People of Note
People of Note
People of Note, développé par Iridium Studios et publié par Annapurna Interactive, est un jeu de rôle musical au tour par tour dont la sortie est prévue le 7 avril 2026 sur PC, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S et Nintendo Switch 2. Construit sur le moteur Unreal Engine 4, il sera proposé au prix de 19,19 EUR.
L'intrigue suit Cadence, une chanteuse pop déterminée à devenir une star après avoir été éliminée d'un concours de chant. Comprendant que son talent en solo ne suffit pas, elle entreprend un voyage à travers le monde de Note, explorant des régions comme la ville rock de Durandis et la ville techno de Lumina. Son objectif est de recruter un ensemble de musiciens talentueux et éclectiques pour former son groupe. Cependant, une menace nommée la Convergence harmonique plonge le chaos dans les énergies musicales, et des forces maléfiques œuvrent en secret pour perturber les harmonies naturelles. Cadence et ses nouveaux compagnons doivent alors défendre l'avenir de la musique sur scène.
Le gameplay repose sur un système de combat au tour par tour original, où chaque affrontement prend la forme d'un numéro musical interactif et évolutif. Les combats sont rythmés : les attaques doivent être exécutées en suivant le tempo de la musique pour maximiser les dégâts infligés. La musique changeant en temps réel, les joueurs doivent adapter leurs actions au style musical joué. De plus, les membres du groupe possèdent des styles musicaux uniques que l'on peut combiner pour réaliser des attaques mélangeant les genres.
Le jeu propose une aventure dans un monde vaste où chaque style musical correspond à un environnement et une culture distincts. Des donjons colorés, remplis d'énigmes et d'ennemis, parsèment le voyage. Une caractéristique notable est la personnalisation profonde du contenu : les joueurs peuvent, par exemple, désactiver les énigmes ou les combats au tour par tour selon leurs préférences. Des cinématiques musicales complètes rythment également la narration, interprétées par les personnages principaux.
À sa sortie, People of Note recevra un accueil généralement favorable, avec un score Metacritic de 78 et un score OpenCritic de 81. La presse et les joueurs se sont montrés enthousiastes. Cubed3 a salué un jeu qui « obtient tout juste la note juste du début à la fin », tandis que The Outerhaven l'a qualifié de « moment phénoménal ». Un joueur sur Metacritic a souligné la saveur dépaysante et le style artistique vivant du titre, et un autre a aimé la manière dont le jeu incarne son mantra « Les harmonies ne peuvent être chantées par un seul ». Sur Steam, un joueur a même qualifié son générique de fin de « meilleur ever ».
Médias
Avis des critiques et joueurs
Critiques de la Presse (Metacritic)
« It is very rare to see a video game that gets everything right from start to finish, but People of Note definitely falls into this category. It starts off by hooking with flashy musical numbers and never lets go. Whenever Groove is being farmed to buy that latest guitar or triangulation puzzles are being solved, it is always optional and engaging. People of Note is the RPG that players need it to be. Some want a title that constantly makes them think, others want to enjoy a great story, and some want it all. This is one of those gems that will please almost every RPG fan. To add to this, it also has some of the most positive and inclusive writing seen in a video game. Every single element combines into a beautiful harmony, and, just as with music, one can enjoy it either by letting it flow or by analysing its depths. »
« People of Note is a musical turn-based RPG that has a lot of love for the medium. It is a phenomenal time that will leave you wanting to hear the songs on loop. »
« I ended my time with People of Note with a huge smile on my face, and if you fall into the specific Venn diagram of “turn-based RPG fan” and “musical fan”, then you probably will as well. The game’s music-infused combat system and world felt incredibly engaging and cohesive, with an elaborate, very fun combat system and an assortment of puzzles that are mostly challenging but fair. If you enjoy turn-based RPGs, People of Note is delightful and nails its particular medley of genres with excellence. »
« People of Note is a great-looking and sounding rhythm RPG. If you are a fan of making or playing music, there are so many references here to make you smile. »
« People of Note is a vibrant turn-based RPG that blends classic JRPG structure with inventive rhythm-based combat and a standout musical identity, delivering a heartfelt story about ambition and friendship in a richly stylized world. Its Songstone customization system and flexible difficulty options modernize familiar mechanics, while its soundtrack and vocal performances elevate nearly every moment. Although its late-game pacing and limited animated storytelling hold it back from perfection, the experience remains consistently engaging, creative, and full of personality. »
« People of Note is a great RPG in a charismatic world of music that plays with real-life aspects of genres and a huge ton of puns. With a deeply strategic system, the game lets players use a variety of abilities to come out on top. It’s remarkable in pretty much every aspect it brings to the table and a game worth exploring. »
