vib-ribbon

"An absorbing treat for gameplay bemani lovers"

When the PlayStation was showing signs of lacking “original” concepts, developers began to look to Japan for new concepts of play. One of the surprise hits was Vib Ribbon.
You see, like all bemani games, the concept is extremely simple. Press the buttons at the right time and rack up the points. This essentially is all that Vib Ribbon is. But as soon as you begin to play, it becomes so much more…
You are Vibri, a (very) poorly animated rabbit. Vibri walks along a (also poorly animated) tightrope. The tightrope is modified into shapes that flow towards you and these shapes are created by the music you are listening to. By pressing either down, X, L1 or R1, you can get climb over the shapes without hurting yourself. If you hurt yourself too much you are downgraded from a rabbit to a frog-type thing and then a snake. If you’re a snake and hurt yourself too much then, it’s game over! Your ultimate goal is to evolve into an angel and to do this you must clear a certain amount of shapes consecutively. It’s easier said than done…
With the game limited to 4 buttons, things look refreshingly simple. If a dip in the line is ahead, as soon as Vibri is about to step on it, you press the down button and Vibri steps over it. R1 is a circle, L1 a block and X a jagged wave. Some arrive slowly, others fast. Things don’t stay that simple for long.
Progress further and more problems arise. Shapes combine meaning that if a block with a circle on the top it appeared, you’d have to press L1 and R1 together! This now means that many combinations need to be remembered! Also, shapes come at different speeds, meaning some will overtake others on their way to you throwing you off guard. It all gets very frantic as almost impossible sequences fly towards you at high speed.
This is where Vib Ribbon hits its main fault. There is no learning curve, no “lifespan” or no levels. Apart from a couple of demo songs, it all depends on your CD collection. Lots of CD’s (and time) means a lengthy game, but if you only have a couple or don’t fancy the idea of listening and playing at the same time, then the game will become very tedious very quickly. Furthermore, the CD’s difficulty has no real consistency. There seems almost an element of randomness about CD’s, when the heaviest rock tune gives you the easiest tune ever, while a quiet piano song will throw a shape a second at you! The upside to this is that no two CD’s are the same, and if you like bemani, it can only get better by doing it to your favourite band.
If you’re after graphics galore and such, go elsewhere, this is a purist’s game through and through.

Reviewer's Score: 9/10, Originally Posted: 07/17/02, Updated 06/30/03