Audiosurf can bring perpetual enjoyment, provided you can appreciate a simple but addictive concept.
Many different game modes are available to choose from, under the pseudonyms of 'Characters' which change the style of ship you're flying , the way the blocks are set out, and what exactly you need to do to score points. Mono characters have just two different blocks, coloured and grey, and you simply avoid the greys and collect the colours. Pointman characters have many different coloured blocks and you have to match them up in their clusters, with 'hot' colours like red and orange giving you higher points if scored into clusters. Vegas characters can shuffle colours around, Eraser characters can remove blocks of certain colours from the track and Pusher characters can push blocks from a particular lane into other lanes. Mono appeals to people who want a simple ride without a lot of strategy and just enjoying the speed and collecting as many points as possible, while the others appeal to people who like to think more and enjoy the puzzle of it all. There is something for everyone really, and finding something to match your particular style should not be a difficult task.
The tracks always curve in the right ways to match the song you're playing. Fast, intense moments of a song cause steep downhill slopes, while a bridge in a song will likely be slower making the track move uphill. However, the blocks sometimes seem to be positioned almost randomly. It doesn't happen a whole lot though, and most of the time they seem positioned properly to match the music you're playing.
Simple, colourful graphics with neon lights and flying shapes pulsating to the music makes Audiosurf a pleasant experience from an aesthetic standpoint. It's not technically advanced but looks pretty and does the job without requiring a meaty PC to play it well. The sound effects and nice and simple, such as chimes and bumps to indicate when you hit blocks without getting in the way of the music you're enjoying. The menu music is a little too loud and they should have taken into account the fact that people will be turning their sound up to play a music game and being greeted by the sudden shriek of a loud electronic beat is not agreeable to our ear holes. However, it's easily turned off in the options and isn't a big problem.
The lasting appeal of Audiosurf is quite immense because every single song that has ever been made and ever will be made, can be transformed into a unique track to be played in a variety of different ways. Available for less than $10 on Steam, Audiosurf can bring perpetual enjoyment, provided you can appreciate a simple but addictive concept. It's a whole new way to enjoy your favorite music, and since I found it, it's been the only way I listen to the albums I buy.