If you’ve been following my recent string of articles, you can tell I’m on a huge Nintendo DS Kick. After playing heavy hitters like 999 and Devil Survivor, I figured to have more fun I’d jump into the rhythm genre. I went right into Elite Beat Agents.
It’s a fantastic, fun, and grueling game. Easy enough to learn and incredibly difficult to master; a great combination for a rhythm title. Most of the songs (I’d say everyone except the one below) are fun and have an extremely light atmosphere surrounding them.
Then you get to this one level where everything quickly changes and your fun is replaced with a broken heart and a longing to hug the closest living thing in reach.
Episode 12 – A Christmas Gift
The Saddest Level in One Of The Happiest Games Ever
My immediate thoughts are why in the hell would this game pull something like this out of its ass? Then after calming down a few minutes upon beating it, I fashioned together an answer.
And here it is:
Elite Beat Agents pulled something off I’ve never seen before in any videogame. It used its theme and mechanics to take itself in an entirely different direction. I don’t think they intended to depress you to death, but to give you more of an appreciation for the music you were listening to throughout the level.
That’s right – Elite Beat Agents genuinely cared about the music within the game to tell a compelling story. And they succeeded tenfold.
My immediate thoughts are why in the hell would this game pull something like this out of its ass? Then after calming down a few minutes upon beating it, I fashioned together an answer. 
