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Playing the riff from Smoke on the Water on a cat piano may be possible in composer sim Offbeat, if you’ve got more musical talent than me
Rock Paper Shotgun's early access preview of Offbeat, a jobbing composer simulator from Whetstone Games, sees the writer attempt to recreate famous guitar riffs—including Deep Purple's "Smoke on the Water" and Ozzy Osbourne's "Crazy Train"—using the game's cat-shaped piano and singing gnome instruments. The piece highlights the game's appeal as a creative sandbox where players compose music for quirky in-game clients, even if replicating real-world rock riffs proves more difficult than expected.
Offbeat launched into early access on Steam on 22nd July. Players take commissions from customers phoning in via an in-game desk, composing everything from corporate fanfares to wedding songs for a "spooky spirit wedding," using instruments like a cymbal-clashing monkey and a purring cat piano, with the promise of more instruments to be added as development continues.
In short
- Composer sim Offbeat launched into Steam early access on 22nd July.
- Writer tried recreating Deep Purple and Ozzy Osbourne riffs, without full success.
- Game lets players compose quirky tunes for in-game phone commissions.
Explained simply
Offbeat is a music-making game from Whetstone Games, in which players work as freelance composers. They take commissions from callers and create pieces for occasions such as business events and weddings.
Players build tunes using unusual instruments, including a cat-shaped piano and a singing gnome. The game is designed as a creative sandbox, so players can experiment with sounds and try to recreate familiar music, though that may take some musical skill.
The game entered early access on Steam, meaning it is available while development continues. Its instruments and commissions offer a playful take on composing, and more instruments are planned as the game develops.