DJ Hero Review

By Johnny Minkley Published 30 October, 2009

Floor filler?

Version tested: Xbox 360

The turnaround has been astonishing. Guitar Hero launched in 2005, its first set-list composed extensively of cover versions, with the music industry's nostrils too busy sweeping lustily over cisterns to pay it much heed. Developer Harmonix was virtually required to shuffle up to record label doors, cap in hand, begging for whatever scraps of licensed music were lying around.

$2 billion and 25 million sales later, someone else is now wearing the trousers in this increasingly noisy relationship, and so DJ Hero arrives this week with an emperor's fanfare and a marketing budget beyond the wildest fantasies of the original Guitar Hero team. Indeed, as I type this, fizzing flutes are clinking at the DJ Hero London launch bash where, the game's official Twitter feed hics, "DJ Shadow two hour set rocked the house!" Not this one, buddy.

But the point is that DJ Shadow features heavily in the game, both as content and semi-shrouded avatar. And he's hardly alone. Jay-Z, Eminem, Daft Punk, Grandmaster Flash, Scratch Perverts, Z-Trip and DJ Yoda are just some of the Who's Who of stars actively involved in the project, from inception through to release.

Somewhere beneath this megabucks power-mongering is FreeStyleGames, and a tale of two studios: one in glamorous Leamington Spa, handling the game development; the other in trendier east London, devoted exclusively to mix-creation. It's this that starts to mark DJ Hero out as something different from other music games.

The 93 mixes on the game disc, blended from a pool of some 100 tracks, have been created exclusively and specifically for the title. At best, a Guitar Hero or Rock Band product is a game and a greatest hits compilation. DJ Hero's vital, varied, surprising and vast musical content is as fresh to a music gamer's ears as the gameplay is to their fingers.

'DJ Hero' Screenshot 1

As a first-timer, DJ Hero boasts a phenomenal cast of superstar DJ talent, like sci-fi weirdos Daft Punk.

It's brilliant. Different strokes for different folks and all that, but it's hard to imagine any interested gamer not finding something to inspire them here, whether it's the cocksure Euro-sleaze of Queen crowned by Daft Punk, the prankish eargasm of Vanilla Ice melted into MC Hammer, or the synapse-frying relentlessness of Scratch Perverts' Noisia.

The music is divided into 24 distinct sets, some artist-specific - "Jay-Z Mixtape", "DJ Shadow presents", and so on - others compiled thematically by FreeStyle. This provides a compelling structure that accentuates the game's unexpected diversity, with some sets leaning heavily on frenzied scratching, while others fly more familiar button combos down the vinyl track at the player.

Let's talk turntable. While DJ Hero's peripheral carries the unmistakable, Fisher Price 'my first instrument' look pioneered by Guitar Hero, it feels pleasingly sturdy and, in the main, performs its tasks admirably - with one notable exception, which I'll come to.

'DJ Hero' Screenshot 2

It can be frustratingly hard to cross-fade precisely in the heat of the action.

First, to recap how it all works: to simulate real-world dual turntables without requiring the player always to look down at the controller, blue and green buttons on the single platter represent left and right. The platter rotates freely in both directions through 360 degrees, though the only time you're required to give it a full spin is when activating 'Rewind' - a skill reward allowing you partially to roll back and replay to boost your score. Otherwise, short, sharp scratching is in order to match the on-screen patterns.

Mixes are performed by button-matching and scratching in time, switching left and right with the crossfader, then layering samples - either scripted, via the platter's central red button, or freeform via the 'euphoria' button at relevant points - and bending audio in real-time by twiddling an effects knob.

I've no doubt there will be many self-regarding 'real' DJs queuing up to call out Hero's inaccuracies and inconsistencies as a DJ experience. I can't comment directly since I don't DJ; what I can say, as a Guitar Hero-worshipping guitar player, is that I see such opinions as I do those of the binary-minded bores who scorn Guitar Hero because you can't suddenly break out into a minor mixolydian flourish mid-song. To do so is to miss the point spectacularly; the failure is one of imagination. What should be focused on ought to be obvious: how engaging it is as a game, and whether the simulated experience is actually fun.

A neatly-constructed training mode guides you through the various gameplay features step by step. This will be necessary for most, since there's a lot to digest, much of it of the rubbing-head-while-patting-tummy variety.

As with Guitar Hero, difficulty is graded Easy, Medium, Hard and Expert. On the easiest setting, the commands move towards the player the slowest, with strictly limited inputs required. Medium ups the ante with more adventurous crossfading and combinations. Hard raises the stakes considerably, adding specific directional scratching, and complex multi-tasking routines to master. Finally, Expert, in a similar fashion to Guitar Hero, tasks the player with performing every relevant detail: every note in Guitar Hero translates to every scratch in the mix - as implemented by FreeStyleGames' resident scratch man, DJ Blakey.

