Down Under - DJ Hero 2 Indie Hip-Hop Mix Pack Review

Well…color me surprised. For the umpteenth time.

Weren’t we supposed to be done with DJ Hero content? Weren’t we? Talks of closures, liquidations, and rumor of the future of FSG notwithstanding, there is new DJ Hero content up, seemingly against al odds. This means two things: Either they produced a TON of music slated for release before the bad news dropped, or these are the products of a studio that can’t and won’t stop. While I sit comfortably in my fandom and bet on the latter, this week’s pack is a strange one indeed. Honestly and for the first time, I have no idea what to expect from this “Indie Hip Hop Mix Pack”, because…well, I’ve never heard of ANY of these people.

Or their music.

Though, with names like Peanut Butter Wolf and Camu Tao, I have an itching feeling that I can only expect greatness.

GREATNESS.

Hopefully. While I welcome this pack with arms stretched wide, at the same time, I hope being blindsided by Freestyle Games is a good thing..


DJ Hero 2 "Indie Hip-Hop Mix Pack" (Downloadable Content)
For: Xbox 360, PS3, Wii (Songs sold as individual tracks)
Publisher: Activision/Freestyle Games
Price: 640 Microsoft Points, $7.99 PSN, 300 Wii points (per track)
Release: 3/15/2010
Songs reviewed on Expert difficulty.



Charizma & Peanut Butter Wolf - My World Premiere vs. Jaylib - The Red (Instrumental)"



Uh..right. While that isn’t the perfect way to start any review of a track, it’s the initial thought I had upon completing this mix for the first time. It’s a slow paced track that isn’t too challenging save for some scratches at the end, but My World Premiere’s old-school lyrics and cadence do sound fine over Jaylib’s beat for The Red, making the medley is serviceable if a bit unexciting. I was so put off by the track that I went and listened to the original tracks, and found that Charizma’s track had great lyrics but an okay beat. The Red on the other hand, had a beat was definitely better than whatever Jaylib was trying to spit. Combined like this, it’s actually the best of both worlds, but it isn’t enough to save the song. Sometimes it happens, every so often you’lll get a song that’s more fun to listen to than to play, but when the song and the track are middling, neither great, nor terrible, you just get something that exists. This song kind of just exists.

Rating: 2/5

The Perceptionists ft. Guru & Camu Tao - Party Hard vs. RJD2 – Ghostwriter


I was actually a bit at an advantage with this one, not realizing that I’ve heard “Ghostwriter” before..but with this epiphany came a shot of fear. I like RJD2’s droning beat on this one, but could I be in line for another slow paced, possibly dreary track? Thankfully, the Perceptionists answered with a loud NO! Party Hard’s lyrics are filled with attitude and braggadocio, and it does well to keep the sample filled Ghostwriter moving along at a brisk pace. When I say sample filled, I really mean it, and FSG knew what was up as well, matching this song with a track that’ll have you exercising the middle red button like there’s no tomorrow. Samples during scratches, samples during taps, held samples during scractches and…you get the idea. Finger dexterity. Hope you have a carpal tunnel pad installed in front of your turntable..

Rating: 4/5


Atmosphere - The Best Day (Remix by FSG)



I liked this. I really, really did. Call me crazy, because it isn’t the most exciting track out there, and listening to the preview, I’m sure many people will listen to this and wonder how it could translate into a fun DJ Hero track, but somehow, it just does. It works. Though I have no clue how the original sounds (though this sounds more like a beat juggle than a full on remix), what we have here is a song that’s hip hop through and through, telling a tale about a day gone wrong over a laid back beat. Scratches are at the forefront of this one, but everything added doesn’t detract from the lyrics one bit, as a matter of fact, it’s one of the few songs that can be sung without fear of having to compensate for stuttering samples at every turn. This was my favorite mix of the pack, though some may not agree with me. If you really like circa-90’s hip hop, you won’t be disappointed.

