Despite having so many songs, Theatrhythm Final Bar DLC is still missing some key tracks

Theatrhythm Final Bar Line is a celebration of Square Enix's musical history, not just Final Fantasy, and the Theatrhythm Final Bar Line DLC lineup will give you the game hundreds of songs when all things are said and done. Over the course of the year, the publisher will be adding songs from NieR, Octopath Traveler, Romancing SaGa, Live A Live, and The World Ends with You to the rhythm game as DLC.

Currently, there are two Theatrhythm Final Bar Line DLC packs that have not been confirmed as of the time of writing. Those will release on October 11 and November 1. Let's discuss which songs from Square Enix's catalog would be perfect for Theatrhythm Final Bar Line. 

1. "Dearly Beloved" from Kingdom Hearts 3

https://youtu.be/YpcnL2lFK_g

Featured as one of Destructoid's best Kingdom Hearts songs, "Dearly Beloved" is an iconic video game track that should be featured in Theatrhythm Final Bar Line. The stunning piano-led melody would be great to play against a video montage of the events from the Kingdom Hearts series. You can also feature the bombastic jazzy version of "Dearly Beloved" from the music-rhythm take on the franchise Kingdom Hearts: Melody of Memory if you need a track with more energy behind it.

2. "Strange World - Marching Through The Fields" from Dragon Quest VIII: Journey of the Cursed King

https://youtu.be/WLSGZdNgiLo

It's a shame that the Theatrhythm game based on Dragon Quest never made it to the West. Square Enix can redeem that by including "Strange World - Marching Through The Fields" in this game as DLC. The piece is absolutely beautiful with a tremendous flow to it. It starts off as a slow, striking number and then elevates in tempo with heightened percussion. The strong theme carries through as the hero in Dragon Quest VIII explores the open world. Playing this in Theatrhythm: Final Bar Line, with its unexpected twists and turns, would be great gameplay-wise.

3. A Final Fantasy XVI Inclusion

https://youtu.be/MyKtpAihppY

With Final Fantasy XVI releasing this summer, it would make sense to tie in the game's music as Theatrhythm Final Bar Line DLC. That would be a fun promotional move. They could drop it as free DLC as a way to futureproof this rhythm game, at least for the near future. The music from the trailers so far has been epic. Whenever a choir is in the background of some thumping tunes, you're in for a good time in Theatrhythm Final Bar Line. Alex Moukala, in the above video, recreated the theme we've heard from the "Awakening" trailer, so you can get an idea of what it would be like.

4. "New Bodhum" from Final Fantasy XIII-2

https://youtu.be/o2y3FjL7a6o

This track in Final Fantasy XIII-2 is so underrated that it wasn't even included in the base song list for Theatrhythm Final Bar Line. "New Bodhum" from Final Fantasy XIII-2 is such a banger with some striking piano playing, an atmospheric vocal track, and pumped-up percussion that will get you energized. Like "Marching Through The Fields," its flow is pleasing as the instruments rise to the chorus. This would make for a fun Theatrhythm Final Bar Line DLC addition.

5. "bird in the hand" from NEO: The World Ends with You

https://youtu.be/EZlNbHKvHik?list=OLAK5uy_k3Shqv7jnZAV2k76YGiI-Hu04E15bWCXo

It's a shame that one of NEO: The World Ends with You's best songs, "bird in the hand," hasn't made the Theatrhythm Final Bar Line DLC song list yet. It has a unique funk/hip-hop sound with exciting instrumentals, catchy vocals, and intriguing rap elements. It would certainly stand out in a game that has many orchestral pieces from the mainline Final Fantasy entries.

6. "Simple and Clean" from Kingdom Hearts

https://youtu.be/B1nDzB1P8GM

If you need a new vocal track as part of the Theatrhythm Final Bar Line DLC lineup, "Simple and Clean" from Kingdom Hearts is one of the best options. Yes, the lyrics are silly. However, Hikaru Utada's enchanting vocals in this song will transport you back to your childhood. It will be great to play this in Theatrhythm Final Bar Line as you take out cactuars and tonberries. Don't make us say, "Please, oh baby" for this song, Square Enix.

7. "Struggle" from Radiata Stories

https://youtu.be/PRTyBzoXdsk

Radiata Stories is probably a game you haven't heard of for a while, and it's certainly one of Square Enix's hidden gems. While the soundtrack isn't too stellar across the board when compared to other Square Enix classics, it would be fun to have a medley of the "Struggle" battle themes in the game. "Struggle I" is an energetic number that would apply itself to a thrilling song in Theatrhythm Final Bar Line. "Struggle 2" has more of a rocky inspiration behind it, with a few Japanese instruments like the taiko drum in the background complimenting the track. Lastly, "Struggle 3" has a more jazzy take on the main theme. Mix them all together, and you should have a fascinating Theatrhythm Final Bar Line DLC song to play.

8. Forspoken's Main Title Theme

https://youtu.be/c_PKN8GdCzo

Forspoken may be a disappointment for many, but the opening music is absolutely something to admire. The mix of hip-hop elements with the grand orchestrated nature of a fantasy epic blends beautifully in this song. It matches the tone and concept of the game perfectly. The theme also has a dynamic flow to it, letting the developers of Theatrhythm Final Bar Line add interesting gameplay elements to the song. It would also be neat if Frey became a DLC character of some kind you can unlock for your party.

9. "Max and Chloe" from Life is Strange

https://youtu.be/-o7F7_nipP0

If you want to celebrate all of Square Enix's music in Theatrhythm Final Bar Line, it should look towards some of its Western-made IPs. Life is Strange is a memorable game for many. This beautiful theme is played during the end credits of the first game. It's a guitar-forward piece that reflects the emotional bond between the two characters after facing enormous circumstances. It's not the most exciting piece in Square Enix's history of music, but the stirring instrumentals and simple nod towards the beloved series as Theatrhythm Final Bar Line DLC would be a neat touch.

10. Guest Remixes

https://youtu.be/IdV04_tEamY

One of the coolest aspects of Final Fantasy soundtracks is how they can be translated into different genres or reworked by talented musicians around the world. It would be cool to see video game cover artists release a DLC pack based on their favorite themes from the franchise. For example, Sonic Mania composer Tee Lopes released a Ranchera remix of "Tifa's Theme" from Final Fantasy VII. It sounds remarkably fitting. Cover artist and now composer Carlos "insaneintherainmusic" Eiene (alongside Julia Henderson) has also made a stellar jazzy "Sunleth Waterscape" cover from Final Fantasy XIII. Hearing their talents in a game like this would be a fantastic treat for Final Fantasy fans.

The post 10 songs that would be perfect as Theatrhythm Final Bar Line DLC appeared first on Destructoid.

So much choice

The Theatrhythm Final Bar Line song list is the ultimate love letter to Final Fantasy fans worldwide with a grand total of 385 tracks in the game. From field themes like "Midgar Expressway" from Final Fantasy VII Remake to epic battle themes such as "Blinded by Light," there are a lot of Theatrhythm Final Bar Line songs to look forward to in the game.

While it includes songs from all the mainline titles, there are some tracks to listen to from spinoff titles, like Final Fantasy Fable: Chocobo's Dungeon and Mobius Final Fantasy. Here are all the tracks included in the base songlist for Theatrhythm Final Bar Line. We have received this information directly from the horse's mouth: Square Enix.

The Entire Theatrhythm Final Bar Line Songs Offering

[caption id="attachment_363926" align="alignnone" width="1200"] Image via Square Enix[/caption]

Final Fantasy

• Opening Theme
• Main Theme
• Matoya's Cave
• Battle
• Castle Cornelia
• Mt. Gulg
• Miniboss Battle
• Final Battle
• Sunken Shrine
• Airship

Final Fantasy II

• Finale
• The Rebel Army
• Battle Theme 1
• Town
• Main Theme
• Tower of the Magi
• Dungeon
• Battle Theme 2
• Battle Theme A
• The Imperial Army
• Chocobo Theme

Final Fantasy III

• Elia, the Maiden of Water
• Battle 1
• Eternal Wind
• Battle 2
• The Boundless Ocean
• Salonia
• Let Me Know The Truth
• Forbidden Land
• The Crystal Tower
• The Dark Crystals
• This is the Last Battle
• Crystal Cave
• The Invincible

Final Fantasy IV

• Theme of Love
• The Red Wings
• Main Theme
• Battle 1
• Battle 2
• Battle with the Four Fiends
• The Airship
• Troian Beauty
• Tower of Zot
• Lunar Whale
• Within the Giant
• The Final Battle
• Another Moon

Final Fantasy V

• Main Theme
• Home, Sweet Home
• Four Hearts
• Battle 1
• To the North Mountain
• Battle 2
• Library of Ancients
• Mambo de Chocobo
• The Airship
• The Dawn Warriors
• Battle at the Big Bridge
• A New World
• In Search of Light
• The Decisive Battle
• The Final Battle
• Harvest

Final Fantasy VI

• Celes' Theme
• Locke's Theme
• Battle
• Edgar & Sabin's Theme
• Protect the Espers!
• The Decisive Battle
• Terra's Theme
• Grand Finale
• The Airship Blackjack
• Battle to the Death
• Searching for Friends
• Dancing Mad
• Kefka's Tower

Final Fantasy VII

• Aerith's Theme
• Opening - Bombing Mission
• Let the Battles Begin!
• Fight On!
• The Chase
• Main Theme
• Rufus' Welcoming Ceremony
• JENOVA
• Gold Saucer
• Cosmo Canyon
• The Highwind Takes to the Skies
• Judgment Day
• Birth of a God
• One-Winged Angel

Final Fantasy VII Remake

• Bombing Mission
• Let the Battles Begin! - A Merc's Job
• The Airbuster
• J-E-N-O-V-A- Quickening
• One-Winged Angel - Rebirth
• Midgar Expressway
• Main Theme of Final Fantasy VII - Sector 7 Undercity
• Collapsed Expressway
• High Five
• Tifa's Theme - Seventh Heaven
• Hollow

Final Fantasy VII Advent Children

• Advent: One-Winged Angel
• Those Who Fight (Piano Version)
• Beyond the Wasteland
• Aerith's Theme (Piano version)
• Battle in the Forgotten City
• Divinity II
• J-E-N-O-V-A (Advent Children Version)
• Cloud Smiles

Crisis Core -Final Fantasy VII-

• Crisis Core Theme - Succession
• The SOLDIER Way
• The Price of Freedom
• Encounter
• Timely Ambush
• A Flower Blooming in the Slums

Last Order: Final Fantasy VII

• Last Order

Final Fantasy VIII

• Ending Theme
• Waltz for the Moon
• Balamb Garden
• Blue Fields
• Don't Be Afraid
• Force Your Way
• Shuffle or Boogie
• The Man with the Machine Gun
• Premonition
• Firsherman's Horizon
• Love Grows
• Ride On
• The Castle
• Maybe I'm a Lion
• The Extreme
• Liberi Fatali
• Find Your Way
• The Oath

