Symphonia, a collaboration between Headup, Beep Japan, and Sunny Peak, invites players into a captivating 2D adventure where the mission is to restore the rhythm of a world that’s fallen silent. In this enchanting tale, sound is life’s critical essence, and silence spells disaster. When an automaton stumbles upon your mask, you’re resurrected to find and unite the musicians needed to save Symphonia. Meet Philemon, your character, who’s ready to leap into action before it’s too late!
You play as a gifted violinist whose musical prowess is your tool. Using your violin and bow, you’ll engage with various contraptions, awakening the dormant machinery around you. As you explore each handcrafted room, you’ll notice a myriad of details that give each space its unique personality. This backdrop sets the stage for your concerted efforts to breathe life back into the world around you.
Controlling Philemon is intuitive, with the left analog stick or D-Pad guiding movement and the X or Circle buttons used for jumping. The L2 and R2 buttons let you poke with your bow, launching you skyward—an essential skill for conquering the game’s complex platforming challenges. Mastering these controls allows you to gain additional height by bouncing when you pair jumping with a poke from your violin bow.
Wall jumping is another skill Philemon can employ, as well as using his violin’s bow mid-air to hit instruments that propel him farther, extending jumps. The Triangle button is your key to playing the violin, a crucial function for opening doors or mobilizing platforms to reach otherwise inaccessible areas. Once teleportation is unlocked, you can play the Wayfarer Tune with the Square button to revisit previous locations. Additional abilities unlock as you delve deeper into Philemon’s memories throughout your journey.
Philemon can gather Aura Shards through musical interactions at energy-emitting spots. Collecting these shards is pivotal, as accumulating enough will permanently enhance the aura your instrument projects, thereby unlocking new areas by activating distant mechanisms. The value of these upgrades can’t be overstated, as they open up further explorative opportunities.
The game’s soundtrack is a standout feature, aligning perfectly with its musical theme. Written by Olivier Esman alongside Alexandre Bucas-Français and Lou Corroyer, the orchestral score performed by the Scoring Orchestra Paris adds an immersive layer with its splendid strings, brass, and woodwinds.
As you venture, be vigilant for hidden spots which may contain fragments of Philemon’s memories or musical notes to collect. These notes are crucial for achieving 100% game completion, while his memories can unlock new abilities, enhancing your experience with skills like a double jump or the ability to slow down gameplay.
There’s a full trophy list, topped with a Platinum for dedicated achievers. This list includes 8 Bronze, 7 Silver, and 7 Gold trophies, tied to various tasks such as performing concerts with main characters, gathering musical notes, unlocking memories, and speedrunning through key milestones within the game’s rich tapestry.
In essence, Symphonia offers a delightful adventure filled with the quest to revive music, a theme central to the storyline. Priced at $19.99, it supports Cross-Buy, letting you enjoy both the PS4 and PS5 editions without additional expense. As Philemon, fulfilling your musical destiny is both an engaging challenge and a lyrical journey worth embarking on.
Symphonia was reviewed with a copy provided on PlayStation 5 by Headup.