The experience is infinitely less fulfilling and engaging on the lowest setting. But whereas the palpable thrill of clutching a guitar compensates for the funereal Easy note tracks in GH and Rock Band, occasionally jabbing at the odd button or dial on a table or laptop tray is relatively dreary and charmless.

Crank it up a few notches, however, and it soon becomes clear that FreeStyle has created a thrilling, involving, refreshing, frequently sublime music game which, at its best, is effortlessly as good as any other rhythm action game I've played.

The learning curve is steep, and will prove a little dizzying to some at first. Practice, patience and persistence are essential if you aspire to conquer the game's most terrifying mixing peaks. But DJ Hero has been structured fabulously to nudge you gradually closer to the summit, with each progressive setlist ratcheting up the challenge, regardless of difficulty level.

'DJ Hero' Screenshot 3

If SEGA had made this, it would've been DJ Shadow the Hedgehog.

I pick up rhythm-action games quicker than most, and found I could negotiate the earliest tracks on Expert in no time at all. A week and a half after getting the game, playing it several hours a day, I'm still a million miles away from handling Scratch Perverts' Noisia - DJ Hero's equivalent of Through The Fire And Flames in Guitar Hero. If you're looking for challenge, DJ Hero smashes you in the face with it while tasering your balls.

What also delights is how 'videogamey' the music can be. Noisia essentially plays out like a multi-wave boss battle, with speech samples you launch taunting your abilities as the range and complexity of sequences is cranked up brutally. It displays an acute understanding of great rhythm-action gaming, as well as a refreshing self-awareness and sense of playfulness.

Happily, the turntable controller is as easy to use lying on the sofa as it is sat at a table or with it resting on the lap. But if, like me, your music game experience remains incomplete without a dignity-crushing performance element, nothing beats playing the game standing up with the turntable on a flat surface. On my own in my flat, I routinely find myself jigging in my imaginary booth, punching the air to rally my fantasy crowd as the beat goes on. Embarrassing and pathetic in equal measure, but loads of fun.

One very clever thing DJ Hero does is to create the illusion that you are actually making music. When an orange arc appears above a track, the effects dial can warp the music in real-time; outside of this the knob switches between a pre-selected list of cheesy samples that can be engaged during certain sections of the centre track by pressing the 'euphoria' button (euphoria is the equivalent of star power). And while cross-fading is entirely scripted, the combination of these elements - particularly on higher difficulty - offers an illusion of creative freedom not found in Guitar Hero.

Which is why it's disappointing that there are so few sample lists to choose from, ensuring that what is a novel if silly delight at first quickly loses its appeal through over-use. FreeStyle would do well to add a bunch more for free via DLC sooner rather than later.

Less compelling is the support included for guitar peripherals. It's not hard to guess why the developer has added this feature, and on the music side at least, thought has been put into creating rockier mixes with the likes of The Killers, Weezer, Motorhead and Foo Fighters making an appearance. But while the small number of guitar tracks play exactly as they would in Guitar Hero, playing through riff loops isn't the most fun in the world.

I also wonder, for all the talking-up of the game's universal appeal and accessibility, whether it's really that great for a casual user. You can't fail any songs, which is a pretty big and largely sensible gesture to this audience. And, since 93 exclusive mixes is in itself a pretty big draw, the drop-in-drop-out Party Play mode is an obvious but nevertheless welcome addition. Yet this is undermined, inexplicably, by most of the music remaining locked off at the start, requiring a large investment of time to make available.

'DJ Hero' Screenshot 4

Multiplayer, whether on or offline, isn't the engaging experience it could be.

This structure engages experienced gamers extremely well. But I'm still amazed that in 2009 - when even Guitar Hero and Rock Band have wised up - a supposed party game shuts most of its entertainment away needlessly. Does The Beatles: Rock Band's career mode suffer because you can play any song at any time? Of course not.

DJ Hero's party credentials take a further knock with the rather mundane multiplayer, which seems to have been added in with little thought on how to make it exciting. There's no engagement between players, and the score-chasing actually makes for a more tedious experience than single-player as both sides tweak frantically at the effects knob to eke out extra points, where you should be encouraged to apply it more artfully. It's there, and it works smoothly, but it's underwhelming and an area one would expect will receive greater attention in the inevitable sequel.

But perhaps the biggest issue of all is with the crossfader bar on the controller. Switching all the way between left and right works fine as there are definite endpoints. The problem comes when you're required to move rapidly to the centre and out again. There is resistance there allowing you to feel when you're centrally positioned, but it isn't quite enough and so initially results in lots of frustration as you go too far one way or the other and screw up a passage. The good news is, after a week and half's play, it's become largely instinctive (though not flawlessly so), but that's in spite of, not because of the controller.

'DJ Hero' Screenshot 5

The turntable controller: place on high stand or table for maximum shame posturing.