Final Fantasy IX

• A Place To Call Home
• Behind the Door
• Vivi's Theme
• Swords of Fury
• Vamo'alla Flamenco
• Battle 1
• Battle 2
• Over the Hill
• Festival of the Hunt
• Roses of May
• Something to Protect
• Aboard the Hilda Garde
• Not Alone
• The Darkness of Eternity
• The Final Battle
• Dark City Treno
• Iifa, the Ancient Tree of Life
• Ipsen's Castle

Final Fantasy X

• Suteki Da Ne (Isn't it Wonderful?)
• Otherworld
• Battle Theme
• Spira Unplugged
• Movement In Green
• Blitz Off!
• Thunder Plains
• Assault
• Servants of the Mountain
• A Fleeting Dream
• Challenge
• Fight with Seymour
• A Contest of Aeons
• Final Battle
• Mi'ihen Highroad
• Launch
• Via Purifico

Final Fantasy X-II

• 1000 Words (FFX-2 Mix)
• We're the Gullwings!
• "Let me blow you a kiss."
• The Farplane Abyss
• YuRiPa, Fight! No. 1
• The Bevelle Underground
• Their Resting Place

Final Fantasy XI

• Vana'diel March
• Opening Theme
• Ronfaure
• Battle Theme
• Gustaberg
• Selbina
• Recollection
• Awakening
• Shinryu
• The Sanctuary of Zi'Tah
• Fighters of the Crystal
• A New Horizon- Tavnazian Archipelago
• Ragnarok
• Heavens Tower
• Sarutabaruta
• Voyager
• Melodies Errant
• Tough Battle #2
• Iron Colossus

Final Fantasy XII

• Final Fantasy (Final Fantasy 12 version)
• Ending Movie
• The Archadian Empire
• Boss Battle
• Streets of Rabanastre
• The Dalmasca Esterland
• Heart of a Child
• Giza Plains
• Flash of Steel
• Battle with an Esper
• Life and Death
• Phon Coast
• The Mosphoran Highwaste
• Struggle for Freedom

Final Fantasy XIII

• Defiers of Fate
• Saber's Edge
• Blinded By Light
• March of the Dreadnoughts
• The Sunleth Waterscape
• Fighting Fate
• Will to Fight
• The Archylte Steppe
• Eden Under Siege
• The Gapra Whitewood
• Desperate Struggle
• Nascent Requiem

Final Fantasy XIII-II

• Warrior Goddess
• Etro's Champion
• Full Speed Ahead
• Paradigm Shift
• Groovy Chocobo
• The Last Hunter
• Crazy Chocobo
• Heart of Chaos
• Historia Crux
• Eclipse
• Noel's Theme - Final Journey
• Plains of Eternity

Lightning Returns: Final Fantasy XIII

• The Savior
• Lightning Returns
• Crimson Blitz
• Chaos
• The Dead Dunes
• The Glittering City of Yusnaan

Final Fantasy XIV

• Answers
• Hard to Miss
• On Westerly Winds
• The Land Breathes
• Serenity
• Primal Judgment
• Torn from the Heavens
• To the Sun
• Nemesis
• Under the Weight
• Engage
• Fallen Angel
• Good King Moogle Mog XII
• Ultima
• Through the Maelstrom
• A Light in the Storm
• Oblivion
• Ominous Prognisticks
• Ink Long Dry
• Heroes
• Locus
• Metal - Brute Justice Mode
• Exponential Entropy
• Moebius
• Rise
• The Worm's Tail
• Wayward Daughter
• Triumph
• Sunrise
• A Long Fall
• What Angel Wakes Me
• Promises to Keep
• Who Brings Shadow

Final Fantasy XV

• Stand Your Ground
• Veiled in Black
• Valse di Fantastica
• The Fight Is On!
• Apocalypsis Noctis (Uncovered Trailer)
• Flying R
• Invidia
• Omnis Lacrima
• Up for the Challenge
• Noctis
• Somnus
• Hellfire
• Magna Insomnia
• Main Theme from Final Fantasy
• Shield of the King
• Home Sweet Home
• Episode Ignis - The Main Theme
• The Dance of Silver and Crimson

Final Fantasy Type-0

• We Have Come
• War: Warrior Worth a Thousand
• The Earth Under Our Feet
• War: The White Dragon
• Tempus Finis
• Vermillion Fire
• Soar

Final Fantasy: The 4 Heroes of Light

• The 4 Heroes of Light
• Fiend Encounter

Strange of Paradise Final Fantasy Origin

• Jack's Theme
• Battle: Chaos Advent
• Battle: False Knight - Motif from "Battle"

Dissidia Final Fantasy

• Keeping The Peace
• The Decision Battle - arrange - from Final Fantasy 6
• The Trrops' Advance
• Battle 1 - arrange - from Final Fantasy 9
• Dissidia - ending
• Dissidia Final Fantasy [Final Trailer]

Dissiaia 012[duodecim] Final Fantasy

• Lux Concordiae
• Conto Mortis -An Undocumented Batttle-
• Gate to the Rift
• Cantata Mortis
• Dissidia 012[duodecim] Final Fantasy [Final Trailer]

Dissidia Final Fantasy -Arcade-

• The Rebel Army from FF2
• Eternal Wind from FF3
• Dancing Mad from FF6
• Antipyretic from Final Fantasy Tactics
• Massive Explosion (Short ver._)
• God in Fire - arrange- from Dissidia Final Fantasy
• Ominous Progniisticks from FF14
• The Beginning of the End from FF Type-0

Dissidia Final Fantasy NT

• Dare to Defy

Dissidia Final Fantasy Opera Omnia

• Spark

Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles Remastered Edition

• Moonless Starry Night
• Today Comes To Be Tomorrow
• Promised Grace
• Monster Ronde
• Across the Divide
• Woebegone Creature
• United, Heaven-Sent

Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles: The Crystal Bearers

• This Is the End For You!

Final Fantasy Record Keeper

• Battle at the Big Bridge - Ver. 2
• The Decisive Battle
• The Man with the Machine Gun
• Blinded by Light
• The Chase
• UTAKATA
• Chaos Shrine
• Stand Your Ground

Final Fantasy Tactics

• Opening
• Prologue
• Trisection
• Apoplexy
• Antipyretic
• Precipitous Combat
• Ultima's Transformation
• Overlia's Theme

Mobius Final Fantasy

• Warrior of Light
• Dancing Edge
• Magic Madness
• Femme Fatale
• Bloodthirst

World of Final Fantasy

• World of Battle

Final Fantasy Fable: Chocobo's Dungeon

• Dungeon Hero X's Theme
• Raffaello Battle
• Pop-Up Duel
• Guardian of the Dark II
• Leviathan Battle

Final Fantasy Mystic Quest

• Hill of Destiny
• Battle 1
• Battle 2
• Doom Castle
• Battle 3

Theatrhythm Final Fantasy

• The Chaos Shrine - TFF Menu Arrangement
• Return of the Warrior - TFF Menu Arrangement
• Battle at the Big Bridge - TFF Menu Arrangement

Theatrhythm Final Fantasy Curtain Call

• Theatrhythm Final Fantasy Curtain Call Special Arrangement Medley (Long Version)
• Theatrhythm Final Fantasy Curtain Call  Special Arrangement Medley
• Choose Your Combatants - TTFCC Menu Arrangement - From FFT

Theatrhythm Final Fantasy All-star Carnival

• Fight With Seymour - TTFAC Arrangement
• Matoya's Cave - TTFAC Arrangement
• Prelude - TTFAC Arrangement
• Main Theme of Final Fantasy V - TTFAC Arrangement
• Locke's Theme - TTFAC Arrangement
• J-E-N-O-V-A - TTFAC Arrangement
• The Red Wings - TTFAC Arrangement
• TTFCC Special Arrangement Medley - TTFAC Arrangement
• Battle at the Big Bridge - TTFAC Arrangement

Theatrhythm Final Bar Line

• Theatrhythm Final Bar Line Special Battle Arrangement Medley
• Final Fantasy VII Special Arrangement Medley - TFBL Arrangement

BRA★BRA Final Fantasy / BRASS de BRAVO games

• Moogle's Theme
• Final Fantasy Medley
• Battle at the Big Bridge
• Mambo de Chocobo

Final Fantasy Tribute Thanks

• Opening Theme

Digital Deluxe Edition exclusives

Unfortunately, there is a Theatrhythm Final Bar Line Digital Deluxe Edition that keeps some songs locked from regular players. It also comes with volume 1 of the season pass. They include:

• Zephyr Memories -Legend of the Eternal Wind- from Final Fantasy 2
• Eyes on Me from Final Fantasy 8
• Melodies of Life - Final Fantasy from Final Fantasy 9
• Zanarkand from Final Fantasy 10
• Kuon -Memories of Waves and Light- from Final Fantasy 10-2 
• Distant Worlds from Final Fantasy 11
• Kiss Me Good-Bye from Final Fantasy 12
• Symphonic Poem "Hope" from Final Fantasy 12
• Eternal Love from Final Fantasy 13
• Sound of the Wind from Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles Remastered Edition
• Aerith's Theme -Collab Arrangement-
• Cosmo Canyon -Collab Arraggement-
• Battle Theme 2 -Modulation ver.- from Final Fantasy 2
• Battle at the Big Bridge -Modulation ver. from Final Fantasy 5
• Battle SQ: Final Fantasy 9 Not Alone
• SQ Chips: Final Fantasy 3 "Go above the Clouds! - The Invicible"
• More SQ: Final Fantasy Dugem DE Chocobo
• Fighters of the Crystal from Sanctuary The Star Onions
• The Decisive Battle(Acoustic)
• Blinded by Light Jazz Arrangement
• Band: A Long Fall from Final Fantasy XIV - Arrangement Album
• Clash on the Big Bridge from The Black Mages
• The Skies Above from The Black Mages 2 - The Skies Above
• Band:Rise from The Primals

Theatrhythm Final Bar Line DLC songs

[caption id="attachment_363927" align="alignnone" width="1200"] Image via Square Enix[/caption]

If that isn't enough songs for you, Square Enix is also providing DLC tracks from other games in its library, including Nier, Chrono Trigger, and The World Ends With You. They will be released over the next few months every two weeks. Everything up to the second SaGA pack is included in Season 1, which is included in the Digital Deluxe version. Here is every DLC song we know about so far:

SaGa Games (February 16)

• Enraged Battle
• Struggle to the Death
• The Conflict
• Horrible Shadow
• Beat Them Up!
• Coup de Grace
• Passionate Rhythm

Live A Live (March 1)

