Black Razor Edition – how PSP and Guitar Hero produced this rhythm action game – PlayStation.Blog

Let me tell you how a PlayStation in a Welsh recording studio sparked a three-decade journey into the rhythm-action genre. This is how our game, Aero2: Black Razor Edition, is now available on PS5..

When the 90s ended, my band had just signed our first record deal and we were living in a recording studio in Wales, recording our first EP. One night, with my guitar, bass, and drum parts already in the bag, the drummer and I noticed a PlayStation under the TV in the waiting room. There are two games; Colin McRae Rally and PaRappa the Rapper. We played a lot of Colin McRae before deciding to try another strange looking game. That’s where it all started for me and the rhythm game. I’ve been obsessed with video games since I was a kid. The revelation that playing music and playing video games have a crossover point is huge.

Entering the gaming industry

After relentless struggle and following the most unorthodox route imaginable (Musician > Engraver > Tattoo Artist > Architectural 3D Artist > Video Game Artist), I landed my first gaming job as an environment artist at Codemasters. It was at Codemasters – the home of Colin McRae Rally – that I first worked with Dan. A brilliant programmer and I’m having trouble finding the right words. Let’s choose ‘enigmatic eccentric’. The PlayStation 2 was brand new and at the forefront of the gaming world. It was an exciting time to make games.

B-Boy, PSP, and music/gaming connections

In 2002, a group of six people broke away from Codemasters and Rare to form a new studio called FreeStyleGames. They are working on an exclusive game for the PlayStation 2 and PSP called B-Boy. The connection between music and gaming is very interesting. Dan and I migrated. In addition to art, the B-Boy project and smaller team structure allows me to be involved in the music/audio side as well as game design.

Guitar Hero and the golden age of rhythm games

In keeping with the Hip Hop feel, we then created a DJ game that caught Activision’s attention and became DJ Hero. They asked if we could help create content for Guitar Hero. Yes. Yes, I can! I hired a team of truly amazing musicians and designers. Some musicians at the time derided Guitar Hero and suggested that people play real guitars instead of wasting time playing games, but we disagree. It introduces people to music they might not otherwise have heard and lets them appreciate it on a new level.

The birth of Mad Fellows and Aero

Dan and I left FreeStyleGames in 2013 to form Mad Fellows. While people often mention Rez when describing Aero, and it’s certainly one of my favorite games, it’s not the biggest influence. Actually most inspired by Gitaroo Man. Using analog sticks to trace music comes from my love of timeless iNIS classics. I still keep my PSP so I can enjoy the songs once in a while.

Meet Wired Productions

It was while showing an early version of Aaero in 2015 at EGX in London that we first met the guys from Wired Productions. As a huge fan of Arcade Paradise, I had talked to Leo (Managing Director of Wired Productions and co-founder of Black Razor Records) about how much I loved the soundtrack. Authentic songs from the 90s truly capture the atmosphere of the era, and the opportunity to bring this music to Aero2 as the Arcade Paradise Music Pack is a dream come true. The Lania Kea Music Pack flowed naturally from there, and at that point we realized Aaero2 had evolved into something new.

Full circle

Aaero2: Black Razor Edition represents the culmination of years of music gaming experience from Mad Fellows and Wired Productions. Its launch on PlayStation feels like a major milestone in a three-decade personal journey as a gamer and game developer.

Aero2: Black Razor Edition is out now on PS5.