Let me start this off by saying that this game showcases the exact reason why me and my people wanted to start a web site for game and movie reviews. It’s pretty clear that there are plenty of people dogging this game, I don’t get it…of course everyone has their own opinion but damn, just because I’m not into rock so much doesn’t mean I can’t enjoy Guitar Hero (I love Guitar Hero & Rock Band). I’ve heard people say it isn’t accessible, it’s too hard, the turntable is too foreign. F@ck that! I remember the first time people played Guitar Hero…nobody was good at it, there WAS a learning curve there as well.
Their are certain people who think everyone grew up doing air guitar performances to Metallica and White Snake…sorry to break it to ya but I grew up “fake” scribble scratching on the side of my mom’s couch to Jam Master Jay (R.I.P.) and Jazzy Jeff. There is a whole world of people out there who know and respect what a DJ does and this game is for them…just like the fake guitar and drums gave people a new found respect and love for rock this fake turntable is poised to do the same thing for Hip-Hop, Dance & Electronica.
Let’s move on…I’ll get this out the way now…this game is hard. Not because it doesn’t “sink up” or whatever other crap excuses people are making for sucking at the game. It’s hard because you have to pay attention to A LOT of stuff at once. Here’s an example, I’m playing the game on medium and already have to do complex cross fades, add special effects, scratch, time up button presses, distort sound and “rewind” the music…also the button for the euphoria effect (star power) is separate so you have to take your hand off the fader to hit it. On hard they ramp up the speed, add more button presses, as well as incorporate directional scratches and other little touches that bring a frustrating amount of difficulty to an already difficult game.
That being said the game is still fun as hell! The sound track is a banger…comprised of over 90 “mash-ups” ranging from the Jackson Five, Eric B. & Rakim to Blondie & Gwen Stefani. The sound track is live enough that you could easily play the music at a party and get it popin’. I have been enjoying the soundtrack in this much more than any other rhythm game I’ve played. There has never been an opportunity to have such diverse music in one game…I hope Activision supports this game with DLC to really help DJ Hero fully mature.
Everyone is probably wondering about the turntable controller. Don’t worry its built well and doesn’t feel like it’s going to break after 5 minutes of use…even the crossfader (which you’ll be slamming back and forth often.) slides and clicks the way it should…The only gripe I have with it is that your fingers have a tendency to slide off the turntable during intense scratches. The turn table itself is fairly small compared to the other fake instruments out there. After my 4th guitar and second drum set I had to relegate a lot of my fake instruments to the garage…they were taking up way too much space. The turntable isn’t much bigger than a large book so you shouldn’t have any trouble stashing it in a closet or in a cabinet when you’re done.
There are quite a few things that were taken directly from guitar hero…of course the colored buttons but there are also sections where you have to perform perfectly to build up euphoria. Euphoria is DJ Hero’s version of Star Power. There is also the freestyle mode that is similar to the Drum Fills in Rock band…one thing about the Freestyle mode is you’ll have to have some natural rhythm to really make it sound good. With the freestyle you have to choose what effect you are going to use, then insert the effect into the song at specific moments. If you are rhythm deficient or choose the wrong effects it’s going to sound like crap. On the other hand if you do it right you can set the track off with a little personal creativity that will make you feel like you’re really rockin’ the crowd. If you get real good at it you can change effects mid freestyle and really set the track off.
All-in-all the game is well done, there is definite room for improvement but DJ Hero is undoubtedly a breath of fresh air in the rhythm game genre. There have been a lot of great reviews for the game but there has been an awful lot of hate as well…unfortunately hate always seems to be louder than love (damn that sounded corny). If you’re unsure go to your local Best Buy and give it a spin I’m sure they have a kiosk running the game. Be sure to play it on easy though for your fist time…you will definitely have to go through the training to get a handle on all the techniques…and that’s something you just can’t do with a 5 min sit down at your local game store.
Remember when the PS3 was nearing release and there were reports of the cell processor being powerful enough to launch nuclear attacks if it fell into the wrong hands. Well scrap that…if Bin laden happens upon a copy of DJ Hero while he’s in the mountains plotting his next threat video we may all be in serious shit!
If we are to believe the intro to DJ Hero, Bin laden will be able to swoop in on us with a giant turn table, plug in his 100 story sub woofer and unleash a flurry of beats that will rock us all to sleep…let us hope that never happens…
Alright…I’ll admit it, I’m excited about DJ hero. There only a few weeks left before I’ll be able to cut, scratch and mix my way through nearly 100 mash up tracks by some of the greatest DJ’s in the game. Activision/Blizzard has been keeping my pallet wet by constantly releasing videos and guest DJs but now they have released the full track list and I have to admit it looks hot…almost time for me to hit the wheels of steel!