• Go! Go! Steel Titan!
• LIVE A LIVE
• Birds Fly, Fish Swim
• Megalomania (not the Undertale one)

The World Ends with You (March 15)

• World is Yours
• Your Ocean
• Breaking Free
• Twister
• Calling
• Someday

NieR (March 29)

• Dependent Weakling
• Weight of the World
• Kowaretasekainouta – Marina Kawano
• Amusement Park
• A Beautiful Song
• Emil's Shop

Second SaGa Pack (April 12)

• The Celestial Protectors
• Battle #4
• Alone
• Battle #5
• Last Battle - T260G
• Feldschalcht III
• MiBgestalt
• Battle Theme I

Second NieR Pack (April 26)

• Fleeting Words / Outsider
• Song of the Ancients / Devoila
• Hills of the Radiant Winds
• Kaine / Salvation
• Song of the Ancients / Fate
• Shadowlord

Chrono Pack (May 17)

• Wings That Cross Time
• Radical Dreamers -Le Tresor Interdit-
• Chrono Trigger
• Boss Battle 2
• Battle with Magus
• Corridors of Time

Chrono Pack 2 (June 7)

• Robo's Theme
• Chrono Cross -Scars of Time-
• Wind Scene
• Frog's Theme
• World Revolution
• To Far Away Times

Mana Pack (June 28)

• Nuclear Fusion
• Battle 2
• In Search of the Sword of Mana
• Swivel
• Powell
• Meridian Child
• Sacrifice Part Three

Octopath Traveler Pack (July 19)

• Battle at Journey's End
• Primrose, the Dancer
• Daughter of the Dark God
• Octopath Traveler -Main Theme-
• Decisive Battle II

SaGa Pack 3 (August 9)

• Ever Higher
• Title Screen
• Encounter with the Seven Heroes
• The Ultimate Confrontation
• Four Sinistrals Battle I
• Four Sinistrals Battle II
• The Ultimate Confrontation

Mana Pack 2 (August 30)

• Darkness Nova
• Into the Thick of It
• Danger
• Meridian Dance
• Hometown of Domina
• Bejeweled City in Ruins

Xenogears Pack (September 20)

• Awakening
• Blazing Knights
• Soaring`

The Theatrhythm Final Bar Line song list is huge when you factor in all of the DLC and the base songlist. However, there are two more packs that have yet to be announced, set to release on October 11 and November 1. Perhaps we could expect some Kingdom Hearts tracks in the game at some point. All of the DLC is included in the Premium Digital Deluxe edition, and if you're a big fan of Square Enix music, it might be worth the purchase when you consider the sheer amount of content available with it.

The post All Theatrhythm Final Bar Line Songs appeared first on Destructoid.

Take the Trip

As part of yesterday's PlayStation VR2 (PSVR2) update, Sony Interactive Entertainment announced that the hypnotic rhythm-action shooter Rez Infinite will come drifting onto the PS5 platform on February 22, following on from its initial 2016 release on PS4 and PC.

For those yet to embark upon its dazzling odyssey, Rez Infinite is a fully remixed edition of Tetsuya Mizuguchi's seminal title, which was first released on PS2 and Dreamcast way back in 2001. Set against the narrative of a hacker, who enters the powerful A.I. system known as EDEN with the goal of eradicating a powerful and dangerous virus that is manifesting itself in every sector of the A.I.'s program.

https://youtu.be/12vmnkngORQ

An example of gaming from a pure, visual storytelling standpoint, Rez sees the player pilot a silent figure through a phantasmagoria of eye-melting visuals, blasting away at the digital corruption in piloted, rail-shooter fashion. A gorgeous and evocative soundtrack is the beating heart of Rez, synchronizing with the visuals and the player's actions to create a feast for the senses — which would win over the critics of the day and ensure that, despite poor sales, that Rez would be rightly heralded as a cult classic among players.

Rez Infinite is a fully remastered edition of the original release, which further polishes the game's environments, models, and effects — boosted by the power of modern technology. In addition to Rez's five original areas, a brand new area known as "Area X" was constructed with virtual reality optimization at the forefront of its design. The PS5 port will also feature 4K resolution options at a smooth 60FPS, with both 5.1 and 7.1 Surround audio options, presenting Mizuguchi's sense-tingling masterpiece in perhaps the most immersive form it has ever furnished.

Rez Infinite launches February 22 on PS5 and PSVR2. Players who already own the PS4 edition will be able to upgrade for, unfortunately, a $10 fee. Be sure to check out our previous report for a full list of all of the other just-announced PSVR2 titles.

The post The hypnotic Rez Infinite comes to PS5 and PSVR2 next month appeared first on Destructoid.

Scream for me, Cleveland!

The devil really does have all of the best tunes — And anybody who doubts this would do well to check out Funcom's sleeper hit of 2022 Metal: Hellsinger, which is not only celebrating hitting the one million sales mark, (and a Golden Joystick Award), but has also launched brand new ports on last-gen platforms PS4 and Xbox One!

Developed by Swedish studio The Outsiders and released in September of this year, Metal: Hellsinger is a frenetic first-person-shooter that combines the explosive and chaotic action of the genre with the guitar-styled wailings of some of the metal scene's finest. Portraying a lost soul monikered "The Unknown", players guide our hero through the bowels of the underworld in an effort to regain her lost voice.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jFAFzl_Tr7s

Metal: Hellsinger's hook lies in its encouragement of the player to fight to the "natural rhythm of the universe" — shooting, dashing, melee attacking, and reloading to the beat of the game's soundtrack. Power-ups and bonus points are awarded for extended synchronization of soundtrack and action, with soundtrack vocals performed by such screechers as Alissa White-Gluz (Arch Enemy), Mikael Stanne (Dark Tranquility), Matt Heafy (Trivium), Randy Blythe (Lamb of God), and Dennis Lyxzen (the Refused).

Launching on PS5, PC, and Xbox Series X, it was thought that the PS4 and Xbox One ports of Metal: Hellsinger had been canceled. But it would appear that The Outsiders has managed to complete its work on the last-gen editions, bringing the boom-boom to the wide audience that the game deserves. In addition, a new update has launched on all platforms, offering a new "Archdevil" difficulty setting and adding a new Elite Seraph demon to the armies of the damned.

Metal: Hellsinger is available now on PlayStation, PC, and Xbox platforms.

The post Metal: Hellsinger hits one million sales, launches on PS4 and Xbox One appeared first on Destructoid.

Turns out I'm 100% a gamer

Lizzo has been one of the most prolific pop artists of the last few years, releasing bop after endlessly catchy bop. She made news recently by elegantly playing the former president James Madison's crystal flute in the Library of Congress, reminding us that she's not just a great performer, but also a highly trained musician. Lizzo has brought fresh, bright sounds to pop that have been missing for a while, and she's also done a lot to give back after all of her success. If you can't tell, I'm a big fan of hers, so it's cool to see her influence cross over into the games space. Considering Lizzo's contributions to modern pop music, it was only a matter of time that she was immortalized by one of the highest honors in the land -- her own Beat Saber DLC pack.

As something of a Beat Saber aficionado myself, I can say with confidence that Lizzo's upbeat, bubbly, and groovy pop songs are nothing short of perfect for the VR rhythm game. The pack will also a include special environment that is themed after Lizzo's newest album, Special, featuring purple and yellow blocks, a rainbow, and Lizzo's name spelled out in lights.

The pack's full track list includes:

• "Be Loved (Am I Ready)"
• "About Damn Time"
• "Cuz I Love You"
• "Everybody's Gay"
• "Good as Hell"
• "Juice"
• "Tempo (ft. Missy Elliot)"
• "Truth Hurts"
• "Worship"

The new song pack is out today, and goes for $11.99, or $1.99 per individual song. It's been a minute since I've played because of how annoying it is to redownload my Beat Saber mods every time the game updates, but considering this is an officially released song pack that won't give me that same issue, it might be time for me to dust off the Oculus after a few months away.

The post Beat Saber’s newest DLC pack features Lizzo’s most iconic songs appeared first on Destructoid.

Everyone relates with a sad trombone

A couple of times a year, a "Phenomenon Game" pops up out of nowhere and is suddenly the talk of the town. Trombone Champ fits that description. It became a viral meme seemingly overnight, but this genius comedy game didn't come from nowhere. The people who made Trombone Champ had to stick with it for three difficult years, working only on nights and weekends, to put it all together.

The game was created by industry veterans Dan and Jackie Vecchitto. They've been self-publishing games for about a decade, and most of their projects have been free. Trombone Champ is actually the first title they've ever sold on Steam, so you can imagine their surprise when it went on to sell 20,000+ copies in its launch window, prompting NBC, The New York Times, and the CBC to all come calling for interviews.

[embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mOaYsW-Q1lU[/embed]

Much to my surprise, they were also willing to talk to me for my Talking to Women about Videogames podcast (also on iTunes and Spotify). It's a small-time show by NBC standards, but since they had an OK time on Sup, Holmes (an interview live stream show for game devs I used to do), I guess they didn't mind coming back for another talk eight years later. I've been rooting for these two ever since then, long before I knew they were the people who made Trombone Champ, and it's been so great to see those roots grow into a tree made of trombones, thousands of dollars, and mainstream media attention.

We got into all that plus the couple's love of Star Trek, D&D, gnomes, my theories on the autobiographical nature of their gameography, and a lot more. Thanks again to Dan and Jackie for taking the time, and doing it on video to boot. It was (ahem) a "hoot."

The post Meet the people who made Trombone Champ appeared first on Destructoid.

A musical miniseries with a surprising amount of heart

I wasn’t sure what to expect with We Are OFK. Based on the trailer, I thought it was going to be the usual fare we get with episodic, choice-based narratives (which I love). When I started playing, I was surprised to find that We Are OFK is less of a game and more of an animated miniseries with interactive elements, including music videos. It made a lot more sense that it was recommended to me to play on “whatever [my] preferred TV watching setup is.” We Are OFK is also considered a biopic by its creators, and while I'd more categorize it as a memoir, the point is that the project is a fictional telling of the forming of a real virtual band, which sounds more confusing than it is.

When I sat down to write this review, I thought a lot about whether to review it as a game or as more of that interactive series thing — it’s just in a sort of indistinguishable middle ground. I love that though, because it’s not something we see often in the games space at all, and I find it refreshing. That being said, I’m just going to be as honest as I possibly can, and critique the few interactive elements as I would any other narrative game. I have a lot to say. Let’s go.