It's a relatively minor quibble in a game I remain blissfully hooked on. In many ways DJ Hero is a triumph, offering one of the most refreshing gaming experiences of the year and one of the best soundtracks of any music game. If you're a genre fan wearying of endless guitar-based updates, this is a thrilling shot in the arm; and if you're the type of rhythm-action gamer who relishes a ferocious challenge, you can probably add another mark onto the score.

Weak multiplayer and control issues prevent it from being the instant classic Guitar Hero was four year ago, but FreeStyleGames has nevertheless created a slick and enormously enjoyable music game that deserves to succeed and evolve.

8 / 10

Read the Eurogamer.net scoring policy
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About Johnny Minkley

Eurogamer TV's Johnny Minkley is a veteran journalist with a lifelong passion for games and the games industry. He uses Twitter more than most people use air.

Read more articles from Johnny by visiting the Johnny Minkley archive page.

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Comments (87) Latest comment 2 years ago

Comments threads automatically close after 30 days, but please feel free to continue chatting on the forum!

  • Santino #1 2 years ago

    i cant believe the guitar hero was only started 4 years ago, feels like much longer than that because of how fast it was milked to death. Now i just cant be bothered with music games at all.

  • aidey6 #2 2 years ago

    I look forward to seeing the sales figures for this title £90 for a game coming up to christmas... Is the Renegade Edition features going to be available as DLC for those who buy the standard edition?

  • Moz #3 2 years ago

    I have a stack of trade ins (way too many in fact, buy too many games!!) Off to shops, who knows maybe a couple will be worth £20 and i'll have enough for tekken as well :D

  • Beano #4 2 years ago

    Got DJ Hero yesterday and agree with the review - a fun game :)

    The cross-fader is a issue and hard to master - but seems to be a matter of getting used to.

  • rudedudejude #5 2 years ago

    Can we have any real shots of the controller instead of lame cgi images all the time?

  • VicViper #6 2 years ago

    Can't wait for this, off to the shop later to get my pre-order.

  • Normski #7 2 years ago

    Sainsburys are doing it for 79.99 in store apparently (I don't know if anyone still price matches, but it's worth looking out for). Thanks Metro!

  • BlackSentoki #8 2 years ago

    As regards the crossfader issue - a lot of crossfaders on proper DJ mixing consoles don't have much resistance for the mid-point, which is why you find DJs using the individual channel faders instead or as well. It's just something you'd have to get used to in the game.

    Wonder if there's any chance of a release of the actual soundtrack (not the Eminem/Jay-Z best of in the Renegade edition)?

  • andywilkie35 #9 2 years ago

    Sold! Can't wait

  • magicpocket #10 2 years ago

    I guess if they upgrade the mixer they might add fader depth like on scratch mixers, whereby if you so much as touch the fader towards the middle it cuts in the other track. Without that function a lot of scratch patterns wouldn't be possible.

    Edit: I should add, I've been caining the hell out of this and had so much fun. I can't wait to get home and jump online to challenge people :)
    Edited by 1 at 30/10/09 @ 10:26

  • simiankid #11 2 years ago

    the music industry's nostrils too busy sweeping lustily over cisterns to pay it much heed...

    Genius, pure unadulterated genius.

  • rhubarbandcustard #12 2 years ago

    The sweat stained, grease monkey rocker in me hopes this game fails miserably.

    Hip, cool music is just an epic fail all round.

    And no, spinning the decks does not make you a musician.

    DJ Hero, my arse.

  • mingster #13 2 years ago

    Hmmm ..
    Is it better than Frequency or Amplitude though?

  • andijames #14 2 years ago

    @MagicPocket

    Do you mean xfade contours? They could add them i guess. That way i suppose it tailors each mixer / deck to a user's liking.

    As a DJ myself i'm really not sure about this. Intrigued to have a go thou so might be one of those impulse buys when the price comes down a bit.

  • Beano #15 2 years ago

    "As regards the crossfader issue - a lot of crossfaders on proper DJ mixing consoles don't have much resistance for the mid-point..."

    But real DJ doesn't have to match on-screen notes - this is a controller and not proper DJ equipment :)

  • rhubarbandcustard #16 2 years ago

    "No spinning decks does nt make you a musician, but "proper dj's" dont just play records, "turntablism" is an artform in its own right and just as hard to master properly as any guitar or drum kit"

    Bollocks.

  • Mkwone #17 2 years ago

    Why is there a picture of future Stig on the front page?

  • LHH #18 2 years ago

    I think I'll wait to see what the DLC offers as all I can see in the tracklist is hip hop and some daftpunk. Where's my banging techno, old skool hardcore, drum and bass (etc) ? Although if the DLC offers what I want, i bet your arse it'll be cheaper than buying vinyl!
    Also, how long will it be before someone does a novelty club night soley using this game?

