Symphonica

https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/symphonica-for-ipad/id559645118?mt=8
Free

• Category: Games
• Released: Oct 18, 2012
• Version: 1.0.0
• Size: 267 MB
• Language: English
• Seller: SQUARE ENIX Co., Ltd.
• © 2012 SQUARE ENIX CO., LTD. All Rights Reserved.

Rated 4+

Requirements: Compatible with iPad. Requires iOS 5.0 or later.

https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/symphonica/id556744011?mt=8
Free

• Category: Games
• Released: Oct 18, 2012
• Version: 1.0.0
• Size: 275 MB
• Language: English
• Seller: SQUARE ENIX Co., Ltd.
• © 2012 SQUARE ENIX CO., LTD. All Rights Reserved.

Rated 4+

Requirements: Compatible with iPhone 3GS, iPhone 4, iPhone 4S, iPhone 5, iPod touch (3rd generation), iPod touch (4th generation), iPod touch (5th generation) and iPad. Requires iOS 5.0 or later.

Description
Symphonica is an entirely new breed of music game. Its breezy controls and tightly integrated gameplay give you a taste of what it’s like to be an up-and-coming conductor via a wholly unique gaming experience. Give Chapters 0 through 3 a try for absolutely free!

Featuring character design by Chinatsu Kurahana.
Supported platforms: iPhone 3GS, iPhone 4 and newer, iPod touch 3rd generation and newer

> Story
Einsatz, the city of music, founded by the legendary conductor Carlos and his companions and brought to where it is today by its citizens, the Audience. Talented musicians from around the world flock here with dreams of performing in King Hall at the top of Concerto Tower, which stands tall over the city.

Takt has come to Einsatz to pursue his own dream of becoming the world’s best conductor. Little did he know that he’d be in charge of the ramshackle Fayharmonic, an orchestra on the verge of collapse. Leaning on Takt as their last hope, the Fayharmonic and their new conductor set their sights on King Hall.

Thus begins the tale of Takt and his companions in song!

> Game Highlights
1.Not Your Usual Music Game
The lack of specially designated tapping “hot spots” gives you more freedom, allowing you to feel more of what it’s like to be a conductor.
Never-before-seen features like tempo shifts and real-time, control-linked volume changes put a fresh new spin on the music game genre (patent pending).

2.Tightly Integrated Gameplay and Story
Unlike games that let you pick and choose only the songs you like, Symphonica puts you in the role of a conductor honing the skills of his musicians. In this novel approach to the genre, the music game portion is organically integrated with the story, so you’ll be drawn in by the gripping plot while performing stunning classical pieces.

3.Go Even Further
Perform at higher score levels to increase your orchestra’s Fame and add new pieces to your repertoire.
Plus, once you’ve cleared a given song with a certain number of points, you can test your skill with a more challenging version of the song. It’s perfect for experienced music game aficionados!

4.A Treasure Trove of Classical Masterpieces
Featuring nearly 50 instantly recognizable songs (20 full performances and approximately 30 rehearsal pieces), including Dvorak’s New World Symphony and Beethoven’s Fifth. You might not necessarily know a piece’s name, but once you hear a few notes, you’ll be humming the whole thing!

- Pricing -
Chapters 0 through 3: Free
Chapters 4 and beyond & bonus episodes: $2.99 each
Chapters 4 through 7: $6.99 (4 chapters)
Chapters 8 through the Epilogue: $6.99 (4 chapters)
Set of bonus episodes: $6.99 (4 episodes)
All chapters plus bonus episodes: $14.99 (12 chapters)

My Thoughts
This is the pricing model of square enix's that I like. I get 1/4 the game free, I can either buy the rest of the game in 1/4 segments or get a discount price by purchasing the 3/4 of the game at one time. Square is continuing their romph in the musical rythym segment with this title in which you are the conductor and you make swipe jestures on your touch screen to the pace of a single chord that runs the top length of your screen. Taps, swipes up down left right, double taps and more are your method of conducting. The game play is largely flawless with the exception of the occasional non recognition of my swipes. The music is top notch, all classical. Graphics on par, everything is enjoyable. Missing is gamecenter (-.-) but the game is enjoyable to a point where I don't really mind. Note, you can swipe/tap anywhere on the screen, no need to hover over the notes in this title.

There is gobs of story here, its like taking the amount of story in your typical modern final fantasy and attaching it to guitar hero 'lite'.  Each chapter includes a good 10-15 minutes worth of reading with usually two 20 second training sessions and one full blown orchestra performance. The characters are very well drawn in the story segments, light and cartoony during the performance.

Your performance is based upon a combination of accuracy in tapping, amount of missed notes and your combo multiplier. All songs have multiple difficulties and during the 12 chapter story you will be playing the easy mode of each song. Once a chapter is complete that song becomes available in concert mode. A 'S' score or higher is required to unlock the higher difficulties of the songs in concert mode. Generally, 3 mistakes or less will get you a 'S' score. 2 mistakes gets an 'SS' and 1 mistake sometimes gets a 'SSS'. Sometimes probably determined by the length and complexity of the song played.

There are 20 songs in total. 11 are unlocked through the main story, 4 through bonus stages and the remaining are unlocked by fame level. Your fame level is the equivalent of your experience level in rpgs. you gain fame by performing well. Get enough fame and you level up. Level up and you get new song(s). As stated above earning an "S" is required for unlocking the higher difficulty levels of music but you also need to complete the entire main story if you want to be able to ever play on the hardest difficulty. You can not farm your fame up though. There is a fixed amount of fame available for each song on each difficulty. So if you play a song and "A" (and gain the fame for C, B and A) score it then return again and "SS" score it you will gain the amoung of fame for the S and SS score. This prevents song farming and forces you to practice and improve your abilities on all the music here. And to be honest, given the song list... totally worth it :)

The Song List:
1, Eine kleine Nachtmusik, Mozart
2, The Nutcracker, "Waltz of the Flowers", Tchaikovsky
3, Symphony No9, "From the New World", Dvorak
4, Carmen Suite No1, "Les Toreadors", Bizet
5, Serenade in C major, Op48, Tchaikovsky
6, Symphony No6, "Pastoral", Beethoven
7, William Tell, Overture, Rossini (hardest song in my opinion!)
8, L'arlesienne Suite No2, "Farandole", Bizet
9, The Planets, "Jupiter", Holst
10, "Pomp and Circumstance", Elgar
11, A Midsummer Night's Dream, "Wedding March", Mendelssohn
12, Tannhauser, Overture, Wagner
13, "Vltava (Moldau)", Smetana
14, "Raphsody in Blue", Gershwin
15, "Orphee aux enfers", Offenbach
16, Symphony No5, Beethoven
17, "1812 Overture", Tchaikovsky
18, Bwv 1068:II, "Air on a G String" by Bach

19, Espana by E. Chabrier

20,

There are 20 tracks in total according to the status screen, I'll fill in the final three when I unlock them. The songs are largely their full length versions though the wifey does point out that the long slow drawn out beginning of raphsody in blue was cut short.

This is one really relaxing enjoyable game and in my opinion totally worth the asking price. If Square can get gamecenter added and you know add even more music over time they'll have a long term hit on their hands. The ending credits in the main story suggest more content to come -fingers crossed-

Update 1 : Any songs you have completed/unlocked are available under music in game and can be played to your hearts content. Great for plugging your device in to your car for a long drive... sweet!

Update 2 : Thanks to SpotPKT for 18 and 19.