Fuser

It seems fitting that after a long absence, it’s the original pioneers of the rhythm genre that are now bringing it back with full force into the 2020s. Much like Rock Band and Guitar Hero, Fuser seems simple enough at first, but while those past titles stopped short of actually teaching you how to play an instrument, Fuser goes that extra mile by giving you the tools that a professional DJ would have at their disposal...Harmonix has finally made good on the concept of music mixing offered up by its DropMix card game some years ago, creating a gameplay loop that’s immensely satisfying to play and incredibly addictive once you understand the mechanics. Time to get the sparklers out – the rhythm genre is back.

With a huge variety of music, an amazing UI interface, and enough content to keep you happily bobbing your head for days, Fuser is one of the best music games ever made. Even those with no musical skill will enjoy learning how to create great sounding mixes in Fuser, and the game gives them plenty of leeway to practice. Fuser is a burst of happiness, light, and live music, all of which are sorely needed in the world right now. The highest recommendation.

Fuser is as exciting as it is creative, with plenty of options to make music through different genres. Harmonix has made a colourful and enjoyable game, and I can't recommend it enough.

Harmonix has always been a studio whose love for music infuses every title they’ve had a hand in. Fuser feels like the first time they’ve finally found a way to guide players towards engaging with said music on a deeper level than other rhythm titles, but in the process may turn away anybody who solely desires to recreate songs on plastic instruments or is hell-bent on chasing high scores while notes drop at blistering speeds.

After years of letting gamers simply play other people’s songs, Harmonix has now decided to let players create new music using those songs. It truly feels like a fully-realized vision of melding music and games in ways that haven’t been done before and feels like the next step in music games. Harmonix is back in fine form, and that’s a tune we can all dance to.

FUSER is all about player creativity and freedom. It’s less focused on technical recitation of precise button presses and more on how in the groove you can get yourself. For decades, Harmonix has been harnessing the power of music and delivering a feeling of super stardom to players. FUSER puts that directly into the players’ hands more than any game before it. Even with a PS5 and next-gen games in hand, I can’t turn the music off. If you yearn for the days of the plastic instrument revolution, just without all that junk taking up space, FUSER will put you as close to the stage as any music game possibly can.

Fuser is, frankly, a staggering technological achievement. The game takes the act of making music, an incredibly challenging thing to accomplish, and practically trivialises it. You don’t need to have any kind of prior knowledge to make meaningful music with this title. The game walks you through everything with a perfect learning curve and near-limitless flexibility. It remains to be seen if it will court a large enough player base to confirm its existence, but as it currently stands, this title is yet another unexpected jolt of inspiration for the rhythm game genre, which even just a few years ago looked all but dead. Between the brilliance of rhythm titles in VR and now Fuser, the future is bright indeed.

Fuser brings back something that has been so sorely missed this generation, something that Harmonix does better than anyone else; connecting us to the music that defines us. This game is an absolute joy.

An absolutely barnstorming return to the main stage for Harmonix, who have seemingly taken everything they’ve learned from eighteen years in the genre to create a fantastically creative, inventive and hands-stuck-to-the-controller levels of addictive rhythm video game, the kind of which has been sorely missed.

If music and video games represent the perfect combination for you, Fuser is, in no uncertain terms, unmissable.

In conclusion, Fuser is more a musical toolbox than it is an actual game. While Harmonix's previous games were about playing songs that already existed, this title actually lets you create something unique. It almost feels like magic when you combine two songs that you know shouldn't work together, but Fuser somehow makes them sound incredible. While I am still enjoying booting it up and thinking about songs I would like to have added to the library, I worry that if new music is not released frequently, then interest in the title may wane.

Harmonix brings you a cool and surprisingly complex DJ simulation with more creative freedom than you can handle as well as neat online functions.

The most fun we’ve had with a music game in ages. Sophisticated yet approachable for those who belt out bangers and virtuosos alike – it’s got real potential. [Issue#183, p.64]

Tapping your feet along to a great mix was always going to be great, but Harmonix has developed the Dropmix idea into a game that’s deeper, more engaging, and a lot of fun.

Harmonix has a winner on its hands with Fuser. The ease of use and array of tools ensure that anyone can create a great-sounding track. While Fuser is a good game to bust out at parties, the ability to share small mixes online ensures that the creations will get some exposure until we can have local gatherings again. More so than the campaign and multiplayer modes, the online sharing functionality is what gives the game some legs. Assuming the DLC keeps coming in steadily, Fuser is a title that rhythm game fans should check out.

FUSER is to DJ games what Guitar Hero was to guitar games: an enjoyable experience with a good music selection. But here you'll find a way more rich, deeper gameplay, and a very exigent one. Start playing FUSER it's easy, but dominate it needs a lot of time. The good part is, whatever discs you throw to the mix, you're gonna love the sound...

Fuser makes you dizzy as the possibilities of musical creation are numerous.

I suspect only those who are really into sticking with practising the skills available, like with a real instrument, will carry on playing this long after the novelty wears off. But if you’re looking for something fun, colourful and different that you can share with pals at home during the dark lockdown weeks ahead, give it a go.

Fuser is a playfully very fun and valid title, able to stimulate the creativity of EDM festival fans.

In a year in which festivals have gone extinct, Fuser brings them back in a major, digital way. While the gameplay can be quite difficult to master, it is really fun to mix and match the many different music styles. It would've been nice if the progression system was better though.

Fuser is an amazingly accessible music mixing tool that will shine in the hands of aspiring DJs using the Freestyle mode. Sadly, many of its old-fashioned game design elements undermine the core of the experience.

While I admire the technology that lets you mix two or more completely different tracks together to at least a decent effect, I must warn you that the gameplay is shallow and you’ll quickly get bored unless you’re a DJ at heart. [01/2021, p.80]

For a few brief moments Fuser reinvigorates the glory days of social music gaming and in the right hands can be effectively be an instrument of music creation, but outside of the campaign there's little for the rest of us to do.

Fuser may not garner the attention of the masses like some of Harmonix’s previous titles, but it has plenty to offer for those in need of a party - whether it be by yourself, with your COVID-19-approved circle of friends, or with the game’s potentially bustling online community.

If there's one thing Harmonix always gets right, it's the vibe. Whether it's Rock Band or Dance Central, Super Beat Sports or DropMix, the studio's games feel distinct and cool from the jump. Fuser, Harmonix's latest work, is no exception.

While there’s definitely fun to be had with Fuser, the not-particularly-musically-gifted people (like myself) may struggle. The budding Calvin Harris and Tiesto’s of the world, on the other hand, will surely find enjoyment in the game.