We Are OFK (PC [reviewed], Nintendo Switch, PlayStation)
Developer: Team OFK
Publisher: Team OFK
Released: Aug 18, 2022 - Eps. 1 & 2, Aug 25 - Ep. 3, Sep 1 - Ep. 4, Sep 8 - Ep. 5
MSRP: $19.99

We Are OFK follows a group of four friends in Los Angeles as they navigate work, family, relationships, and the difficult process of creating art. I love a good slice-of-life story, and this series delivered on that front. The main cast includes Itsumi, a spunky concert pianist/social media manager for a large gaming company; Carter, an eccentric, workaholic artist who likes to keep their story somewhat of a mystery; Luca, a bubbly singer/songwriter who struggles with self-doubt; and Jey, a fiery music producer with a no-nonsense outlook.

It’s worth noting that the main cast are all part of the LGBTQ+ community, but that never takes center stage as the defining characteristic of who they are. They are full, complete people first, and we see their queerness as a true expression of them, not preachy postulation for the sake of it. Even for a story based on real people, that can be a difficult balance to strike, so I’m excited to see such thoughtfully written examples of this community.

I can relate

Here’s the thing — I am the exact demographic for this game. I live in LA, I’m a writer, I love pop music, and I’m bi. If anyone was going to really relate to this game, it’s me. However, I think that the strength of the writing makes it so anyone can really enjoy playing/watching We Are OFK. If you’ve ever wondered what it’s like to work in the games or music industries, this is one of the most realistic looks at that life you’re gonna get, for better or for worse. 

Moreover, this might be a bit of a controversial take, but when it comes to narrative-centric games I care more about good writing than mechanics. Despite my bias, even I am willing to admit that We Are OFK is a bit shallow when it comes to its mechanics. If you’re looking for an interactive story that has incredibly chill, relaxing gameplay, as I often am, it’s close to perfect on that front. At that point, it just comes down to preferences.

The first hint that We Are OFK was more of a miniseries than game was the length of the episodes included under their titles, exactly like how you see it on a streaming platform. I get weird anxiety about not knowing how long it’s going to take me to play a game, so that’s actually a detail I’d love to see some more traditional games take on as well. When you pause, there’s also a progress bar that shows you exactly how much time there is left in the episode, again, like any typical VOD UI. 

Can't hype the writing enough

What shocked me the most was the quality of the writing. First off, I thought We Are OFK was going to be a run-of-the-mill, yet lovable, story of a band's rise to fame. Instead, it's way more focused on the characters, which was a bold choice, but one that I thought was perfect for the grounded story of interpersonal relationships that they're trying to tell. Right away, we know who all of these characters are. They have distinct personalities, flaws, believable motivations, rich relationships with each other — I could go on. This makes sense considering they were all based on real people, but I have no way of knowing how much of the story and characters were actually pulled from their real-life counterparts. Either way, they’re the most realistically written characters I’ve seen in games in a long, long time.

The conversations always feel natural, like you can feel how well these characters know each other and how comfortable they are. You constantly see each member of the group’s values clashing with the others as well, perfectly emulating the real-life ebb and flow of modern relationships. They’re just doing their best in tough circumstances, and actively trying to be there for each other while also going for what they want in life. I walked away from the game not only rooting for these characters, but deeply understanding what makes these people tick.

I also have to break out to give extra kudos to the writing of Episode Four, titled Splits. I can’t give much away, but it was one of the most delicate, complex examinations of grief, trauma, and being there for your friends that I’ve seen in anything… ever. Most of the rest of the episodes were about on par, but there was something especially poignant and beautiful about the fourth episode — and the character it was focused on suddenly became my favorite.

Some of the dialogue did irk me a bit, only because it veered into no-one-actually-talks-like-that territory, similar to the issue Life is Strange had. But the character arcs and structure were so strong, and it didn’t happen all that often, so it absolutely was not a deal breaker for me. The other critique I have of the story is that I felt like things wrapped up a little too quickly, but again, it’s a small gripe in the face of some of the best character-focused writing I’ve seen in years.

Let's talk interactivity

Like I said, the interactive elements weren’t super prevalent. The most common of them were dialogue choices either via text message or in regular conversation. This is standard fare — if you’ve played just about any narrative adventure, you know what you’re in for. The choices are pretty much always flavor text, but I don’t really mind it. We Are OFK never presents itself as a game where your choices matter, or much of a game at all for that matter. I for one happen to like flavor text, but while some people may not agree with me on that, it can still be fun to choose how your character reacts in any given situation for the sake of it.

You can also access a few text conversations on the main menu, which are fun little surprises to look at in between episodes. It’s a nice touch to get a glimpse into what the characters are doing when we’re not there.

Then there are the interactive music videos. There’s one per episode, usually placed to accent a strong narrative beat that occurred in the story. Now I don’t know a lot about music, but the EP is considered indie pop. I listen to a lot of CHVRCHES, and the music in We Are OFK reminded me a bit of their early stuff. From what I can guess, virtual bands like Gorillaz and K/DA were a big influence. Sorry if that doesn’t help you music people out there — it’s the best I got. OFK has a single out that’s featured in the game, though, so you can listen to it before you play if you want.

Anyway, back to the interactivity: similar to the dialogue choices, the interactive music videos are more about style than anything else. There aren’t any fail states, and for the most part they include clicking on pretty visuals to a beat. I thought these were a lot of fun because of how they went along with the songs, and how they played into the story at the same time. 

We’re not reinventing the wheel here, but if you like little interactive musical vignettes with no stakes that are nice to look at, you’ll have a good time with it. I enjoyed every single song, too, which was a pleasant surprise. I guess if you’re going to make a whole game about making an EP, it’s a good thing there aren’t any weak links on the tracklist.

There are a couple more stylized interactive set pieces, and they were my favorite “gaming” moments of the whole thing. These were usually short and again, didn’t have any bearing on how the story played out, but it was fun to have some different styles mixed into the low-poly characters and painted backgrounds.

Critiques and final thoughts

As much as I enjoyed We Are OFK, I do have to disclose some jankiness that I encountered. Some of the music video bits were lacking in polish, and I would have liked to see those moments really be locked down considering they were the only parts that had more involved mechanics. Also, while the art style is purposefully minimal, the animations can be pretty stiff. You also get a lot of objects clipping through the characters, which only becomes more noticeable when you don’t have much else to pay attention to but them.

I had subtitles on the whole time as well, and I was pretty bummed that they didn't show up during the music videos, which is when I needed them most. Strangely, there were moments in the narrative part of the game where subs would randomly fail to show up, too.

The way the interaction is incorporated kind of reminds me of Netflix's Bandersnatch, in a way. Not because it’s similar to We Are OFK in any way, but it does make me think of how my friends and I made a night of sitting down, watching Bandersnatch, and arguing over each others’ choices. Obviously We Are OFK has basically the opposite tone, but the idea is the same in principle. It feels like it would be a blast to watch with friends, casually pass around the controller, and have a chill night in. I know if my roommate weren’t out of town this week, it would have been something they would have loved to sit down and watch/play with me.

We Are OFK is absolutely not for everyone. I feel like a lot of people are going to write it off before even giving it a try, which I think is such a shame because for every bit of self-indulgent and downright silly it can be at times, it is also every bit compelling, inspiring, and just goddamn well-written.

So much of We Are OFK’s identity is its style, but I have to say that it has the substance to back up its hyper-stylized vision. When you look at it less as a game and more as an interactive expression of the creative process behind an EP, it really is a lot of fun — you just have to be willing to meet it there, and look at it for what it is rather than what you think it should be.

Does it benefit from being interactive when it comes to its storytelling? That’s kind of up to you. If you allow yourself to become immersed in it, using the interactive bits to express how you feel as an observer of this story, that’s when you’re going to get the most out of this experience. 

It’s my job to be honest here, and the conclusion I’ve come to is that I’m really glad We Are OFK exists, and I think you should absolutely play it if you’re looking for a good narrative game. It’s not a great representation of in-depth gameplay, but it’s just a well-told story, plain and simple. I’ve heard some people say that the series looks like nothing more than an ad for OFK’s EP, and if that’s the case, it’s the best ad I’ve ever seen in my life. Even if it feels out of your comfort zone, it can say with absolute certainty that We Are OFK is a fun time… if you lean into everything that it is.

_{[This review is based on a retail build of the game provided by the publisher.]}

The post Review: We Are OFK appeared first on Destructoid.

Dance into Danger

An exciting update for fans of the excellent rhythm-action series Crypt of the NecroDancer: developer Brace Yourself Games has announced that it has some new "super-secret" news pertaining to the beat-heavy dungeon crawler — news it will share with us all as soon as tomorrow, August 4.

"Brace yourselves, everyone," teased the indie outfit on Twitter, "because we've got some super-secret NecroDancer-related news comin' at you this Thursday, August 4th."

https://twitter.com/NecroDancerGame/status/1554190959117602816?s=20&t=yDjdwf4TYKrSqnLkT2cTkw

Released back in 2015, Crypt of the NecroDancer takes the classic fantasy adventure of yesteryear and marries it with intense rhythm-action gameplay and a simply delicious electro-score. Players guide a young warrior maiden as she picks her way through an array of monster-filled dungeons, moving and fighting to the beat of the game's soundtrack.

An incredibly infectious and compelling adventure, NecroDancer has only grown in popularity over the ensuing years, reaching the dizzy heights of a Nintendo collaboration for the acclaimed Legend of Zelda spin-off Cadence of Hyrule. As for this new venture... It could be another franchise collaboration, it could be a brand new DLC expansion, or we could even see the reveal of a new sequel or spin-off title. For now, we'll just have to be patient, as the truth will be out soon enough.

The announcement will go live on the official Brace Yourself Games YouTube channel tomorrow at 10:00 PT / 13:00 ET / 18:00 BST. We'll be sure to bring all of the dancefloor-clearing news right here on Destructoid. Crypt of the NecroDancer is available right now on PS4, PC, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, and mobile platforms.

The post ‘Super-secret’ Crypt of the NecroDancer news coming tomorrow appeared first on Destructoid.

You may hate me, but it ain't no lie

My husband may have bought 2003’s American Idol on GBA (for some reason), but I was the one who conquered it in the course of one car trip. I'm not too fond of American Idol. I don’t really enjoy reality television in general, but I find American Idol depressing. It depicts a mindset where a career is not built through hard work, practice, and a drive to improve, but rather it’s something to be won in front of an audience. It views music as merely a product rather than art, regardless of your definition of art.

I don’t have to watch it, though. I only have to listen to the music when I’m shopping. The only thing that is forcing me to play the game is morbid curiosity, of which I have an abundance.

Have you ever wanted to be judged by your Game Boy Advance? Have I got the game for you! There was also a PS2 version, which is the same but different. How is it the same? You put your dignity on the line to try and win a record contract. How is it different? The PS2 version of American Idol has you play a rhythm game with the directional buttons, whereas the GBA gives you only the A and B buttons.

