Official DDRMAX2 reaction thread

DDRMAX2 for PS2 release date is today, so when you pick it up, let us all know what you think.

I just stopped at both Toys R Us and GameStop, but no luck yet. Toys R Us had it on the list to arrive 9/18 (??) but didn't have it. GameStop said they'd get it at noon tomorrow. So I'll probably post my thoughts Thursday.

Have fun!

------------------
A day is a drop of water in the ocean of eternity. A week is seven drops.

I called around... everyone said they'd not have it until tomorrow. So at least I have lunch plans!

------------------
Jeff - Webmaster/Admin - CoasterBuzz.com - My Blog
Blogs, photo albums - CampusFish
What time does the water show start?

Wonder why they can't put it out today. I just picked up "A Mighty Wind" on DVD, which also had a release date of today. I had no problem finding that.

------------------
A day is a drop of water in the ocean of eternity. A week is seven drops.

---

needless quotation removed. it annoys the piss out of me when people quote the previous post. doesn't that seem even the least bit pointless? -J

---

Easy... DVD/VHS/Music release dates are ALWAYS slated for a Tuesday to accurately measure sales figures for a week. Video games do not have that stipulation attached to them. The SHIP date for DDRMAX2 has always been the 23rd, but the actual release date is the 24th. You'll see plenty of reaction in this thread tomorrow. I just hope I can find a copy with the Konami pad included. I could use a new one.

-Chris
*** This post was edited by Jeff 9/24/2003 9:01:23 AM ***

Picked it up at the EBgames near work at lunch, and to my surprise, I was lucky to even get it. All but one other copy had been spoken for, and they had quite a few. A real change from the first MAX, where they had three copies and there was no rush to get it. Tells you something about how popular it has become.

------------------
Jeff - Webmaster/Admin - CoasterBuzz.com - My Blog
Blogs, photo albums - CampusFish
What time does the water show start?

Man, I hope I don't miss it. I'm going to drive by GameStop, Target, another GameStop and Best Buy in that order tonight, so I certainly hope I can find a copy....

------------------
A day is a drop of water in the ocean of eternity. A week is seven drops.

OK, played a little (to keep my mind off of my jackass Web host), and unlocked 11 songs, so I guess that means I've knocked down 55 credits or so.

The "new" songs really give a good modern feel to the game. I only played the light because, for one thing, anything harder sends me into a coughing rage (been hacking for a week and a half). Lots of good tunes there.

Anyone know why they changed the video for "Secret Rendezvous?" That Kylie Minogue sure isn't bad looking for her age. Conga or whatever that Latin song is is hard because of the swirling belly shots. So distracting.

Non-stop makes a hell of a lot more sense then Oni mode. I unlocked the dancing characters, but didn't have the balls to turn them on because I was busy looking at the video.

If I feel better tomorrow I'll start pushing standard mode, otherwise I'll replay the new ones and unlock some more junk. Unlock list was posted at DDRfreak.

------------------
Jeff - Webmaster/Admin - CoasterBuzz.com - My Blog
Blogs, photo albums - CampusFish
What time does the water show start?
*** This post was edited by Jeff 9/24/2003 11:07:03 PM ***

Yep that Kylie video sure is plenty distracting. That, plus after playing DDR for a while, I finally get to see snippets of Captain Jack videos (Dream A Dream and In The Navy both have them).

I like the cel shading to the characters. I dislike no high score lists (but can live without it). I like knowing how long until the next unlock. I hate the fact that the licensed songs suffer from 'freeze arrow hell' again (I HATE being forced into stupid movements by the people who made these step files because they thought a freeze looks 'cool'.). It's a toss up so far to me, but it's nice to have new songs to play.

I managed to get the last copy of the game bundled with the pad (since I needed an extra one) at my local store. The Konami pad is actually pretty decent.

Overall, it's a nice step up from MAX, but it isn't that much of a change.

-Chris 'DJ Alligator looks freakish...'

FYI, If you hold X when you pick a song this menu will pop up and there is an option to turn off the freeze arrows...

------------------
www.greatamericanthrills.com

I really diggin' the new licenses. Take Me Away is awesome and has some pretty challenging steps for a 7 footer. Will I? is good as well and A Little Bit of Estacy has some killer tempo changes.

Also, passed some new 9 footers! Break Down! I Feel... (which was EASY!), Rain of Sorrow and Twilight Zone. Also passed Tsugaru once again. Attempted So Deep and failed pretty early on in the song.

I got the dance pad bundle and it is TOTALLY worth it. It doesn't move a bit a has a cool, "vinylish" cover. If anyone is looking into buying the bundle, I say go for it. It's lightyears ahead of all those other soft pads.

One more thing, the dancers look awesome!

---

NorCal Kid1 said:
FYI, If you hold X when you pick a song this menu will pop up and there is an option to turn off the freeze arrows...

------------------
www.greatamericanthrills.com

---

Yes, but, the point is I shouldn't HAVE to, to play the song correctly. I look at freezes in the main game songs ('Ghosts', 'Drifting Away', etc.) and I see freeze arrows placed in perfectly logical formations so that you don't have to contort your body to hit other steps while holding one down. Konami of Japan can make decent stepcharts. I take a look at the garbage that Konami of America comes up with (take a look at 'Will I' on LIGHT! for turns that shouldn't be in a light mode step pattern...) and just shake my head. KOA is too damn freeze happy, and some of the better licensed track suffer because of it.

