Developer GL33k's Cosmic DJ straddles the line between video game and interactive music tool, an application that sends players on an intergalactic mission to make music, repair "jamtennas" and save a space corgi.
Cosmic DJ, according to its creators and publisher Devolver Digital, is a pick up and play musical experience that allows its users to make music even if they don't have much musical know-how. The game presents players with a series of challenges wrapped around a quirky story, asking players to tap along to click tracks in order to craft custom music. Players sequence keyboard, drum and bass tracks, while also adding other flourishes like dog barks, gremlin voices and other less describable bursts of electronic sound.
While Cosmic DJ has the look and feel of a video game, it doesn't have much in the way of challenges, competition or win or loss conditions. Sequencing is easy to do, thanks to Cosmic DJ's simple interface: players can either tap along to the beat on four on-screen targets or manage samples in a grid layout for more refined control.
Once you've done all this, and completed your mission, Cosmic DJ compiles the soundtrack you've created on your musical journey and lets you upload the completed track to music-sharing service Soundcloud.
Cosmic DJ is being developed by GL33k, a company that does technical audio design and music and voice work for other people's games, like Halo 4, Uncharted 3 and Epic Mickey. GL33k's game is coming to iOS, Mac and Windows PC in the coming months. An early version was recently released as part of Devolver Digital's Humble Bundle.