JAM Live Music Arcade (XBLA): "A Deeply Involved DJ Arcade Game"

When it comes down to the various forms of entertainment that the world has to offer I find that music ranks as my most favorite. If you ever follow me on Twitter you've likely seen me tweet links to many different music videos, and music tracks. The fact of the matter is I'm a guy who enjoys nearly all kinds of music. Whether it is classic music like Beethoven, or more hardcore music like Rammstein I find myself constantly immersed in the many different genres that make up the music industry. With that being said I never really got into video games that were based on music. It's just not something that I could see myself getting into. Regardless of that fact I recently got myself involved in the unique genre of games for review purposes. I ended up getting a request from my PR (Reverb Labs/Publishing) earlier this month to do a review on "505 Games" music based game which is appropriately titled "Jam Live Music Arcade". At first I was a little hesitant, because I know most music games tend to require the use of music based controllers. Unfortunately I do not have such a controller. When the PR told me ' Jam Live Music Arcade' was playable with a standard controller I thought maybe this game would be something I could actually do, and enjoy. I took the PR up on his offer, and set out to review a game genre I have never taken on here at "OtakuDante's Gaming Inferno".

When it comes to reviewing a video game I usually find that I like to combine technical details with facts on how the game played. In the case of this review I don't think I'll be able to give you many technical details due to the fact that the game was quite complicated, and if I attempted to give you such details it would likely confuse the heck out of you. With that being said I think I'll still be able to explain the game well enough to give you a good idea of what it's about ...

When I first got word of 'Jam Live Music Arcade', and heard that the guitar controller was the preferred method for playing the game my immediate thoughts were that it was going to be like "Guitar Hero". In an odd way it is kind of like that, but at the same time it's more of a "DJ HERO" type of game. The only thing making it less of a DJ based game is that fact that different types of music controllers can be used. Like I mentioned earlier though I was stuck playing with my standard Xbox 360 controller though which is also an option if you wish to play the game that way. When it comes to functionality I'd say it would probably be best to stick with a guitar controller though. It will no doubt make things a heck of a lot easier for you. You can trust me on this one.

Like a DJ your aim in 'Jam Live Music Arcade' is to control a set number of music banks/bank sets. Each given bank set controls the various parts of a music track. You have such things as Bass, Guitar, Drums, FX, Vocals, and other things related to musical composition. As the virtual DJ you can control all of these things in turn by pressing various button combinations on your controller of choice. Switching between bank sets, and instrumental features at the right time is the key to making an audio performance that not only sounds good, but that will also earn you a respectable score within the game. Aside from being a game that is based on music, 'Jam Live Music Arcade' is also an arcade game experience where high scores actually matter. To get that high score you must switch bank sets, and the various instrumental functions in rhythm with a metronome style meter that keeps up with the timing, and beat of the music track/s.

There are two modes of play within 'Jam Live Music Arcade'. The first one that is initially unlocked is titled "Jam". This mode basically shows the player the ropes of the game while allowing them to jam, and record their performances to 32 unique music tracks. The mode itself is divided up into four sections (if I remember correctly) that feature a challenge, and music tracks that coincide with the challenge. The challenges each get gradually more involved as you progress adding more functions that must be used in order to play the game properly. The final challenge, and set of tracks that you will encounter revolves around the "Arcade" mode. When you complete the final challenge "Arcade" mode will be unlocked, but it's definitely best that you play through the given music tracks first in order to really get the hang of things.

The second mode in 'Jam Live Music Arcade' is one I never really got to experience like I should have been able to. The standard controller is definitely no ideal for this mode, and as a result I was unable to really play it. With that being said I did get a good idea of what the mode was all about. If you've ever played any music based video game then you'll likely be familiar with this mode's layout. Within the mode you have the usual DJ setup with the various bank sets/music banks. You also now have a timing bar located at the top of the screen that is very similar to that of other music based games. Your goal in this mode is to get the highest score possible by activating bank sets, and performing bank switches in time with the metronome meter as they pass into the timing bar. If you get the bank switches, bank sets, and button presses right then you'll be rewarded points accordingly. If you miss though the timing bar will lower. If it lowers all the way down to the DJ station then it's "GAME OVER" for you.

That about sums up my knowledge of 'Jam Live Music Arcade'. I did forget to mention that there are three different medals you can earn in "Jam" mode though. You can earn a Bronze, Silver, or Gold medal according to how well you score during your jam session. This medal based feature also unlocks other music tracks, achievements, and challenges as you play. I should also mention that there are a handful of visual effects that you can choose from during each Jam session. They range from a non-moving old Radio/TV image to an outer space view with strange pulsating shapes moving about. It's an interesting feature that adds to the overall unique quality of the game.

In conclusion I have a lot to say. First off this game is definitely not standard controller friendly. Often times I found it very difficult to switch bank sets, and switch between the various banks within the music tracks. It was a hit, or miss situation that got really aggravating most of the time. This is one reason I really stress that a guitar controller should definitely be used if you wish to truly enjoy this game. As far as the core music of the game goes it was quite fun to listen to. There were several music tracks that I had never heard before that I now listen to over, and over again. The track selection was definitely better than I had expected it to be. If you like Trance, Pop, Hip Hop, or even Alt Rock there's something here I'm sure you'll enjoy listening, and jamming to. I should also let you in on the fact that there's going to be DLC tracks available for download later on which definitely makes this game even more attractive of a product. My hopes are that some "Basshunter" tracks get added, or even some "Eisenfunk". I'd definitely love to hear some foreign tracks as I'm sure others in the gaming community would as well. In closing I think this game is definitely worth getting, but only if you have a guitar controller. Do not try to tackle it with a standard controller!