Opus: Rocket of Whispers[a] (stylized as OPUS: Rocket of Whispers) is a 2D adventure game developed by Taiwanese independent studio SIGONO. It is the second installment of the Opus series that began with Opus: The Day We Found Earth, and focuses on story and exploration, much like its predecessor. It was continued with Opus: Echo of Starsong.
| Opus: Rocket of Whispers | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Developer(s) | SIGONO |
| Publisher(s) | SIGONO |
| Engine | |
| Platform(s) | |
| Release |
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| Genre(s) | Adventure |
| Mode(s) | Single-player |
The story takes place after an apocalyptic plague in the distant future, and follows the journey of a witch and the son of a rocket engineer who set out to launch a space burial for the spirits whose lives were taken by the plague. The game was first released on September 14, 2017, for iOS and Android,[1][2][3][4][5] with the macOS and Windows versions coming to Steam on February 8, 2018,[6][7][8] and the Nintendo Switch version coming on March 22, 2018.[9][10][11][12][8]
Gameplay
editOpus: Rocket of Whispers is a third person adventure game where players explore the world through a top-down view. Story progression is unlocked in the form of dialogues, item descriptions, and cutscenes as players reach further areas or pick up key items. In Crafting in order to build a rocket for the space burial, players control John, the son of a rocket engineer, to explore and find material throughout the wasteland. As he explores further, players will craft equipment to help him gain access to new areas. These areas often hold key items that John will bring back to Fei Lin, the witch. Players then control Fei to convert the items into rocket components, which will be used to build and launch the rocket. As players search for material, they will come across areas with buildings and ruins that can be explored for artifacts. The dialogue and descriptions these artifacts unlock provide clues as to what happened before and during the apocalyptic plague. Dialogue between John and Fei about their past can also be unlocked as players complete each rocket component.[13]
Plot
editOpus: Rocket of Whispers takes place after an apocalyptic plague in the distant future. Being the only survivor among his family and friends, John Mason, the son of a rocket engineer, spends most of his days in his family's rocket factory. Haunted by the memories of his loved ones, John lived for years in isolation, leaving him jaded and cynical, until one day, on his way out, he runs into a witch who only recently awoke from cryogenic sleep.
Fei Lin, the witch, is a survivor of the Church of Earthology, a religion that worships the blue planet, and has a long tradition of holding space burials for the deceased by launching their spirits into the cosmos to bring them peace. Despite his initial distrust, Fei convinces John to assist her in launching a space burial by offering him relief from his grief.[14]
Music
editThe original soundtrack of Opus: Rocket of Whispers was digitally released on September 14, 2017, on Bandcamp[15]
The digital soundtrack includes a collection of 42 songs from the game, with 1 additional bonus track. All tracks are written, performed, produced and mixed by Triodust, mastered by Hsu, Chia-Wei.[15]
Track Listing (Digital)
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Rocket of Whispers" | |
