Details Title:
Platform:
Release Date:
Genre:
Pros:
Cons:DDRMAX2 - Dance Dance Revolution 7th Mix
Playstation 2
24 April 2003 (JP)
Music Simulation
Good sound quality, clear and crisp graphics, training mode.
Unlocking system won't make this game ideal for beginners.
Other Information
- There were 2 versions of this game released - One being the Japanese version that this review is based upon; another being a version released in the US under the title "DDRMAX2 - Dance Dance Revolution." The difference between these 2 versions is the song selection due to licensing matters - meaning the US version did not get all the songs that are found in the Japanese version.
Review If I said this was "that dancing game" you should have some idea as to what I'm talking about. Well this is the 7th Mix of Dance Dance Revolution, also known as DDRMAX2, as it continues with the concepts introduced in its predecessor, DDRMAX (Dance Dance Revolution 6th Mix).
Graphics aren't really much of an issue here, everything about it looks pretty bright and crisp. But it's not the graphics that makes Dance Dance Revolution appealing to people, as most players know well enough.
The sound quality is good. The music is a variety of European and Japanese although, there's more European songs than Japanese. The announcer in the game is clear to hear, but sometimes, he starts speaking at the worst possible moments, such as when you've got a high combo going, only to hear him yell "100 Combo!", and the combo is suddenly broken.
The formula for playing this game isn't any different from previous mixes, aside from the freeze arrows that have only just been introduced in the 6th Mix. With freeze arrows, you simply have to hold the corresponding arrow down until the freeze arrow has ended.
I was initially inclined to say this was probably more suitable for beginners, due to the song list containing plenty of decent speed songs. However, the unlocking system of this game made me change my mind. If you've only just started playing DDR, this wouldn't be the best mix to start with, as you need a certain amount of points to unlock certain courses and songs of the game. The only way to attain those points, is to score well. If you've been playing DDR for a little while, you shouldn't have too many problems with the unlocking system.The unlocking system will probably take you a while to unlock new songs and challenge courses. However, you can also edit your steps to the MAX2 songs, giving more replay value. Plus, you can take advantage of the training mode, so you can practice songs that are giving you a hard time.
The Dance Dance Revolution games are something that doesn't really need much change aside from choices of songs. If you've only just begun playing DDR, you may want to give this a try, but the unlocking system would make it more suitable to players with a bit more experience.