Rating: 4/5

Aside from that turd (sorry Charizma, the original sounds better—don’t haunt me!) at the start of the pack, this was a pretty solid, if a little niche. Unfortunately, it may be a bit too niche for all but the deepest of Hip-Hop fans (who may not have this game), or even frequent DJ Hero players (who are looking for something more modern or electronic). So while being notoriously obscure is fine, perhaps a bit more care needs to be taken in selecting the next tracks. These are dark times for the developer. I’d hate for any of FSG’s new music to undersell since they’re likely trying to prove themselves, but this pack is something I can’t really recommend to anyone despite my enjoyment. While a love of music is paramount in enjoying this series, these songs have to ultimately be played, and they just aren’t that enjoyable in that respect. I’m pretty sure most other players will have the same hangup.

Overall: 6.5

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Closer to Home

Homefront releases in stores today, and the ambitious FPS has received much attention for its scenario, which details what would have happened if Korea were never divided during WW2, and went on to become a superpower so dominant that it would eventually invade the US. Considering the state of the world (and Korea) at present, it’s a very interesting premise and question, one developer Kaos studios saw fit to answer with this ambitious release. But how possible is this alternate reality? THQ and Kaos have gone on record, citing exhaustive research, historical advisors, and even enslited the writer of Apocalypse Now to speak volumes of its plausibility. But could it really happen, given the right conditions?

Here, we have two arguments on the matter. Colin Moriarty of IGN believes it’s more plausible than one would think, suspending his disbelief and making a point that Homefront’s situation is very likely, given the unpredictability of history and the notion that with the proper timing, it isn’t that much of a stretch...

While on the other end:

Destructoid’s Brad Rice has a different stance. Having checked the game’s “timeline” of events, he cites various facts about the economical and military strength of the US, its allies, as well as Korea to make his point, declaring it outright impossible.

It’s two interesting, opposing views on a concept that is in fact, most debatable. While the notion that the US could be compromised the way the game suggests is arguably sound, the reality of what makes the country a superpower seriously makes one question if such a breach can even be attempted. Especially considering all the hands currently being held by the US in its partners and the strength of its military, among other issues.

Reviews of Homefront have been mixed thus far, but regardless of the game’s quality, its nice to see that with each passing day, we continue to provoke thought and debate in ways we wouldn’t have imagined since our little bleeps and bloops began.

Sources:

IGN - ”Is Homefront Possible?”

Destructoid - ”In Which I Break Down Why Homefront’s Plot is Impossible”


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Dance Zero.

Go Kotick!

After the success of games like Just Dance, which placed dancing back on the map after years of DDR struggling to maintain relevance, and Dance Central, which took it to another technical level, it's no surprise that in their wake, a slew of other dancing titles have been released, trying to get a piece of the new best thing. Interchangeable, and of questionable quality, they're all out to get our dollars now via the medium of booty shaking.



Know what that means? Of course you do!

Rumor has it, Activision is working on their own competitor in the dancing space, predictably titled Dance Hero. Now before anyone gets inflamed with rage, know that shortly after purchasing the Guitar Hero brand, Activision went patent crazy, trademarking every possible permutation of Hero they could think of, running amok with expected Guitar, Drum, Rock titles affixed to the brand for prospective games , to more ridiculous sounding ones like Guitar Villain.Dance Hero was among the crazier of those patents, and three years ago, it sounded a lot more ridiculous than it does now.

...Yeah. Don't compete too hard with the crickets.

My question is: Didn't they learn from the last time they tried to go up against an innovator with their ingenuous, exploitative ways? I can't see this going anywhere good. Dance games in general are a questionable medium, so concerned with accessibility that none actually gauge performance accurately aside from Dance Central. Even monolith vet DDR doesn't capture the actual act of dancing in the way DC does. So WHAT exactly is Activision going to bring to the table aside from something blatantly bandwagon riding and devoid of effort like Michael Jackson: The Experience?



The more information I recieve for a rumor, the more I flinch, but apparently these are the songs allegedly in the works so far:

"2012" by Jay Sean (feat Nicki Minaj)
"Out Of Space" by The Prodigy.
"The Way I Are" by Timbaland (feat Keri Hilson and D.O.E.)
"Take Over Control" by Afrojack (feat Evan Simon)

Kotaku, you'd better be lying to me. I can't see any good coming of this.

Source: Kotaku
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Oscillating challenge - Pendulum Mix Pack Review

"We don’t do this just to fulfil a corporate aspiration – we want to make credible music games."

