Rockband creators making musical first-person shooter – Chroma

The creators of Rock Band are making a musical first person arena shooter in a new game called Chroma. The announcement from Harmonix states their aims to create and reimagine the classic Arena FPS formula, “infusing fast-paced shooter action with music-driven gameplay.”

Harmonix is working with Hidden Path for this new entry. Harmonix is best known for its work on the Rock Band and Dance Central titles. While Hidden Path’s resume lists Counter Strike: GO and Defense Grid: The Awakening.

Harmonix is beginning to take applications for a limited Closed Alpha for the shooter, and interested parties can register at the Alpha Signup Page.

Below, you’ll find some of the key features announced for the upcoming title, as well as the announcement video for the game. Chroma will be available as a free-to-play game for PC on Valve’s Steam platform in 2014.

Chroma Announcement Trailer

About Chroma

• Music-driven FPS gameplay – Music matters. Chroma features innovative first-person shooter mechanics that tie the game’s soundtrack directly to combat, traversal, and more.
• Music is your weapon – Unleash streams of sound and music with your arsenal and bring the musical landscape to life in battle! From deep wobbling bass to the crunch of an electric guitar, crushing metal drums to poppy synths, choose a weapon load-out that reflects your musical tastes and personal style and take your sounds into battle.
• Band together – Your team is your band: Join up with your friends and battle for glory.. Master multiple classes, each with their own unique musical gameplay mechanics and perks, and lead your team to victory.
• Conquer shifting terrain – “Change Ups” at major musical moments dramatically alter the landscape of the battlefield in real time both physically and strategically, raising sniper towers, adding cover, and more in sync with the music.
• Free-to-play, but not “pay-to-win” – Free to jump in and play with deep customization, but smartly designed to preserve a fun and fair experience for all players.