When I posted the Super Hexagon soundtrack I hadn’t actually played the game itself, just heard the soundtrack. As such I didn’t talk about the music in the context of the gameplay, just imagined what it might be like. Since then I’ve played the game and can talk about the music properly.
It turns out I was entirely right, except for the pixels.
I won’t review Super Hexagon, since there’s nothing I can add to that discussion. The game is hypnotically addictive and immediately instills a “just one more turn” mentality that borders on pathological. The soundtrack though makes the game. It doesn’t just fit the gameplay, it enhances your ability to play. Fire the game up, play for a while. Then turn the audio off and play some more. The game becomes harder in the absence of the music. The mood, the rhythm, the timing, everything about the music complements the gameplay to such a degree that just having it there makes you a better player.
Aside from games where the music is an explicit part of the mechanics, such as Guitar Hero, I can’t name a single game where the music is such an integral part of the game without being strictly essential. Terry Cavanagh and Chipzel have come together to make something unique, wonderful and horrifyingly addictive.