Sshh… hear that? It’s the sound of Lisssn launching on Mac

Written by Jack Allin — December 6, 2017 at 12:31

If you're one of those tone-deaf people who can't stand music puzzles in games, stop reading now. If, however, you think your discerning ear has what it takes for a game that requires a keen attention to audio, you'll be pleased to know of the release of Lisssn on Mac, with a Windows version still to follow.

In Lisssn, players assume the first-person role of an adventurer out to rescue a prisoner locked in a dungeon. But this is no fairytale princess who's been captured but "La Musica" (the music), whose kidnapping by "dark forces" threatens "a future without her bewitching sounds, which have made the world so much more colorful." It'll be up to players to "overcome obstacles, initiate mechanisms, collect objects, and find hidden ways to finally free 'La Musica' from her dungeon." 

Co-developed by Knut Müller and Robert Wolff, Lisssn is designed much like Müller's RHEM series, with a slideshow-style presentation and non-linear, puzzle-centric focus. Players will find themselves exploring such locations as "a dark park, a scary cemetery, a mysterious castle and a huge underground world with a lake and a strange underground railway." What really makes this game stand out, however, is that its challenges are "especially about hearing and listening closely," intended as an introduction to the "basic ideas of music." Fortunately, you will be accompanied by four renowned composers to help you in your quest, so you won't be completely left to your own devices.

Lisssn is available now exclusively on the Mac Store, but the game is coming "soon" to Steam with a Windows version as well.