Designing Symphonia’s Features to Cater to Speed Runners

Symphonia, which hit the Xbox Series X|S on December 5, 2024, has made quite the entrance with its uniquely crafted level design and precision-based platforming. Perfect for those who thrive on speedruns, this game invites players to delve deep into strategies with tips and insights straight from fellow gaming enthusiasts.

From its earliest stages, Symphonia was built to cherish mastery in control and timing. While its original aim was to introduce classical music into the gaming world, it soon became clear that its fluid mechanics and open-ended level design were also a magnet for the speedrunning crowd. After pouring countless hours into optimizing character controls, the vision was set: create a game that feels rewarding for casual and competitive players alike, with layers of depth waiting for the more adventurous. This vision became the backbone of Symphonia’s mechanics and collectibles.

For those who relish a good challenge, Symphonia has a lot to offer. The protagonist, Philemon, is a violinist on a journey through the hushed world of Symphonia, aiming to reunite the musical prodigies of different orchestras. His trusty violin bow is not just for melodies; it’s a versatile tool in the game. You get to unlock various mechanics, using the bow as a pogo stick, a catapult, or even a grappling hook. Mastering the perfect timing to soar through the air with precision is a trial but immensely rewarding, aligning perfectly with the speedrunning culture where every pixel matters.

Interestingly, some of our team members have personal stories with speedrunning, ranging from enthusiastic spectators to completing runs for games like Celeste and Katana Zero. Even back in 2020, when Symphonia was just a student project, our team was already racing each other, comparing times—even keeping glitches under wraps as secret weapons! The game piqued public interest too, with a small demo racking up 500,000 downloads and entries on speedrun.net from eager players. We knew we were onto something unique and, after graduation, decided to form a studio to fully realize our vision. It took four more years, but we finally brought the game to the finish line.

The allure of Symphonia for speedrunners doesn’t stop at precise platforming. Speedrunning spirit was woven into the game’s development, with tweaking blocks or colliders by just a few pixels sometimes opening entirely new, creative pathways. Collectible music notes are tucked away in challenging spots, promoting risk-taking and exploration—much like Celeste’s strawberries. Once you finish a complete playthrough, you get to unleash Shadow Philemon, a ghostly version of yourself ready to pounce on any slip-up. Players can tinker with unlockable abilities like double-jumping, transforming surfaces into cushions, or adjusting game speed. These started as accessibility features but have since become tools for players to experiment and invent new challenges.

When the game launched in December, we were overjoyed by the heightened interest from speedrunners. To keep the momentum going, we set up a special channel for speedrunning discussions on our community Discord.

It’s fascinating to witness how speedrunning has evolved from a niche hobby to a global sensation over the past two decades. We’ve seen everything from first-person shooters to unexpected genres like RPGs and strategy games undergo speedruns. Thanks to platforms like Twitch and YouTube, this community has flourished, entertaining millions and even raising significant funds for charity through events like Games Done Quick (GDQ). GDQ hosts two major charity events annually, alongside weekly Hotfix episodes to keep its audience engaged.

As Queuety, a GDQ showrunner, put it when I asked what speedrunning means to him: “Speedrunning turns any game into both a puzzle and a competitive performance, something which fascinates me and keeps me coming back.”

Even our publisher shares the enthusiasm for speedrunning elements. CEO Dieter Schoeller has a background in speedrunning classics like Quake 3 and Sonic the Hedgehog back in the 1990s. He loves the idea that “the person to beat is no one but yourself.” With that shared passion and the community’s engagement, our partners reached out to GDQ for collaboration. We were thrilled that the GDQ team was intrigued by Symphonia’s visuals and concept, leading to our participation in a segment of their latest Hotfix episode. It was an unforgettable experience, with me providing commentary and our dedicated community members running the game live. Catch the episode to see it all in action!

If this has stirred a bit of a speedrunning itch, why not dive in? The community is still relatively fresh, so by trying it out or chatting with other runners and developers, you might add something valuable. We’d love for you to give Symphonia a go and join in our Discord speedrunning discussions.

Whether speedrunner or not, we hope you take a trip into the enchanting world of Symphonia and enjoy the journey in your own unique way.