Dwelling of Duels: Rhythm Month (April 2025)

Nice Duel of the Fates clip there, and I appreciate the lightsaber sounds going throughout this. This is some very nicely balanced acoustic instruments, playing is crisp, though the banjo overpowers the ukulele a bit. Mood change about halfway through is handled really nicely, and the addition of the backing chant vocals is really nice. A nice acoustic start to this set, well done!

Darude – Sandstorm

Game(s): Beat Saber

You know, maybe some of us do like techno dance mix at times. And maybe we want to listen to Sandstorm in peace without having this so-called “Final Fantasy” jank injected in it.

Acoustic Ascent

Game(s): Crypt of the NecroDancer

Loving the tones of the acoustic here – almost has that rock electric like feel while still being acoustic. True to the name it does have that feeling of ascending up. A few of the complex rhythms feel like they aren’t sitting quite right rhythmically, but not enough to be fully distracting. Adding in the additional acoustic guitar really helps to bring out the complexity of the melody as the ascent continues. Balance between all the acoustic instruments are handled really well, everything is clearly audible and nothing overpowers anything else. Ending is a bit abrupt, but otherwise this is a really well done arrangement

Too Shy to Be a Cutie Chaser

Game(s): Dance Dance Revolution 3rdMix

Feels like we have a battle between acoustic and synths going on to start this LP off. Piano could come up more in the mix, and I don’t know if it’s just fragments or the actual sound of the bass but the bass sounds relatively clicky. Drums are a little low as well, but generally balanced well into the mix. I do like the synth sounds though, gives a nice and airy feel to this. Piano is much clearer during the solo. This is overall a nice arrangement, but I felt fairly distracted by the clicking in the bass line

Upside Down

Game(s): Dance Dance Revolution 3rdMix

Very nice acoustic guitar tone, and well balanced against the vocals. Well balanced all throughout. While this song may be Upside Down, this performance is not.

Oh I'm Not a Doctor

Game(s): Dance Dance Revolution 5thMix

I like the FX of the hospital beeping, tying into the name of the tune. Piano and drums are nicely balanced, and balance hangs well when the guitar comes in. Guitar tone is really good, and the solo is nicely executed too. Drums are really well balanced, and the solo is very technically impressive. Soundscapes are really good and tie into the theme too. Nice job anon!

Whip Shplam Bam

Game(s): Gitadora Fuzz-Up

Damn thats some guitar to start this one out! Very impressive solo. Guitarist here is really impressive. Guitar, drum, and bass are all balanced very well, and hang together considering how fast paced this is. Synths could probably come up a touch more in the mix, but the tone is really good and fits the style. I really dig the backup vocals when they come in, but they are drowned out a bit and could be brought up a touch more. This is one high octane arrangement, and the production and performance is really good here.

Slow Dancing at the End of the World

Game(s): Gitaroo Man

The opening is nice and slow, appreciate the mark tree effects against the calm soundscapes and the piano. Nice slow drum groove and electric piano sound help to emphasize the feel before the guitar comes in. Guitar tone is very nice and very clean. The slow ballad/slow jam feel is handled amazingly – feels like this could be at ye old school dance. Cymbals and snare are balanced nicely, but the toms could probably come up a bit more, especially during the fills. The quiet down and re-build at 3:00 is really smooth, gives a quick break before coming back into some more quiet shredding. The build towards the end is nice, but balance does unfortunately suffer a bit here, drums get lost in the build, the soundscapes start overpowering the music just a bit. But the ending is smooth, and all in all this is a great arrangement and performance

Fire Level

Game(s): Guitar Freaks

This one starts right out of the gate, synths and drums helping to push the beat, and that guitar just starts shredding right away. The rhythm guitar is a bit muted compared to the lead, and while the cymbals are nice and crisp, the drums themselves are a bit muted and muffled – the snare probably could be compressed a bit to make it snap and the kick could come out a bit more. Bass is also a bit overpowering over the guitars a slight bit. However, technically this is really well done, it feels pretty tight between all the players on this. The solos are really well done, but again guitar solo could come up a bit more – synth solo is fairly balanced and cuts through cleanly. Ending is also very nice and tight. This is a very clean arrangement, and performed really well – just some tweaks in the mix and this one would be popping!

Jordan Expert 100% FC (Slamdunk Heroes – The Michael Jordans of Jordan)

Game(s): Guitar Hero 2

Very nice guitar and very tight drums to start this one out. Bass could come up a bit though in the mix, I can hear it but its not present enough to really help drive this. Guitar tone is very solid, and these solos going throughout are fire. Bass does really pop out during the solo starting around 2:10 – balance improves a bit here and its a really sick bass solo. Love the trading off between the guitar and the bass. And nice chance for a good extended drum fill while getting some of the drive from the rhythm guitar. Very nice mood shift to the more growly sounds from the guitars. Really nice buildup to the end as the guitars start popping off around 3:20, the stop time section before the end is really smooth. Really fun arrangement anons

I've Waited Years For This

Game(s): Guitar Hero 3

Dragonforce + Kazoos is the combination I didn’t know I needed but now I can’t live without. This is a masterpiece of art. Brava!

Weight of the World

Game(s): Guitar Hero: World Tour

I came to DoD to listen to video game music and all I got was this extremely well done Evanescence cover. But seriously, great work anons, vocalist knocked this out of the park and the band is well balanced behind vocals.

Thanks Kenji

Game(s): GuitarFreaks 4thMIX & drummania 3rdMIX

Really fun bubbly percussion sounds in this one! Given that though, some of those are a bit heavy in the mix and drown out some of the melodic instruments before everything rebalanced when the actual drums come in. I do like all the synth sounds in this one – this makes me feel like though I’m back in the pit for Legally Blonde. Guitar is nice and clean and very crisp. Bass could stand to come up a touch though, its kind of invisible outside some of the bigger step down motions, though it becomes more prominent around 1:40 as we hit good balance there. Trade off to the synth solo is very well done, and so is the transition to just the bass and electronic percussion sounds. Very nice and smooth bass solo, good job anon!. This ending did feel really abrupt though, almost like that really wasn’t the end of the song? Overall good job though anon!

Robobooty

Game(s): Kirby: Planet Robobot

Awww yis booty, and this track just screams booty from the onset. The synth sounds and the sax give it that slow jam/slow rock vibes, and really liking the addition of the aux percussion here. Synth sounds are nice and complementary to the sax solo, and the trade off between the two are really well handled. Drums and the percussion are also very nicely balanced into this. I do like the drum break starting around 1:10, along with the bass groove, very tasteful transition into the 2nd sax solo. Synth and sax playing off each other is also very well done, good trade offs for dueling solos. Slide whistle going into the end is “100” – great job anons

Stygia

Game(s): Metal: Hellsinger

Damn, right off the bat with the bass, synth and piano I can feel this will be a heavy one. And hot damn growly vocals, and female vocals. Almost a sort of Evanescence vibe here. It is a touch hard to understand the growly vocals, but I guess sometimes thats also the point. Everything is pretty well balanced here, drums are helping to drive without being overpowering and the guitars, bass and synths are all balanced to each other well. Overall this is a really well executed and performed arrangement, well done anons.

The Master Flush

Game(s): PaRappa the Rapper

Man anon, like the previous entry you just know how to channel the entry of the game, but this is probably more the “NSFW” hidden track on the game. Instrumentation is well done, nice and up beat, and well balanced – but not again distracting from the vocals. I also like the mix of the vocalists, pretty accurately matching the characters from the game. Also like how the music does change with moving between the different vocalists. Really innovative work here anon!

Cheap Cheap the Cooking Chicken, Blessed Be Her Name

Game(s): PaRappa the Rapper

Damn now this vibe really hits the vibe of the game. Vocals are extremely well balanced against the instruments, instruments help drive but don’t distract from the vocals. Lyrics are also well done, and again I would totally believe this is a level in the game. Not much else to say here, great work anon

Young Love Rock 'n' Roll

Game(s): Rhythm Heaven Fever

Love that surf rock vibe we come in here, drums are well balanced, and all instrumentation flows nicely. Really good work with the vocals, backing vocals help add that extra punch and are balanced enough to be behind the lead vocals. A true Beach Boys vibes on this. Guitar solo is very nice, good clean 50s style tone.

