Suri: The Seventh Note Revealed by PlayStation India Hero Project

Tathvamasi, an independent game developer based in Bangalore, released the first gameplay trailer for Suri: The Seventh Note, showcasing a rhythm-based adventure game that blends traditional Indian aesthetics with modern platforming mechanics. The trailer marks a significant milestone for the PlayStation 5 title, which represents the studio's debut project under Sony Interactive Entertainment's PlayStation India Hero Project.

The game follows Ajeera, a protagonist who must navigate the mystical island of Suri to recover a magical fruit that can cure her mother's mysterious illness. Players traverse diverse environments where a dark, corrupted rhythm has twisted the island's natural harmonious melodies, creating dangerous obstacles that move in sync with the musical score.

Glenn Martin, the game's director at Tathvamasi Studios, said the concept emerged during pandemic lockdowns when he began watching gameplay videos of challenging action games where combat synchronized with musical beats. "I started watching a lot of playthrough videos and then I was just super interested in these 100% hitless videos where the combat just feels like music when you're doing it really well," Martin said. "We thought hey why not make a 2D version of that."

The newly released footage demonstrates fluid character movement through vibrant biomes inspired by Indian geography and mythology. Players must synchronize their actions with musical beats to avoid moving traps and hazards that dance to the rhythm.

The game has a unique "rhythm haptics" system, which uses the PlayStation 5's DualSense controller to create tactile feedback synchronized with the soundtrack. Martin said this feature represents one of three dimensions of rhythm the team has designed into the experience.

"We want you to be able to hear the rhythm, see the rhythm and also feel the rhythm," Martin explained.

The gameplay footage shows parkour sequences where players must time jumps and movements to match the beat of the background music. Martin compared the mechanic to puzzle-platformers like Celeste but noted that musical timing, rather than reflexes alone, determines success.

"You have to listen to music and then plan your steps," Martin said. "The game feels the best where you are in tune with the music and then you are taking every action on beat."

The released footage showcases art direction that draws heavily from Indian architectural traditions rarely seen in video games. Art director Chitrak Srivastava said the visual style incorporates elements from Rajasthani and Rajput architecture, Dravidian rock temples, and Sikkimese cultural influences, all rendered in a distinctive pen-and-ink art style.

"When we look at all the games that we have grown up playing we usually see a lot of western influences or even if it's eastern influences they're mostly not from India," Srivastava said. "We wanted to put in some of the things that we grew up looking at."

Tathvamasi was established during the Covid-19 pandemic by developers and artists committed to creating games rooted in Indian cultural narratives. The studio discovered the PlayStation India Hero Project through social media and applied with their early prototype.

The PlayStation India Hero Project, launched by Sony Interactive Entertainment in 2023, provides selected Indian studios with development funding, technical support, access to professional-grade hardware, and marketing assistance.

The initiative seeks to strengthen India's growing game development sector by supporting local creators in bringing culturally distinct narratives to international markets. Other projects supported by the program include "The Bloody Boots" and "Lokko," reflecting Sony's broader strategy to cultivate a robust gaming ecosystem in India.