Also, the GBA version is uglier, but to the developer’s credit, they used 3D polygons for characters. That doesn’t earn it an award or anything, but it’s sometimes neat to see. The PS2 version also probably sounds better, considering it’s on a DVD and not a fun-sized Kit-Kat. I guess what I’m saying is that it’s kind of impressive from a technical standpoint if we’re being charitable.

Here’s an admission: I like button-based rhythm games. It might be because it’s reassurance that the most basic gaming ability any of us have – the ability to press the right button at the right time – is still functioning optimally. The way that American Idol boils it down to just two buttons is something that you’d typically expect to see as a mini-game in a larger trial, but here is the whole concept.

Before you get there, you create a character with your choice of horribly outdated clothing. Was this what we wore in the early aughts? Some of these look like they belong in the ‘80s. Weirdly, this is actually one of the criteria American Idol judges you on. It didn’t like my fancy cocktail dress, but when I went to the effort to put together the ugliest possible combination, it bumped my rating up. It’s not clear why you should care about what American Idol thinks of your outfit, but it rates you anyway to make you feel inadequate.

Then get ready to press buttons to golden oldies by Brittany Spears and the Backstreet Boys. Or is it NSync? I really can’t tell the difference since I was listening to Weird Al at the turn of the millennium. In any case, the playlist will either be awful or nostalgic.

In each tier of the competition, you select what song your character sings from a list of two or three. This makes sure you suffer through a variety of renditions and also means that if you play the game more than twice, you suffer repeatedly.

The gameplay is as basic as it sounds. Your cursor goes around a circle and whenever it goes over an A or B, you press the corresponding button. Behind your rhythm circle, your pixellated origami avatar gyrates. I’m not going to suggest that the papercraft monstrosity moves in time to the music because, while I’m hardly a dancer, I’m fairly confident that it doesn’t.

You’re then rated on how well you pushed buttons. Depictions of (hold on, I need to look this up) Randy Jackson, Paula Abdul, and Simon Cowell then give you vague comments about your performance. These are pretty token sound samples, but I guess you need the judges in there somewhere.

It’s not all bad. While the song choices aren’t really my style and the backing music sounds like demo tracks on a cheap keyboard, the singer’s voice gets pitch-shifted when you screw up. Not realistically, either, where they might get too high or too low, but rather it starts warbling. It’s riotously funny every time it happens because the track will be going fine, then suddenly your character’s face starts peeling to reveal the lizard living beneath. It nearly made me giggle every time it happened, causing me to lose focus and my singer’s voice to deteriorate further.

You unlock more crappy wardrobe items as you proceed through the game. On the previously mentioned car trip, I was able to unlock them all, so it hardly extended the playtime. How far do you expect it to go? I’ve seen more depth in a hacking mini-game.

I’ll admit that American Idol is not a terrible GBA game, but it’s mostly because it tries so little that it would be hard to screw up. It definitely lacks the pomp of the show; there’s no crowd or much visual indication that you’re not just locked in a room with three judges.

Actually, now that I have run through the details, I realize that American Idol is a terrible game. I’m perfectly okay pressing buttons; it just loses some of its appeal when it warbles Livin’ La Vida Loca at me.

For previous Weekly Kusoge, check this link!

The post American Idol on GBA condenses talent down to two buttons appeared first on Destructoid.

The highly anticipated indie title gets an update

The indie space is full of all kinds of unique titles that are constantly reinventing what we think games can be, and from the glimpses of it that we've seen so far, Stray Gods might just be another one of those games. For those who don't recognize the name, that's not without reason — a few years ago, Summerfall Studios launched a successful Kickstarter campaign for their new musical RPG project, then titled Chorus.

According to the studio's creative director David Gaider, the pandemic had a bit impact on their production, but they got a big boost by teaming up with Humble Games. Under the new name of Stray Gods: The Roleplaying Musical, the project is "bigger and better," thanks to the partnership, now with "full voice acting, more songs, and a longer play time."

In addition to announcing the new partnership, Summerfall Games also released the newest teaser trailer for Stray Gods, which doesn't let on too much by way of story, but definitely lays out the game's tone with sweeping landscape shots and a reverent ballad playing over top.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vyFbt8dffKk

The story of Stray Gods follows a young woman named Grace, who is tasked with solving the mystery of the death of the Last Muse from Greek mythology in an unfamiliar world of gods, monsters, and the tumultuous relationships they share. And, of course, the whole thing plays out as an interactive roleplaying musical, which is just about one of the coolest game ideas I can think of as a long-time musical theater fan.

Stray Gods' premise alone is intriguing enough, but its development team also features a host of insanely talented veterans of the games industry, such as the previously mentioned David Gaider, who is best known for his work on the Dragon Age series, award-winning composer Austin Wintory, who wrote the music for games like Journey, The Pathless, and Assassin's Creed Syndicate, and prominent voice talent like Laura Bailey who is best known for being in, well, everything.

The post Musical RPG Stray Gods gets a chilling new teaser trailer appeared first on Destructoid.

A musical romp through the Scottish highlands

The developers behind indie darlings like 80 Days, Heaven's Vault, and Overboard! just announced a new narrative adventure title called A Highland Song, and I couldn't be more excited about it. Players will take on the role of Moira, a young Scottish girl who runs away from home to go and visit her uncle on the coast, who has invited her to his home with the promise of a wonderful surprise. The story will follow Moira's journey through the Scottish highlands, and all of the supernatural surprises she'll encounter along the way.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CpSsiPTJlYU

Gameplay-wise, A Highland Song is a 2.5D side-scroller with some platforming and rhythm mechanics in there, and it looks delightful to play. Its art style is a combination of hand-drawn animation, painted backdrops, and dynamic weather effects, and will pay homage to the beauty of the country where it is set. The game's soundtrack will be a prominent feature as well, and was composed by Laurence Chapman, along with two award-winning artists from the Scottish folk scene: Talisk and Fourth Moon.

As well as developing games, Inkle also created an open-source scripting language called Ink, which is used to create interactive narrative games (it's also what they use to make their own projects, duh). I've been using ink for years, and it's honestly my favorite tool to use as someone who enjoys writing interactive fiction. They've made creating your own games super accessible, and that's something I find really commendable in the games space. Titles like A Highland Song are proof of what their tools are able to create, and should serve as inspiration for any aspiring game devs — if they can do it, you can do it too!

This sweet little indie game is one I'll be looking forward to. A Highland Song is currently in development for PC and Nintendo Switch, and is available now to wishlist on Steam.

The post 80 Days developer Inkle Studios announces new adventure, A Highland Song appeared first on Destructoid.

Enter the Swift extended universe

Taylor Swift is soft curling her hair, rerecording the music that made her, and singing through the AirPods of every girl you know, especially if that girl once had a Tumblr. Love or hate Swift, there’s no denying that her 10-minute “All Too Well” made November a bit colder and probably also made Jake Gyllenhaal cry, dominating headlines and playlists and summoning oily spirits of dead relationships. But if you feel like you’ve missed the Taylor Swift boat, or want permission to dip even deeper in her choppy waters, all Swift’s journal page lyrics about December mean that now is the best time to nourish your inner scarf-wearing child.

But how do you really reach the next Swift level this December? Well, you already know about Swift’s music, and her role in Cats undoubtedly appears every time you close your eyes, so there’s nothing left to do but scour the internet for Taylor Swift video games.

At least, I did on your behalf, in hopes of expanding my personal Taylor Swift universe. I have a fascination with celebrity video games, especially if they’re ridiculous, most likely because I used to play celebrity dress-up games online and read People as a kid. All that celebrity really makes a mark on one developing brain.

But there’s also something uncanny about seeing a real, 3D human stranger rendered into a digital doll you can play with, especially if it’s of Taylor Swift. Her experience as a famous woman and current rerecording project encourages questions about celebrity and ownership, so, really, there’s nothing better to do while simultaneously listening to folklore and pondering the ways we commodify people. I started to Google.

Let’s get the disappointing news out of the way: other than in those aforementioned celebrity dress-up games, Taylor Swift really doesn’t make many video game appearances online. Since I’m no longer eleven and a bit more sensitive about computer viruses, I wanted to avoid dress-up games, and instead, I headed to itch.io.

Once again, there wasn’t much. I forced myself to go on a date with Taylor Swift in the visual novel A Date With Taylor Swift, which is described as not “too different from a real date with Taylor Swift. It’s free to download, and it gave me nightmares.

You start out in an “empty diner without color” (maybe you are a dog?), until Taylor Swift suddenly appears, wearing an apple-red dress (maybe you are in The Giver?). You immediately confess your love to her, like any normal Giver would do, and eventually access the core of the game, which is a lyrics generator. Taylor Swift wrote me a chorus that went like “And I was there when you cut me run away smile / If you like a million little piece love story of me,” which hurt my head, so I stopped playing and uninstalled the game out of spite.

Although I did have to take a Tylenol, that was mostly because my boyfriend was screaming while playing League of Legends and not because of A Date With Taylor Swift, so I recommend you download it if you like avant-garde dating and hate syntax.

Then, it’s not a video game, but I enjoyed the feel of this proposed roleplaying card game, folkmoore, which is free to download on itch as a PDF. It’s described as a small-town game dealing “with belonging and rejection.” Some suggestions of who to be include a murderer or a hurricane, and in the town there is “the girl you owe an apology,” and “golden string of fate.” This game is definitely for spookier Swifties among us, who like Instagramming mugs of tea. I know I do!

I became dejected with my lack of Swifteo game success. How else will we advance our studies of the sacred text, Fearless (Taylor’s Version)? As a last-ditch effort, I decided to risk a virus and check out some Swift dress-up games. It turns out that none of them work because today’s kids are all on TikTok watching North Kardashian West go live instead.

But it’s not really surprising — we’ve changed the way we interact with celebrities. Before, celebrity video games were an avenue for intimacy when the alternative was kneeling in front of a poster on the wall. But now that celebrities have Twitter DMs and Instagram Live, playing with Keanu Reeves on our computers is less of a thrill. Of course, you can still find vestiges of video game Taylor Swift in games like Just Dance and Band Hero, but those intend to connect you to Swift’s music, not Swift herself.

The one mainstream exception to this is The Swift Life, a 2017 social app for Taylor Swift and her fans that shared a publisher with casual roleplaying games Kim Kardashian Hollywood and Britney Spears: American Dream. But in 2019, The Swift Life users reported shoddy design and lack of Swift’s participation as leading to the app’s demise that year. We only have to look at the success of Kim Kardashian Hollywood, which excels at funny, engaging gameplay (for what it is), to see that a vague celebrity affiliation isn’t enough. The game needs to be able to stand on its own, or celebrity involvement has to be even better than what social media offers.

So, I’m sorry, I failed you. You’re just going to have to listen to “Me!’ on loop. Yeah, I know that’s her worst song. It's punishment for both of us. But know this — if Taylor Swift ever really does get a video game, I’ll be the first to tell you.

