Review: DJ Hero
Activision's latest 'Hero' game puts you behind the wheels of steel.Published 01/11/2009 at 9:30 by nofi
DJ Hero “Best New IP Of 2009″ [25]
Bob Kotick: DJ Hero Didn’t Get it Right [12]
UK PS3/360 Charts: Week Ending 28th Nov [22]
The unboxing ceremony of Activision’s latest ‘Hero’ title was an event in itself. After handing over £100 to the understandably delighted sales assistant in HMV I walked back to the car with a bizarre sense of guilt and excitement: I’d just spent £100 on a game that I only assumed I would like based off my younger years of live DJ’ing and my current interest in creating studio produced mash-ups, the art of blending two or more tracks together to create a brand new one and the central premise for DJ Hero.
Opening up the box on the living room carpet brought an odd feeling of deflation: the ‘turntable’ portion of the controller feels about as plastic as I’d feared, with a rather loose deck that reminded me of my first belt driven KAMs. The three stream buttons felt a little cheap too, with the larger red one capable of sticking if pushed hard enough. Regardless, the ‘mixer’ part felt much better, the crossfader a little stiff for a scratch mixer but the effects knob, the Euphoria trigger and the d-pad section were fine.
It feels odd remarking on hardware for a video game review but if you assume you’re paying £40 for the disk then 60% of your bill is going on the wireless black plastic. Overall the DJ Hero controller is a decent enough impression of a real turnable and mixer pairing and although I was hoping for something a little sturdier I guess that the Renegade edition, weighing in at an additional £70, would have provided such reassurance. The thing connects to a small Bluetooth dongle just like Guitar Hero does, is simple to set up and comes with batteries.
So, onto the game. Voiced by Grandmaster Flash, the introduction and tutorial is a great way to start your DJ Hero experience – he’s obviously the father of scratching so it’s good that he’s given some weight to the game because it all helps to add to the authenticity of what the developers were aiming for – Flash goes through the basics and then takes you through the elements mostly only found in the game’s ‘hard’ mode and above (although this isn’t conveyed) which for the purposes of explaining the game’s mechanics are worth reiterating here.
Much like Guitar Hero (and other games of the genre) you have a ‘hit zone’ at the bottom of the screen and elements come down three streams of what is meant to look like a vinyl record. The three streams correspond to the three buttons on the controller and what the elements look like determines what you have to do when they reach the hit zone. A single circle means you just need to tap the appropriate button – this is normally to signify the start of a track or looping some portion within the track, and is obviously the easiest to perform.
On top of this are scratch elements, either freestyle - in which you simply hold down the correct stream button and move the record back and forth – or directional, which requires you to match each part of the scratch exactly – either up or down – in time with the elements. On the easier levels you’re mostly asked to scratch freestyle and only on the harder levels do the scratch motions bear any resemblance to the scratching on the mix – the directional scratches are much harder, especially when they get peppered with additional complexities like timing.
Next up is the crossfader – with the two tracks of each mix approximately mapped to the two outer streams the theory is that at some parts in the mix you’ll want to drop one of the two tracks out, and you do this via the crossfader. As with everything else in the game though you’re not in control of when this happens – DJ Hero is a rhythm game not a music production tool and you have no control over how the pre-recorded mix actually sounds outside of a part going mute if you miss a cue. So, if the green or blue stream moves to the side, you must slide the crossfader that way too.
This can be a little confusing at first but repetition soon trains your brain to knowing where in the stream is ‘central’ and only a cursory glance will allow you to know where the crossfader needs to be allowing the rest of your concentration to remain on the scratching and triggering. Crossfader spikes (quickly flicking the fader to one side and back) are tricky because they’re poorly highlighted and not always easy to see, but are only difficult to perform when there’s loads of other stuff to be doing too, and don’t feature on all but the harder levels anyway.
Other tricks of DJ Hero include the Euphoria button – DJ’s version of the Star Power in Guitar Hero and activated when the player has successfully aced a small portion of the mix – press the button (which actually flashes red) and the vinyl ‘highway’ will glow blue and all your points will be worth double for a small time. Similarly, getting your multiplier combo up high enough will unlock ‘rewind’ – a nice little gimmick that, once you’ve spun back the record, effectively lets you re-do a few seconds of the track assuming you’re quick with the crossfader when it starts again.
