Chroma is Harmonix's new music shooter, coming to PC this year

Rock Band and Dance Central developer Harmonix has finally unveiled its long-rumoured new project, the free-to-play PC shooter Chroma.

An arena shooter might not sound like Harmonix's usual bag, but take a look at (and a listen to) the trailer below and you'll see the indie's fingerprints all over it.

In development in collaboration with Defense Grid developer Hidden Path Entertainment, Chroma is a free-to-play PC shooter which Harmonix CEO Alex Rigopolus describes as a "dream project".

It blends music and shooter action with features like music used as a weapon against enemies, terrain that changes at specific points in the score, and joining together with other musicians to enjoy various mechanics and perks. Here's the fact sheet:

• Music-driven FPS gameplay – Music matters. Chroma features innovative first-person shooter mechanics that tie the game’s soundtrack directly to combat, traversal, and more.
• Music is your weapon – Unleash streams of sound and music with your arsenal and bring the musical landscape to life in battle! From deep wobbling bass to the crunch of an electric guitar, crushing metal drums to poppy synths, choose a weapon load-out that reflects your musical tastes and personal style and take your sounds into battle.
• Band together – Your team is your band: Join up with your friends and battle for glory. Master multiple classes, each with their own unique musical gameplay mechanics and perks, and lead your team to victory.
• Conquer shifting terrain – “Change Ups” at major musical moments dramatically alter the landscape of the battlefield in real time both physically and strategically, raising sniper towers, adding cover, and more in sync with the music.
• Free-to-play, but not “pay-to-win” – Free to jump in and play with deep customization, but smartly designed to preserve a fun and fair experience for all players.

No release date beyond 2014 has been provided. You can sign up to check out the closed alpha, though.

We're quite pleased to learn that the long-rumoured Chroma isn't the Harmonix Xbox One project that was shelved recently - although perhaps the developer had planned and then cancelled a console port.

Thanks, Ausgamers.