There’s a quiet rebellion brewing in the world of People of Note—one that pits pop against punk, country against classical, and, most importantly, terrible puns against anyone who dares to judge them. The game follows Cadence, a struggling musician navigating a city where musical cliques despise each other as fiercely as they despise her. The premise is simple: forge alliances, fuse genres, and prove that even the most unpopular sounds can find their audience.
The demo drops players into Durandis, a rock-dominated city where Cadence must recruit musicians to her band. Along the way, she encounters the usual suspects: metalheads sneering at grunge, punks mocking country fans, and all of them united in their disdain for pop. The city’s factions are locked in a musical cold war, and Cadence is the bridge—or the bomb, depending on how you look at it.
But before the genre-bending begins, there’s the matter of the puns. And People of Note* delivers them with the enthusiasm of a stand-up comedian who’s never met an audience. Take the accorgion, a hybrid of an accordion and a corgi that’s so adorably ridiculous, ignoring it would be a crime against cuteness. Then there are the Weird Owls—moustached, big-haired quizmasters who turn battles into pop quizzes. They’re as absurd as they are charming, and if you hate pop quizzes, well, at least you’re in good company.
The game’s musical themes extend beyond humor, though. Combat is turn-based, with attacks tied to instruments—drums, guitars, vocals—while a mash-up meter allows for powerful combo moves when characters are weakened. It’s a mechanic reminiscent of Final Fantasy VII’s synergies, where teamwork amplifies damage. The twist here? The more genres you blend, the harder you hit. A rock-pop duet between Cadence and her newfound ally, Fret, isn’t just a narrative moment—it’s a flashy, cheesy earworm that sticks long after the demo ends.
Yet for all its musical ambition, People of Note struggles to make its soundtrack memorable. The location themes and battle tracks fade quickly, lacking the iconic hooks of RPGs like Persona 5 or Baldur’s Gate 3. The exception is that duet—bright, flashy, and impossible to forget. It’s a rare moment where the game’s musical identity shines through.
Outside of combat, the demo stumbles. A series of light-and-mirror puzzles—reimagined as guitar-strumming challenges to power up interactive dishes—feel stale after the first attempt. They’re the kind of repetitive tasks that test patience more than creativity. Thankfully, the game offers an escape: toggle off puzzles entirely and turn People of Note into a pure adventure. For those who prefer action over brain teasers, it’s a lifeline.
The real question isn’t whether People of Note* can stand out in a crowded RPG market, but whether it can refine its musical identity. The puns are a hit, the combat has potential, and the world is ripe with conflict—but without a stronger soundtrack and more engaging side content, it risks fading into the background noise. Still, if you’re here for the jokes and the genre-bending antics, it’s a demo worth sticking around for.