Finally, there’s some portions of the mix marked with little gold bridges which tells you that this is an effects section – grab the effects dial above the crossfader and you’ll be able to change the music slightly, although to be honest this is little more than a band pass so you’ll either be muting the bass or the treble portion as you tweak the knob. The effects dial is also used to select a sample for the middle, red stream which you can trigger when the red lane is highlighted. There’s a few sample setsto pick from but they’re all a little bit cheesy and don’t really add to the mix at all.
To be honest, I found medium mode much easier than medium on Guitar Hero, but that’s because with the guitar controller I couldn’t use my little finger for the fourth button so had to constantly move my remaining three fingers back and forth. With DJ Hero that’s not a problem – there’s only three streams to worry about and so with the right hand on the buttons (and the right thumb on the side of the deck to make scratching easier) the left hand is free to manage the crossfader, Euphoria button and the little effects dial.
It does all work rather well, and on the harder difficulty settings, when FreeStyle Games were able to map most of what the mix is doing into button prompts (much like Guitar Hero’s upper levels) the game is complex, challenging and a lot of fun – getting a tough sequence right is an achievement highlighted by a big score and an even bigger smile – and when the music’s good everything clicks nicely together. The 4/4 dance tracks worked best for me with the slower hip-hop mixes not nearly as exciting but that’s just personal preference and you might feel differently.
The game is broken down into unlockable set lists – a pack of 5 or so mixes vaguely grouped into genres (but not mixed together – the long pause between tracks is baffling) which can be played alone or with a friend. Chances are most gamers aren’t going to buy two controllers, the price is too prohibitive, but if you can find a friend with the game on the same platform (or you hop online, of course) the multiplayer is a great way to play the game. Activision have marked a few of the set lists as guitar-based, which means the second player uses a Guitar Hero controller instead of a turntable – a nice idea but there’s really not enough guitar tracks available.
Visually it’s a mixed bag – the game runs at a lovely frame rate, as you’d expect, but the various DJ avatars are dumb (and straight from the Neversoft school of design). The various venues are garishly designed, the audience often just 2D cut-outs (even close up) and the quick edits, flashing strobes and various cameras could well induce headaches beyond what loud music could ever hope to achieve. Thankfully, it’s not about the graphics – the audio is mostly great – but an option to dial down the backgrounds would have been appreciated.
My overarching feeling is that DJ Hero is a success – it’s well produced, bug-free (apart from the game sometimes pausing for a split second during mixes, which throws your multiplier) and mechanically sound. It’s disappointing to find that there’s no creation mode, especially given the direction Guitar Hero was going with that side of things, and some of the mixes feature the same a cappella tracks as others bringing the total down somewhat, but this is the first in presumably a series of games so a sequel may have a little more room to play with.
Pros:
- Some of the mixes are great.
- It’s great fun, especially with two players.
- The Guitar-based co-op is a nice idea.
Cons:
- Some of the mixes are dull and fall a little flat.
- On any mode below ‘hard’ your actions don’t really represent the scratching.
- Our turnable doesn’t feel like it’ll last constant hammering.
- The visuals aren’t great, with 2D cutouts populating the audience.
- There’s a few glitches, including mid-track pauses.
- It’s £100.
Verdict:
DJ Hero could easily have been perfect – there’s a huge amount of potential in the idea but I can’t help feeling that a little more time would have evened out the poor mixes and given more in the way of a creation mode. Sure, the music selection that you do get is pretty vast but then launching day one DLC just makes you feel that £100 wasn’t enough money to spend on a video game in this current economic climate. Still, a brilliant idea, the controller is great fun and parties will never be the same again – bring on the sequel: 8/10
Comments
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aerobes | 01/11/2009 13:57
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681 TSA Points | Member since: Aug 2009
Very comprehensive review, I was originally going to invest in this today but now seeds of doubt have been sewn in my mind!
While my mind may change in the upcoming future, For now you have saved me £90/£100.
FireasBall | 01/11/2009 13:59
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360 TSA Points | Member since: Aug 2009
This seems to be more ”nerdy” than the ordinary guitar hero
iNsAnE_gAmInG | 01/11/2009 21:44
* Banned *
-1930 TSA Points | Member since: Jul 2009
Yeah agreed. Seems like it would require a lot of time to master, and if anyone does master it they are a bit nerdy as they could put the time into mastering real DJ’ing, GH is more pick up and play it seems.
spooner_22 | 01/11/2009 14:12
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1167 TSA Points | Member since: May 2009
Good score but it sounds crap to me. Not my kinda thing I’m afraid.
