DJ Hero Review
By - Craig H.
The DJ Hero peripheral seems overbearing at first with the crossfader, effects knob, buttons and platter but feels right once you play a few tracks and get the hang of it. The build quality is good and does not feel as though it will fall apart anytime soon. The concern that most buyers have is with the crossfader which
will take the most abuse (the platter is next in line). The crossfader has held up spectacular during our gameplay and seems that as long as you are not slamming it to the left or right with reckless abandon it will hold up just fine for normal (or even vigorous play). The crossfader does have a decent notch in the center so you know where it is at without having to look down. The controller does allow for a “lefty-flip” by unlocking the platter from the button plate and attaching it to the other side of the button plate.
Controller – 8.5
DJ Hero does not have a story mode per se but all the tracks are not available when you boot up the game for the first time. You must earn stars to unlock new setlists and thus new tracks. Seeing the last set of tracks unlock only after getting over 200 stars seems daunting but they are unlocked quickly with general play. This approach to not having all tracks unlocked in the beginning was a great choice by the developers. The reason I say this is because there were several tracks I would have possibly skipped over but was forced to play them in order to unlock others and ended up glad I played them. I enjoy most of the tracks with only a few misses in my book (Paula Abdul has no business being in any game related to music). To unlock all tracks you do not need to 5 star everything nor do you have to play every set in order to get them either. Also by collecting these stars you unlock new characters, venues, DJ decks, and DJ Attire (for those who need to unlock everything).
Story - 8
In any music based game the gameplay makes or breaks the game. Fortunately, DJ Hero nails the gameplay. The game is easy to pick-up and play but incredibly hard to master with most players not reaching expert difficulty (which is not uncommon in “Hero” games). For casual gamers I would suggest the medium difficulty (if the gameplay is still too hard then switch to easy difficulty which eliminates the use of the crossfader). The game does a good job at assisting the players with the crossfader position during gameplay because if the crossfader is not all the way to the left or the right the game will recognize it as being in the center even if it does not appear that way on the actual controller. The notes still ride a track like other music based games but only asks the player to handle 3 buttons (instead of the usual 5). Though, the player must still control the crossfader which is used to select which record is playing (like a real DJ, go figure). Euphoria mode (star power) can be enabled once the player successfully hits all the notes in a specific stream throughout each song. This mode is enabled via a flashing red light button just to the left of the effect knobs. During the song you will see an orange bar over some note which signals the use of the effects knob. The player just simply twists the knobs to change the sound of the music. The last item for the player to control is the sound effects in the game (various phrases or sounds). These are done strictly with the red (middle) button. Simply press the button inside of a large red area and the sound effects happen. You can change which effect happens by twisting the effects dial.
Gameplay – 9.5
If you have played a “Hero” game in the past few years then the visuals will not surprise you. The characters look similar and it is still as colorful as usual. The big difference is the atmosphere. The developers did a great job at adding all the elements of a nightclub. The DJ’s are put in a high booth that overlooks the club goers below. The crowd does not look particularly well with some blocked edges and flat animations but the DJ is the star of the show. The DJ booth is the most animated area (which is deservedly so) and has great character animation and detailed DJ gear. Only distracting factor is during gameplay you will be scratching away and the DJ will have his hands in the air or striking a pose. It would have been great to see them doing the movements with you and do the other stuff at the beginning or end of the track.
Visuals - 8
DJ Hero has 2 different single screen multiplayer option. The first is the ability to use a guitar peripheral to have a DJ Turntable and Guitar duet on select songs. This option is no doubt the result of its “Hero” background and is a nice inclusion to get other in on the action but is a tack on. The second is a DJ vs DJ mode. This requires both players to use a DJ Hero Turntable and play the exact same song together (both players play the same notes if both selecting the same difficulty).
The online portion of DJ Hero is about what you would expect from a “Hero” game. The online pits you against another DJ Hero player (in the same difficulty setting). You play against them to see who can achieve the most points in a given song/set. There are online leaderboards also to post your scores against other DJ’s.
Online/Multiplayer – 8.5
DJ Hero’s length/longevity all depend on how much you like the gameplay and the DJ style music in general. If you lose interest in Guitar Hero and Rockband in a short amount of time this game will not be much different (unless you are a big DJ fan). If this is your style of music and gameplay you can have unlimited amount of fun with it. Activision also says that DLC will be coming for additional legs.
Length/Longevity - 9
Renegade Edition:
The Renegade Edition is the equivalent to a Deluxe Edition. This edition includes a special edition controller, an exclusive 2-CD set from Jay-Z and Eminem and a carrying case that turns into a DJ stand. The controllers’ only difference is aesthetic in that it has a glossy black finish and metal crossfader and effect knob. The controller does not play any different from its standard edition counterpart. The CD was billed as having “unreleased” material but only has 1 track from Eminem called “Taking My Ball” that is such. Jay-Z’s side is more a greatest hits collection than anything else. The carrying case/DJ stand is the real reason this is a “special” edition. The case itself works fairly well and is as sturdy as you would imagine. The legs screw into the bottom of the case and can fit just about anyone’s height (though the taller you make the stand the more it tends to wobble). The controller is not that easy to play on your lap and unless you have a coffee table with the perfect height it’s nice to have a stand this adjustable. Overall the Renegade Edition will run you an extra $80 for a glossy finish, a 2-cd set, and a carrying case/stand if you are a hardcore fan who has been anticipating this title and want to get the full feel then it’s not a bad package. The average consumer will be happy with the standard.
Renegade Edition - 8
RATING: 8/10