The House with Six Walls

Game(s): Super Hexagon

Nice and ominous beginning here, synths and the slow drums help give off that feeling of something scary approaching. Tone shift with synth and drums around 0:40 help to start building up for the next section, until the singing vocals come in. Balance is generally good here, but could use a touch more bass. As a drummer, I really like how cleanly you were getting the stick click to come through on the mix, thats a hard sound to grab off a mic. Love the effect of the guitar echos when the guitar comes in. Very clean tone for the guitar, especially as its soloing both by itself and behind the spoken vocals. I did audibly laugh with the release of the Tickle Me Elmo lines, great twist anon!

Twisted Focus

Game(s): Super Hexagon

Interesting take with all the electronic sounds vs the echoing vocals, and having the electronics drive the melody. Some of the buzzing sounds from the electronics are slightly distracting and pulled me away from the vocals. Volume also got a bit too loud at times, even if things were in balance overall it just got a touch loud. I do like a lot of the effects and ideas in it, with just using electronics and the echoing vocals – could have just used a bit of clean up in the mix to elevate this

Kaiyō Toshi

Game(s): Swadge Hero

Nice opening with the echoing guitar strums, and the 2nd guitar comes in with a nice balance as it starts. Really great tones all around on these different guitars – loving the vibes of this being very heavily guitar driven to start. Very nice transition to make it heavier around 1:20, though as we get heavier the guitar is a bit too present and I can’t pick out much bass in the mix, but drums are balanced really well. Balance improves as we continue to get heavier around the 2 minute mark, and man this piece packs a punch of big feelings. Very smooth drop out to just the acoustics again around the 3 minute mark, and very nice emphasis with the piano or vibraphone adding extra accentuations. And hot damn that immediate shift back to heavy at 3:49, generally smooth but then the drums and the synths start coming a bit hot in the mix. Nice soundscape to end this. Overall very very clean anon!

Ye Olde Vyllage Bye The Seae 1389

Game(s): Swadge Hero

Nice ominous opening with the chimes, drum hits and strums, before adding in the slow melody in the synths. Helps to give an old world ominous vibe. The gradual build up with the additional layers being added in is very well handled, helps to give more urgency to the piece while not pushing it too much too fast. That is until the sudden hurry-up at the 2 minute mark. Drums and guitars start overpowering the mix when they come in, and kind of hide the synth sounds a bit. More noticeable especially as the drums start going rapid fire, really pulls away from more of the melody aspects coming through. Balance gets a bit better as the drums become less busy. I really like a lot of the melody lines and how a lot of this was constructed and arranged anon, I think overall less busy drums and having them lower in the mix would really have helped this arrangement to shine more.

Press 'X' For Party

Game(s): Vib-Ribbon

I’m pressing X as hard as I can! But this was a fun way to end the LP, again band is nice and balanced behind the vocals, and vocals are well done and lyrics are fun. This will be this month’s entry into the “Why isn’t this a main?” category

Asleep Under Falling Stars

Game(s): Wandersong

Very nice and chill piano opening, before getting extra support from the synths and soundscapes. Very nice and relaxing to have as we come near the end of the mains. Nice addition of the guitar, even if the mic feedback is a bit audible in the mix. Guitar tone is pretty clean though. Overall this was a very nice and relaxing arrangement.

Thank Kiryu It’s Friday

Game(s): Yakuza 0

Of course rolling into the end is when we get the jazz/funk sound. Very nice horn sound and tones to start off, and everything is really balanced well here, horns pop out, guitar helps to drive, drum and bass are nice and audible. Vocals come out right away and shine on top. Nice dance-beat groove around 1:20, with the horn flourishes popping out behind the vocals. Balance maintains to be good throughout the first vocal break. Guitar solo is very clean, and is nice and audible but it could come up just a touch against the background. Bass solo is well done, and always appreciated – got some nice riffs there! Like how it then evolves into the solo tradeoffs with the guitar. This is a really well done arrangement anon, would have liked one extra horn soli just to give the horns a bit more love, but that’s a stylistic nitpick more than anything.

smooooUwUch * ∀ *

Game(s): beatmania IIDX 16 EMPRESS

Really digging the synth tones here, and most of the synth instruments are balanced really nicely. Drums feel a bit too far back in the mix though, almost to the point that I’m straining to hear them. Nice effects with the vocals, and the guitar tones are extremely smooth. This was a nice bubbly tune, but the mixing with the drums did pull it back a bit for me. Honestly this tune could have worked also without drums, but they should have been a bit more prevalent in the mix

emunator

20 Reviews

No Country For Old Jedi

Game(s): Beat Saber

Pretty rad! Been watching The Last of Us recently and this evokes some of the same vibes, but in a more upbeat way. The guitar playing here is super tight, with just a few flourishes throughout to add some flair. Ending feels like it cuts off abruptly, keep an eye out for that. I will admit that the vocals had the effect of making me want a more orchestrated, fleshed out version of the track rather than feeling satisfying on their own, just because they were used to sparingly. I wouldn’t have known I wanted those elements but because you dropped them in for the briefest of moments, now I want to hear it better integrated into the song. As a showcase of guitar performance though, this is really tightly executed and enjoyable.

Acoustic Ascent

Game(s): Crypt of the NecroDancer

I like the aesthetic here, it pairs well with the opening song of this month. Though for a rhythm game, I felt like the acoustic guitars aren’t locked in with the groove of the track as much, like your leads are frequently chasing each other or falling behind the beat. Conversely, the bass is very locked in, rigid, and not nearly as fluid as the leads, so it makes me much more aware when things aren’t lining up. Joe brought up an interesting suggestion to remove the bass entirely (or experiment with for parts of the song) that I would also consider! I also heard a lot of audible pops, so if you’re comping together takes, make sure that you are cutting at a zero crossing or fading your clips in so it doesn’t pop when a new clip starts. That said, your acoustic chops are pretty strong, so with some more polish, this idea could really reach its full potential!

Too Shy to Be a Cutie Chaser

Game(s): Dance Dance Revolution 3rdMix

The click on the kick drum here is distracting to the point where I have a hard time listening to it, which is a shame because there’s some great melodies and nostalgic vibes coming through on the keys and synths! The piano solo is lovely. Lots of saccharine, sunshine vibes coming through, and I love the piano tone, though you’re definitely getting some clashing in the low end between the keys, bass, and drums. Some EQ to clean up the low end would go a long way here, in addition to reworking your kick and drum mix from the ground up with a new kick sample and better balance between the kit elements.

Oh I'm Not a Doctor

Game(s): Dance Dance Revolution 5thMix

I love a good jumpscare, so this one worked for me. Guitar tone is thick as hell, and the drum writing also impressed me. This one goes balls to the wall once it kicks in… then it ends just as soon as it got started. Love what you’ve put together here, and I appreciate the effort put into resolving it with some sort of proper ending, but I felt like there was a lot more untapped potential with this idea.

Whip Shplam Bam

Game(s): Gitadora Fuzz-Up

This is a flex and a half. I will admit that this personally crossed into “too showy for my tastes” and veered out of the territory of music I actually want to listen to on repeat, but it’s pretty clear that you knew what you were going for and executed flawlessly on a performance and mixing level, so I still gave this a high rating. Can’t knock you for doing your thing, anon. I had to double check the track duration because I felt like it was at least 4+ minutes, but I’m grateful you chose to keep it concise. Any longer and I think this would have worn me out.

Fire Level

Game(s): Guitar Freaks

This one pairs perfectly with Gitadora Fuzz-Up, it’s flashy and frenetic. The guitar lead is clearly the focal point of the arrangement, and is unquestionably awesome but it’s mysteriously the quietest thing in the mix. There’s some really interesting tonality to the snare drum too, don’t know how you did that. The drums and bass feel like they’ve got some low end mud buildup going on. Mixdown definitely needs some work, I walked away feeling like this was more of a demo recording and less of a finished product, but in spite of that, you’ve got a hell of a strong start.

