DJ Hero 2 review

Usually when a sequel arrives barely twelve months after an original it is reasonable to assume that very little will have changed. With the critically acclaimed original released only a year ago, all signs pointed to DJ Hero 2 being the same game with a few new songs. Thankfully developers Free Style Games have put a little more thought into it than that.

DJ Hero 2 is another entry in the growing world of music games, but sets itself apart by casting you in the role of wannabe DJ. Using a plastic turntable bundled with the game, you play a series of tracks made from two separate songs mixed together, or mash-ups as they are more often known. The turntable has three coloured buttons which are pressed in time with the music (similarly to Guitar Hero) and a slider to the side of the turntable allows you to switch between which song plays at that time. While complicated on paper, the game does a great job of holding your hand via some well explained tutorials, and the difficulty has been tweaked this time around to be more accessible to casual players.

A music game like this lives or dies by its soundtrack, and incredibly DJ Hero 2 improves on the fantastic original with a set of songs to cater for every taste. There are over 80 mash-ups taken from over 100 songs, and while the first game leaned heavily on hip-hop artists the set list this time is much more diverse. Current chart darlings Lady Gaga and David Guetta sit next to pop classics like Stevie Wonder’s Superstition and Salt N Pepa’s Push It. Janet Jackson, 50 Cent, The Chemical Brothers; the full song list can be found here and it’s an astounding group of artists. Activision have also confirmed that you will be able to transfer across songs from the first game in the coming weeks, although a pricing plan for this is yet to be released.

While single player has been renamed ‘Empire’ mode, it still works the same as virtually every other music game out there; play songs that get progressively harder, challenge computer controlled DJ’s and perform special megamixes. Each song carries a maximum of five stars that can be earned by playing well, and collecting stars unlocks further venues and challenges to play. The multiplayer however is greatly expanded, with new modes allowing you to challenge other players in proper call and answer style DJ battles. You can even send a message to Xbox Live friends challenging them to beat your score on each song.

The game sticks to the Guitar Hero template of using slightly cartoon-like avatars to be your on-screen DJ persona, with the usual stereo-types wheeled out (fat guy, skinny attractive women etc). Disappointingly there is no option to create your own DJ, although XBox Avatars are imported and you have some limited choice with regards to clothing and the look of your decks. Visually every nightclub cliché is wheeled out to act as a background to your playing, with strobe effects and flashing lights really making you feel part of the DJ scene.

DJ Hero 2 is a perfect example of how to make a video game sequel, addressing all of the problems of the original to realise a great idea to its full potential. Besides, any game that mixes Dee-Lite’s Groove is in the Heart with Le Freak by Chic is definitely worth your time.