Sure, I can turn off freezes, but freezes are an inherent part of the game. I just question the logic and difficulty that the step makers made up for some of the tracks, that's all....

It's a minor quibble, but hey, I have to find fault somewhere! :)

-Chris

Yeah, but if it was easy to deal with freezes, what would be the point?

What I'm looking forward to is the challenge songs being unlocked. I've already got the one for Silent Hill (please, that's the worst DDR song ever as it is, like a bad Wham knock-off), but I'm interested in the one for Hysteria. Also looking forward to Maxx Unlimited and the Paranoia I've never played.

------------------
Jeff - Webmaster/Admin - CoasterBuzz.com - My Blog
Blogs, photo albums - CampusFish
What time does the water show start?

OK, here's my review, after a 3-hour playing session last night:

*WOW*

The new songs are amazing. The tempo changes in A Little Bit of Ecstasy are indeed killer, that's the best licensed song so far. Heaven is also a great song, a little easy but great fun steps. I hadn't played Dream a Dream before, but it's awesome - yet another song inspired by classical music, w00t!

Of the older songs, I'd heard Ghosts a million times on my DDRMAX soundtrack CD, but never played it. The steps are unbelievably fun (on heavy, anyway). I'd never played Blow my Whistle "Baby" before, but the steps are great and I even like the song, though I can't believe this song made it onto the game and it still got an "E" rating (open up, put it in!).

Of course there are a ton of favorites on there that I'd played over and over - Burning Heat, Tsugaru, Twilight Zone, So Deep, Let's Groove, Afronova (not unlocked yet, but I played it in nonstop mode). I got an AA on Let's Groove with 7 greats my first try, and finally passed So Deep.

Despite sounding like Wham! (LOL), I really like the Silent Hill remix, it's one of a couple Oni remixes that I play in the arcade. One of the others is Hysteria 2001, which has a great stepchart, so I'm looking forward to unlocking that one.

The FMV is awesome, especially the one for Dream a Dream. The woman in that one is hotter than the Conga Feeling woman. :)

I know everyone's made a big deal about all the repeated songs, and my two cents is that, yes, it sucks, I'm dealing with it. I've had no desire to play any of the blue songs (repeats), except Super Star. I'm also annoyed that there are no other steps for the challenge songs, because my wife will not be able to play them. But these are minor gripes, the game is incredible. Buy it now.

-Den (can't wait for Kakumei and Maxx Unlimited to be unlocked).

------------------
A day is a drop of water in the ocean of eternity. A week is seven drops.

I picked it up yesterday as well, and I must say, I love it. Unlike most games that have sequels and whatnot (ie. sports games), this is a series of games that you can go back and forth, version to version with and still love. I must admit, the videos are a bit distracting at first, but eventually you must look at the arrows and not the hotties. Definitely the best home version (US anyways) thus far.

------------------
Michael McCormack
Magnum Count: 904
*** This post was edited by Bird Of Prey01 9/25/2003 2:21:01 PM ***

My son picked it up yesterday, but I only got to play one song (yay!! A Doobie Brothers song!!!) and I did better on it in standard mode than he did. Hopefully I'll get more playing in this weekend. Too bad we are down to one pad...guess I'm going to have to order a couple more pads and get the covers this time.

------------------
I'd rather die living than live like I'm dead
http://www.webtechnik.com/ebony/CPLady.htm

Blame KOJ for the boring and uninspired steps, not KOA...

------------------
"This mode is difficult!"

I haven't played it yet...but the only complaint I've heard so far is that they supposedly took the aerobic bunny out of Blow my Whistle Baby. ;)

I don't know if I'll pick it up or not. I wouldn't be playing it much since the PS2 is my brother's and I'm away at school 99% of the time. I'll probably stick with the 20-cent MAX2 machine as opposed to buying it.
------------------
Sean Paul
CP Super 'Screw Crew 2003

I'm actually sad Oni Mode is gone. I thought it was fun to see if you could get very high percents of a song, but there are a lot of great songs. They brought back some of my favorites so I don't really care about that. But I need to buy a memory card because I can't save unlocked songs:(

------------------
-Sean Newman
*** This post was edited by SFgadvMAN 9/27/2003 7:46:33 PM ***
*** This post was edited by SFgadvMAN 9/27/2003 7:47:06 PM ***

Big news, well at least for me!

I passed SO DEEP! Of course, it was barely, and with a D, but still passing none-the-less. I felt so proud of myself :)

That also means I've passed everything I've unlocked so far on Heavy from MAX2 except Maxx Unlimited, which I don't think I'll be passing anytime soon.

So, 9 footers passed on MAX2:

Tsugaru, Break Down, I Feel.., Twilight Zone, Rain of Sorrow, So Deep, Burning Heat, End of the Century and Paranoia KCET Clean Mix. I also just unlocked Afronova, but I was too tired to play it.

By the way, anyone else think Paranoia KCET is mislabeled as a 9? I thought it was pretty easy for a 9, and should probably be an 8 instead.

i agree, i think KCET should be an 8. They should've done the same thing they did to Para Eternal, and sequenced a new step chart to match the rating (on DDR Extreme).

Well, i haven't played KCET on Extreme yet...what if they did? >_>

------------------
Rolla coasta lova, and a DDR maniac