Rescuing the Rhythm Genre? – DJ Hero 2 Review

After spending the last four years strumming down note highways with a plastic six-string, 2009’s DJ Hero offered a refreshing reprieve. Sure, the three colored buttons on the mock-turntable were recontextualized fretboard buttons, but the ability to simulate scratches, waggle the crossfader, and tweak the sample knob endowed the games with a distinctive personality. By having a soundtrack soundtrack infused with the infectious rhythms of classic hip-hop, R&B, and disco, the game also distinguished itself from the roaring riffs found in the Guitar Hero series. 

One year later, developer FreeStyle Games has returned with a sequel which allows a bit more flexibility, allowing DJ Hero 2 to bridge the gap between freeform mixing and more traditional music game. With a handful of other changes, from a decidedly populist playlist to a significantly improved two-player system, the title unabashedly proclaims its stadium-sized ambitions. Smartly, the developers haven’t alienated purchasers of the original hardware. DJ Hero 2 uses the same turntable peripheral, altering its software code to adjust for the game’s improvements.

Even those familiar with the predecessor’s intricacies  should trek though the game’s ‘New to DJ Hero 2‘ tutorial. Along with the requisite taps and scratches there a number of new techniques which compel mastery. Where DJ Hero had a handful of universal samples which players could awkwardly overlay on tracks, the sequel boosts song-specific riffs. Freestyle scratching allows gamers to belt out their own grooves; different cuts on the turntable now initiate distinctive sounds. Although these scratches don’t sound as seamless as the ones in the game’s mashups, they are still add a bit of flexibility to the sound mix. Likewise, certain points in mixes will allow players to freely crossfade between two songs.  During the moments, there’s a hint of musical expression, rather than forcing gamers to ride down prescribed sonic tracks. While used sparingly, it’s probably DJ Hero‘s most gratifying moment, surpassing even score-boosting Euphoria runs or smartly-timed rewinds.

Less successful is the title’s vocal mode, which replaces DJ Hero‘s awkward guitar/turntable duets. While nearly every solitary track in the game’s ninety song roster is catchy enough to induce bystanders to croon along, the actual vocal sequences in a mix are so jumbled that the mode feels spastic. Sure, the title’s mashups immaculately bring two distinct songs together, but following the lyrics can be frustrating.

Beyond a Party Mode which allows drop in-and-out play for two turntablists and a vocalist, DJ Hero 2 also offers a number of compelling multiplayer competitions. Star Battle tasks participants with generating the best overall mix, while Steak challenges players to complete the longest combo succession. Both Streak and it’s variation- Accumulator allow gamers to bank their runs with a press of the euphoria button; the former permits a single bank, while the later offers players three. The title’s Empire Mode campaign shrewdly forgoes the narrative which drove the latest iteration of Guitar Hero. Wisely, the single-player game focuses on unlocking mixes for the Quick Play mode while adding innocuous  battles against luminaries like Tiesto, Deadmau5, and David Guetta.

Building on the foundation laid by last year’s game, DJ Hero 2 presents several adept refinements to an already accomplished game. Like any successful rhythm title, time melts away with the game. The feeling of concurring  ‘just one more mix’ was undeniably pervasive, especially when players are constantly shown a benchmark of the Xbox friend’s scores. Of all the music-driven games I’ve played this year, DJ Hero 2 ranks among the best.