I fondly remember that quote, as it’s from Jaime Jackson, creative director at FreeStyle Games. Against all odds, DJ Hero released right at the point where the music genre was peaking in its oversaturation, and many, myself included doubted the game, on one level its credibility as a legit musical experience, and another as a competent game. Fast forward to now, two games and over 200 original mixes later, and not only was the game a huge success, but it brought fans of several genres together in a way that even Guitar Hero couldn’t manage. I know it introduced me to more than a few artists I never would’ve experienced otherwise, and this is a fine example. I think—no, I KNOW part of the fun of making a rhythm game must be the opportunity to collaborate with all kinds of artists in order to keep things fresh for the audience. In that respect, I think the quote above was fulfilled. Their efforts have never spoken of any corporate nudging, and more of artists doing just that, making genuine art.

Usually, their mixes are all original mashups, but every so often, they’ll single out an artist and do a few spirited remixes, putting their own mark, and sometimes even besting the originals. Now they’ve teamed up with Australian band Pendulum for their latest, and very likely last mix pack. Did they end this party with a bang, or was their unexpected last pack a dud that ends the series with a dull thud?

DJ Hero 2 “Pendulum Mix Pack" (Downloadable Content)
For: Xbox 360, PS3, Wii (Songs sold as individual tracks)
Publisher: Activision/Freestyle Games
Price: 640 Microsoft Points, $7.99 PSN, 300 Wii points (per track)
Release: 1/18/2011
Reviewed on Expert difficulty; Individual songs on a 1-5 point scale, overall is by 10 and not an average.


Pendulum - Salt In The Wounds



Crossfade spikes are actually my weak point, and this song has a TON of them, right out of the gate. Crossfading is one of my favorite parts of the DJH experience, as moving about between tracks with precision and rhythm is an intuitive feeling that’s second to none. That having been said, this is most definitely a crossfade track akin to 5th Symphony or Groundhog, where quick switches are balanced with on-switch taps and scratches to great effect!Sat in the Wounds was already a great piece of electronica, swift, yet dirty in the spots where it needs to slow down. Little has changed in FSG’s interpretation, as it’s still a very high energy song that sounds surprisingly like it plays. While it has a great deal more effects than its original version, the augmentations only serve to “Hero-ify” the track and turn it into a tricky challenge at best, and a more than suitable remix at worst. Quite nice.

Rating: 5/5

Pendulum - Set Me On Fire



This song was one of my favorites from the album—and with good reason, it reminded me of an old-school videogame, something that wouldn’t sound out of place aside a mid or final boss character. Its chiptune-like nature aside, the intensity it would lack as a rhythm-game song has been augmented heavily with a difficulty spike the likes of which I’ve never seen. The song starts off innocently enough sounding a bit too much like the original, then around the midway point, it goes absolutely mad and descends into a mélange of crossfades, scratches of unknown density, taps during holds, taps during scratches during holds—it’s madness. What all these elements do to the song is once again commendable, as the added scratches and voice samples to the track sound quite welcome, but be warned. You won’t walk away from this song with the same feeling you had as when it started. I know it threw me for a loop.

Rating: 5/5

Pendulum - Watercolour



Subdued compared to the other electronic, dubstep flavored offerings, this sounds more like a traditional electronic rock song, complete with “cry for help” lyrics. This isn’t a negative though. Being able to relax after the first two seems like a blessing…until you realize that it has the SAME difficulty spikes as the last track. It’s jarring, and a nice wakeup call to perhaps polish my skills a bit. Several segues into playing the drum or bassline are a nice touch as well, and really gives the feeling that you’re controlling the song, and simply not just playing along with the track. Again though, it’s really not for the easily frustrated. Why do they keep making me scratch and tap and spike at the same time? Blindsided twice in the same mix pack. Who would’ve thought..

Rating: 4/5

Being a bit late to the party doesn’t mean it’s over. With these tracks, FSG has solidified their position as some of the best developers ever to grace the rhythm action scene. It’s a shame that their last pack couldn’t be another fantastic addition to their library of original mixes, but this is nothing to sneeze at, because their remixes were of a similar quality, and is embraced all the same. This Pendulum pack is something great, a proof-of-concept in retrospect, and I do hope that at some point, we’ll have the opportunity to hear them out once more. It’s a shame to see their light burn out at the perceivable height of their popularity (Have you seen the DJ Hero 2 Facebook?), but all hope isn’t completely lost. The fate of the studio hasn’t been decided yet, and talks are underway as to how things are going to turn for them. Perhaps even though my dream of a Deadmau5 pack has been dashed, the ability to rock on with FSG in future endeavors will be eagerly anticipated, turntable controller or no.