Jordan Expert 100% FC (Slamdunk Heroes – The Michael Jordans of Jordan)

Game(s): Guitar Hero 2

This track delivers exactly what was advertised by the title – I don’t have a lot to say about it because this type of music isn’t a style I’m an… err, expert in myself, but you did right by the original composer and flexed some serious chops along the way. I anticipate this placing pretty well this month.

Thanks Kenji

Game(s): GuitarFreaks 4thMIX & drummania 3rdMIX

Earthbound vibes on that organ straight out of the gate, dayummm! This is groovy and out-of-left-field in the best way, I don’t know the source at all but it works so well. The more heavily melodic section that comes in around :40 feels perfect in context, and gives this dish some time to simmer between sections where everything goes nuts. Drums feel like they’re lacking a certain verve but it’s the only part of the ensemble that doesn’t feel quite up to the level of everything else. Nooooo, the ending D:

Robobooty

Game(s): Kirby: Planet Robobot

Fucking incredible. I would argue that this absolutely is novel AND showstopping, but unique synth patches and instrument tones are one of the easiest ways to steal my heart. The panflute lead is everything to me. Mixing is flawless, drums have so much fucking swagger, I love the super gated, almost tape-stop sounding snare drum. Saxophone performance rips, I need to bottle this anon up so I can unleash this level of finesse on my own tracks. I looooove the monosynth in the right ear while the saxophone is ripping away, the expression on it is unreal. Favorite track of the month for sure. I don’t know what the source is here, but I feel like I’m hearing some Kirby 64 Factory level in here? Is that a cameo or actually baked into the original?

Stygia

Game(s): Metal: Hellsinger

I am really impressed with this track at its core. There’s some incredible performances and a ton of heart that went into this. I am really impressed with both vocalists performances. If I had to gripe about anything, it’s that the overall mix and master lacks the intensity I wanted from the arrangement and performances. The drums don’t feel like they’re mixed with urgency (forgive the abstract critique but that’s the best way I can put my feelings into words) and the mix overall feels a little dry and not fully glued together. Right now, my feeling is that this is a very good arrangement that could bump up to great with a mix that ramps up the intensity and grit. Still loved this a lot!

The Master Flush

Game(s): PaRappa the Rapper

I don’t know much of anything about Parappa, so I’m guessing the repetitiveness of the vocals is a feature of the game rather than a unique stylistic decision here. As a standalone piece, the frequent repetition of most of the lyrics makes this song drag on for me. Not my cup of tea personally, but the vocal performances are fun and I’m sure there’s a lot of enjoyment to be found here for those who know the context!

Cheap Cheap the Cooking Chicken, Blessed Be Her Name

Game(s): PaRappa the Rapper

I enjoy this when I think of it as a Gorillaz song, that was a good call. I’m actually just going to agree wholesale with Joe’s review – there’s a lot of dead air in here that makes the song drag, especially since the backing track isn’t changing up dramatically for long stretches of time. Good spirit and creativity here though!

Young Love Rock 'n' Roll

Game(s): Rhythm Heaven Fever

Aww, I love this <3 The vocals are perfect for the style you’re emulating, and the harmonies are sublime. I’m trying to pinpoint my feelings on the mixdown – it’s clean, but feels too clean, like a lot of elements could use an extra dose of reverb/delay/slapback to help give them a more distinguished sense of place. I know that production decisions in this era were often limited by hardware capabilities, but what I’m hearing feels odd in a way that doesn’t quite scan as intentional. I still love this to death.

The House with Six Walls

Game(s): Super Hexagon

Really high quality, creative stuff, this one takes you on a journey in so many ways. I was absolutely not expecting sung vocals, but it was a welcome addition! The backing parts sometimes feel rigid and could use some variation – I didn’t even notice on the first two listens but there’s a lot of really static drum and rhythm parts that could have elevated the track much higher if more attention was paid to them. Still, as a showcase of vocal abilities and a creative arrangement, this brings a lot to the table. HAHA i totally forgot about the ending, that was hilarious. I have no idea what it means, but it’s… provocative? It gets the people going.

Twisted Focus

Game(s): Super Hexagon

The synth work is the strongest aspect here – some really cool industrial chiptune tones and effects. Unfortunately, the vocals are not doing it for me, the pitch and intonation feels all over the place and the performance needs to be much tighter and focused on holding pitch in order to work for me. Really creative approach, and the chiptune synths are bringing a lot of unique flair to the piece, but the execution definitely has room to be tightened up.

Kaiyō Toshi

Game(s): Swadge Hero

I will never get sick of this type of music, it’s mixed and mastered to perfection and makes me feel so much over its runtime. The acoustic breakdown before the final salvo of distorted guitars was flawlessly executed. The whole time, you just know exactly what’s about to happen, and then you totally delivered. The drum mix is exceptional too, I love how wide everything is, it feels like it’s cascading over me on headphones. Toms might be a LITTLE loud out on the sides, but it was a good stylistic instinct. Anon, we need to collab.

Ye Olde Vyllage Bye The Seae 1389

Game(s): Swadge Hero

I fucking love this concept. The keyboard patches are incredibly moody, and I thought it was an excellent decision to keep them present in the mix when it goes into metal mode. Not as big of a fan of the buildup (or lack of) into the metal section, sadly. I know this feels mixed like a traditional black metal piece, but because of the extra synths and orchestration, it feels let down by such a thin mix that lacks the low end depth to really have that cinematic feeling you were going for. Arrangement could have been condensed down a bit, but I have thoroughly enjoyed all of my listens through this song (at least 4+ by this point.) Warts and all, this was a highlight of the month for me!

Asleep Under Falling Stars

Game(s): Wandersong

This is the kind of track I wish I could make sometimes, you showed such a great level of restraint and allowed the negative space in your arrangement to shine. Everything is peaceful, I love the inclusion of guitar here too. Even the line noise is soothing. Fantastic stuff.

Thank Kiryu It’s Friday

Game(s): Yakuza 0

Oh god, this is FABULOUS. Someone woke up one day in April and decided they wanted to win this month. Whoever you are, thank you for gracing my ears with this beautiful piece. Every single element is pristine and full of soul. My only gripe is that the vocals seemingly go away for a long stretch of time, I would have loved for the vocalist to have more shine throughout the middle of the arrangement. Whoever you are, I love you all for bringing this song to life.

smooooUwUch * ∀ *

Game(s): beatmania IIDX 16 EMPRESS

Cute is the right word for this one, and I suspect based on the name, that’s what you were going for <3 The synths are varied and well-chosen, and the lead guitar is smooth and fits right in. The vocal chops were my favorite part of the track! Great arrangement, but the production feels unfinished – drums are not nearly as punchy as I’d want for this genre, and overall, the track is lacking the cohesive compression/reverb glue to bring it together and make it feel like a polished, finished product. Still, I enjoyed the arrangement and production choices a lot!

hydrasphere1

21 Reviews

No Country For Old Jedi

Game(s): Beat Saber

The intro is nerd level 99. i was thinking it was mandolin me too love the ouuuuu at the last part

Acoustic Ascent

Game(s): Crypt of the NecroDancer

Love the vibe here, the song is a little quiet too but just pump the volume up and voila the guitar is well played , when recording acoustic its hard depen on guitar to hide the guitar slide. with this song, it give me a cold ambiance gg

Too Shy to Be a Cutie Chaser

Game(s): Dance Dance Revolution 3rdMix

Excellent production, love the synth sound. Feel good vibing, This is not my style of music but i judge by the prod and quality gg

Oh I'm Not a Doctor

Game(s): Dance Dance Revolution 5thMix

super production , love the drumm sound. guitar is played verry good the ending is great anon.

Whip Shplam Bam

Game(s): Gitadora Fuzz-Up

Guitar is out of this world, keep shredding till the end , i love it arrangment is good this is a top 3 for me . woaaa

Slow Dancing at the End of the World

Game(s): Gitaroo Man

good production, it take me time to dig in the song but the second half with all the reverb , i really enjoy it. space floating feel. great job

Fire Level

Game(s): Guitar Freaks

great intro , love the synth. maybe the kick bass drum louder? drum played live i think so that a good thing guitar is played good and love the solo at the 3/4 good job anon

Jordan Expert 100% FC (Slamdunk Heroes – The Michael Jordans of Jordan)

Game(s): Guitar Hero 2

love the delay cut in the rythm guitar. all is neat and super good, production and the playing what can i say more than good job!!!!!!!

