Key artwork for ‘Suri: The Seventh Note.’ Photo: Tathvamasi Studios
Among India’s latest rhythm-driven action games, Suri: The Seventh Note uses haptics to allow players to hear, see and feel the beats that drive gameplay. With the trailer out now, the mythology-inspired game from Bengaluru’s Tathvamasi Studios will be out on PS5 and PC in 2026.
Set in the fictional island of Suri, where “music is its lifeblood” per a press release, players take on the role of Ajira, who seeks a magical fruit to save her mother, journeying deep within the island despite the threat of dark forces. “To overcome it, Ajira must learn to master the rhythm, channel its power, and fight back through a world that shifts and reacts to every beat,” the press release says. The gameplay trailer unveils a gripping narrative, where one is keenly watching as well as listening to the actions and settings.
The game’s music and audio director is Thrissur-origin artist Jitin David, from instrumental rock band Mushroom Lake. His time in the band led him to explore sound design “more seriously,” which led to him making music for video games. He was introduced to Tathvamasi Studios CEO Glen Martin through a friend and fellow sound designer, Thareeq, who joined the team as the game developer in 2024. “When I first heard about the idea of creating a rhythm-synced platformer, it immediately caught my interest,” David tells Rolling Stone India.
Tasked with figuring out the “music architecture and sound system” for the project, David says there was “a lot of technical and mathematical problem-solving involved too.”
Together with composer and teammate Finny Kurian, what you’ll hear in Suri: The Seventh Note is a variety of percussion instruments such as the elathaalam, idakka, roto toms, floor toms, taikos, shakers, finger bells, and different kinds of sticks, plus “other regionally inspired sounds that complement the forest’s rhythmic essence.” The audio for the game was inspired by titles like the abstract, geometry-driven gameplay of 140, Rayman Legends with its music levels themed after different genres, and HiFi Rush where enemies and objects move in sync to the music coming from a player embedded in the protagonist’s chest. He adds, “For instance, our linear sections take cues from 140’s minimalist rhythm integration, while the more fast-paced escape sequences are inspired by Rayman’s energetic level design. The result is an experience that blends precision-based rhythmic gameplay with expressive, visually driven storytelling.”
Visually, the mythologically inspired storyline is also rooted in an Indian setting. “The forest biome is inspired by the Western Ghats and deeply influenced by the ancient ritual art form of Theyyam,” David points out.
For the most immersive experience, the artist recommends that players use headphones. The key, of course, lies in the haptics of the game. David explains that the haptics in the game are fed from the “base groove in music during gameplay.” He says, “The console controller vibrations are controlled by the amplitude of the audio signal.”
The composer recommends that a player has to be able to “anticipate grooves” and to that end, “immersion is crucial.” He adds, “Especially from an accessibility point of view, haptics helps players with situations where they cannot use the audio from the game or are fully/partially deaf.”
Suri: The Seventh Note is also one among five Indian videogames to be selected for the PlayStation India Hero Project, and its Rhythm Haptics Engine is enhanced by PS5’s DualSense haptics. It’s now available to wishlist on the PS Store and Steam for PC, with game director Glen Martin saying wishlisting is “crucial” for it to stand out in the platform’s algorithm.
In the run-up to the trailer launch, the game has received acclaim as well as criticism from players. David says one of the challenges has been how players have to stay in sync with the beat during linear section levels to progress. It’s led to them fine-tuning “micro-level details of the beats and mechanics” to make it more intuitive for players to move ahead in the game. “We’re planning to release our beta version early next year,” he adds.
There’s also an official soundtrack for Suri: The Seventh Note in the works, featuring tracks that feature in key game levels and escape sequences. “There will also be multiple versions of ‘The Song of Suri,’ the game’s main theme,” David adds.
Leave a Reply