STARSHIP DISCO
Saturday flight fever awaits
Be wary of neck strain and fatigue,” the main menu warns. “Not to worry, Starship Disco – my neck is as sturdy as a century-old oak tree,” I think. What a fool. Zip ahead 25 minutes after firing up this jaunty take on Guitar Hero meets Rez Infinite, and I’m begging for a neck brace.
Blame it on my terminal lack of rhythm, but I find keeping up with Starship Disco’s brand of breakneck intergalactic shooting bloody hard. All right, ‘shooting’ isn’t the most accurate term. Technically, you do blast a load of spaceships as they come hurtling at you down a virtual reality wormhole, but lining up shots depends more on musical timing than it does your trigger finger.
Downing enough craft to keep the game’s song-length levels going is utterly dependent on your sense of rhythm. Each ship’s reticule corresponds to the beat. Misjudge a cue and you’ll miss the next four or five spaceships, ending your run. With so many craft flying towards you at such a rapid pace, 1 it’s all too easy to lose your timing (and possibly your lunch as part of the bargain).
All seven levels can be played using PlayStation VR’s head-tracking to aim and a pad to fire; alternatively, you can play with either a single PS Move or a pair of motion controllers. Plump for the wands, and a ship appears in front of your face to make judging shots simpler. It’s a matter of personal taste; I find the added depth perception that comes from aiming with the headset more helpful.
If you can keep up with the tunes, 2 this is quite the sensory experience. But unless you’re blessed with serious rhythm, Starship Disco’s brutal beat will quickly overwhelm. Dave Meikleham