DJ Flask

DJ Flask is an upcoming action rhythm game developed and published by Zeta Labs. It is a reboot of the 2013 unfinished pitch game of the same name.

Premise

Basic Story

In the future, DJs becomes the most popular thing in the world and an annual competition called the DJMAX Next Generation is one of the most hyped and watched competitions in the entire world. Enter an up-and-coming DJ, Kae Peronel, also known by her stage name of DJ Flask, who joins in the 108th edition of the DJMAX Next Generation competition and one of the most difficult in years, with the strongest competitors to date. With the help of retired DJ, Wayne Piers, also known as DJ Phyton, DJ Flask is confident that she will be able to win this edition, even if she is an underdog.

Things starts to get weird after the first battle, between DJ Flask and TV Screenz, in which DJ Flask comes out victorious. TV Screenz faints after the battle and later it is confirmed to be dead. It is revealed that the DJMAX contest has been takenover by a mysterious organization known as Aphex, whom reveals their plan: the battles in the DJMAX contest will be a life-or-death contest with the loser being killed by poison and the winner will be the only one that will be able to leave the competition unharmed. DJ Flask now has a difficult task on her hands, in one hand, she can win the competition and fullfil her dreams and in another, she will be taking innocent lives if she does win.

Gameplay

The gameplay of DJ Flask is a mix of rhythm, beat-'em-up and role-playing gameplay. The player takes control of DJ Flask for the entire adventure and she is a mobile character, being able to run at above average speeds and being able to dodge from side to side quite easily. The game is separted into three parts: Exploration and Battles.

In Exploration, players can explore the region of Orbital 2, where the game takes place in. Players can interact with NPC characters, whom will offer Challenges to the player to complete, giving them items and equipment as a reward. On Exploration, DJ Flask can also investigate the area as ways to find clues about Aphex as well look for upgrades and hidden items. Orbital 2 also has several minigames to the player to play, which can be useful as ways to get better in certain parts of the battles and challenges or to upgrade one of Flask's six stats. The minigames can also be played to earn more money through the Casinos or to get items. Players on the user's friend list can also join in their games to play through a co-operative story or compete in challenges. Additionally, DJ Flask also has her own base, called World Clique, in which the players can store items that they cannot fit in their item limit as well to decorate their own house.

In Battles, the game turns into a very different one. Battles are turn-based, with each DJ taking turns with the song that is being played, which are the game's turns. Despite battles being turn-based, the actions are done in real time, meaning that players are able to move out from damage or do actions without limit, that is until their time is up and it is the other player's turn. Each player has a "Record" stat, which is the amount of special actions (non-melee attacks) that they can do in turn. Players can buy records in the Record Shop of Orbital 2, or they can buy albums, which are packages of 10 records at a higher cost. Each action takes a certain number of records and records are refilled in each turn but they cannot be refilled in the same turn. There are three types of special actions: Offensive, Defensive and Support, all of them being self-explanatory. Battles take place in closed locations with an audience watching them through cameras. Audiences can be used to temporarily boost your attack by 2x at the cost of half of your supporting audience, but that's if the your have a bigger audience support than your opponent. Another gameplay mechanic is Tempo, if the player has a succesful number of hits in a row, then the tempo will increase, which makes accuracy worse but it rewards the player by increasing their attack as long as they can maintain their combo streak. Lower tempos, which are result of missing attacks, will increase the accuracy at the cost of weaker attacks.

Actions

• Gain (Offensive): Utilizes 1 record and it is used to strike a weak projectile attack.
• Non-Parametic Equalizer (Support): An action that can either weaken or strength the player character. Utilizes 3 records.
• Parametic Equalizer (Support): A variable action, that can give a strength boost of the player's choice, depending of how many records are utilized (ex: if 1 record is used, a 20% boost is given, if 5 records are used, a 100% boost is given). It can be only used once for battle and it is temporary.
• Volume (Defensive): A variable action. Louder volumes can be used to distort the opponent's accuracy but in return it also affects the player. Lower volumes can increase the player's accuracy as well the opponent's. It costs 5 records.
• PFL (Offensive): For one turn, it will guarantee a strike. Costs 3 records.
• Balance (Support): The balance is an action that is always on no matter what. At first, it starts out balanced but if the player gives it 5 records, the balance can be used to power-up attack at the cost of a lower defense and vice-versa. Giving it another 5 records makes the balance go back to normal.
• Pre-Fader AUX (Offensive): For 3 records, the pre-fader AUX increases the chances of a hit connecting by 50% for one turn.
• Post-Fader AUX (Defensive): For 3 records, the post-fader AUX increases the chance of the opponent's hit missing by 50 for one turn.

Characters

Main Characters

• DJ Flask (Kae Peronel)
• DJ Phyton (Wayne Piers)

Opponents

• #20 TV Screenz (Terry Herb)
  Terry Herb (stage name: TV Screenz) is an eccentric film lover and an extremely nice guy, which surprises many people who meet him since his TV Screenz persona is a bit insane. As TV Screenz, Terry puts a television on his head, that then proceeds to showcase movie clips as his way to talk.
  Theme: Video Killed the Radio Star (Remix) - The Buggles, Sim Gretina.
• #19 Spartechel (Amber Tamra)
  Amber Tamra (stage name: Spartechel) is an ex-convict and gangster, member of a group known as the Spartans. Amber is known for her short fuse and loud dirty mouth. As Spartechel, Amber wears spartan armor as part of her DJ persona, with holographic soldiers around her.
  Theme: Centuries (Remix) - Fall Out Boy, Gazzo
• #18 Rick Vick Sick (Damian Hadyn)
• #17 Gabor the Giant (Jepson Camden)
• #16 Emeraldon (Pearce Charley)
• #15 JT Don (Conor Meredith)
• #14 Vicious Slash (Eugene Walker)
• #13 Murderer Joe (Jared Linwood)
• #12 Sabor the Giant (Hugh Eli)
• #11 Sandy Piranha (Lorrie Sharmaine)
• #10 Nightmare Feather (Sam Jamey)
• #9 Lord Virus (Thomas Ritchie)
• #8 Sally Ghost (Misti Alicia)
• #7 White Hood (Percy Johanin)
• #6 Swift Loaf (Lucius Collin)
• #5 Smasher Hardtack (Randy Hammond)
• #4 Valatee (Trixie)
• #3 Shifting Reality (Bernard Coleman)
• #2 The Sin (Jeremiah Brown)
• #1 DJ Phyton (Wayne Piers)