these tracks change to a triangle that I have to rotate with the analogue stick. Occasionally the gameplay as a whole transitions and has me soaring through rings in gorgeous neon cityscapes, colorful forests, and muted mountain ranges. As someone who has had a significant amount of experience with rhythm games, I’m able to understand the mechanics of the game easily and found the variety refreshing. There are three difficulty modes, and there was an appropriate amount of challenge on Medium difficulty.
AVICII Invector features a well-curated selection of Bergling’s music, with a 25 song library that can be played in both single-player and multiplayer modes. The curation is as great as I would have wanted it to be, featuring a broad selection of Bergling’s greatest hits such as Waiting For Love, Levels, and Wake Me Up. After finishing select songs, short cutscenes play that frame a story centered around the protagonist, a female space pilot. It’s not a particularly rich story, but the vignettes flow together cohesively to craft a meaningful narrative about finding the courage to move past loss.
The visuals in AVICII Invector construct a euphoric collection of sight and sound. The better I do, the faster the lanes seem (with the rhythm staying the same). Alongside the added visual effects the game forces me to focus on the beat. When I’m feeling brave (after filling up a meter), I shake the controller to give the spaceship a temporary boost that kicks the visuals and speed into higher gear; providing a score multiplier.
By the time I reach the selection that includes songs from his posthumous album, “TIM,” I’m in a fairly raw place emotionally from this revisitation of Bergling’s music. The final song in the game is Fades Away, a piece that features Swedish singer Noonie Bao. Playing through it, and soaring one last time through a more visually subtle area of the game called Oblivion I was overwhelmed by the combination of sweeping vocals and colors.
In terms of longevity, it took me around 3 hours to complete the entirety of AVICII Invector’s collection of music. As I completed each song, I also gained access to their harder counterparts. The skill-ceiling is moderately high and required me to practice and memorize sections in order to get higher grades. It will take me a while to fully master each of these tracks, and thanks to an online leaderboard I’m motivated to keep attempting to raise my score higher.
The Final Word
When you purchase a copy of AVICII Invector, a part of the royalties go to The Tim Bergling Foundation. A non-profit whose focus is on advocating for mental health awareness which was established by Bergling’s parents after he tragically committed suicide in 2018. Apart from contributing to this benefit, AVICII Invector is a standout rhythm game worth your attention due to its unique mechanics, visuals, and story.
– MonsterVine Rating: 4.5 out of 5 – Great