Tuffcub | 01/11/2009 15:54
Team TSA: Writer
4070 TSA Points | Member since: Dec 2008
Sounds what I was expecting it to be then, it’s a rhythm game. Ho hum.
colossalblue | 01/11/2009 16:30
Team TSA: Editor
1383 TSA Points | Member since: Forever
Parappa the Rapper with an awkward controller. Just exactly like all the rest of them. I honestly don’t understand how anyone finds these things entertaining. I stopped playing “Simon” in the ’80s and I have no wish to go back to it. Or to pay Activision £100 for the privilege.
Tuffcub | 02/11/2009 07:12
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4070 TSA Points | Member since: Dec 2008
Meeow
artefx | 02/11/2009 09:02
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910 TSA Points | Member since: Aug 2008
Personally I think music/rhythm games are the best genre around at the moment. I’ll admit I’m totally addicted to them, in all their forms. I own GH 2/3/WT/Metallica, RB1/2/Beatles, Rhythm Paradise, DJ Hero, Samba de Amigo and probably some others I can remember. They are games that can revisited as many times as you want and never get tiring. Games that ‘almost’ infinitely extendable due to new track packs. Games that work well when a group of friends come a visiting. I just can’t get enough of them.
skibadee | 01/11/2009 18:17
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3910 TSA Points | Member since: Oct 2009
i will never pay 100 for a game with a bit of plastic
Quinlank | 01/11/2009 19:29
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661 TSA Points | Member since: Aug 2009
Tad generous if the demonstration unit I tried of the game is any indicator. I could see there’s definite short term novelty to be had from it, and it would go down well at parties or with a group or something, but does 100 quid justify what seems no better a time than you can get out of a Guitar Hero game(World Tour with Guitar is 40 quid in my local Tesco for example) or Rock Band(Which you can pick up a full band set of for less than 60 quid these days, with the game itself being a further 20-30 quid tops)? I don’t think so personally, but that IS coming from a passing experience of DJ Hero admittedly. Plus the whole set up for the controller seems a bit awkward looking…
Out of interest, you guys planning a Tekken 6 review?
3shirts | 01/11/2009 20:05
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2486 TSA Points | Member since: Aug 2008
From the review I was actually expecting a lower score than 8. I guess the main question is whether its worth 100
Mr-Flame-Head | 01/11/2009 20:22
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242 TSA Points | Member since: Mar 2009
£100 me thinks you got ripped off, you could of gone toys r us and gotten it for £79.99, personally i have tried it and seriously dont like it and shall stick to guitar hero and possibly band hero if its any good
nofi | 01/11/2009 20:52
Wants a custom tag.
4301 TSA Points | Member since: Forever
What price I could have got it for isn’t the point – the RRP is £100. =)
davidjmclare | 01/11/2009 22:59
always on easy
1094 TSA Points | Member since: May 2009
maybe so but he’s the boss, i wouldnt take the mick.
ps. at 80 quid itsd a rip off, ill wait a year till dj hero 4 is out and i can get the decks for a tenner and choose the best game. sorted.
artefx | 02/11/2009 08:54
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910 TSA Points | Member since: Aug 2008
I’ve got this game and I’ve got to say its a lot of fun. Though it definately isn’t a party game in the same way RB and GH are.
I agree some of the mixes are a little flat but most of them work pretty well. Vanilla Ice mixed with MC Hammer is quite funny the first time to hear it.
I will say that only when you get to expert difficultly does it really ‘feel’ like you are scratching with the best of them.
Also the fader could have been a lot looser. My old pioneer mixer allowed you to flick the fader and it would slide all the way to the end. There’s no chance that happening with this controller without mods (which I may be tempted to do).
zb100 | 02/11/2009 13:43
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544 TSA Points | Member since: Aug 2008
You’re pwning my @ss at it too! I’m gonna stick with medium until I get through it (definitely got into the swing last night, less alcohol seems to help – unlike your comment suggests artefx!) then try it on the Hard or Expert mode. Finally sussed the Perfect areas, Euphoria & Spinbacks – they seem to help with the scoring!
DistantHoller | 02/11/2009 23:37
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42 TSA Points | Member since: May 2009
This is a great game and if you are only remotely into DJing you will love it!
zb100 | 12/11/2009 00:35
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544 TSA Points | Member since: Aug 2008
Never managed to successfully do an online multiplayer yet!
Anybody?