    @rhubarbandcustard

    DJ Hype wants a word
    Edited by 2 at 30/10/09 @ 10:44

  • chudders #19 2 years ago

    @ Rhubarb.

    Last night a DJ saved my life. When was the last time a grease monkey rocker did that?

  • BlackSentoki #20 2 years ago

    ""As regards the crossfader issue - a lot of crossfaders on proper DJ mixing consoles don't have much resistance for the mid-point..."

    But real DJ doesn't have to match on-screen notes - this is a controller and not proper DJ equipment :)"

    Oh, I know! I've been DJing (in clubs and at festivals) since 1997 (I am old)! Of course this game is nothing like real DJing (you're just pressing buttons to pre-mixed music, and indeed the music is closer to mashups than anything else), but Guitar Hero was not like playing a guitar.

    I still want it and think it looks very fun indeed. But I want the soundtrack even more. :)

  • Toothball #21 2 years ago

    I'd be more interested in this if it weren't for the presence of Black Eyed Peas on the track list. That and I should probably spend more time with all the fake instruments I already have. Rhythm action and expensive peripherals is a big weakness of mine.

  • kangarootoo #22 2 years ago

    Good turntablism is as much about musicianship as anything else.

    I suspect this thread is now going to get bogged down in semantic nonsense, with those that don't like DJing referring to celebrity iPod shufflers pressing the play button in an attempt to discredit all DJs.

    There are plenty of shit DJs out there, but there are also some incredible ones. The shit DJs make DJing look easy, because what they are doing is basic. The good DJs have technical mastery and compositional ability. Just like a good beatboxer.

    Truth is, someone who is good at something pushes the boundaries of what they do, so using a crap Dj as an example of what DJing is and isn't is a basic mistake.

  • kangarootoo #23 2 years ago

    @svd_grasshopper

    I agree. I know a few people than can DJ (mix) really well, but when talking to one of them about scratching he just said he tried for months and gave up as it was just seemingly impossible to get anything good sounding to happen, despite him normally being in perfect control of his decks.

  • Hog-lumps #24 2 years ago

    The review recomends standing up with the turntable sat on a high flat surface.

    The only surface I can think of high enough for this at home is my ironing board - wouldn't really fit with the uber-cool DJ aesthetic! :)

  • rhubarbandcustard #25 2 years ago

    In 2008, Utne Reader magazine writer Jake Mohan described "hipster rap," "as consisting of the most recent crop of MCs and DJs who flout conventional hip-hop fashions, eschewing baggy clothes and gold chains for tight jeans, big sunglasses, the occasional keffiyeh, and other trappings of the hipster lifestyle." He notes that the "old-school hip-hop website Unkut, and Jersey City rapper Mazzi" have criticized mainstream rappers who they deem to be poseurs or "... fags for copping the metrosexual appearances of hipster fashion."[10] Prefix Mag writer Ethan Stanislawski argues that there are racial elements to the rise of hipster rap. He claims that there "...have been a slew of angry retorts to the rise of hipster rap," which he says can be summed up as "white kids want the funky otherness of hip-hop... without all the scary black people."

    Rock music on the other hand is raw, real and scary as all hell.

    Hipsters - uugh.

  • skillian #26 2 years ago

    I don't know why I'm responding as you're clearly posting just to get a reaction from people, but just in case you're not, you should consider the possibility that rock music has just as many, if not more, hipsters as any other kind of music.
    Edited by 1 at 30/10/09 @ 11:07

  • andywilkie35 #27 2 years ago

    @ Hog-lumps

    I've been trying to think of something in my flat I could use that was high, hadn't thought of the ironing board! Think I'm actually gonna use it

    /scratches decks whilst ironing shirts
    /burns self

  • cianchristopher #28 2 years ago

    One thing's for sure.... Activision don't "do" DLC for their rhythm-action games (certainly nothing like Harmonix)!

    Expect to see 12 (full-priced, boxed) sequels and spin-offs to this game on the shelves by this time next year!

  • creepylizard #29 2 years ago

    What a waste of time load of old shite that looks like

  • kangarootoo #30 2 years ago

    @Hog-lumps

    There is nothing cooler than having the balls to do something that is deemed uncool. I say take your ironing board to the local clubs and start a new trend.

  • Widge #31 2 years ago

    I WANT to buy this. I really do. But considering all the games I could buy at the asking price, I just can't. Also there is that sneaking suspicion that it will devalue in a similar fashion to the Guitar Hero packages.

    As such, I reckon I can engage will power and make do with my unfinished games pile.

  • kangarootoo #32 2 years ago

    @rhubarbandcustard

    What in the name of God's slippers are you on about?


    P.s. "Rock music on the other hand is raw, real and scary as all hell."

