How Symphonia’s Features Cater to Speed Runners

Symphonia made its grand entrance on December 5, 2024, for Xbox Series X|S. With its custom level design and precision platforming, it’s a dream come true for speedrunning enthusiasts. Plus, players can delve into speedrunning techniques and perspectives to improve their gameplay.

From the very start, Symphonia was crafted to be a game that rewards precise control and perfect timing. While it set out to introduce classical music to the gaming world, its seamless mechanics and flexible level design soon captured the attention of speedrunners. After spending countless hours fine-tuning character controls, our mission was clear: to create a game that’s fulfilling whether you’re treading through it leisurely or competing fiercely. For those keen to explore, there are more layers to uncover, forming the essence of Symphonia’s gameplay and collectibles.

To up the challenge ante, we sprinkled in a few elements. Meet Philemon, our protagonist and a violinist, who journeys through the tranquil and dormant world of Symphonia with a mission to rally the orchestra’s prodigies. His trusty violin bow isn’t just for music; it’s his tool for traversing levels. Picture using a bow as a pogo stick, catapult, or grappling hook. The thrill of gliding through the air right on cue is tricky to master but immensely satisfying. The exact timing to nail every pixel aligns perfectly with the speedrunner’s relentless push for perfection, frame by frame.

For some in our team, speedrunning isn’t just a job; it’s personal history. Ranging from being spectators to completing runs on games like Celeste and Katana Zero, they’ve done it all. Even when Symphonia was just a student project in 2020, speedrunning was part of its DNA—team members would time their runs and even guard glitches for competitive benefits! The public’s reception wasn’t far behind. A free demo soared to 500,000 downloads, with players posting their runs on speedrun.net. Sensing its potential, we turned that student project into a full-fledged studio effort, taking four years to deliver the finished game.

It’s not just the subgenre’s appeal; we intentionally integrated the speedrunning spirit into our design and new features. Sometimes, shifting a block or collider slightly opens entirely new creative paths. There are also collectible music notes tucked in challenging spots, rewarding players for risk-taking and experimentation. Think of them as our version of Celeste’s strawberries. Finish playing through the levels, and you unlock Shadow Philemon, a character that mimics your moves with a slight delay, ready to catch any slip-ups. You’ll also discover unlockable abilities like double jumping or altering game speed—all initially intended for accessibility, but they lend themselves well to creating new challenges.

When we launched in December, the response from speedrunners was thrilling. We encouraged discussion and brainstorming through a dedicated channel in our community Discord.

It’s incredible to watch speedrunning evolve from a niche pastime to a worldwide sensation over the last twenty years. First-person shooters, platformers, and even unexpected genres like RPGs have found their place in speedrunning. Platforms like Twitch and YouTube have made it accessible, engaging millions and raising funds for charity via Games Done Quick, which hosts major charity events and weekly episodes.

When I asked Queuety, GDQ’s showrunner, about why speedrunning matters to him, he said, “Speedrunning turns any game into both a puzzle and a competitive performance, something which fascinates me and keeps me coming back.”

Our publisher, Dieter Schoeller, shares this enthusiasm, having a background in speedrunning with Quake 3 and Sonic the Hedgehog back in the ’90s. Dieter loves speedrunning because “the person to beat is no one but yourself.” This shared passion led to a collaboration with GDQ. We were overjoyed to participate in a Hotfix episode, where I had the privilege of providing commentary while our community took the game for a live run. Catch the episode here for a treat.

If reading this has sparked your curiosity for speedrunning, jump in! The community is still young, so your involvement can make a significant impact. Join us by giving Symphonia a try and engage in lively speedrunning discussions on our Discord.

Whether you’re a speedrunner or not, we hope you dive into the vibrant world of Symphonia and find joy in your journey.