Thanks Kenji

Game(s): GuitarFreaks 4thMIX & drummania 3rdMIX

this one is greaaaat. the intro was amazing the instrument are fck well played and bass is amazing in this one the synth is good but i think is a little too loud compare to the rest woaa anon

Robobooty

Game(s): Kirby: Planet Robobot

Great sax playing/sound all is played good in this one and the production is super nice at 2:00 this is the best of the song gg

Stygia

Game(s): Metal: Hellsinger

this is good choice to mix growl and great female vocalist the guitar is well played , im digging this style , la seule bemol , this is i think for me the song is a little too long, 4 minutes would be good gg

The Master Flush

Game(s): PaRappa the Rapper

Love parappa the rapper, this one is a good one the arrangment is good i feel like the sounds is mixed/blend together, this not muddy but there is a little thing but i have just one ear who work so… its maybe me gg

Cheap Cheap the Cooking Chicken, Blessed Be Her Name

Game(s): PaRappa the Rapper

love that deep voice, cant wait to know who made it acoustic playing sound incredible , is this a loop of playing or playing it all the way long gg

Young Love Rock 'n' Roll

Game(s): Rhythm Heaven Fever

remind me of california album from mr bungle. happy song here, love it gg anon

The House with Six Walls

Game(s): Super Hexagon

that slide guitar remind me pink floyd . love doder that sing in a song this is a +. this is a weird one but i like it. is that elmo or the poop in south park that speak at the end 😛

Twisted Focus

Game(s): Super Hexagon

love the diffrent style . this is a little weird and for it i like it never played super hexagon . maybe i must gg

Kaiyō Toshi

Game(s): Swadge Hero

Slow , loud, ambiant. love it anon production here is awesome and the guitar tone are perfect gg

Ye Olde Vyllage Bye The Seae 1389

Game(s): Swadge Hero

as slowlycrushed told, it remind me a bit too of cradle of filth’s metal band the synth is nice gg

Asleep Under Falling Stars

Game(s): Wandersong

I can sleep with this one its nice and refreshing, gg, i will sure put it to my sleep music list

Thank Kiryu It’s Friday

Game(s): Yakuza 0

didnt know yakuza have a rythm game. love the vocal and the brass guitar and bass is well played, gg

smooooUwUch * ∀ *

Game(s): beatmania IIDX 16 EMPRESS

At 1:00 the guitar tone is incredible, tell me how you do that even if i dont have electric guitar. the synth and all are nice, this is the most rythm level song of the entire month, i love it, bien joué

Naop

21 Reviews

No Country For Old Jedi

Game(s): Beat Saber

This is the kind of stuff that you’ll only find in DoD, for better or worse. Great guitar playing coupled with shenanigans that only a small group of nerds in the internet will ever understand. It still managed to make me slide right a bit.

Acoustic Ascent

Game(s): Crypt of the NecroDancer

We loved the raw style of this one! And I say we, because this was one of Ms. Mega Mixtape‘s picks as well. I have the feeling I’m really missing out on the music from Crypt of the NecroDancer. For now, I gotta say that this month had more acoustic pieces than I was expecting, and this one is really interesting. I would have never expected this from a rhythm themed month.

Too Shy to Be a Cutie Chaser

Game(s): Dance Dance Revolution 3rdMix

As noted by some in the listening party, the percussion in this one doesn’t play nice with loudspeakers. But other than that, this entry was pretty enjoyable. Some nice and retro-sounding synths there, reminded Ms. Mega Mixtape of Depeche Mode‘s “Just Can’t Get Enough”.

Oh I'm Not a Doctor

Game(s): Dance Dance Revolution 5thMix

After a weirdly thematic start, this one gets down to business with the shredding. Loved the guitar tone and the unexpected piano chord at the end. Epic and melancholic, just the way I like it. But this is too short! Give me more anon.

Whip Shplam Bam

Game(s): Gitadora Fuzz-Up

This was a quirky one! I love how it switches things up, even with such a moderate length. Amazing execution in those synths and guitar, and those subtle vocals were a nice touch (even though they are barely noticeable). Can’t tell for sure if those are real drums or not, but I liked them as well.

Slow Dancing at the End of the World

Game(s): Gitaroo Man

Eveyone knows this source, but almost no one has played this game (myself included). I personally blame The OneUps for that, although there’s plenty of other versions out there. This one has extremely lush sound design and just enough variations to make the main melody distinct. Anon’s personality shines through with their performance on guitar, and really that’s all I can ask for in a good cover. I suspect there were at least two people in this collab. The melancholic guitar and amazing sfx do make me feel like standing at the edge of a cliff, watching it all crumble…

Fire Level

Game(s): Guitar Freaks

Did we level up? Are “level” tracks now Camel Cased? In any case, this had great guitars throughout. The main synth does get a bit tiresome after a while, but I like how it switches things up near the end. Although I guess that a little repetitiveness is to be expected from rhythm games, and the guitar adds enough personality.

Jordan Expert 100% FC (Slamdunk Heroes – The Michael Jordans of Jordan)

Game(s): Guitar Hero 2

The exact references here go completely over my head, but I can recognize that iconic 90’s sound anywhere. From the shredding and soloing, to the talking bass. All the different parts remind me of specific tropes and genres that were all the rage back then. This one sounds like a fun nostalgic jam more than a calculated arrangement, and it shines because of that, in my opinion. It was also one of Ms. Mega Mixtape‘s picks.

Thanks Kenji

Game(s): GuitarFreaks 4thMIX & drummania 3rdMIX

No idea who this particular Kenji is, but this feels like another cool jam session. Loved the tropical percussion samples and synth bass, although I would have liked to hear more of that synth solo at the end. In fact, it seems to me that the track was abruptly cut short. Perhaps anon sent the wrong file?

Robobooty

Game(s): Kirby: Planet Robobot

Anon wants me to play more Kirby games, but there’s just no way they’ll sound as good as this entry. This one just oozes sexyness, all the synth and percussion samples are nostalgic yet tasteful. The sax just brings it home and makes it 100% more citypop. This deserves a new category in our Mega Mixtape awards.

Stygia

Game(s): Metal: Hellsinger

Full disclosure: I’m not a fan of growls. And yet… Loved the female vocalist here, and even the growls are bearable for me (again, a “me” problem). As it was mentioned during the LP, this is probably a throwback to some popular bands from the 00’s, but I haven’t listened to Metal: Hellsinger‘s soundtrack enough to tell the difference. I do feel that the music is relegated to the back seat at times, and this shines completely through the vocals.

The Master Flush

Game(s): PaRappa the Rapper

Once again, I’m pretty sure all context for this is lost on me. In terms of the music itself, it’s a fun track, loved the theatrics of it all. I can’t believe the… voice actors? rappers? were able to perform this with a straight face. Nice production values and great music, but not something I’d listen to on a regular basis, sadly.

Cheap Cheap the Cooking Chicken, Blessed Be Her Name

Game(s): PaRappa the Rapper

I know of PaRappa, but I never played it. However, the vocals here are top notch and my gut tells they’re a good fit for this source. Would love to hear more from the vocalist in this style, but with a little more variety music-wise. The playing is good, but it become monotone after a minute or so. I suspect my lack of familiarity with the source might be affecting this review.

Young Love Rock 'n' Roll

Game(s): Rhythm Heaven Fever

The commitment here is off the charts! Taken out of context, no one would be able to tell this is video game music. And just for that, I’d slide right. But more than a just a retro homage, the sound quality and vocal performance are amazing. That little guitar solo was great too.

The House with Six Walls

Game(s): Super Hexagon

Speaking of theatrics, this entry is a whole show in and of itself. That narrator voice in particular is remarkable. I’d also love to hear the singer in more entries down the line as well. However, when things get weird with the Elmo voice, the track is lost on me. I have no idea how this relates to Super Hexagon either.

Twisted Focus

Game(s): Super Hexagon

There’s not much I can commend about this one, but I don’t want to make assumptions about anon’s intentions here. If there was any intent to reference anything, it went completely over my head.