    That is cheesy as hell, and one step away from saying "have you played with firte and burned your fingers?". Scary as hell indeed - the gentleman doth protest too much.

    Seems to me that by your own admission you dismiss turntablism as challenging and musicical because you don't like the associated lifestyle. Hey man, I understand. I was a metaller as a kid, and I know its easier to rebel and say you "don't like it and don't want it" than be mocked for not having the coolest trainers. You aren't the first, you won't be the last.
    Edited by 1 at 30/10/09 @ 11:24

  • Ace_McCloud #33 2 years ago

    What has the type of people who follow the music got to do with the talent it takes to master the instruments?

    Watching talented people on the decks is an eye opener...

    Watching something like 2ManyDjs at a big show where they mix video and music in unison can really help you understand just what these guys are doing and how talented they are. At Bestival when 2manyDjs dropped MGMT Kids, it was 1000 times better than when MGMT actually played the track themselves!

  • PlugMonkey #34 2 years ago

    The sweat stained, grease monkey rocker in me hopes this game fails miserably.

    I want to like it. I like the concept. I love rhythm action games, and the 'DJing' songs were the best ones in Amplitude...

    but

    I just absolutely hate every single piece of music that I've heard from this. Despite being a sweat stained, grease monkey rocker myself, I really like 2 Many DJs and Felix Da Housecat and The Avalanches and the like so I was quite looking forward to this, but everything I've heard from DJ Hero sounds like something from the Need For Speed: Underground soundtrack.

    I don't want to be the perpetrator behind a 50 Cent/David Bowie 'mash-up'. That's not a fantasy I want to live out.

  • Buztafen #35 2 years ago

    Hey, where have Daft Punk gone?

  • Boomerang #36 2 years ago

    @rhubarbandcustard

    Copying and pasting from Wikipedia does not a good argument make.

    And while you're banging on about it not being realistic, since when was flapping on a plastic guitar in any way like playing a real guitar? Your -1 marks are all justified.

  • Drpwnage #37 2 years ago

    "At Bestival when 2manyDjs dropped MGMT Kids, it was 1000 times better than when MGMT actually played the track themselves!"

    That's a matter of personal taste, sounded like a bag of fail to me.

  • jonbwfc #38 2 years ago

    Am I think only one thinking a game that costs the best part of One Hundred British Pounds should really be more than an 8/10?

    Jon

  • Hog-lumps #39 2 years ago

    @ Kangarootoo

    I would have to come up with an appropriate DJ stage name ;)

    DJ Steam?
    DJ Laundretto?
    DJ Crisp Sheets?

    Hmmm, these names need a bit of work ......

    Edited by 1 at 30/10/09 @ 11:39

  • Shane86 #40 2 years ago

    Buztafen
    30/10/09 @ 11:26

    "Hey, where have Daft Punk gone? "


    They're playing at my house....my house.

  • kinky_mong #41 2 years ago

    but how many rock artists master their own work and mixing their albums down? none. every EDM artist does this.

    Pretty sure a lot of EDM artists will have their music mastered and albums mixed down by a professional if they want it to be taken seriously. I know my old housemate does.

    Back to the real topic, The review for DJ Hero was very positive but I'm going to have to give it a try myself before I blow so much money on it.

  • kangarootoo #42 2 years ago

    @Hog-lumps

    I like Crisp Sheets.

    DJ Crease (with an option plural for Creases) would be my suggestion. You can have that one royalty free ;)

  • kangarootoo #43 2 years ago

    @donnie080208

    I think the game being fun to play is more important than all of that. If Guitar Hero makes you feel like a rock god, that is a happy extra layer of icing. It isn't what sells the game in the first place, and if the gameplay sucked the rock god icing would taste bitter.

  • Widge #44 2 years ago

    Its a shame that the mechanic necessary for gameplay means I'll never see the music I'm into come up on this. Flashy fast bootleg cuts, the encapsulate a lot of DJ trickery in a 4 min or so track. I highly doubt a 15 minute Villalobos excursion while waiting for a cue point would translate too well!

    I'm glad this is available though. I just traded in GHWT for Uncharted 2 because it was sitting there unused. What was the point? I had no enthusiasm to become Expert in any song because I really didn't care about any of them. In fact, I think the most memorable bits were the epic meandering Tool tracks!

    This, however, I can really get into. Plus being originally a house/progressive/techno DJ, scratches, cuts and chops never really made it into my mixing style (I'm of the "long layered continuous invisible blends" mentality), so its a chance to pretend I'm QBert for bit.

  • skillian #45 2 years ago

    THB how many people have had a fantasy about a DJ( boy george) but everyones fantasised about being say jimi hendrix or kurt cobain

    I'm not so sure. There are loads of kids out there who love electronic music but wouldn't ever listen to anything with a guitar in it.

    When I was at school (admittedly some time ago now) there were way more wannabe DJs than aspiring rock bands.

