PAX East 2020: “Fuser” – Harmonix’s Newest Project – Is A Blast

I’m a man of simple convictions. I see that Harmonix has a new game on the way, I beeline towards it.

The Boston-based rhythm genre juggernauts are indeed at it once again this week with Fuser, a game that puts you into the shoes (and furs, and tattoos, and glow sticks) of a festival DJ. Unlike DJ Hero, which is probably an analog that I’m sure many people will point towards, Fuser puts players entirely in charge of the mix. Using quick button presses, players can seamlessly stitch together vocals, percussion, chords, and other instruments from over 100 songs spanning tons of different genres. Want to hear Billie Eilish mashed up with Smash Mouth? Done. Want to mix in some 50 Cent? Fine. For some reason thinking the mix needs some Blue Oyster Cult? You’re in there.

Of course, just like other similar titles before it, Fuser has a points and stars based system that cranks up based on how well you listen to fans’ song requests, how timely you are in mixing songs to the beat, and how diverse you get with genres, decades, and styles during a set. The fan requests pop up along the right side of the screen like texts or tweets, like “I need some more Pop in the mix”, or “let’s get some hip-hop drums in there”, and you’re rewarded with fan responses like “omg ur the best evr” and “<3 I love this mix!”, making Fuser clearly a game that speaks to the current generation of music fans and festival-goers.

I had an absolute blast trying out Fuser on the show floor at PAX earlier today. The song selection is excellent (and this was just a demo with 16 pre-selected tracks), the game’s vibrant interface was captivating, and the controls and concept made me instantly feel right at home as a veteran of games like Rock Band.

If you’re on the show floor at PAX East 2020 this weekend, you owe it to yourself to check out Fuser. If not, you can look out for it coming to shelves this Fall.