DJ Hero

Posted by Nick DiMola on 11/02/2009 09:33:03 AM CST

Does the new turntable controller and musical direction hold up?

Players extremely interested in the game's musical genre and the art of DJing, will likely be blown away by the title. Everyone else will have to put some serious consideration into whether or not the title is suited for them due to its prohibitive pricing.

Since the initial Guitar Hero title back on the PlayStation 2, peripheral-based rhythm titles have become some of the best selling games in the industry. While the games started on the guitar, they have more recently branched out to both Drums and vocals, but never further than the standard band setup. The music has also mostly been rock-centric - until now that is. DJ Hero introduces both a new controller and a totally new soundtrack with music tailored to the controller and the experience.

To be completely honest, I'm tired of the band-centric experience offered by both Rock Band and the more recent Guitar Hero titles. As such, I was skeptical about how much I would enjoy DJ Hero when the review copy arrived at my door. It didn't take long for me to realize that though similar to the Guitar Hero titles, the game was incredibly fresh and stands well on its own, offering a totally unique experience.

The turntable controller provides players with a slew of new controls, including scratching of the record, sliding the crossfader, and turning the effects dial. These new controls come in addition to the buttons as seen on the guitar controller, though only three are found here and they are located on the turntable itself.

As with the other peripheral-based games, enjoying DJ Hero comes down to mastering the featured controller. In turn, the game is almost instantly enjoyable due to having a fresh controller to conquer. Of course, the controller is nothing without the game - and more importantly, the music.

DJ Hero takes a unique approach to the music aspect of the game. Instead of straight master tracks as seen in the Guitar Hero games, the soundtrack is comprised of mash-ups. Over 100 tracks have been selected to create 93 unique songs. The source material has a fairly large range going as far back as 70s funk, to early 90s rap, and straight up to modern rock tracks. The resulting soundtrack has its high and low points of which will vary based on personal tastes. On the whole, the soundtrack is enjoyable and perfectly fitting for the game (this comes from a Metal/Rock lover).

The soundtrack is delivered in chunks, allowing players to tackle three to four tracks at a time in a pre-selected set list. As players get further into the game, they'll begin to see set lists created by famous artists in the genre such as Grandmaster Flash, Jay-Z, and Daft Punk. These tailored experiences are a nice touch for fans of the given artists.

DJ Hero also features a multiplayer mode allowing DJs to go head-to-head, or a DJ-Guitarist pairing. I honestly didn't enjoy playing guitar alongside the turntables because it didn't really fit the track I was playing to. Most of the guitar work simply followed sampled sounds and the fingerings presented were often awkward. In a party environment, the setup would likely be enjoyable, but in a standard situation, the mode falls flat.

While there is a lot going for DJ Hero, there are definitely downfalls. The new controller is far from perfect, but a great first try. Most problems lie with the scratching and the crossfader. Players will need to move the crossfader left and right when the highway track shifts further left or further right. Unfortunately, at times it's hard to recenter the knob while you are performing other functions on the turntable controller. It has no internal springs to hold it in a given spot, and as such, it often won't end up in the proper position without precise placement.

As mentioned, scratching is the other major problem. Scratching the record is done by holding a face button and moving the record up and down. This is not a problem for the outer button, but when players scratch with the inner button, it's very easy to lose your fingering on the record. This scratching problem continues with the new rewind function that allows players to back the track up by spinning the record clockwise. This is an awkward move to execute because upon completion, the record is no longer in the default playing position.

While this sounds overly negative, for the most part the turntable controller is a success. It's a new, fun way to experience the rhythm genre and it also proves to be far more challenging than the guitar controller ever was. I have enjoyed working my way through the game on medium and when I feel daring, challenging myself with the hard mode. I'm certain players will continue to find challenge in completing and five-starring the expert mode.

Featuring new music, a new peripheral, and fresh ideas, DJ Hero is without question an enjoyable game. For the first title in the new subseries, the game is a success; however, the current pricing of the package will be a definite hurdle for interested parties to overcome. Those intent on buying into the latest rhythm experience won't be disappointed, and the turntable controller will likely see much mileage in the coming year.

Side By Side: The Standard Shpiel As usual, the major difference between the three versions of the game are the graphics. The PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 versions are in high definition and feature crisp models and textures. The Wii version is only offered at 480p and the video quality is noticeably reduced. Thankfully, given the style of gameplay, this is not an issue at all. Any of the systems DJ Hero is purchased on will provide the same experience.