DJ Hero is the inevitable turntablist follow-up to the chart-topping Guitar Hero franchise, with big name acts including DJ Shadow and Eminem on board. Can it live up to Guitar Hero’s legendary playability? Read our DJ Hero review to find out.
It had to happen. With Guitar Hero spawning four sequels and numerous band-based spin-offs, as well as the Rock Band franchise and its sequels, now comes DJ Hero. Or Guitar Hero: DJ as it should maybe be called, such are the similarities between the two. It follows the same ‘press buttons in time to the on-screen commands’ gameplay as its guitar predecessor, but instead of the notes traveling down the fretboard of a guitar, they’re on a revolving record. Well, they’d be fools to mess with a winning formula.
So the gameplay in DJ Hero is pretty much the same as Guitar Hero, but with scratching the deck replacing the whammy bar, and a crossfader adding an extra dimension. And as with Guitar Hero, you can select whether you’re right or left handed so the controller responds. The deck feels solid, like it’ll withstand years of abuse, and DJ Hero is an absolute cinch to pick up and get going, just like Guitar Hero.
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And while we’ve never got behind the decks for real at our local nightspot, DJ Hero feels much closer to actual DJing than Guitar Hero does to playing a guitar, due to the sedentary nature of it. But just like Guitar Hero, you find yourself lost in the game in no time, and it is genuinely satisfying pulling off a tricky combo. The mash-up of Daft Punk’s Around the World and Queen’s Another One Bites The Dust being a particular favourite. Yes, we’re sold. DJ Hero has won us over.
So, downers? It’s darn expensive, considering you can get Guitar Hero for £20 less. And if you want a two player game, it’s going to cost you about £200. No wonder pre-orders have been lower than expected. And we can’t help but feel the timing is a little off: the whole ‘superstar DJ’ phenomenon was a good few years ago, so maybe it will only appeal to the hardcore who, chances are, will already have a set of turntables.
It’d be a shame if it did, as DJ Hero is a quality game with a fantastic selection of music that’s a lot of fun to play. And while it’s not exactly reinventing the musical game, it’s a great addition to an already strong series.