Kaiyō Toshi

Game(s): Swadge Hero

I love that this style is now a constant in DoD. From what I understand, this is originally a chiptune thing, so anon definitely proves that the post-rock treatment goes with everything. I like that the melody is still somewhat distinguishable. That buildup is thoroughly enjoyable, even if the climax was cut short.

Ye Olde Vyllage Bye The Seae 1389

Game(s): Swadge Hero

Entries with sound design are always a nice surprise for me. At first it seems this one would be a perfect fit for a Halloween-themed compilation alongside that one Super Hexagon entry. And when the shredding starts, the synth quickly reminded me of the PSX Mega Man X games in the best possible way. Very unique entry!

Asleep Under Falling Stars

Game(s): Wandersong

Anon’s commitment and exclusivity to DoD are humbling and also mind-boggling. Please make an album anon, take my money. No matter the theme, anon manages to deliver consistent emotional journeys that soothe the soul. This one is no different, but it’s the gentle piano keys sprinkled throughout that make it stand out for me. All of that, assuming my prediction for this anon is right. 😉

Thank Kiryu It’s Friday

Game(s): Yakuza 0

The Yakuza games seem to get a lot of love around these parts, and I can definitely see why! This banger of an entry is definitely reaching the top this month. The singer and all performers are superb. I dare predict this was a team effort, and everyone brought their “A” game. I can’t even pick my favorite part, all instruments sound exactly as they should. But if I had to choose, I’d say the vocals really drive this entry home. I’m a sucker for good vocals. What an excellent way to close off a DoD listening party too.

smooooUwUch * ∀ *

Game(s): beatmania IIDX 16 EMPRESS

As I said during the listening party, this is definitely what I’d expect a rhythm game to sound like. Happy, upbeat and playful. The little guitar there is was good, but it’s really the synths that make this track. No idea if the voice samples are directly from the source.

newmajoe

23 Reviews

No Country For Old Jedi

Game(s): Beat Saber

Funny intro, great use of sfx, like the harmonics. Cajon could use more low end. Also more an aesthetic thing, but I would have liked the star wars gag to come back at the end, something to give a bit more closure to the piece. Still, a good one!

Acoustic Ascent

Game(s): Crypt of the NecroDancer

Going to get a little philosophical, as this is a running theme for me this month. You took a game/ost that’s primarily about a big thumping beat, and you went the opposite direction by having no percussion at all. It mostly works because it’s clear you’re making an aesthetic choice, but you didn’t go all the way because the bass is still totally locked to a click for the majority of the piece. I actually wonder if the piece would be more effective artistically without the bass and rhythm guitar holding the beat down. It’s something to consider!

Too Shy to Be a Cutie Chaser

Game(s): Dance Dance Revolution 3rdMix

Nostalgic pick for me as I love this source. I pointed it out in the LP but the clicking in the kick drum is just so distracting to me, I wish I could tune it out but I can’t. Please adjust the eq of the kick and resubmit to #post-your-tunes! There’s so much good here!

Oh I'm Not a Doctor

Game(s): Dance Dance Revolution 5thMix

Loving that kick, great intro. I have to quibble with :36 because that energy jump doesn’t seem adequately forecasted. Hear me out: what if at :34 instead of the drum fill, you dropped out everything abruptly EXCEPT that piano line, then came crashing down with everything all together on the downbeat of the next measure? That’s the kind of move that would have made the whole LP go OH SHIT and I bet it would have carried you energy-wise until at least 1:15. You do something similar at the end of the piece so I know you can manufacture a moment like that- remember, contrast is your friend!

Whip Shplam Bam

Game(s): Gitadora Fuzz-Up

🧠 WINNER Big brain flexing all over this, this song sounds like the inside of my head after I eat three bowls of Cookie Crisp. It’s a highly specific vibe and executed perfectly. I salute you. Go ice your fingers.

Slow Dancing at the End of the World

Game(s): Gitaroo Man

♥️😭 WINNER This f**in track. My favorite main by a country mile and one of my favorite DoD tracks of the year so far. Everything hits SO good, so cozy, so sweet, so soulful, totally locked in to the spirit of the music and everything good and positive about the world. Moved me to tears on multiple listens. My only quibble is that it might be a tiiiiny bit too long – I was satisfied at the 3 min mark, likely wouldn’t have missed the noodly guitar in the last minute – but that’s like complaining about having too much cake. Bravo anon(s), I love you.

Fire Level

Game(s): Guitar Freaks

Cool vibe, but why dat lead guitar so quiet? Why you let your synth player play over you like that?

Jordan Expert 100% FC (Slamdunk Heroes – The Michael Jordans of Jordan)

Game(s): Guitar Hero 2

🍑♥️ I’m not a guitar player so I don’t know how that cutoff effect works, is it something you trigger? Anyway, this is cool, you clearly just wanted to rock out on Jordan this month and I respect that – you clearly have the chops for it. The bass solo at 2min and all the weird dissonance in that section is a bold choice, this arrangement definitely goes weird places that I don’t remember being in the source. 3:10 is weird, the mix seems to have lost a ton of the low end? It’s more or less back to normal by the wah portion, but that bit of the mix stood out to me. Anyway, good stuff.

I've Waited Years For This

Game(s): Guitar Hero 3

bzbzbzbzbzbzbzbzbzbzzbbbbzzbzbzzzzbzzbzbbb

Thanks Kenji

Game(s): GuitarFreaks 4thMIX & drummania 3rdMIX

Lots of interesting choices here supporting a very “DoD tone” guitar lead. I think I would like this more if the drum part were more syncopated and lively – there’s some je nais quoi here I think you could have unlocked more easily with a live drummer. Also oopsie ending cutoff. Please collab with Kev or something and upload a finished version!

Robobooty

Game(s): Kirby: Planet Robobot

Smoove, Smexy, Sultry (slutty?). I feel like this could be the backing track for The Lonely Island’s Oakland Nights or something. It may not have a novel, showstopping quality to it, but it’s got vibes and swagger and by gum, does it funk.

Stygia

Game(s): Metal: Hellsinger

♥️ Longie time! I’m not the target audience for growls, or growls paired with soprano vocals. So I can’t really comment on the aesthetics (cue the Dr. Frankenfurter line: “I DIDN’T MAKE HIM FOR YOU!”). Production wise, I do think the eq of the guitars might be clashing a bit with the female vocals, but I’m just nitpicking. You poured your heart into this and I salute you.

The Master Flush

Game(s): PaRappa the Rapper

I was too hard on the mix in the LP, but on second listen, I’m actually going to assume this was a live recording and cut it some slack. The beat is great, the vocals are outstanding, the arrangement is faithful and super fun. If the production was studio-quality, it’d probably be top 3 for me. As is, it’s still up there.

Cheap Cheap the Cooking Chicken, Blessed Be Her Name

Game(s): PaRappa the Rapper

I love this vibe and beat, but just me, or isn’t it kinda weird that there are the rap “calls” but no “responses?” The silence makes the phrases (and by extension the song) feel incomplete to me. Also, makes the song feel longer than it ought to. You need someone to play off of!

Young Love Rock 'n' Roll

Game(s): Rhythm Heaven Fever

♥️ – Runner-up Very nearly took the first-place heart award from Gitaroo because of pure nostalgia – I LOVE Rhythm Heaven and I adore this track too. A novelty track like this was never designed to win everyone’s votes (See Dr. Frankenfurter again) but you’ve won my heart, WHOEVER YOU ARE.

The House with Six Walls

Game(s): Super Hexagon

Was not expecting Super Hexagon this month! That is some top-quality VO, definitely the highlight for me. The singing is a little less impactful by comparison: part of it is annunciation, which makes it hard to make out many of the words (applies to some of the VO too but that seems to be more a mixing/EQ thing with the synth). Lots of repetition in this arrangement, which makes the 5 min runtime feel pretty long. Still, very clever idea!

Twisted Focus

Game(s): Super Hexagon

There’s some really neat synth work on this, which I appreciate. As the presumably only live instrument appears to be the vocals though, I gotta harp on intonation – little pitch issues really add up on this one. Some real creative potential here though – keep submitting!

