Saturday 5 December 2009

Prez Reviews DJ HERO: I

PART I / PART II
Theme of this article: Appearances.

Running slow? Click here to replace images with a text link.

I'd greatly appreciate comments, especially if you have experience with this game.

I was super excited to try out DJ Hero for myself. I had seen videos of it, but I was curious as to how the game "felt" in my hands. Would the scratching feel legit? Were the mechanics well-planned? Could I expect another great music game from Activision?

Before I begin the review, let's plot out my expectations. Harsh, but I need to be legit here. Please note that this is before I even SAW the game in person.

1- This game will be too easy.
2- This game will be a popped out version of turntablism, and will make it look easy
3- The controller is going to feel cheap.
4- The music is going to be great. (daft punk <3)

And boy do I mean big, the package (which by the way was addressed to Jordan Scales of ilictronix.com - so professional) weighed a good 20 lbs and was almost as tall as I. Needless to say, I was stunned.

Alright, so now let's take a closer look at this box. I was excited, because I had no idea I was getting the Renegade Edition. It was shiny, clean, and had a good color scheme. Bravo Activision. Don't hate on me for complimenting this, readers, I am all about looks.

Here's a view of the front


...And the back


Okay, let's move on and unbox this badboy. DJ Hero: Renegade Edition, also comes with a gorgeous case that holds the turntable controller (with some padding, DJ Hero game, as well as some legs to screw into the case - I'll explain more later.



This case is NICE. It's sturdy, well built, and can totally withstand some bumps. It has a retractable handle, and some buckles on the side to keep the top down. The "bottom" also contains rubber feet, which is nice if you don't want to scratch this bad boy when you put it on the ground. It has a metal-finished side, and acts as a gorgeous carrying case for the whole set.

Also to note, this thing is pretty damn portable as a whole. I recently brought the whole pack on my long car ride and it comfortably sat on my lap without disturbing my brother next to me.

Opening it, I was a bit shocked at the layout. The padding is very nice and keeps the turntable controller nice and shiny as it is. With the top off like this, I can throw this whole bundle right on my lap comfortably and play the game. The controller itself is also nicely finished.

The Renegade Edition controller has a metal finished crossfader and effects knob


The buttons are smooth, easy to press, yet tactile and sturdy


A spot for the Wiimote to sit (which closes)


And here are the other contents of the case


Beneath the case sits 4 aluminum rods which telescope out (and these things can be LONG) and attach to the case.

A view of the screwholes
The finished stand, in less than 2 minutes
With the controller
It is also noteworthy how the Renegade Edition includes an exclusive Eminem and Jay-Z CD - the music's great if you like those two artists, and the CD design is also just wonderful.


So where are we at now? To clearly list some things...

- The packaging is just incredible.
- The turntable is beyond gorgeous, especially for the Renegade Edition. While the normal edition turntable is similar, to me, the RE controller felt stabler, and had more responsive buttons. Also, a nice metal finish.
- Fingerprints can get annoying, but I think that about anything shiny.
- The case is very well designed, and setting up the entire kit is a breeze.
- All in all, the whole thing looks legit.


Final words?
- It's pretty
- This peripheral seems MUCH nicer than those of other music games
- The setup is very pleasing to the eyes
- I recommend going with the Renegade Edition so far


What still needs to be discussed.
- Gameplay
- Music
- Price
- Overall experience


So far...
This game has greatly exceeded my semi-low expectations (sorry!). For the looks, among other things, this game gets a solid A, for now. Looks aren't everything, but they play a huge role in games such as this.

Phew, that was pretty long, and I haven't even played the game for you guys yet! Next installment I will discuss the gameplay, including DJ Hero's acclaimed music selection. Stay tuned, it's about to get good.

Prez

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

As a passenger plays on the media system in my Lincoln MKX with the headphones on, it was not a disruption so it is rather smooth whilst muted with headphones.

Champiness said...

It warms my heart to see you getting freebies because of this blog. :3

Attack Yourself! said...

Is the crossfader sturdier in the Renegade version? I got myself the regular edition and it has a really flimsy crossfader.

Jordan S said...

MUCH sturdier. and its metal.

untra said...

I hate to be a bit of a downer, but can you put the pictures as links instead of whole embedded pictures? It bogs everything down every time I try to view the site.

Addicting Games said...

Although I enjoy the game since I can play a non-dancing rhythm game that has, for the most part, good, upbeat pop music, but some of the mixes are indeed just mediocre. Being forced to play through entire sets is annoying as well. The song by song method of unlocking is simply just a better system. The cross-fader is a complete pain since it so easily slides past the point you need it at.

Kin, Free Games website.