2Pac – “All Eyez On Me” vs. The Aranbee Pop Orchestra – “Bittersweet Symphony (Instrumental)”
50 Cent – “Disco Inferno” vs. David Bowie – “Let’s Dance”
50 Cent – “Disco Inferno” vs. InDeep – “Last Night A DJ Saved My Life”
Afrika Bambaataa – “Zulu Nation Throwdown” vs. Freedom Express – “Get Down”
Beastie Boys – “Here’s A Little Somethin’ For Ya” vs. DJ Shadow – “The Number Song (2009 Version)” (Produced and mixed by DJ Shadow)
Beastie Boys – “Intergalactic” vs. Blondie – “Rapture”
Beastie Boys – “Lee Majors Come Again” vs. Daft Punk – “Da Funk” (Produced and mixed by Cut Chemist)
Beck – “Where It’s At” vs. DJ Shadow – “Six Days (Remix ft. Mos Def)”
Bell Biv DeVoe – “Poison” Beat Juggle
Bell Biv DeVoe – “Poison” vs. Beastie Boys – “Intergalactic” (Produced and mixed by DJ AM)
Bell Biv DeVoe – “Poison” vs. Cameo – “Word Up!”
Benny Benassi – “Satisfaction” vs. Tiësto – “Elements Of Life”
Billy Squier – “The Big Beat” vs. N.E.R.D. – “Lapdance” (DJ-Guitar mix)
Black Eyed Peas – “Boom Boom Pow” vs. Benny Benassi – “Satisfaction”
Bobby “Blue” Bland – “Ain’t No Love In The Heart Of The City” vs. 2Pac – “How Do You Want It”
Bobby “Blue” Bland – “Ain’t No Love In The Heart Of The City” vs. Connie Price & The Keystones – “Fuzz And Them”
Boogie Down Productions – “Jack Of Spades” vs. David Bowie – “Let’s Dance” (Produced and mixed by DJ Shadow)
Chuck Brown & The Soul Searchers – “Bustin’ Loose” vs. The Zombies – “Time Of The Season” (Produced and mixed by DJ Shadow)
Chuck Brown & The Soul Searchers – “Bustin’ Loose” vs. Young MC – “Bust A Move”
Common – “Universal Mind Control (U.M.C.)” vs. Masta Ace – “Jeep A** Gutter (Aaron LaCrate & Debonair Samir ” (Produced and mixed by The Scratch Perverts)
Cypress Hill – “Insane In The Brain” vs. Classics IV – “Spooky”
Cypress Hill – “Insane In The Brain” vs. David Axelrod – “The Edge”
Daft Punk – “Around The World” vs. Young MC – “Bust A Move”
Daft Punk – “Da Funk” vs. N.A.S.A. – “Strange Enough ft. Karen O, ODB & Fatlip”
Daft Punk – “Megamix 1″
Daft Punk – “Megamix 2″
Daft Punk – “Robot Rock” vs. Hashim – “Al Naafyish (The Soul)” (Produced and mixed by The Scratch Perverts)
Daft Punk – “Robot Rock” vs. Queen – “We Will Rock You”
Daft Punk – “Short Circuit” vs. Boogie Down Productions – “Jack Of Spades”
Daft Punk – “Technologic” vs. Gary Numan – “Cars”
Daft Punk – “Television Rules the Nation” vs. No Doubt – “Hella Good”
David Axelrod – “The Edge” vs. Eric B. & Rakim – “Eric B. Is President”
Dizzee Rascal – “Fix Up, Look Sharp” vs. DJ Shadow – “Organ Donor (Extended Overhaul)”
Let me start this off by saying that this game showcases the exact reason why me and my people wanted to start a web site for game and movie reviews. It’s pretty clear that there are plenty of people dogging this game, I don’t get it…of course everyone has their own opinion but damn, just because I’m not into rock so much doesn’t mean I can’t enjoy Guitar Hero (I love Guitar Hero & Rock Band). I’ve heard people say it isn’t accessible, it’s too hard, the turntable is too foreign. F@ck that! I remember the first time people played Guitar Hero…nobody was good at it, there WAS a learning curve there as well.
(8.5/10)
Remember when the PS3 was nearing release and there were reports of the cell processor being powerful enough to launch nuclear attacks if it fell into the wrong hands. Well scrap that…if Bin laden happens upon a copy of DJ Hero while he’s in the mountains plotting his next threat video we may all be in serious shit!
Alright…I’ll admit it, I’m excited about DJ hero. There only a few weeks left before I’ll be able to cut, scratch and mix my way through nearly 100 mash up tracks by some of the greatest DJ’s in the game. Activision/Blizzard has been keeping my pallet wet by constantly releasing videos and guest DJs but now they have released the full track list and I have to admit it looks hot…almost time for me to hit the wheels of steel!