Kaiyō Toshi

Game(s): Swadge Hero

Dr. Frankenfurter again, but I do vibe with this! Moody vibes, great development, cool guitar tone, production on point. Cool bitcrusher ending!

Ye Olde Vyllage Bye The Seae 1389

Game(s): Swadge Hero

I mentioned in the LP, this feels VERY “Outer Wilds sun is about to blow up” to me, which is not a knock at all. I think it’s cool that both anons covered the same swadge hero tune and also both took it in this drone/emo direction. However, this one goes from 0-60 about 2 min in and I could have used a bit more preparation/foreshadowing of that change. Maybe just a me thing, but when I hear a song with absolutely bonkers-density drum programming paired with super mellow synths, it always reminds me of this video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OnkTUKtxRic

Press 'X' For Party

Game(s): Vib-Ribbon

:Hugs:

Asleep Under Falling Stars

Game(s): Wandersong

Very nice and pret-taaaay! I could fall asleep to this for sure. Good restraint, very classy!

Thank Kiryu It’s Friday

Game(s): Yakuza 0

Aw yeah, this is my kinda thing for sure, great production and sweet end-credits vibes. Suuuuper nitpicky but I found myself wanting the tempo to be either 5-10bpm faster (good dance/groove tempo) or a little bit slower (100bpm is perfect Bee Gees struttin’ tempo). I kinda want to try adjusting it on my side to see how it would feel… either way, this is good stuff, especially dig the bass solo.

smooooUwUch * ∀ *

Game(s): beatmania IIDX 16 EMPRESS

Cute one! If I recognized the source I’d probably have a deeper emotional connection to it, but it was pleasant and didn’t overstay its welcome, plus I liked the key change. Solid stuff!

slowlycrushed

20 Reviews

No Country For Old Jedi

Game(s): Beat Saber

Fun little intro. Super fun vibe very lively. Definitely enjoying the all-acoustic sound with the cajon and everything. Production notes would be maybe pan things wider and compress a tad less?

Acoustic Ascent

Game(s): Crypt of the NecroDancer

Ooooh acoustic bass very nice. Love the minimal soundscape. It’s what, a bass and two guitars? I like it. Don’t know the source but this sounds great as an acoustic piece. Great execution. Production notes: It’s pretty quiet. Don’t be afraid to pan hard left/right. Not sure if that’s the move for this track but it might be?

Too Shy to Be a Cutie Chaser

Game(s): Dance Dance Revolution 3rdMix

Floaty. Spacey. But then like… flying through the stars. I like the shifting moods of this one. Cool synth patch as well. Good structure and flow for sure. Production notes: That god forsaken clicky kicky is murdering this otherwise great track. Everything else is well balanced and fits into the mix nicely. That piano solo near the end might be a big clacky sounding for my taste but I think it’s a good way to pop throught the mix.

Oh I'm Not a Doctor

Game(s): Dance Dance Revolution 5thMix

Great ambience intro. And then off we go hell yeah to that guitar. EEEEEOOOWEEEEEEEEE. This track got me feeling like I’m mega man chasing enemies on a moving train. but like snes era mega man. not the little chode boi. I’m gonna have that eeoooweeeeee stuck in my head. Great track. Production notes: Mix feels like it’s lacking a bit of body in the midrange. Like in the 700-1100 range?

Whip Shplam Bam

Game(s): Gitadora Fuzz-Up

Ok shreddy mercury just showed up. Very impressive guitar playing. It’s a bit flashy for my taste but I mean it’s real good playing. Every element in this is very purposeful and adds to the arrangement. Very impressive, anon. Good job Production notes: idk sounds good. guitar tone maybe could use a bit of bite? but that mostly personal preference.

Slow Dancing at the End of the World

Game(s): Gitaroo Man

Romance is in the air. This is very nice. Great sounds coming from this one. love the whoooshessss and those like reverse reverbs? Catchy. Beautiful soundscapes behind the singing guitar. Production notes: Great sounding production. I felt a tiny bit of deep low end buildup at times but nothing bad.

Fire Level

Game(s): Guitar Freaks

Hell yeah. Fun stuff. Love the lead guitar with its harmonies that show up occassionally. Great shredding on this one too. Real fun synth sounds in here. Production notes: Mix could use some balancing. I’d be into more kick and snare. Arpegio synth could dip a little when the lead is leading.

Jordan Expert 100% FC (Slamdunk Heroes – The Michael Jordans of Jordan)

Game(s): Guitar Hero 2

More shredderosity viscosity. but this is more of a widdly diddly diddly kind of shreddage. Reminds me of downloading guitar solo videos before streaming was a thing. Loving the vibe change halfway through. Much more up my alley. Solid track w good execution. Production notes: drums lack a bit of personality. overall production is good.

Thanks Kenji

Game(s): GuitarFreaks 4thMIX & drummania 3rdMIX

Oh hello weirdo intro. Love it. Proceeds into some smoothe sailing guitaring. YUMMMY guitar harmonies. Rad organ. I’m enjoying this track. Very musical, which is a weird thing to say but I stand by it. Fun percussion throughout. Bass is nice too. Production notes: Overall it’s a good mix but every so often a new element comes in a throws it off a little. Maybe duck some instruments when an element shows up briefly so you don’t have to turn it up as much. Also was it supposed to end there?

Robobooty

Game(s): Kirby: Planet Robobot

Production is off the charts on this. Everything in this hits just right. Love the choice of synth patches on this combines with the incredible sax playing. Great execution. Productions notes: none

Stygia

Game(s): Metal: Hellsinger

\m/(o_o)\m/ chugga chugga heavy shit now. growling sounds great. clean vocal also sounds great. this one got me doing the stank face chicken head. Production notes: The drums at times have no cymbal playing which is weird. Also just in general the drum track feels a bit stiff.

The Master Flush

Game(s): PaRappa the Rapper

Another well executed rap track. Bass is cool here too. Fiddle in the back is a nice addition. Production notes: vocals might be a bit more squashed than I’d like.

Cheap Cheap the Cooking Chicken, Blessed Be Her Name

Game(s): PaRappa the Rapper

This is so outside my wheelhouse but I’ll do my best. Smoothe deep voice is very easy on the ears. Stylish beat. Cool acoustic guitar. I enjoy that deep bass. Production notes: Sounds good.

Young Love Rock 'n' Roll

Game(s): Rhythm Heaven Fever

A wonderful homage to beach boys style surf / rocknroll. So much of this sounds right. The whistling, the guitar tone, drums. Fun fun fun track. Great job on this. Production notes: I’d have brought the hats/ride down like 1db but I think that’s about it.

The House with Six Walls

Game(s): Super Hexagon

Nailing the creepy haunting vibes here. I’m digging this vibe. I really like that synth lead and that slide guitar. I’m stealing that slide stuff btw. You’ll here it from me soon hehe. Wtf is that ending I love it. Production notes: Singer voice maybe could be mixed in better but I don’t know anything about mixing vocals so idk what to say about it. It sounds good overall.

Twisted Focus

Game(s): Super Hexagon

Interesting production. Reminds me of early post punk records. Cool synth modulations. Singer dances around some of the notes at times. Not sure if by choice. I like this in a weird way. I like that the vocals are close then far then close. Love the bitcrushed fade. Production notes: There’s charm in this mix. It could be more balanced, but that could be detrimental. I’m not sure I’d change this.

Ye Olde Vyllage Bye The Seae 1389

Game(s): Swadge Hero

Yo ok that guitar tone between the bells in the intro has me by the balls. I need it. Synth chords sounds epic. The whole intro is just great. Boom the metal hits. Reminds me of cradle of filth kinda. I dig it. As a guitarist, I could go for more guitar. But this is enjoyable for sure. Outro is just as good as intro. Production notes: Needs more guitar. I could go for a general bump in the midrange too.

