We recently learned that creators of PaRappa the Rapper and Gitaroo Man are getting together to work on a new rhythm-action game Project Rap Rabbit, and today it’s been officially revealed as a new KickStarter Project.
To give you guys a little bit of background info on the project, Masaya Matsuura of Nana-On Sha, best known for creating PaRappa the Rapper and Vib-Ribbon, is teaming up with Gitaroo Man and Osu! Tatakae! Ouendan creator Keiichi Yano of iNiS to work on a new generation of rhythm-action with Project Rap Rabbit.
The project will see a rebirth of narrative-driven rhythm action, and will be set in an alternate version of 16th Century Japan, where the world is growing more hostile as the populace becomes increasingly concerned by the growing diversification of their lands.
Amongst this backdrop of growing isolationism and protectionism, young rabbit farmer Toto-Maru steps up to unify his home after finding out he’s able to influence the world’s ruling powers through rhythm and rhyme, using the power of Rap drawn from the strength of music.
Now that already sounds very PaRappa or Gitaroo Man. Matsuura-san and Yano-san are looking to push the boundaries of the genre in a new direction, combining their rhythm-action experience.
While modern rhythm-action games are more about linear perfection, Project Rap Rabbit will allow players to alter the flow of their rap battles in real-time by changing lyrics and emotional direction on the fly in their one-on-one encounters. Matsuura-san and Yano-san are looking to continue embracing the elements of narrative, freedom of expression, and soul that made their games loved by many for Project Rap Rabbit.
Let’s meet the hero Toto-Maru along with his sidekick Otama-Maru:
Toto-Maru
The hero in question is Toto-Maru, a simple farm boy who’s able to harness the special power of force through rap. (Wait, where have we heard this before…?) Only by embracing the strength of music and by using the magic of rhythm and rhyme to counter corruption and small-mindedness can our reluctant hero and his trusty sidekick, Otama-Maru, finally heal the destructive rifts, bring about global unification and restore peace!
Otama-Maru
Next, we learn more about the gameplay of Project Rap Rabbit.
Project Rap Rabbit offers unique rapping gameplay where the key to battle rap is the ability to defeat opponents with lyrical jabs and rhyming uppercuts, where you’ll be in complete control of the raps. Rather than having a series of linear lines to tap through, these songs will feature full dialogue trees of variable verses filled with creative put-downs, bragging, and clever rhymes.
The rap battles will pit Toto-Maru against leaders or rival factions. Both Toto-Maru and his opponent possess “Swag Gauges,” and the winner is decided by these bars. Each song in Project Rap Rabbit is made up of multiple Call and Response gameplay segments, which can be broken down into three simple steps.
Check its breakdown below:
1.) Listen
When your opponent is attacking you, you shouldn’t just stand there and take it! Important phrases in your foe’s lyrics will be highlighted in the Word Pick Up phase: Now’s your chance to pick out certain keywords you want to try and focus on when it’s time to strike back.
2) Respond
How do you want to respond to your opponent’s insults? It’s up to you! Project Rap Rabbit features an “emotion wheel” inspired by the likes of Mass Effect and Fallout 4. Do you want to hit back with a boast, with a joke, by dismissing the attack or by coercing your opponent?
Select the emotion you wish to unleash to preview the upcoming rhythm and your foe’s reaction: There’s no wrong choice, but different emotions will inflict different levels of damage to your adversary’s Swag Gauge.
3) Rap
Now it’s time to unleash those lines! Depending on your chosen emotion you’ll spit different lyrics and unique rhythms. Press the specified face buttons at the correct time to enunciate every word perfectly, boosting your own Swag Gauge in the process.
If your Swag Gauge hits zero it’s the end of the battle and your failure will go down in legend. Keeping your bar topped up is the key to successfully besting each level, while depleting your foe’s meter will increase your overall level score.
Running low on Swag?
Don’t panic! The status of your opponent, determined by the level of his or her Swag Gauge, can help you out. Every foe reacts to each emotion differently, and while it’s possible to beat each song using every single permutation of lyrics, picking the more powerful emotional response to any given state will result in better boosts to your own Swag Gauge during the Rap section.
You can read more about its advanced tactics and features on the Kickstarter Project page.
Project Rap Rabbit has an estimated delivery of August 2018 on PlayStation 4 and PC, and the campaign is looking to reach $1.1 million to fund its development.
