Full Review: Matt: “Lets practice so we can kick ass in front of those punks at the mall” *5 minutes later* “Screw that, I give up”
It almost seems as if Konami hasn’t broken a sweat though gamers everywhere are doing just that as a result of the Dance Dance Revolution series. Even with countless editions available in arcades, three ports out for PlayStation, and several more selling in Japan, the beat goes on. As you might expect, the latest version struts its stuff onto the PlayStation 2 for the very first time. In using a DVD-ROM instead of being limited to a CD base, there’s enough room to include over 70 songs and a couple new features for extra appeal.
DDRMAX may be the latest domestic release available for an American console, however it’s currently one version behind the local arcades and lagging a couple of months in comparison to when it hit Japan. In light of this, Konami has included some exclusive songs to the American tracklist. Not only does the game contain more songs than any previous console release, but it also becomes the highlight within. There’s a good chance you’re already familiar with Darude’s hit song “Sandstorm.” Although the name might not jump out at everyone initially, I bet if I were to hum some of its rhythm you’d quickly identify with the music. Fortunately, that’s not currently within my power and I’ll spare you the personal torture this time around. However, checking out this song on DDRMAX is a real treat since it fits the dance game perfectly.
Besides “Sandstorm,” “I Like to Move it” from Reel 2 Real, “Ordinary World” by Aurora, and JS16’s “Stop to my beat” are all available to groove to and should be familiar to the ear. The mix of classic pulsating DDR songs with licensed hits makes up quite an impressive library that is sure to attract many more players this time around. Plus, given the fact that this is a PlayStation 2 game based on DVD as opposed to a CD, audio compression is no longer a factor. Now music quality no longer takes a backseat and the mix is more complete, increasing Konami’s ability to have every gamer move their feet.
There won’t be many new features to greet players familiar with the DDR series, however the inclusion of freeze arrows and impanation of the arcade’s Oni mode are suffice in my own opinion. Unlike regular arrows where you can merely tap the given icon, freeze arrows force players to hold their foot down for a brief period of time to complete the move. This may not be a big change to overall routine of DDR, but it serves as a way to spice up the amount of footwork put into the game. As for Oni, it simply translates to Devil in Japanese and seems like a correctly named mode if you ask me. Working along the lines of a fighting game’s survival mode, Oni gives players four bars of life, which must last them through the six sets of tracks. While difficulty rises with each step taken, it doesn’t stop at being hard but continues to become nearly impossible.
Oni may be tough for even the most skilled DDR player to foot, but the returning modes start off with enough ease, letting newbies to strut their stuff for just a little while. The traditional game mode is a nice way to start things out and become familiar with the music if you are a veteran player, but the lesson and training modes will be the best choice for those less experienced. Workout mode also makes the return for fitness buffs that want to keep track of burned calories and should also be encouraged for us lazy gamers who don’t get out very much. Edit mode makes a showing once again, but has expanded in comparison to what we first saw in Konamix and the small option called Information makes its first appearance. This allows you to keep track of everything unlocked, and though small and unnecessary, it’s just something extra that makes this edition worthwhile.
Despite its jump from PlayStation to its successor, DDRMAX remains more of the same in terms of visual presentation. The main variation comes with the pace of its frame-rate, which now runs at 60 fps as opposed to the original 30 fps display. Full motion video also plays a part by replacing those moronic background dancers. It won’t make a world of difference to the untrained eye, but is satisfying after looking back at last generation DDR titles had going on.