| 2. | "Once Upon a Space Burial" | |
| 3. | "The Plague" | |
| 4. | "I Hear You" | |
| 5. | "Post-Plague" | |
| 6. | "Good Night I" | |
| 7. | "Everyone Has Left" | |
| 8. | "Opus Rocket Factory" | |
| 9. | "Just Let Me Be" | |
| 10. | "Space Burial Launch Site" | |
| 11. | "A Broken Bridge" | |
| 12. | "The Witch" | |
| 13. | "Don’t Leave Me Here" | |
| 14. | "Good Night II" | |
| 15. | "Town of Malkuth" | |
| 16. | "Calm" | |
| 17. | "New Malkuth Mine" | |
| 18. | "Fei Lin" | |
| 19. | "Fei Lin - Childhood" | |
| 20. | "Requiem" | |
| 21. | "Prepare for Launch 14" | |
| 22. | "Failure" | |
| 23. | "Doubt" | |
| 24. | "For What" | |
| 25. | "Hetmis City I" | |
| 26. | "A Brief Visit" | |
| 27. | "Prepare for Launch 18" | |
| 28. | "Good Night III" | |
| 29. | "Dissonance" | |
| 30. | "Hetmis City II" | |
| 31. | "Coward" | |
| 32. | "My Fault" | |
| 33. | "How Long Must I Wait" | |
| 34. | "Alone Again" | |
| 35. | "I Miss You" | |
| 36. | "Wonderful World" | |
| 37. | "End of the Bridge" | |
| 38. | "We Are Here" | |
| 39. | "To Celebrate, and Say Goodbye" | |
| 40. | "Rocket of Hope" | |
| 41. | "Thank the Cosmos for Bringing Us Together" | |
| 42. | "21 grams ft. Fei Lin" | |
| 43. | "Mortician of the End" |
Reception
edit| Aggregator | Score |
|---|---|
| Metacritic | NS: 72/100[16] |
According to review aggregator website Metacritic, it has a score of 72/100.[16] The game has received multiple awards and recognitions, including Google Play Editors’ Choice,[17] “Excellence in Art” at the 2016 International Mobile Gaming Awards Southeast Asia.[18] “Best Upcoming Game” at the 2018 International Mobile Gaming Awards China[19] and “Best Narration” at the 2018 Taipei Game Show Indie Game Awards.[20]
Notes
editReferences
edit- ^ "Third-person adventure OPUS: Rocket of Whispers arrives on iOS and Android September 14th". Pocket Gamer.
- ^ "OPUS: Rocket of Whispers now available for your Android device". ANDROID COMMUNITY.
- ^ "【新作】世界観が秀逸！死者の魂を宇宙へと返すアドベンチャー『OPUS 魂の架け橋』". Famitsu.
- ^ "Get Ready for an Emotional Ride in OPUS: Rocket of Whispers". AppAdvice.
- ^ "《OPUS：靈魂之橋》正式於雙平台同步推出 向天空發射乘載靈魂的火箭". 巴哈姆特電玩資訊站.
- ^ Robson, Daniel (2018-01-30). "Taiwanese Games at Taipei Game Show 2018". IGN. Retrieved 2018-04-09.
- ^ "SFアドベンチャー「OPUS：魂の架け橋」のPC版がSteamで2月5日にリリース". 4Gamer.net.
- ^ a b "台灣團隊 PC 作品《OPUS：靈魂之橋》今正式發售 透露 NS 版本資訊". 巴哈姆特.
- ^ Kunzelman, Cameron. "The Week In Games: Get Ready For Boats". Kotaku. Retrieved 2018-04-09.
- ^ "Feature: Aiming For The Stars With OPUS: Rocket Of Whispers Developer SIGONO". Nintendo Life. 2018-03-23. Retrieved 2018-04-09.
- ^ Flyhigh Works Official Channel (2018-03-12), [Nintendo Switch] OPUS: Rocket of Whispers Trailer - ESRB, retrieved 2018-04-09
- ^ "「OPUS 魂の架け橋」がSteamで配信開始。日本語Switch版も3月にリリース決定". 4Gamer.net.
- ^ "Backlog Critic". App Store. Archived from the original on February 22, 2018. Retrieved February 15, 2018.
- ^ "OPUS". Retrieved March 22, 2018.
- ^ a b "OPUS: Rocket of Whispers (Original Soundtrack)". Bandcamp.
- ^ a b "OPUS: Rocket of Whispers for Switch Reviews". Metacritic. CBS Interactive. Retrieved June 8, 2018.
- ^ "Editors' Choice OPUS: Rocket of Whispers". Google Play.
- ^ "WINNERS & NOMINEES 2ND IMGA SEA". International Mobile Gaming Awards. Archived from the original on 2018-01-31. Retrieved 2018-02-01.
- ^ "獲獎＆入圍名單". IMGA China. Archived from the original on 2018-01-30. Retrieved 2018-02-01.
- ^ "Indie Game Award Winners". 2018 Taipei Game Show.