« No matter which of People of Note‘s three pillars interests you the most, they’re all extremely well-crafted. You can see Final Fantasy‘s heavy influence in the way People of Note‘s RPG core looks and operates. Cadence, Fret, and the rest of her band are not only interesting in their backgrounds, but unique in the ways that they sound and play. And if the idea of puzzles on top of all this dissuade you, they shouldn’t — each of these pillars can be dialled up or down to present a challenge that you can set for yourself. Priced at $24.99 USD, this is an easy commendation for those who love old school RPGs, music, or puzzles. Give it a go for yourself. »
« People of Note is a game that’s positively bursting with love for classic RPGs, music theory and culture, and the people who like both. It’s got an earnest, interesting story with diverse, likable characters, and smartly-designed, cleverly-implemented combat and stat-building systems. Compared to some similar RPGs, it’s a little on the leaner side, and the relatively minor presence of rhythm mechanics is disappointing. Still, overall, it’s a rock-solid, highly-enjoyable experience, and I’d wholeheartedly recommend it to anyone who likes good, ol’ fashioned turn-based combat and musical references. Also, if and when they release an official soundtrack, I will play it on loop until my speakers wear out. Especially the Irish battle music, that track is straight fire. »
Avis des Joueurs (Metacritic)
« This game is so much FUN. Sounds cheesey, but it's been a minute since I've played something and felt whimsy like this. The art style is vibrant and lively and the music had me bopping the whole time while playing. People of Note was the exact kind of game I was looking for and I'm so happy it exists. »
« “Harmonies can’t be sung by one,” sings the lead of People of Note. And I think that the game encapsulates this mantra. From the development, to the systems, puzzles, character design, and charm, it performs each part admirably in isolation. But put them all into a harmony with one another and the parts all fit beautifully. The strongest note of this mix is the charm that the game carries with it. Even if the narrative can sometimes lose its footing, it is delivered with such belief in itself through the use of musical-theater-level cutscenes, that I cannot help to smile as the songs deliver genuinely catchy choruses filled with diegetic meaning. The combat system has significant challenge and depth once it starts hitting those higher octaves. If you enjoy customizing a character build and turning characters up to Eleven, you’ll enjoy the choices you can make here. Puzzles are well-thought out and just challenging enough to make me enjoy the experience of solving them. I really didn’t expect to like this game as much as I did, but like a good song, it borrows influence from many places and provided me with something fresh. »
« Great musical. Amazing RPG elements. If you hate music, stay for the battle system and customization. If you're not a huge fan of RPGs, stay for the musical with Broadway-level music and story. Put em together and it's a 10/10 in my book. Any bad reviews under a 7 is prob haters who hate the ****'t listen to them. GotY candidate and should win awards based on the music alone... »
« A solid, if a little uneven, RPG with a great use of music and storytelling. The enjoyable cast and surprisingly-deep moveset made for an unexpected surprise in a crowded release-window. There's always room for more amuse-bouche-sized games amidst the Crimson Desert behemoths. Oddly reminiscent of Hi-Fi Rush by way of Demonschool. »
« Charming JRPG with a decent battle system and great music. The musical cut scenes engaged me to keep advancing the story. Overall a great little indie game. »
« The music is actually good, the writing is clever, contemporary, full of puns, and hard mode is actually hard. It's very anti-gatekeeper, which is great. It feels just like playing a classic JRPG, but with everything focused on the nuances of music. There are very light rhythm elements in battle that are relatively easy, and there's an ability customization system that as about as in-depth as you'd expect for this price point. Overall, it's a nicely polished package and well worth the price. (Expect review bombing from anti-woke cultists) »
« It's a JRPG-inspired musical full of puns, impressive musical numbers, and a lot of heart. Did I mention puns? SO MANY PUNS. If this all sounds good to you, then this game will probably be a great add to you library! It does everything it sets out to do at least competently (and some things amazingly), what more can you ask for? »
« A beautiful love letter to musical theater and JRPGs - the environments and characters are SO beautiful, every sing is a banger, and it's so clear this thing was made with tons of love. I also love a game that can be as complicated or as simple as you want it to be, and the quality of life options/accessibility are SO varied and thoughtful. »