The post Hark! The Taylor Swift video games sing appeared first on Destructoid.

Can you feel the beat?

A brand new list of Xbox achievements has surfaced, seemingly leaking a new entry in the beat-heavy Taiko no Tatujin series. As spotted on TrueAchievements, the whopping list of 89 achievable goals snugly correlates with Bandai Namco's recent trademark for the unannounced Taiko no Tatsujin: The Drum Master, which the publisher filed in November.

As noted by eagle-eyed ResetEra users, the achievement list uses the placeholder title "T Tablet_for XC," but its full listing clearly references the Taiko no Tatsujin brand and the term "Drum Master" multiple times — with cute little icons featuring long-time mascot characters Don and Katsu Wada. A lot of the achievements listed pertain to gathering items from some form of in-game store, including new songs, instruments, costumes, nameplates, and more.

The last release in the colorful series was 2018 Nintendo Switch title Taiko no Tatsujin Drum 'n' Fun, so it will be neat to get pounding on the skins once again (grow up). Bandai Namco had also secured a trademark for a "Taiko no Tatsujin: Rhythm Festival," so we'll have to wait and see what that particular title pertains to. In the meantime, start warming up those elbow muscles, and we'll be sure to give you a heads up when The Drum Master is officially revealed.

[Via Gematsu]

The post Xbox achievements point to new Taiko no Tatsujin title ‘The Drum Master’ appeared first on Destructoid.

Flip through all 40 tracks with this official video

If you or someone you know winds down by shuffling through TikTok videos in bed, you're going to recognize a lot of the tracks on the Just Dance 2022 song list. Ubisoft put out a video with snippets of the 40 songs, and it's the best way to get a quick rundown.

https://youtu.be/Vnab1gHwJeY

The final song list for Just Dance 2022

• Camila Cabello — "Don't Go Yet"
• Taylor Swift — "Love Story (Taylor's Version)"
• Olivia Rodrigo — "good 4 u"
• Bella Poarch — "Build A B*tch"
• Dua Lipa — "Levitating"
• Billie Eilish — "Happier Than Ever"
• 24kGoldn ft. iann dior — "Mood"
• Todrick Hall — "Nails, Hair, Hips, Heels"
• Beyoncé — "Run the World (Girls)"
• K/DA, Madison Beer, (G)I-DLE ft. Jaira Burns — "Pop/Stars"
• Justin Timberlake — "Rock Your Body"
• The Sunlight Shakers — "Mr. Blue Sky"
• Sylvester — "You Make Me Feel (Mighty Real)"
• Master KG ft. Nomcebo Zikode — "Jerusalema"
• GALA — "Freed From Desire"
• Sevdaliza — "Human"
• Anastacia — "I'm Outta Love"
• Lady Gaga — "Judas"
• El Chombo — "Chacarron"
• aespa — "Black Mamba"
• Major Lazer ft. Anitta & Pabllo Vittar — "Sua Cara"
• Ciara — "Level Up"
• Katy Perry — "Last Friday Night (T.G.I.F.)"
• Anuel AA, Daddy Yankee, Karol G ft. Ozuna, J Balvin — "China"
• Black Eyed Peas X Shakira — "Girl Like Me"
• Meghan Trainor —"Funk"
• Pabllo Vittar ft. Charli XCX — "Flash Pose"
• The Pussycat Dolls ft. Snoop Dogg — "Buttons"
• Zara Larsson — "Poster Girl"
• BLACKPINK — "Boombayah"
• Bakermat — "Baianá"
• SuperM — "Jopping"
• Domino Saints — "My Way"
• Sia — "Chandelier"
• The Weeknd & Ariana Grande — "Save Your Tears (Remix)"
• Ayo & Teo — "Stop Drop Roll"
• Imagine Dragons — "Believer"
• Chilly Gonzales — "You Can Dance"
• Bronski Beat — "Smalltown Boy"
• Daði Freyr — "Think About Things"
• Skarlett Klaw — "Boss Witch"

One curious note: "Break My Heart" didn't make the cut. Fans were expecting it.

They've got a handful of songs from newer artists that I genuinely dig, some surprising throwbacks from Taylor Swift and Justin Timberlake, and That One Song I Just Can't Cope With. You'll know it when you hear it. (If not, look for the wacky inflatable costumes.)

Admittedly, it's been a few years for me. I like this series in small doses, and for a bit of exercise. It's also a fun way to not take yourself too seriously with the fam.

The Just Dance series doesn't get much time of day around here, to the point where we usually just jokingly keep tabs on whether or not it's releasing on the original Nintendo Wii (it isn't!), but I'm weirdly interested in the song selection for Just Dance 2022.

I mean, sure, Ubisoft is going to push those library-boosting Just Dance Unlimited subscriptions as much as it can, but in terms of the base game roster, I'm feeling this lineup more than usual. It's amusing to see K/DA's "Pop/Stars" bubble up again.

And yep, it is already that time. Just Dance 2022 is out on November 4 for Nintendo Switch, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S. The game will cost $50 at launch.

The post The Just Dance 2022 song list is better than expected, and here’s a quick rundown appeared first on Destructoid.

PS VR owners can't compete against PC VR or Oculus Quest players in online multiplayer

Thanks to a better-late-than-never update, the PlayStation VR version of Beat Saber now has multiplayer. The online mode rolled out for free on PS4 today, which is just in time to help offset all of that pre-Halloween candy-jar snacking some of us have been enjoying.

https://youtu.be/ZMBqlCRwCg8

In online multiplayer, up to five Beat Saber players can compete with cartoonish avatars slashing the night away to the rhythm of the music. Private and public matches are supported, and players can earn multiplayer badges for their feats. If you're matching via Quick Play, for instance, you can set it to Easy, Normal, Hard, Expert, or Expert+ difficulty.

It's been a full year since SteamVR and Oculus players were able to try out Beat Saber multiplayer, so some PS VR owners were starting to lose faith in developer Beat Games. This was one of those frustrating situations where in-the-know fans had to constantly keep tabs, and every time they looked into it, the release date was still up in the air.

Speaking of which, PlayStation VR players can compete in Beat Saber multiplayer, but not against other platforms — as the developer confirmed today, "cross-play for PS VR is currently not supported." Additionally, you'll need a PlayStation Plus membership.

Beyond the stylized trailer, here's some actual PS VR footage from PSVR ZEST.

https://youtu.be/4VPyP95Si84

This song, "Spooky Beat," is a new drop. The track is out now for free.

In September, Beat Games said it was "exploring ways" to implement cross-play for PlayStation VR, which may or may not open the door just a crack for another update in the future. Cross-play can be a major boon, but considering that Beat Saber is a top-five most-played PS VR game (per Sony), there should be a decent-sized audience to play against.

"It was a complex feature to develop and we’re so happy we can finally share this with all of you and welcome new players online," head of marketing Michaela Dvorak said on the PlayStation Blog.

I wonder if Beat Saber will be one of the "bonus" PlayStation Plus games in November.

The post Beat Saber for PlayStation VR just got multiplayer, minus cross-play appeared first on Destructoid.

This must be how Ringo feels all the time

Last month, the Apple Arcade service got a real shot in the arm when Apple surprised dropped more than two dozen titles onto the subscription service. We've covered a few of those titles already, but there were many more we just didn't have the time or manpower to dive into for you. If you have the service, you should give games like Wonderbox, Star Trek: Legends, and Clap Hanz Golf a go. The latter title is from the developer of the Everybody’s Golf series and features excellent touch controls and an interesting spin on the sport.

But there is another game I would like to talk about today because it has brought me so much joy since I downloaded it to my iPad. That game is Taiko no Tatsujin Pop Tap Beat, and it is immaculate. 

The Taiko no Tatsujin series has always fascinated me from afar as it’s been pretty difficult to get here in the states. The franchise first hit our shores back in 2004 with the release of Taiko: Drum Master for the PS2. Clearly, it didn't sell well enough because nearly the next decade and a half after that, your only chance of seeing the series outside of the East would be to import a title or happen upon an arcade that carried one of its many cabinets.

Since 2018, however, titles in the series have begun to find their way back to our shores. That year, Bandai Namco released Taiko no Tatsujin: Drum ’n’ Fun for Nintendo Switch and followed that up in 2020 with the Rhythmic Adventure Pack. Now the series is spreading even further with Pop Tap Beat, which is putting my amateur desk-drumming skills from high school to good use.

A game like this absolutely makes sense for the mobile platform. A taiko drum isn’t as complicated as a standard drum set, so you really only have to worry about making sure you’re tapping the right part of the screen in time to the music. Hit the drum for red notes, hit the sides of the drum for blue notes, and do a drum roll anytime you see yellow. That’s it. That’s all you need to remember as you drum your way through songs like “Cruel Angel’s Thesis,” the theme to My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, "Hello! Halloween," and more than two dozen other songs.

It’s tough to be in a bad mood when tapping along to Georges Bizet’s "Carmen Prelude" or challenging somebody online to see who’s better at “Alien Alien.” And I’ve tried. I’ve been stressed out at work, it’s been unbearably hot here as of late, and the public is really getting on my jock at my 9 to 5. But as soon as I open the app on my iPad, all of that just melts away and the only thing that matters is making sure my little taiko drum is happy with my performance.

Even if I’ll never be coordinated enough to do perfect runs on the hard or extreme difficulties, I’m going to keep playing this game because it’s so damn bright and cheery. Playing Pop Tap Beat certainly brings me back to the golden years of the rhythm genre when plastic instruments littered my apartment. I miss those days, but I don’t miss the junk. Taiko no Tatsujin Pop Tap Beat is a pleasant, minimalistic way to relive those years, and I can only hope enough Apple Arcade subscribers download it to warrant some updates from Bandai Namco.

The post Taiko no Tatsujin Pop Tap Beat is my new happy place appeared first on Destructoid.

Or just win the game, if you want

In today's contest you can win a brand new Switch, and a copy of Everhood!

Have you ever heard of Everhood? Well if you haven't, now you have! It's a strange one, for sure, but that's just how I like 'em.

The lovely folks at developer Foreign Gnomes would like to not only give away some Switch copies of their brand new game, but also a brand new Switch to play it on! Isn't that nice of them?

Warning: The trailer below contains flashing imagery.

I honestly don't even know where to start with this one. You play as a doll, Red, whose arm was stolen by a dwarf. From there, you'll meet banjo-playing frogs, angry ATM machines, and a whole bunch of weirdness in your quest to retrieve your missing appendage. Oh yeah and the battle scenes are a weird mix of Rock Band (still waiting on New Radicals, guys), shmups, and RPGs.

There's a lot going on here, but rest assured it'll be a good time.

