ROCKSTAR DEVELOPING GAME BASED ON WEST SIDE STORY

Rockstar is working on an open world game similar to Grand Theft Auto but with a vocal beat matching component.

Rockstar games announced that they're currently developing an open world game based on West Side Story that will feature fighting, street racing and vocal beat matching mechanics throughout the course of the game.

The single-player story mode will have players stepping into the shoes of Tony, one of the Jets, but you'll be able to choose between the Jets or the Sharks for the online version of the game to be released simultaneously. You’ll also be able to customize your online character, similar to GTA’s online mode, but more than that, you’ll be able to customize your own personal group of AI controlled Jets or Sharks, with varying skills including hand to hand fighting, drag racing, acapella, rhythmic intimidation (snapping) and harmonization.

“...You could fail your song battle, and lose the respect of your crew, even if you win the physical fight.”

As you progress through the story mode, you’ll come across various challenges while playing as Tony, players will have to spend a decent amount of time building up both his physical combat skills as well as his vocal combat skills. Using a microphone similar to Rock Band, the game utilizes advanced melodic recognition software that will be able to register vibrato, a long standing problem with the old Rockband games.

“It’s important to make sure you level up equally or you could be doing fine in an alleyway brawl, but then you could fail your song battle, and lose the respect of your crew, even if you win the physical fight.” Says lead developer Peter Doda, “On the flip side, if you ace the song battle, but fail the street fight, your crew will still admire you, but your overall cred as a Jet or Shark will decrease.”

“Having players being able to play as both Tony and Maria seemed like a no brainer.”

The game will also have a musical sim-date component where you’ll have to woo Maria by serenading her from the alleyway, while simultaneously avoiding thrown flowerpots from angry neighbors in windows and getting tangled up in people’s laundry lines. Maria’s opinion of you, as well as your dialogue options, will be affected by your alleyway serenade obstacle course performance score, where you’ll be graded for pitch, rhythm and dexterity. If you perform too poorly, you’ll be sent away by Maria and tasked to attend choir practice at church by Tony’s elderly relative, where you’ll be able to practice up for the vocal portion of the alleyway serenade level.

Rockstar is no stranger to having multiple protagonists in their games, “Having players be able to play as both Tony and Maria seemed like a no brainer,” says marketing person Zep Galeson. The demo we saw only played up up to the first protagonist swap, where the player continues as Maria through her courting of Tony and other not as fun things.

Expect more information as it becomes available.