Overall: 8.5
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Lost in a Dream - DJ Hero 2 Trance Anthems Mix Pack

Following news of my favorite rhythm series’ demise, It’s difficult not to write this with a bittersweet taste in my mouth, or at least pangs of regret and latent annoyance. By now, it’s no secret that Activision has officially shuttered all “Hero” game development moving forward in 2011, and with what is either a sick sense of humor, farewell gift or recouping of losses (I’m betting on 3), the existing DLC will still be available. This pack was the second to last pack released, and even though I’m admittedly a bit late, can you see why the sentiment is so bittersweet? I’ve always thought that the DJ Hero series just needed the time Guitar Hero did before the greats of its respective scene would recognize and contribute. If the release of the sequel wasn’t telling, what with its Deadmau5, Tiesto, RZA, and even Chemical Brothers shenanigans, then this Trance Anthems Mix Pack would’ve moved even the most stubborn artist. How far it’s come! Here we have Armin Van Buuren, Ferry Corsten, Paul Oakenfold, ATB, and even Paul Van Dyk in my DJ Hero. Excitement doesn’t describe. Pride doesn’t encompass the feeling.

..and yet, it’s a feeling that is hard to enjoy because the franchise is technically over. But is it any good? I’ll chew through my personal bias against their publisher’s tactics to find out, though I have little doubt..


DJ Hero 2 "Trance Anthems Mix Pack" (Downloadable Content)
For: Xbox 360, PS3, Wii (Songs sold as individual tracks)
Publisher: Activision/Freestyle Games
Price: 640 Microsoft Points, $7.99 PSN, 300 Wii points (per track)
Release: 1/18/2011
Reviewed on Expert difficulty; Individual songs on a 1-5 point scale, overall is by 10 and not an average.


Armin van Buuren - Imagine vs. Ferry Corsten – Punk




Punk is a dark, sinister sounding track with a raspy voice threatening to drag you into its abyss. By contrast, Imagine is a wondrous track that feels elevated and limitless, akin to soaring in space. I have a feeling FSG felt the same way, as the track sinks low in the beginning by rasping Corsten’s Digital Punk phrase early off, juggling its beats until Imagine intrudes, then nearly dominates the song completely until its climax. The feeling of sinking only to soar later can’t be savored however, as the song is not only high tempo, but loaded with simple scratches and fades rapid fired at you with nary a chance to breathe. Some oddly creative scratches (Down, Up, Drag down, Up, Down, Up?!) manage to sneak their way in as well, and the song really can keep you guessing by firing scratches and taps at a relentless pace from start to finish. Overall a pretty fun track, and definitely one for the reflexes as well as the sound.

Rating: 5/5

ATB - 9PM (Till I Come) vs. Paul van Dyk - For An Angel




Evoking more thoughts and feelings of wonder from me is this track. Even though it seems to favor the heavier, more side of the equation from ATB, the songs sound so similar that they practically complement each other to a tee, For An Angel actually softening the blow of 9PM’s beats. The crossfading in here is insane, choosing to bounce between tracks like mad, establishing their individual sounds before making you forget that they’re even different at all. Another interesting note is that despite more than a dozen challenging parts of its own, it never feels out of control of the player. In fact, this song has a chance to become unique between players as its LOADED with freestyle effects and crossfades, all of them sounding as superb as the turntablist can muster. The only question is really, whether or not you’re willing to endure a bit of a challenge for some creative freedom.

Rating: 5/5

Paul Oakenfold feat. Ryan Tedder - Not Over



It’s something to fear every time you’re dealing with a straight up remix in this game, but while the ethereal nature of the song is retained (helped greatly by Tedder’s lyrics), it loses a bit of that in favor of a higher tempo and wide range of effects that make the song much snappier. Distortions and samples abound, the song has an immediacy to it now that translates into its above average difficulty. For me, part of the fun of DJ Hero comes from occasionally being surprised by a difficulty spike akin to the quality of the track, and this one is one of the best examples of the rule. At every turn where you think you’ll be able to rest, there’s another tricky scratch, or series of spikes that will correct you in an instant. It’s that quality that’ll have me returning to this one again and again, honing my skills. If only the song spoke of the franchise..