Asleep Under Falling Stars

Game(s): Wandersong

This is also right inside my wheelhouse. It’s SOOOO nice. I could listen to this all day. It floats along real nice. I need a whole album of this. The way the guitar emerges is just exquisit. I can’t gush over this track enough. This is my fav. this one gets CRUSHED GOLD BABYYYYY Production notes: I think MAYBE the guitars could be high passed a LITTLE BIT more. Other than that this track just needs to be way longer 🙂

Thank Kiryu It’s Friday

Game(s): Yakuza 0

This song is like “I’M SO GOOD GIB MEDAL”. This is a wonderful mix. I’m especially into the bass. Everything in this mix sounds good and well balanced. Vocals are nice and airy with body. This is just fantastic. Production notes: I think maybe the guitar solo would (TO ME) sound better if it had a darker less plucky sound but that’s an intensely subjective nitpick.

smooooUwUch * ∀ *

Game(s): beatmania IIDX 16 EMPRESS

This is what I was expecting this month. Danceable, upbeat, positive vibes. Reminds me of the early 2000s. Excellent choice of synth patches and instrumentation. Great pacing and structure. Very tasty guitar harmonies. Love the key change at the end, those always do it for me. Production notes: Overall a bit dark. Bass could be a SMIDGE lower I think(maybe just some eq cuts on it?) . If the kick punched more, it would help as well.

TheManPF

26 Reviews

No Country For Old Jedi

Game(s): Beat Saber

Yeah I mean I guess it’s a saber game. Intro is funny though it takes a bit long to get into the MEAT. Acoustic playing is fast and fun. Recording is crsip and neat, maybe a little too mono? I think I’d prefer some more stereo spacing between the instruments. The harmonics are a highlight as I’m sure everyone and their mothers have commented on. My hand feels tired just by listening to this. Very fun playing, I wish the percussive parts were louder to get that rhythm more locked in.

Darude – Sandstorm

Game(s): Beat Saber

LMFAOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Acoustic Ascent

Game(s): Crypt of the NecroDancer

Love me some acoustic bass. Intro feels a bit unnecesary? Like the first 10 seconds or so, they feel like they don’t fit the vibe of the rest of the song at all, both structurally and sonically. Acoustic playing is actually pretty top notch, but the mixing has a serious lack of compression and volume, mostly the rhythm guitar, a lot of the notes are played with a lot of subtlety which is fine, but without an extra bump in the mix it makes it hard to hear. Master volume overall is also very low. Performance is great. This might be me taking notes from the first song, but some percussive hits would elevate this more I think. Cool arrangement.

Too Shy to Be a Cutie Chaser

Game(s): Dance Dance Revolution 3rdMix

Interesting synthy elements. There’s a particular synth patch in the background that sounds very clicky to the point it sounds like it’s clipping (even though it’s not), it’s probably something in your bass VST I think? I used to have this problem with bass VSTs in particular, shouldn’t be hard to fix with some subtle attack swells to eliminate clickiness. Arrangement is cool and dreamy though a lot less melodic than I’d like.

Upside Down

Game(s): Dance Dance Revolution 3rdMix

The acoustic recording is so clear and nice, vocal performance is lovely! Do more of this!

Oh I'm Not a Doctor

Game(s): Dance Dance Revolution 5thMix

Beeping intro fits the title perfectly. Love the dreaminess of the synth pad with the reverbed piano. Metal part sounds beefy and crunchy, nomnom, some very cool 9ths happening on those power chords which are very djent. The latter half has a very trippy drum pattern that actually throws me off a little, it sounds a little unnatural. Mix is chonky and tasty, very enjoyable but WHY SO SHORT.

Whip Shplam Bam

Game(s): Gitadora Fuzz-Up

This is just The Test that Stumped Them All by Dream Theater. Lead playing is absolutely through the roof, not only is it technical and crazy fast but also absurdly clean? Like can you at least play one wrong note so I can feel that you’re human? Mixing is clean and crisp which helps a lot in appreciating everything happening in the song especially considering how fast and crazy it is. Really fun shit, crazy skills.

Slow Dancing at the End of the World

Game(s): Gitaroo Man

First 10 seconds or so already have a TON of detail in the arrangement and production, I like it, you know how to build things up and create an interesting soundscape, it’s all in the details. Mix is a little dirty for this style, every time I hear something like this I can’t tell if there’s too many mids in the master, or not enough spacing in the stereo field, something is a little off but I can’t put my finger on it. Drums kick and snare hit just right, and it’s all you need to keep a good beat really. Tone on the guitar is super nice with the exaggerated reverb though I’d like it to be a tad louder and more in the front, it gets easily lost in all the sonic elements. I really really love that there’s a TON of extra bits happening around that guitar lead, all those synthy bits and piano and percussion add a ton of personality. Bass playing is also a highlight. Only real qualm in this one is the mastering.

Fire Level

Game(s): Guitar Freaks

I like the crispy sound on that synth ostinato, I appreciate the guitar noises and divebombs but I feel like in this particular arrangement it kinda interferes with the vibe. Mix is interesting, it sounds kinda garagey but in a very intentional way. Drums sound trashcany (in a good way), and the guitar tones are hella overdriven, it gives it a bit of a heavy indie vibe that I actually really appreciate, what confuses me though is that the synth ostinato in the background kinda really clashes with that vibe, the live instruments feel very DIRTY PUNK while the synth is kinda taking me to a more dancey pop style, and it creates a contrast that I’m not sure how to react to. Lead playing is nuts, but it needs to be waaaaaayyy louder. Synth solo at 3 minutes is awesome, though again, very curious choice for this style. Not a bad track by any means, I think what would work better for this is to look for more industrial kinds of synth patches that could better mesh with the garage sound.

Jordan Expert 100% FC (Slamdunk Heroes – The Michael Jordans of Jordan)

Game(s): Guitar Hero 2

Did you have 3 different titles in mind and couldn’t settle for one? Really love to finally see this source covered in a main entry. The killswitch guitar riff sounds IDENTICAL to the original. First minute or so sounded really good but a little too identical to the original, which made me worry since this song can be hella repetitive, it quickly fixes that with some SHRED and I really appreciate that. All the solos here are fucking nuts. It’s funny cuz this song is already hard to play and it feels like whoever is playing this took this even further. The middle section took me for a fucking ride, hearing this source transformed into different styles is exactly the type of shit I wanted to hear. Lots of awesome things happening in this one.

I've Waited Years For This

Game(s): Guitar Hero 3

Should’ve been a main I DON’T CARE THAT IT WASN’T ELIGIBLE, IT SHOULD’VE BEEN, you wouldn’t expect kazoos to sound this good but this legitimately bangs??? I fuck with this, wouldn’t hurt going into my playlist.

Weight of the World

Game(s): Guitar Hero: World Tour

I expected to see more of this this month than we actually got so I hella respect you for committing to this anon, glad someone took the opportunity to just go to town on a licensed source.

Thanks Kenji

Game(s): GuitarFreaks 4thMIX & drummania 3rdMIX

That organ in the beginning combined with the conga drums have such a great vibe. Guitar tone is TASTY. Perfect combination of good lead sounds with tasty groovy crispy rhythm section. The actual drumkit is actually my only gripe, the aux percussion sounds neat and adds a lot, but the drumkit is a little too quiet in the mix for such a groovy track, and the snare sound is a little too weak for my taste. Still a really enjoyable track.

Robobooty

Game(s): Kirby: Planet Robobot

From the beginning this sounds oddly horny, I think it’s the bell trees. Really like the use of pan flute synth patches, it’s not a sound I hear often. Drums are good and hard hitting. Synths are expressive and groovy, master is a little squashed and overcompressed but I guess it fits the style. Very jazzy horny groovy with good performances.

Stygia

Game(s): Metal: Hellsinger

Love seeing this here. Intro sounds mysterious, synth patch in the background kinda sounds like a sax which is weird but also really cool. Mix is crisp and nice. Really enjoy the slow-ish gothic style of this arrangement, not something I hear often on this side of the pond, especially with such awesome vocal performances. The growls are thick as hell, I especially love whenever it gets into the higher screams for emphasis, definitely some of the better performed growls I’ve heard in DoD. The lead vocals are also awesome and incredibly performed. Really dig this whole package, it’s oddly nostalgic, this is definitely something I would’ve been blasting on my headphones back in my teenage years.

