Respect Your Elders DJMAX Respect

Respect Your Elders DJMAX Respect

- Erik Paolo Escueta

When DJMAX Respect popped up on the PlayStation Store and on store shelves, I was quite surprised. The last proper DJMAX title came out about eight years ago (not counting expansions and spinoffs like the Technika series), and on the PlayStation Portable to boot. Fortunately, Respect is no cash-in attempt. The game makes full use of the PS4 hardware to deliver the series’ high-precision gameplay alongside enhanced visuals, and a song catalog that captures both the hits of its predecessors and a bevy of new ones.

Listening exercises For those unfamiliar with music rhythm games, DJMAX is of the falling variety where you time your button presses to their corresponding notes as they fall to the bottom of their lanes (collectively known as a gear, using in-game parlance). Notes are in time and in tune with your chosen music—as an instrument or vocal depending on the selection. A life bar on the side depletes if you miss a note. An animation plays in the background to help set the mood; if you deem it distracting, you can dim it using the Dualshock 4 touchpad. The mechanics are simple in premise but challenging in practice, and ultimately rewarding if you put in the effort.