People of Note – Review

The land of Note is a curious place. In this world, music is the lifeblood from which everything derives purpose and meaning. People build entire city-states based on a genre of music, while fiercely debating which sub-genre reigns supreme. It is a highly competitive world where self-worth is dependent on musical ability and one’s willingness to do whatever it takes to be at the very top of the charts. It is a wonder then that a small group of talented, yet eclectic musicians can put that all aside to find common ground and fight for a cause that’s bigger than themselves, like say perhaps, saving the whole damn world.

People of Note is a rhythm-based RPG with a heavy emphasis on puzzle-solving. Players take command of Cadence, an up-and-coming Popstar whose dream is to make it big on stage. But like many underdog stories, she lacked that special something that would allow her to go toe-to-toe against the city’s best. And thus, she sets out on a journey to recruit other musicians from other cities to create a new sound that would blow audiences away. Little does she know that this simple wish would be the catalyst that ends the world as they know it.

On the surface, People of Note looks and plays like an RPG from the PS2 era. Combat is turn-based, and every location you go to has a fixed camera where you have to move Cadence around based on that perspective. Most people you talk to provide snippets of daily life within the cities. If you’re lucky, they may give hints on your current objective. But do not be mistaken in believing that People of Note is your typical RPG with a musical theme. What sets the game apart is the amount of dedication it took to stick with the theme and create something that not only makes sense in that world but is also entertaining to set and close out the game’s intense boss fights.

You’d be forgiven if you thought that the core of the game’s combat is simply hitting the right notes in sequence. That is true to an extent, as the game doesn’t punish you for making too many mistakes. Unlike The Legend of Dragoon, where one mistake can cost you the rest of the combo, People of Note goes with a minimum and maximum range, wherein hitting all the notes in sequence delivers the maximum amount of damage. The entirety of combat should be seen as a puzzle that needs to be solved in as few moves as possible. The idea is further reinforced with the various puzzle minigames, wherein the player has to fulfill certain conditions with a set number of turns using preset abilities.

Combat puzzles are not the only thing that appears in the game. Puzzle minigames are so prevalent in People of Note that you can’t walk out of any location without first solving an environmental puzzle. If you are a player who solely goes for the story and really doesn’t like to solve puzzles, you are not going to live your time in Note. Puzzle solving isn’t just a side activity you can skip in a regular playthrough; it is a requirement to progress the game. Thankfully, the optional puzzles provide a wealth of good equipment, so solving them is often worth the effort.

Everything I’ve described so far about the combat especially applies to the boss battles. You are not just solving a puzzle, but you are fighting against the clock to avoid a precarious situation. The longer a boss battle goes on, the more powerful their attacks become. As the Crescendo increases, even basic attacks start to hit like a truck. You are basically asked to either finish fights as quickly as possible or to make a sustainable loop of actions that allows your characters to tank the worst of it while slowly chipping down the boss’s health. This is one of the most intense and rewarding parts of the whole experience.

As stated earlier, the game’s story revolves around Cadence and her quest to form the ultimate band. She is doing all of this not for some noble cause or to protect others; she is forming a bond to win a music competition. Thankfully, that’s only half the story. The other half involves Legendary Keys that have the potential to change everything. Cadence goes along helping the lands of Rock, EDM, and Rap because, in the end, it helps her with her goal of reaching stardom. But the moment when she has to care for things beyond herself, she loses interest. At least for a brief moment. Her heroic nature ultimately wins out, and she chooses to save the world. Of course, there will be another competition, and when that time comes, she’ll have friends watching her back.

During her travels around Note, she encounters a collection of interesting personalities. None more so than her bandmates: Fret, Synthia, and Vox. There’s also Arc and Cerrin, but I’d rather not spoil anything. Fret is an old rocker who lost his way after his band fell apart. He found a new purpose in protecting his home country. Synthia is the top DJ in their city, but certain events forced them to look for a life beyond the turntable. And Vox is a royal who is hesitant to take up the crown, as it feels like he’s losing his connection with the people. He only shed that fear after traveling with Cadence. Together, this unconventional band looks to create some serious waves and hopefully disrupt the status quo.

The more I played the game, the more I am reminded of High School Musical. Not because it shares similar plots or anything, but every battle starts and ends with a musical number that’ll either entertain you or leave you suffering in cringe. There is no in between. I’m sure Millennials like myself will probably like this aspect of the game, especially when Cadence’s hometown is some Music Punk version of Zanarkand. There is so much I want to geek out about when it comes to the story, but I feel like these things are better experienced, as words alone do not do them justice.

The writing in this game is stuffed with so many references to the 2000s and 2010s era of the internet. The number of references I’ve had to witness both brought joy and anguish in equal measure. This is equivalent to watching 90s shows and them making parodies of iconic personalities from the 1950s and beyond. I am not certain if the people writing this stuff are, in fact Milennials but they are certainly Millennials at heart. Because even at a glance, my thoughts were already on High School Musical, Brutal Legend, The Legend of Zelda, Daft Punk, every variation of the names of music legends, and so many others. It’s all puns everywhere you look.

And don’t get me started on the Weird Al reference. That one hit harder than it should have. There’s also a reference to Dragon Ball Super as part of the main story. I’m not kidding. There is an unironic reference to the latest chapter in the Dragon Ball saga in People of Note. All that’s missing is a Gilgamesh parody, and you can say that you have at least played a Final Fantasy-like game. I wouldn’t be surprised if something similar is hidden in an obscure part of the world.

With regards to the game’s performance. The game runs smoothly on my mid-range PC. There are no frame rate issues, no stuttering at any point during gameplay. The only thing that annoys me is that some unaddressed bugs and glitches are still present in the game. One of the more annoying glitches occurred while I was in the EDM city; the face buttons stopped working after I took part in a side activity. I was so grateful that progressing the story a little bit fixed the controls. Another incident occurred as I was solving a new puzzle. I got stuck in an area I wasn’t supposed to be and only by loading an autosave did I manage to break free. These things happen, especially in games with a smaller team of developers. These and instances where audio isn’t balanced are annoying, but they don’t leave much of a nasty taste long term.

People of Note is an ode to the great music genres and a glorious celebration of 2000s pop culture. Cadence’s grand journey across the land of Note may last roughly more than 30 or so hours, depending on how much of a completionist you are, but there’s no denying that it was a fun ride. I am glad that I was able to cherish the experience more than just the friends we met along the way. I recommend this game to all players who love RPGs with equal parts puzzle-solving. More than that, I encourage you to slow down a little and appreciate the musical parodies. If only to have a little laugh with yourself.