Speaking of a good time, who doesn't love a free console? If you raised your hand, then go somewhere else. Win a lollipop or something. We're about giving away new systems, and even after four years the Switch is the hottest thing on the market. The Everhood guys gave us a custom-themed Switch to give out, complete with skins based on the weird, wacky art.

To enter to win, use the widget below to leave your name and email address. You can enter daily. Be sure to click around for ways to earn bonus entries, and comment below telling us the last time you ate a hot dog.

We have one grand prize winner who'll receive a brand new Switch and a digital copy of the game; four runners-up will receive a Switch NA key for the game. We'll draw winners next Wednesday. As this is a physical prize, you must have a United States shipping address in order to win.

Everhood releases on Switch and Steam March 4.

Dtoid Contest: Win a brand new Switch console and a copy of trippy musical RPG Everhood

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We got the dreamers disease

To say Rock Band revolutionized the admittedly short-lived plastic instrument phenomenon would be an understatement. This is a series that spawned not only a knockoff series from its biggest competitor but three direct sequels, multiple band-specific spinoffs (including the elusive Beatles license), and even a friggin' LEGO collab -- this thing had a full-blown zeitgeist. Like many niche interests, the genre crashed and burned, but a stalwart few still break out the cheap guitars and flimsy drum kits for some fake rock 'n roll on a drunken Tuesday night.

I'm amongst those ranks.

Whether or not you ever got into the series, it's proven to really have some legs. During its 13-year run, the series has featured some 2,800 songs, spanning every genre from the titular rock to rap, to country, and even parody tracks from South Park and Steven Colbert. Even to this day, the devs are still releasing DLC every Thursday to keep the series fresh.

It's hard to complain about what the devs have done...but complaining is my business, and business is good. And gosh darn it, it's time to put "You Get What You Give" in Rock Band.

First hitting the scene in late 1998, New Radicals' "You Get What You Give" is considered by many to be one of the greatest singles of the late-'90s alt-rock scene. Band frontman Gregg Alexander disbanded the group shortly after the single's release, pretty much damning New Radicals to the dreaded one-hit-wonder status.

What could have been a cultural relic has endured over the years, most recently resurfacing in political appearances by Vice President Kamala Harris' husband. Its overall positive message about hard work and perseverance is also a favorite of the Biden family, resulting in the band briefly reuniting to perform the hit for the presidential inauguration.

Despite its longevity and renewed relevance, the song is still not in Rock Band, neither on any of the games' multiple on-disc setlists nor as part of the series' expansive DLC. For comparison's sake, over the years, Rock Band has featured:

• Other one-hit wonders from the era, such as "Closing Time," "Tubthumping," "Steal My Sunshine," and "Flagpole Sitta"
• 11 Nickelback songs (WHY?)
• 15 Avenged Sevenfold tracks

I could go on, but the fact that there are 11 songs from one of the most universally-mocked (yet seemingly contradictorily also one of the best-selling) bands in pop culture is both frustrating and disappointing. "This Means War," Harmonix. If this is "How You Remind Me" of how one of the best songs from the '90s is absent from your library, it's time to "Burn It to the Ground." If not "This Afternoon," then "Someday." "Never Again." "Photograph."

I've been patiently waiting for over 13 years now, Harmonix. It's time to release "You Get What You Give" for Rock Band. And if Gregg says no -- which is the sort of thing he'd do -- tell him Joe Biden's on my side.

The post It’s been 13 years, Harmonix, put ‘You Get What You Give’ in Rock Band appeared first on Destructoid.

Where words fail, music speaks

Last week, indie outfit Rayark announced that its ethereal rhythm-action remake Deemo Reborn would be coming to mobile platforms on December 17. Well, it seems that Nintendo Switch fans will also have the chance to get in on the melodious mystery, as a Switch has just been confirmed for the same date.

As a quick refresher, Deemo Reborn is a re-imagined edition of the 2013 PS Vita and mobile title Deemo. It tells a serene tale of a young girl who is thrust into a sublime-but-haunting universe, and must find her way back to her own reality, guided by the soft lilt of piano music and the strange sprite, Deemo. Players guide the protagonist through the environment, solving riddles and puzzles while mastering a score of over 60 classical tunes.

Deemo Reborn launches December 17 on Nintendo Switch, alongside iOS and Android platforms. It is available right now on PS4 and PC.

The post Deemo Reborn will also arrive on Nintendo Switch December 17 appeared first on Destructoid.

Pay $15 or forever hold your peace

Here's some housekeeping that will probably fall on deaf ears. Any committed Rock Band player took care of it long ago. Anyone who hasn't probably won't care enough to rush this through in the coming hours.

Alas, here goes anyway: It's the last day to export your Rock Band 3 songs into Rock Band 4/Rivals. The license expires on December 1, 2020.

For those who want make a last-second just-in-the-nick-of-time export, you'll need a copy of Rock Band 3 and $15. Harmonix's systems need to check that you're a "verified purchaser" of Rock Band 3 and then the export costs $15. The process is outlined on this very old blog post. 

You had five years to push this through, but now you only have a few more hours. If this PSA helps anyone out, you're a procrastinator to the max. Get it done now though. Without the export, the only way to play Rock Band 3 games will be inside actual Rock Band 3. Your library deserves better.

On December 1st, the Rock Band 3 Export is expiring. We know it’s a bummer, but you still have time to purchase an export key.
If you have owned and played Rock Band 3 on the same console family or profile and want to export a bunch of rad songs to Rock Band 4 – act soon! pic.twitter.com/dy7Rit1oDx

— Rock Band (@RockBand) September 22, 2020

The post PSA: It’s the last day to export your Rock Band 3 songs appeared first on Destructoid.

'Never left without saying goodbye...'

Developer Rayark has announced that its ethereal fantasy remake Deemo Reborn will launch on mobile platforms in just under a month from now. The mysterious rhythm-action adventure will arrive on iOS and Android platforms on December 17.

Originally released on PlayStation 4 in November 2019, before being ported to PC back in September of this year, Deemo Reborn is the story of a young girl thrust into a haunting, yet somewhat tranquil fantasy world. Accompanied by the titular sprite "Deemo," our hero must pick her way through the strange universe, utilizing the power of piano music to guide her onward and, hopefully, back into her own world.

Deemo Reborn for mobile will feature the same puzzle-solving, rhythm-action adventure of its PS4 and PC brethren, and will feature 60 tunes to master as the player explores an ever-expanding kingdom. And if you fancy checking out this cult classic, it won't even break the bank, retailing for just a few scant dollars. Play on.

The post Musical remake Deemo Reborn launches on mobile December 17 appeared first on Destructoid.

For Those About to Rock

When you consider backward compatibility, a lot of times it's just nice to know the option is there. Like "I know I'm probably never playing the Deadliest Warrior fighting game again but at least I know I can if I want to." 

Rock Band is kind of different. A lot of people have generations full of paid-for songs and closets full of plastic peripherals. It's the sort of game you definitely want to bring with you into the next generation because, if you couldn't, it's good enough to keep the old systems hooked up to keep playing.

The good news is that won't be necessary. Harmonix has published a post that explains Rock Band 4 is pretty much completely compatible with PS5 and Xbox Series X. Hardware, DLC, saves -- all of it. There's a weird limitation where PS5 detects the DualSense's controller microphone as the default mic; to combat that, you'll need to change your PS5 settings at the system level before using a USB mic.

Otherwise, Harmonix says that everything should work on next-gen consoles. If it ever worked with Rock Band 4 (including electronic drum kits and legacy wireless adapters), it'll still work on PS5 and Xbox Series X. There's even a note about how the DLC transfer stuff is much cleaner this time. It was, infamously, a trainwreck redownloading all your old DLC for use in Rock Band 4.

Speaking of old DLC, let's wrap this up with a PSA. The license to export Rock Band 3's songs into Rock Band 4 will expire on December 1. So, the next month-and-a-half serve as last call to export those --but you need the Rock Band 3 disc. After that, they're lost to Father Time (unless you feel like hooking up your old console just to play that game).

Rock Band 4 and Next-Gen Consoles [Harmonix]

The post Rock Band 4 is completely compatible with PS5 and Xbox Series X appeared first on Destructoid.

I'm gonna make a supersonic man outta you

In today's contest you can win Let's Sing Queen for Xbox One, PS4, or Switch!

I'm going to say it, and you're going to listen to it: Let's Sing Queen is the Dark Souls of singing games. Like, legit. Freddie Mercury has the absolute best voice EVER in rock, and probably outside of it, too. I'm nervous even thinking about trying to hit any of those notes playing this one.

Well, you can give it a shot! We've got some Xbox One, PS4, and Switch copies to give out, so everybody play the game!

It's simple: Queen rules, and you get to sing along to them in Let's Sing Queen. Or at least try. Dude's got some range. If you don't still have a microphone laying around from the era of games with plastic instruments, you can connect your phone to the game and belt into that! That's a pretty cool feature. There are also six games modes, but I'm pretty sure they're all revolved around singing about riding bicycles. Or females with voluptuous backsides. You know, all the normal Queen stuff.

Check the full tracklist so I don't have to copy and paste it all!

To enter to win, tell us which of the 30 songs above is your favorite. I'm an absolute sucker for "Don't Stop Me Now." If you don't have a favorite or are new to Queen, tell us your go-to shower or karaoke song, instead!

We have three copies to give away for each platform; we'll randomly draw winners next Friday. Make sure to comment with a Dtoid-generated Disqus account, and that we have your current email address on file. If you're new, sign up here to get all radio ga ga with us.

Let's Sing Queen is available now for Xbox One, PS4, and Switch.

The post Contest: Win Let’s Sing Queen for Xbox One, PS4, or Switch appeared first on Destructoid.

I was working in the lab, late one night...

Nippon Ichi Software (NIS) has released a lengthy gameplay trailer for its upcoming release Mad Rat Dead, the rhythm-action platformer headed to PS4 and Nintendo Switch next month.

As a reminder, (just in case this is your first time seeing this screwy new title), Mad Rat Dead tells the story of a miserable lab rat who has reached the end of his crappy existence. Visited by the super-cute Rat God on his final night, our hero is given one last day on his rodent coil, with which to escape his cage and seek revenge on those who assigned him his shoddy spin on planet Earth.

Guided by the player, the Rat God, and his own sentient talking heart, (folks, I just report it), Mad Rat makes their way through the laboratory, with rhythm-action button inputs replacing the typical control system of a standard platformer. Think Crypt of the Necrodancer but as a side-scroller. Mad Rat Dead is certainly a game with both a unique gameplay and visual style, and rhythm-action fans might want to keep an eye out for this beneath-the-radar release.

Mad Rat Dead launches October 30 on PS4 and Nintendo Switch. A demo is currently available on the Japanese PSN store.

Mad Rat Dead second trailer [Gematsu]

The post Mad Rat Dead shows off its unique rhythm-platforming action appeared first on Destructoid.