The Master Flush

Game(s): PaRappa the Rapper

The acoustic recording sounds pretty crystal clear. Vocal performance is theatrical and fun, this is how you do a vocal performance, with CONFIDENCE. Vocal flow overall is great too from all performers. Master is kinda quiet, especially when put next to the previous track, I had to turn this one up. Really sick instrumental and fits well with the vocal performances. Love a lot about this one, it has me shaking and vibing, biggest gripe is that the vocal mixing is kind of inconsistent, some of the lines sound very crisp and clear while some others sound kinda thin and distorted in a distracting way. Also turn that master up. Into the playlist it goes.

Cheap Cheap the Cooking Chicken, Blessed Be Her Name

Game(s): PaRappa the Rapper

I appreciate this one a fuckton, it’s such a fresh thing to hear in DoD, really nice flow chill rapping, very Gorillaz esque, the background beat is really well done, it has a really crisp sound and the drum beat hits just right, it might be a tad repetitive, but for this length and this vibe, I really don’t mind, excellent work. If I had to nitpick something, I think some backing vocals or responding lines here and there would’ve worked great to add some extra spice.

Young Love Rock 'n' Roll

Game(s): Rhythm Heaven Fever

Very surf. Drums sound kinda thin for this style, the guitar performance is good but the way it’s mixed is kinda off for me, it sounds a biiit twangier than what I’d like. Organ is great. Vocals are AWESOME. Performance has classic rock and roll stamped all over it, my absolute favorite part is the responding vocal harmonies, they add so much charm and personality to the arrangement. Biggest gripe is this needs some louder and harder drums, not that this needs some djent metal snare or anything, but a good drum sound can elevate the grooviness so much more. Great guitar solo with spot on tone. THANK YOU VERRRRY MUCH.

The House with Six Walls

Game(s): Super Hexagon

Super Hexagon is a rhythm game. This is an INCREDIBLY CREATIVE entry, especially for this game??? It’s that kind of thing where you realize the artist really had a VISION, and it makes me wanna slide right for commitment alone. The spaghetti-western-ish vibe with the drums clean guitar and synth are really nice, lots of cool vibes. Both vocal recordings are a lil muddy at spots, but it’s nothing crazy, and I like the reverb on them to fit the vibe. Lead melodic vocal sounds a out of tune at points. Ooooo loving that slide guitar thing, very fitting for this vibe. Vocal performance is a LOT better at 3:43, helllllllll yessss, I love that vibrato and that passion coming through, I wish there was more of that performance quality throughout. Respect the hell out of this one and I’d love to know its story.

Twisted Focus

Game(s): Super Hexagon

Two Super Hexagon vocal entries back to back is crazy work. There are some neat ideas here, but nothing really feels fleshed out, the arrangement has a SERIOUS lack of drums, this rhythmic bass beat with no drums to complement it makes me feel like I’m floating in the air in a bad way, vocals are fine though the mixing is not doing it any favors, mixing overall feels like a lot of very different things spliced together without much glue. I’m not a fan, but one thing I actually really did like is the glitchy effects here and there, which gives this a stamp of personal charm.

Kaiyō Toshi

Game(s): Swadge Hero

Great clean guitar tone, very Tool. Love the slow buildup, very tasteful. I love how this intro has like 5 or so different guitar parts and they all have different tones, and they all fit well. The distorted part is SO well done, it has this indie emo vibe that sounds dirty in a GREAT way, you really have a knack for this style of distorted saturated style. Good aggressive drum hits with tons of reverb fit this well. Spectacular arrangement, I would love to sing over this. One of my favs for sure.

Ye Olde Vyllage Bye The Seae 1389

Game(s): Swadge Hero

Love the dramatic vibes from the get go, the bell is a really nice touch. I’m not sure what this artist is exactly trying to convey but it gives me a super melancholic, almost funeral-like vibe. What’s that melody on the sides at 0:39? Is it a guitar? I love that effect on it. Builds up slowly in a great way, gradually adding more and more elements, although at one point it feels like you’re adding one new thing every time the riff repeats which makes the arrangement a bit predictable, at least for this section. Despite the long buildup 1:55 comes out of nowhere, I think a pause before the drop would’ve done wonders for this transition. It’s also relatively quiet? Not like, quiet quiet, but for the vibe this is going for with the blastbeats and accelerated guitars, this needs to be a loooooot louder for that sweet contrast. I have my nitpicks with the arrangement but it’s mostly very well done, all I want for this is some mixing tweaks to make the metal parts louder and this would be veeery up there for me.

Press 'X' For Party

Game(s): Vib-Ribbon

This sounds familiar, but with the added feeling that an annoying stain has now been cleaned and replaced with something much more appealing. 4 years is crazy.

Asleep Under Falling Stars

Game(s): Wandersong

TIME TO SLEEP LET’S GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!11111111111. The piano performance is neat, is it improvised? I like that it’s playing notes in a very loose way that gives it a really nice human feeling to the performance. I looooove the guitar and bass plucks, wow, they fit this style so well. I hear some background noise at around 1:40 that also adds a LOT to the melancholic vibe. Very well crafted with a ton of love, you did well anon.

Thank Kiryu It’s Friday

Game(s): Yakuza 0

Exactly what one expects for a closer. Disgustingly sexy bass. Live drums??? Really like that bass sound a lot. Horns are a little understated but I kinda like it that way, they work great for support. Lots of great tones going on all around. I like how you approached the vocal production, lots of doubling which fits the citypop vibe. Vocal performance is excellent too. Pretty much everything about this rocks. My one super duper nitpick is I wish the vocals were more present throughout the whole thing but that’s just me. Bass solo made Gregorio Franco pregnant.

smooooUwUch * ∀ *

Game(s): beatmania IIDX 16 EMPRESS

Title is giving Fairy Tail Wow sound effect All the synth patches are on point, loving the tone on the electric guitars also. This one is really hurt by the drum mixing, it sounds like a very dancey song but it lacks that pulsating beat in the kick and snare, they’re VERY quiet for this type of song, I’d suggest a sidechain on the drums with the bass to get that pulsating effect going on, but even without counting that the drums are just quiet. Some of the mix on the clean guitars is also very buried, some extra compression and just a kick in the volume slider should do the trick. Very cute track.

vengroft

6 Reviews

No Country For Old Jedi

Game(s): Beat Saber

Fun intro, fun theme, and I really love the acoustic guitar (mandolin?) bits! I don’t know the source material but this is a certified banger! The western vocals and vibe confuse me a bit as I have no idea how the Jedi fit into the equation.

Acoustic Ascent

Game(s): Crypt of the NecroDancer

I had to boost the volume a lot. Strong “Greatest Song in the World: Tribute” vibes. All of these have be so darn good this month!!! 😀 The guitar slide early on hurt my eardrums but the others add character. Fun pluckily-parts that I give me Castlevania vibes.

Too Shy to Be a Cutie Chaser

Game(s): Dance Dance Revolution 3rdMix

The synth is a bit overwhelming in a good way at the start and there’s a percussive “pop” that’s distracting, but otherwise this feels oddly nostalgic even though I don’t know the source material. Solid arrangement!

Oh I'm Not a Doctor

Game(s): Dance Dance Revolution 5thMix

I didn’t expect the heartbeat to be the BPM!! What?! A surprise Rock Ballad appears! Great rhythms! Great drum performance even though I’m not a fan of the drum tone. Surprise piano at the end too 🙂 Great song!

Whip Shplam Bam

Game(s): Gitadora Fuzz-Up

High intensity and great synth! Reminds me a lot of Vomitron in a great way! Great panning selection on guitars. Yeah, this is my jam. A few detuned or off key notes in the middle on lead – at least to my peasant ears, but overall a stellar lead performance! The end was just as big a surprise as the start.

smooooUwUch * ∀ *

Game(s): beatmania IIDX 16 EMPRESS

I really like the instrument setup and hyper clean sound. I feel like this is the DoD guitar tone my friends tell me about and I like it. Oh snap! Key change!!!

Additional Info

Banner Art: Biggoron

About Dwelling of Duels:

Dwelling of Duels is a monthly video game music (VGM) cover competition. Competitors anonymously submit redone versions of game music and the entries are voted upon by the community. Entries must comply with the rules, briefly put as following:

The song must follow the current month’s theme
The song must be previously unreleased
The song must not be shorter than 2 minutes
The main instrument must be played live