Rating: 4/5

Even though I started this one one a bit of a somber note, not even the impending death of the franchise can’t dilute the amount of life it contains, and this pack is proof. Similar to the way that trance translates emotion into sound as proven by its auteurs, FSG proves time and again that they have the ability to take the works of the greats themselves and put their own mark on it, creating something amazing. Even with the music genre in a decline, it’s nice to see that similar to the way Guitar Hero put rock music back into the limelight and gave it a new audience, that DJ Hero can do the same and place turntablism in the light it deserves, recognized by the artists themseselves. Here’s to the ascent.

Rating: 9.0
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Of Heroes and Bands

First Rock Band, now this?

I can't say I'm surprised, Activision's merciless exploitation of the music genre in the height of its popularity may have something large to do with this, but as of right now, the Guitar Hero franchise is dead. Much to this writer's chagrin, this means DJ Hero is gone as well.

Sigh.


Losing the former isn't much of a concern to me. The series descended into self-parody and a caricature of it's former self the minute Harmonix jumped ship and chose to innovate elsewhere with Rock Band. Activision spent an unusual amount of time trying to play catchup, in turn choosing to oversaturate the market with titles and costly controllers instead of innovate on a fundamental level, and consumers responded by closing their wallets. For me at least, the Guitar Hero series died in late 2007 when the Neversoft developed Legends of Rock came out.


Even Slash can't completely cover up mediocrity. See what I did there?

I digress though. Losing the latter franchise? Hurts a bit. I saw the DJ Hero series as a fresh new start for the music genre, and one that was sorely needed after overall music sales began to decline. It was innovative, fun, and most of all, it had a boundless sort of creative potential that could've lasted. This didn't change the fact that it suffered an expensive controller of its own, and even I felt something was amiss when despite how excellent I felt DJ Hero 2 was, none of my friends or even customers I've spoken to shared my enthusiasm. Overstocked game/turntable bundles selling for $59.99 at my local Best Buy didn't soothe my nerves any better, though I saw it as an opportunity for the game to reach a wider install base. Baseless optimism.

Regardless, with these cuts come statements of intent from the mega-publisher, and they're already making me laugh:

"..In 2011, the company will allocate the majority of its resources and focus toward opportunities which we expect will afford us the greatest competitive advantages and the greatest potential for best-in-class quality, high-margin digital growth, and long-term success.."

Loosely translated? Continue collecting revenue from World of Warcraft and continue to exploit the Call of Duty franchise. It's funny watching this happen repeatedly. At the start of this generation, Activision was busy wringing the once-untouchable Tony Hawk franchise for every last drop. This was a process that doomed the series with consistent mediocrity leading up to the ill fated Tony Hawk: Ride and its plastic skateboard. Guitar Hero was a revolution, but after Harmonix's departure and success with Rock Band, Activision elected to release so many Guitar Hero titles that consumers wouldn't know which one to buy, and now the series has been killed following the story based rhythm "quest" Warriors of Rock. Men made mice. Gods made mortals.

The success of a franchise is not a go-ahead to beat us around the head with it in various untelligible shades until we're sick of your chicanery, Activision.


"Hey man, I don't know what they were thinking either."

Get ready, Call of Duty, with your $15 map packs and annual releases. You're about to be killed too.

I know I'm already sick of military shooters because of this franchise. How about you?

Sources: Neoseeker,Eurogamer

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Does it stand for No Game Plan?

So the NGP has been announced, finally. The rumors of its power, of its capabilities, how far off, etc. can be finally put to rest. All the original concerns seem to have been addressed, and even augmented with even better features. Quad core CPU and GPU, twin analog sticks, Touchscreen on the front, touchpad on the back, new flash storage media, and a new online store promising a focus on more digital content has been promised, and even demoed before the excited press. This thing isn’t looking to merely compete in the portable space, it feels like it’s designed to take over, providing a PS3 experience like for like, but in the palm of your hand, a claim that no other handheld device can make.