We like to party, we like we like to party

Harmonix has never been left wanting for cool and innovative ideas that meld music and games. One such example went a bit under the radar in 2017 when Harmonix created some legitimately neat tech that allowed players to mash songs together on the fly. That was DropMix and it impressed most everyone who played it, but the expensive peripherals made it a tough sell for some.

Come November, Harmonix is basically releasing DropMix in video game form without the need for any additional devices. It's Fuser, a DJ mixing game where players take individual sections of popular songs and remix them against other songs, with options to change the tempo and key too. The possibilities are endless, and it seems like the kind of thing where Harmonix's tech will make even the most ridiculous mashup sound better than it has any right to.

Today, Harmonix announced that Fuser launches on November 10 on PC, PS4, Switch, and Xbox One. Two months until the party kicks off. That's when you find out whether you can subvert Harmonix's intentions and come up with a creation that truly sounds like nails on a chalkboard.

The post Harmonix’s Fuser is comin’ in November and everybody’s jumpin’ appeared first on Destructoid.

Cutting the Cheese

NIS America has released a new trailer for its new adventure Mad Rat Dead, which is headed to PS4 and Nintendo Switch in October. The video shows off Mad Rat Dead's quirky hybrid gameplay, which combines the rhythm-action and platforming genres.

As a refresher, Mad Rat Dead tells the story of a lab rat who has reached the end of his pretty miserable existence. At death's door, he is visited by the flamboyant Rat God, who offers our hero a few extra hours of life to leave his cage crack the skulls of those responsible for his piss-poor life. Guided by the Rat God and - weirder still - his sentient talking heart, our hero sets out for one final mission of mayhem.

While at first glance Mad Rat Dead looks like a typical platformer, the player is actually required to move the rockin' rodent to the beat of the game's soundtrack, similar to titles such as Crypt of the Necrodancer, put from a side-scrolling perspective. A bangin' soundtrack that blends Big Band and Big Beats has been composed by artists such as a_hisa, Kouichi Sakita, and Camellia.

Mad Rat Dead does not look like your typical platformer, and its colourful punk-rock visuals (by Yomawari designer Yu Mizokami) and bizarre narrative have certainly peaked my interest. Here's hoping that the gameplay is equally as compelling.

Mad Rat Dead launches on PS4 and Nintendo Switch October 30.

The post Mad Rat Dead puts the ‘beat’ in beatdown, escapes October 30 appeared first on Destructoid.

No Zac Efron here, folks

In today's contest you can win a physical Switch copy of Old School Musical from Super Rare Games!

Super Rare Games is back at it! This week, their mission to put digital Switch games on physical carts brings them to Old School Musical. And you know what that means -- you can win a copy for yourself!

This is a weird one! Tib and Rob are on a quest to find where all the bugs from their favorite classic video games come from. And as par for the course, the only way to do so is to the beat of the chiptune music! Every action you take is tied to the rhythm of the soundtrack, so you'd better put on your best fingerless gloves to keep up! If you're into the world of chiptunes, you'll recognize Dubmood, Zabutom, Hello World, Yponeko, and Le Plancton. And if not, you'll get to know them as you adventure through retro gaming to their tunes! Also, you fight a bunch of chickens so what do I know.

As always, the Super Rare Games physical Switch release comes with:

• Fully assembled Nintendo Switch game with cartridge
• Interior art
• Full-colour manual
• Exclusive sticker
• 3 card trading card pack

Use the widget below to enter to win. You can enter daily, so be sure to follow up ever day and click around for ways to earn bonus entries. Double your pleasure, double your fun over at Nintendo Enthusiast.

We have one copy of the game to give away, with the winner being drawn August 6. As this is shipping directly from SRG, anyone in the world is eligible! Better luck next time, Pluto. (Is that back to being a planet again, btw?)

Old School Musical is available now from Super Rare Games.

Dtoid Contest: Win Old School Musical on Switch from Super Rare Games

The post Contest: Win Old School Musical on Switch from Super Rare Games appeared first on Destructoid.

Killer, Queen

Me, to anyone who tries to silence my off-key wailings that pitifully approximate Freddie Mercury's cherubic voice: Don't stop me now.

There's a Queen-themed Let's Sing game headed to consoles this fall. Let's Sing Queen is a collection of 30 classic Queen songs assembled together for your at-home karaoke needs. Like other Let's Sing games, this edition supports USB mics but most people will find it most convenient to sing through their phones via a dedicated Let's Sing app.

The full track list hasn't been revealed, but here's what has been called out in the press release and shown via screenshots:

• "A Kind of Magic"
• "Another One Bites the Dust"
• "Bicycle Race"
• "Bohemian Rhapsody"
• "Fat Bottomed Girls"
• "Good Old Fashioned Lover Boy"
• "Killer Queen"
• "I Want to Break Free"
• "I Want It All"
• "Somebody to Love"
• "We Are the Champions"
• "We Will Rock You"
• "Who Wants to Live Forever"

The inevitable living room-butchering of all these classics is reminiscent of Harmonix's excellently-produced The Beatles: Rock Band (or, less memorably, Green Day: Rock Band). The single artist approach works wonders for people who are less inclined to jam out to every current pop banger, and would much prefer to work through one band's greatest hits.

Let's Sing Queen is scheduled to launch on October 2 on PS4, Switch, and Xbox One. Launch, you know, like a shooting star leaping through the sky like a tiger defying the laws of gravity. Or, like a racing car passing by like Lady Godiva.

When will this mercifully end? There's no stopping me.

The post Let’s Sing Queen is the Beatles: Rock Band of karaoke games appeared first on Destructoid.

Just because you can doesn't mean you should

Harmonix's Fuser had had two discernible effects on me thus far. The one Harmonix is aiming for is me thinking "Wow, it'd be neat to hear some combination of these tracks mashed together." The other is me thinking "I want to hear that song right now." Am I listening to The Clash's Combat Rock as I write this? Reader, you know I am.

Fuser looks to capture the summer festival experience (which, ironically, certainly isn't happening this summer) by letting players remix parts of songs against one another. It seems like it's driven by the very impressive tech of DropMix. However, unlike most of Harmonix's most popular games, it won't require any additional peripherals apart from a standard controller.

Today, alongside the announcement that Fuser pre-orders are live, Harmonix revealed some more tracks on the final setlist. This puts us at 34 out of 100-ish. Here's the list thus far:

• 50 Cent -- "In Da Club"
• Armin van Buuren -- "Blah Blah Blah"
• Billie Eilish -- "bad guy" 
• Blue Öyster Cult -- "(Don’t Fear) The Reaper"
• Brad Paisley -- "Mud On The Tires"
• Cardi B -- "Bodak Yellow"
• Carly Rae Jepsen -- "Call Me Maybe" 
• The Chainsmokers ft. Daya -- "Don’t Let Me Down" 
• The Clash -- "Rock the Casbah"
• Coldplay -- "Clocks" 
• DMX -- "X Gon’ Give It to Ya" 
• Dua Lipa -- "Don't Start Now" 
• Fatboy Slim -- "The Rockafeller Skank" 
• Grand Master Melle Mel -- "The Message (2012)" 
• Imagine Dragons -- "Thunder" 
• J. Balvin & Willy William -- "Mi Gente" 
• Jonas Brothers -- "Sucker" 
• Lady Gaga -- "Born This Way"
• Lil Nas X ft. Billy Ray Cyrus -- "Old Town Road (Remix)" 
• Lizzo -- "Good As Hell" 
• LMFAO ft. Lauren Bennett & GoonRock -- "Party Rock Anthem" 
• Macklemore & Ryan Lewis ft. Wanz -- "Thrift Shop" 
• Meghan Trainor -- "Me Too" 
• Migos -- "Stir Fry" 
• Nelly -- "Hot In Herre" 
• Panic! At The Disco -- "High Hopes" 
• Pitbull ft. Ne-Yo, Afrojack & Nayer -- "Give Me Everything" 
• Post Malone -- "Better Now" 
• Sia ft. Sean Paul -- "Cheap Thrills" 
• Smash Mouth -- "All Star" 
• Twenty One Pilots -- "Stressed Out" 
• Warren G & Nate Dogg -- "Regulate" 
• Whitney Houston -- "I Wanna Dance With Somebody (Who Loves Me)" 
• Zedd, Maren Morris & Grey -- "The Middle"

I'm completely ready to listen to every mashup of "Hot in Herre" and "All Star" that anyone wants to cobble together. I am, however, unready to let anyone remix "Call Me Maybe." Why would anyone do that? Would you walk up to the Taj Mahal and slap a Skate or Die sticker on it? Even Banksy knows when to leave well enough alone.

Fuser launches this fall on PC, PS4, Switch, and Xbox One. Chop and screw the decent songs, but preserve the legendary ones.

The post Harmonix’s Fuser will let you remix ‘Call Me Maybe’ but you’d be a fool to remix a perfect song appeared first on Destructoid.

All that's left is Revenge

[Update: NIS America has confirmed that Mad Rat Dead will launch in North America and Europe on October 30, with Australia and New Zealand to follow on November 6. The publisher also released a new English language trailer, which you can check out below.]

Nippon Ichi Software has revealed its mystery new title, Mad Rat Dead, a stylistic and frenzied rhythm-action adventure currently in development for PS4 and Nintendo Switch.

Mad Rat Dead is the morbid tale of a poorly-treated laboratory rodent who is on the brink of death, visited by the showy Rat God in his final hours. Our hero is granted one final day of opportunity to leave his glum cage and wreak vengeance upon those who consigned him to such a miserable life. And so, guided by the Rat God and... umm... his own sentient talking heart, Mad Rat sets out to earn back just a modicum of street justice.

While gameplay looks like your standard side-scrolling platformer, Mad Rat Dead is actually a rhythm-based title, with Mad Rat's movement and action designated by beat-based button presses. Think Crypt of the NecroDancer but from a platforming perspective. Keep a steady rhythm and make the right choices to guide yer boy through enemy territory, whacking baddies and dodging hazards en route to the cheese waiting at the end of each course. A funky, big-band-style soundtrack is provided courtesy of a string of artists including a_hisa, Kouichi Sakita, Dyes Iwasaki, and Camellia, among others.

Mad Rat Dead certainly looks the part, with a vulgar and garish punk-rock aesthetic from Yomawari designer Yu Mizokami. I'm digging this blend of quirky gameplay, wild visuals, cool music and weirdly morbid narrative. Provided that the gameplay holds up, Mad Rat Dead looks certain to become a cult classic within the rhythm-acton genre.

Mad Rat Dead launches in Japan on PS4 and Nintendo Switch October 29. No western release has been detailed as of yet.

Nippon Ichi Software announces rhythm game Mad Rat Dead [Gematsu]

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