  • Widge #46 2 years ago

    Yeah, I started off on drums... but there is a certain dissatisfaction I got from being "one part of a whole". I want to do everything, be in control of everything. DJing (and even moreso with Ableton) means that I am in control of everything.

  • kangarootoo #47 2 years ago

    "I highly doubt a 15 minute Villalobos excursion while waiting for a cue point would translate too well!"

    To my non-DJ eyes, that sentence didn't translate too well :)

  • ShiroBen #48 2 years ago

    I love music and rhythm games, but for some reason I have absolutely no interest in this one.

  • PlugMonkey #49 2 years ago

    I just cant see DJ hero repeating the sucess of guitar hero because it just doesnt have the same appeal of playing guitar (pretending to)

    I'd be inclined to agree. Surely there are more people who play air guitar than air decks?

    That might just be a misapprehension on my part resulting from me being an out of touch, middle-aged rocker though. :(

  • XdarXideX #50 2 years ago

    I USED to agree with the issue of the crossfader center position being hard to find without looking at it but now I find it really easily. Though I have had a few preview sessions, so I've had the time to get used to it. Really, it isn't an issue after a while.

    EDIT: For what it's worth, I consider myself a fan of Rock and I have NO interest in DJ culture, dance music and certainly not DnB, but personally I feel DJ Hero is better than Guitar Hero.
    Edited by 1 at 30/10/09 @ 12:29

  • Boomerang #51 2 years ago

    @PlugMonkey
    Surely there are more people who play air guitar than air decks?

    I air scratch :) Wickywicky...

  • kinky_mong #52 2 years ago

    @svd_grasshopper: My old housemate produces under the name Mr No Hands, his output is mainly breaks but he dabbles in house and downtempo as well.

    You'll find that a lot of producers are still making their music on a simple bedroom setup, and trying to master a track on this setup is foolish if you aim to sell your music or have your tracks played in a club.

  • phild128 #53 2 years ago

    @donnie080208 clearly you haven't been no a bus lately and heard the music that kids play on there phones. Certainly not jimmy henrix

  • EvilBob_leeds #54 2 years ago

    "whether it's the cocksure Euro-sleaze of Queen"

    Cocksure maybe. Eurosleaze??

  • Boomerang #55 2 years ago

    I think by Euro-sleaze, he's referring to Daft Punk.

  • EvilBob_leeds #56 2 years ago

    *Re-reads*

    Ahhh... he's referring to the remixed track as cocksure eurosleaze. Cheers.

  • andywilkie35 #57 2 years ago

    Got mine, decks are a lot bigger than I thought, looks and feels great! Shame I have to wait til tonight to play it

  • kangarootoo #58 2 years ago

    On a related subject, I came across this recently.

    [link url=http://www .youtube.com/watch?v=UiInBOVHpO8
    ]http://www .youtube.com/watch?v=UiInBOVHpO8
    [/link]

    Whether you like the musical style or not, I defy anyone to say this is not musical.

  • kangarootoo #59 2 years ago

    @twinberettas

    Yeah I know, but its another example of musicality in non-traditional circles. I thought it was relevant in a discussion that in part is focussing on whether a DJ can be called a musician. And his use of looping and FX is not disimilar to some of the tools a top end turntablist might employ.

    And also because I think its frankly brilliant.

    Edit:
    djronz, exactly.
    Edited by 1 at 30/10/09 @ 15:13

  • CaptainTrips #60 2 years ago

    I managed to snap this up last night. Some of the gameplay videos I'd seen on the web had convinced me that this was going to be awesome fun, and I wasn't disappointed - I ended up playing it until 5am this morning!

    Some of the mixes are incredible, and I found the most unlikely ones (Paula Abdul Vs Vanilla Ice is better than it sounds) to be the most fun. The big highlight for me though has to be the Daft Punk level, which is just fantastic.

    I do agree with the comment on the cross-fader though. Unlike real DJing you are required to keep your eyes on the screen 100% of the time, so you can't look down at the "Decks" or the mixer while playing, meaning that you need to rely on the feedback from the unit itself. This isn't as good as it could be, and I wouldn't mind seeing some kind of solution to address it - perhaps some kind of patch to allow for more leeway when you have to move the X-Fader to the centre would work.

    All-in-all though, I'd recommend this to anyone who is a fan of GH. It's much harder to master, but I dare say it's even more immersive than the GH games, and in my opinion more fun. :)

  • Beek4257 #61 2 years ago

    Oh Lord, have mercy on my wallet ...

  • greenthumb #62 2 years ago

    i picked this up at lunchtime. had a quick blast, its pretty good. did the first set on medium and 5 starred it, bit easy but then the next set i failed massively... didnt have a problem with the fader, just dont move it so much, you dont need to go completely left or right for it to work.

    i did read a tip on some review about sticking some tape on the left and right sides of the fader slot so you cant move it so far to the sides and this seemed to help considerably
    Edited by 1 at 30/10/09 @ 17:05

  • nick303 #63 2 years ago

    @svd_grasshopper
    'nonsence. many bedroom producers master their own shit.

    its just software nowadays.'