So why am I not excited?

I don't see anything promising in the announcement of a NGP, because all I see is a PSP 2. The original name is quite apropos, because I don’t see a new device. I see an amalgam of what’s popular right now. Touchscreen. Motion Control. Application store. ANOTHER proprietary format. The promise of the Playstation experience outside the home. Sound familiar?



I see the same empty promises, I see the same quest to be technologically superior, I see nothing other than the draw of taking my home console out of the house with me. I don't want to do that. While the allure of playing something akin to an Uncharted or Killzone is an excellent one indeed, those are PS3 experiences. This means a few things to me in this world of high definition displays and complementary home-theater-in-a-box setups. It means I don’t want it condensed. I want it every bit as grandiose and epic as the developer intended, because high definition assets are at a premium these days.

Killzone is a satisfying sci-fi epic that blew me away with its exceptional graphics and sound, a cushion that made its merely average gameplay a bit easier to swallow. Uncharted 2 is a blockbuster movie-like experience that took full advantage of my PS3’s ability to pump 720p visuals and 5.1 DTS into my brain. Why would I want to shrink that down to a small screen? Have my thumbs obscure screen real estate? Listen to it in stereo? It’s a waste of tech.

It's like James Cameron said, Watching Avatar on an iPhone is dumb.

This is Sony’s problem. They just keep rapidfiring portables at us, iteration after iteration of a Portable Playstation, trying to best everyone, with absolutely no idea why others continue to be above them in the portable space. No idea why all this graphical horsepower doesn't translate into instant success. It’s missing the realization that a portable gaming experience doesn’t need to replicate the experience of playing on console. It should, for all intents and purposes provide a different experience than what you can get in your home. Ports will be inevitable, but they’re a welcome convenience for a system that ISN’T trying to be the exact same one I have hooked up to my LCD. A 3DS is an interesting prospect because a 3D capable, dual screen, touchscreen device with internal and external cameras opens the door to all kinds of exciting prospects as far as game design. Even something older like Super Street Fighter 4 in 3D is an interesting revisit due to the 3D feature and its persistent challenge mode that utilizes the 3DS’ network capability.

What expierience does a NGP offer up that I can’t already do on my PS3? Take it out of my house?

I already said I don’t want to.

It’s a misappropriation of power as well.


Why couldn't this have been a PSN download as well?..


How many people have played MGS: Peace Walker, or either God of War game, or Grand Theft Auto on their PSP and wished it was on a console instead after the novelty of having a PS2 caliber game in your hands wears off? There’s always a bittersweet taste that comes with playing a high fidelity portable game, and it’s the fact that it would be better served on a console instead. Cost is yet another issue. If I’m going to pay a high cost, why not just shell out the extra dollars and get it fully uncompromised? Yet another boon of portable gaming has been trounced by the fact that my portable wants to be my console, and it's called being cost effective. DS games are affordable, very rarely touching the $40 range. Console competitive iOS games range from $5-10 dollars. Just how much are these PS3 caliber games going to cost on the NGP? The thought makes me flinch, along with the thought of how much the unit itself will cost.

Quick question: What happens when people are forced to pay premium prices for a digital experience they feel isn’t? Piracy.

The abominable situation surrounding the original PSP is proof of this.

It’s a situation I see being replicated in this one, if they aren’t careful. The NGP will come out, and when the novelty wears off, it will hard if they don’t have anything compelling lined up besides “Lol MGS4 portable”. When it gets jailbroken, and it most certainly will, I see this thing being used for more evil than those quad core processors were meant for. I see homebrew, hacks, and exploits aplenty as people push the boundaries that Sony themselves put in place, just because they can. I don’t see this being an NGP. I see it being a PSP2, being hacked, exploited, and ultimately used for the opposite reason Sony released it in the first place, just like the last one. The worst part is, there is legroom to carve out a unique portable experience yet. I just have a feeling it won't happen due to this endless chasing of a technological peak on their end.

It's frustrating to watch. Sony seems so out of touch with what its customers want at this point that it’s maddening. We just keep taking each new thing they throw at us, each time becoming more alienated in the process. Cool gadgets though?



I just hope I’m wrong in the end.
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