Pulse (full title: Pulse: Volume One) is a music game developed by Philadelphia-based studio Cipher Prime.[6] The game was released in 2011 for iPad[7] and in 2013 for Android. In June 2013 it was offered along with Aquaria, Organ Trail, Stealth Bastard Deluxe, and Fractal as part of the Humble Bundle with Android 6.[8]

Pulse: Volume One
Developer(s)Cipher Prime
EngineUnity[1][5]
Platform(s)iPad, Android
ReleaseiPad[1][2]
  • WW: 5 May 2011
Android[3][4]
  • WW: 18 June 2013
Genre(s)Music game
Mode(s)Single-player

Gameplay

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Pulse's interface displays a fixed set of concentric rings, and a colorful moving ring that radiates from the center of the screen. Circular nodes appear atop the concentric rings, and the player conducts music by tapping the nodes when the ring of color intersects them.[9]

Soundtrack

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The original Pulse: Volume One soundtrack was composed and recorded in-house by Cipher Prime co-founder Dain Saint and Kerry Gilbert.[6] In June 2011, an update to the game (Pulse: Philly is Golden) was released, introducing four new tracks by local Philadelphia artists.[10] A second update (Pulse: It's a Prime Christmas) was released in December 2011, adding another four tracks by Jim Guthrie, Leemus Music, 6955, and Doomcloud to the game.[11] The original soundtrack and the updates' tracks are available for download on Cipher Prime's website.[12]

Pulse: Volume One
No.TitleLength
1."Tutorial"1:07
2."Straylight"2:05
3."Low Tide"1:10
4."Sakura"2:00
5."Porcelain Doll"2:02
6."Let's Roll"1:40
7."Cinder"3:22
8."Cirrus"2:44
9."Catnip"1:40
10."High Roller"1:43
11."Sahara"2:04
12."Orbital Drop"1:54
13."Electricity"2:02
14."Black Bear"2:14
Pulse: Philly Is Golden
No.TitleArtistLength
1."Klokwerk"Cooper and the Fantastic Machine1:52
2."Tidbits"George & Jonathan1:48
3."Veedja"Ghost Fight2:05
4."Follow My Voice"Zilla Persona2:04
Pulse: It's a Prime Christmas
No.TitleArtistLength
1."Belly of the Beat"Jim Guthrie2:09
2."Pop!"Leemus Music4:16
3."DT_01a"69552:15
4."Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy (ULTRA BLAST MIXX)"Doomcloud2:04

Reception

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Pulse received generally favorable reviews, gaining an aggregate review score of 77 on Metacritic.[13]

References

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  1. ^ a b "Pulse is coming to the iPad on 5/5!". Cipher Prime. 2 May 2011. Archived from the original on 5 May 2011. Retrieved 12 April 2020.
  2. ^ "Pulse is (a)live!". Cipher Prime. 5 May 2011. Archived from the original on 8 May 2011. Retrieved 12 April 2020.
  3. ^ O'Connor, Alice (19 June 2013). "Humble Bundle with Android 6 launches". Shacknews. GameFly Media. Archived from the original on 27 June 2013. Retrieved 12 April 2020. It's the Android debut of [...] Pulse [...] too.
  4. ^ Nakamura, Darren (18 June 2013). "Humble Bundle debuts several games on Android". Destructoid. Archived from the original on 21 June 2013. Retrieved 12 April 2020. Making [its] Android [debut] in this bundle [is] Pulse.
  5. ^ Polson, John (16 May 2011). "Pulse's Cipher Prime On The Future Of Mobile Music Games". Gamasutra. UBM Technology Group. Archived from the original on 9 May 2012. Retrieved 12 April 2020.
  6. ^ a b Fahey, Mike. "'Pulse: Volume One' Is a Fantastic Marriage of Music and Motion". Kotaku. Gawker. Retrieved 6 June 2013.
  7. ^ Campbell, Nissa (6 May 2011). "'Pulse: Volume One' for iPad Review - A Rhythm Game to Lose Yourself In". Touch Arcade. Retrieved 6 June 2013.
  8. ^ "Hungry for more games? Feast on Humble Bundle with Android 6!". Humble Mumble. Archived from the original on 22 June 2013. Retrieved 3 July 2013.
  9. ^ Faust III, Andy (12 May 2011). ""Pulse: Volume One" Checks Your Ears, Eyes, Musical Awareness". AppAdvice. Retrieved 6 June 2013.
  10. ^ "A Promise Is a Promise". Cipher Prime. Archived from the original on 23 October 2013. Retrieved 9 July 2013.
  11. ^ "Pulse: It's a Prime Christmas Album Free to Download". Nubuwo. Archived from the original on 10 July 2013. Retrieved 9 July 2013.
  12. ^ "Pulse: OST". Archived from the original on 7 August 2013. Retrieved 9 July 2013.
  13. ^ "Pulse: Volume One". Metacritic. Retrieved 6 June 2013.
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