    If there is one thing I have learnt it is do not master your own tracks. Out of the 8 or 9 remixes I have had released the label has always mastered.

    It bloody hard too, getting it right. A dark art some would say!

  • gamingdave #64 2 years ago

    Picked it up at lunchtime, but wont get to play till tomorrow.

    As for the crossfader, hopefully wont cause me an issue, as I used to DJ and am used to stiff and sloppy faders alike. A little practice and you should be able to judge it no problem, just like hiting a certain spot on an analogue stick. At first (from digital sticks) it took a bit of control, whereas now I am sure most on here can place it very acurately and instantly.

    I guess the only alternative would to have had a switch with 3 positions. Of course with an update they could add a senesitivity setting, so as others have said, like a scratch mixer, the middle 8/10ths of the fader are both channels.

  • kangarootoo #65 2 years ago

    A little indent would have been nice, but short of a mod involving bits of matchstick glued to parts of your controller the change will have to come in software.

    A couple of reviews I've read have mentioned this, so I expect a patch will sort this by widening the central margin in the code (I would guess it is a trivial change to make).

  • shotgun44 #66 2 years ago

    I'm buying a new Ipod classic instead, tbh. Really want this though. Shame my new job only paid me 2 weeks wages for the month, otherwise I'd get both!

  • Anthony_UK #67 2 years ago

    I was in a huff over the pricing, but my awesome girlfriend bought me this today (£80 in sainsburys)

    Just an amazing game, some of the mixes are quite brilliant, also the cross fader hasn't been a major issue for me, I'm not nailing it 100% of the time, but I had it sussed after a few tracks.

    Anyone sat on the fence should pick this up if they can find it for a reasonable price! You won't regret it!

  • Chufty #68 2 years ago

    As a DJ I was expecting this to be a bit of a waste of time. I'm a bit more interested after this review though. I still want to try it first.

  • Chufty #69 2 years ago

    As a DJ I was expecting this to be a bit of a waste of time. I'm a bit more interested after this review though. I still want to try it first.

  • Chufty #70 2 years ago

    As a DJ I was expecting this to be a bit of a waste of time. I'm a bit more interested after this review though. I still want to try it first.

  • shotgun44 #71 2 years ago

    Chufty, are you a DJ and feel like after the review you're more up for the game? i can't tell, to be honest.

  • curtlikesmeat #72 2 years ago

    I'm moderately interested after that review but I just have too many plastic instruments about already and it's a bit too expensive to entice me in. I think I'd like to try before I buy to see how it feels.

  • shotgun44 #73 2 years ago

    Widge, I see you're a member of mixing bowl!? Awesome site! Essential mix every Saturday morning is an epic torrent!

  • GI-Joel #74 2 years ago

    Just get a pair of 12/10's an Allen and Heath and do it properly. 6 months down the line you could be bangin the choons out in your local boozer, with twats asking for fucking Abba and Bee Gees.

    http://ww w.youtube.com/watch?v=oMLCrzy9T...
    Edited by 1 at 30/10/09 @ 20:35

  • captain-future #75 2 years ago

    I absolutely have no idea how to play it, but I'm intrigued.

  • kongzi #76 2 years ago

    "but how many rock artists master their own work and mixing their albums down? none. every EDM artist does this..."

    you're so right... and you, sir... are so not an idiot. Altough some artists have their moms do their masters, but that's just between me and you.

    Whatever though.. it seems to me like on expert this requires a lot more effort I know some of these so called top DJ's put into their mixes. But i'm still not into it, it doesn't appeal to me as a gamer and it doesn't appeal to me as an "EDM artist". But then again, my favorite party game is "good conversation", another would be "hit it off with the beautiful intelligent woman".. i guess i'm just getting old here.

  • itsfuzzy #77 2 years ago

    If SEGA had made this, it would've been DJ Shadow the Hedgehog.
    Eurogamers worst pun ever. . .

  • Kafkaesque #78 2 years ago

    Re: crossfader - yup, I had a few issues with this at first. One handy tip - if you're coming back to the centre from say the right-hand channel. you don't have to be EXACTLY at the midpoint, you just can't cross that mid-point to the left-half of the slider for it to work. Once I sussed this out it did feel quite like the real thing when you're doing some fast cuts. So let's say your right hand is on the cross-fader and the fader is on the right channel, leave your thumb as a marker at the midpoint, and just use your fingers to slide the fader over until it hits your thumb, no need to be feeling for that little notch in the middle. From the left your just sliding with your thumb to your finger in the middle.

