Those who follow this site know that, while I almost exclusively review games, I do occasionally detour into a non-game XBLIG title. So it is with “Recording Studio”, a very accessible title due to the fact that you can use it with an Xbox headset, the Kinect mic, or a dedicated microphone accessory.
The list of supported modes is impressive:
– 1-4 people offline
– 2-4 offline co-op
– 2-8 system link (!)
– 2-8 online
– 2-8 online co-op
Most any combination you could imagine is supported (including system link, which I’ve had a lot of fun with in the past and which boxed retail games seem to have long since forgotten about). So what are you actually doing? You’re jamming, and creating songs (solo, or with friends), or… well, just about anything sound related, really. You could do stand-up comedy routines. You could record a practice session of that oral report, or that big speech, you have to give.
What sets this apart from regular Xbox party chat is the ability to record and edit your creations. And then create rooms where you can share them with others. So in addition to the entertainment potential, I can see teams of students using this (one student creating and polishing a prospective oral presentation, then inviting others in to critique it afterward, to expand on a previous example) among other potential productivity uses. All in all, a neat XBLIG title to mess around with for only 80 Microsoft Points. And for those keeping score, it’s from the developer behind the un-reviewed Drum Studio, and the reviewed (and quite excellent) “Drum Studio: Platinum Edition”.
Here’s what the developer (All Seeing Eye Games) has to say about the game:
“Record yourself with your Xbox 360 headset, microphone or Kinect in All Seeing Eye Games’ Recording Studio. Sing a song, play an instrument, act out a radio drama or just make funny voices. Then go online and share your recordings with friends. Any sound you can make, you can record and share. Create. Record. Share. Recording Studio.”
Writings of Mass Deduction 