    The other aspect which is counterintuitive is using the buttons to select which channels you're scratching on, not the crossfader. I keep finding myself trying to cut with the crossfader as you would on real decks, but that'll go with time I'm sure.

    Those niggles aside, they've hit the nail on the head here as happened with GH. Yes, it's not really like the real thing, but it's close enough to make a good impression of being the real thing, and it's just bloody good fun. Track selection is excellent as well, the mash-ups work almost without exception. Particularly loving the Mr Big Stuff one in the first set, Ice Ice Baby vs Can't Touch This and the Daft Punk megamix. Scratch Perverts set is going to be ridiculous, can't wait \o/
    Edited by 1 at 31/10/09 @ 12:00

  • willows #79 2 years ago

    There's no doubt that there is certainly a knack of learning where the crossfaders central position is...this is simply part of mastering the game for me and part of the learning curve. Played partly through medium & hard difficulties and now moved up to Expert; crossfading is almost second nature now - find the central position everytime.

    As for making the crossfader only register left/right inputs when the crossfader position is all the way left/right...this wouldn't work well in my opinion. I'd imagine this would make nailing the sections of difficult crossfade spikes impossible. They're insane as it is without having to move from middle to absolute right, back to middle (repeat x 10) for example, all in a short space of time!

  • kangarootoo #80 2 years ago

    @twinberettas

    What on earth are you on about?

    "Yes they are related, but they are not equivalent"

    I agree. Yes they are related, but they are not equivalent. The clue sir is the bit where I wrote "on a related note". That is what I said, and that is what you said, so we agree, so what is your point?

    Clearly you have abee in your bonnet about something, but please don't start inventing things that I apparently said just so you have a target for your angst.
    Edited by 1 at 31/10/09 @ 16:28

  • jjolley #81 2 years ago

    I have a few questions for those who are playing this. How accessible would it be for a blind player such as myself? Can it be played with ears alone or do you have to see written instructions for the various manipulations you have to do? It'd be nice if something like this was doable, as I am actually a musician myself and would find this rather fun. I'm not a DJ though, a classical pianist so i'd like to try this for the fun of something different.

  • HuggyAtHome #82 2 years ago

    Had written this off as too expensive then my superstar brother got it for my birthday. Have spent all weekend on it - much more fun than GH and 90% of the tracks are excellent, especially the 80/90's cheesy ones. Looking forward to the downloadables to see where they go with it. Had no issues with the cross fader, though do have a bit of 'Blue button scratching finger', (think PS3 + Wipeout HD claw but more concentrated).

    Worth picking up IMHO.

  • kangarootoo #83 2 years ago

    @ jjolley

    I'm afraid it can't be played by hearing along, as (similar to Guitar hero) the gameplay is traditional rhythm action fare, based around pressing buttons when symbols hit a specific target. The sounds associated with each symbol can vary throughout a song, so (at least on the first play through) the audio cues won't give you enough information for you to respond correctly.

    However, I believe (again like Guitar Hero) that the pattern of symbols is the same every time you play a given song on a given difficulty level, so it would be feasible to eventually learn a sequence with assistance? Extremely difficult, though maybe not be beyond your abilities given your training as a classical pianist (whom I assume relies on musical memory pretty heavily).

    Might be expensive to take a chance on though...

  • jjolley #84 2 years ago

    At kangarootoo:

    Thanks for the quick writeup on how it works. I'm probably not going to risk it, perhaps if it could be rented it might be fun. The only other game of this sort I once tried was something called "space Channel 5" on the dreamcast. It was easy enough, but there is a scene where the player has to avoid shooting other alien characters with using the buttons but the order changed as I recall.

    Regarding learning the symbols, it'd be possible but then it's not quite the pick up and play experience I was hoping for. My training as a pianist has given me a good sense of awareness of a score, just for the fact that I can't see the conductor. Very often i've been given a work to learn as an understudy and had to learn the thing a day in advance to get some practice in with the orchestra. Obviously we've gone entirely OT, the DJ hero did seem rather fun and as my degree was in electronic music may have ben interesting. Ah well, we live and learn. They'll be others.

  • Sunyavadin #85 2 years ago

    Wow, they managed to make something gayer than Guitar Hero, which makes the player look like EVEN MORE OF A COMPLETE AND UTTER TARD...

    Hats off to them. I wish I could find a way to make people look like a tool and pay for the privilege. I'd be as rich as the first person who thought to market tracksuits to the non-sports/athletics crowd.
    Edited by 3 at 02/11/09 @ 15:02

  • kangarootoo #86 2 years ago

    @Sunyavadin

    You are a classic low-self-esteem case. Keep on feeling better about yourself because other people apparently look stupid playing games. Good job.

  • qwerty1234 #87 2 years ago

    lmao sunyavadin :D also this looks fun so I might buy it if I get some spare cash