Dance Central 2 – Review
Platform | Release Date
X360 | October 25, 2011Developed by Harmonix Music Systems
Published by Microsoft
The Pitch:
Dance Central™2 is the sequel to the best-selling Kinect-exclusive dance game on Xbox 360 and brings players back to the dance floor with even more high caliber, full-body dance routines featuring over 40 chart-topping hits from artists like Usher, Rihanna, Lady Gaga, Nicki Minaj, Bruno Mars, Daft Punk, Justin Bieber, and more!
Dance Central 2 is the latest Harmonix rhythm title. It is a sequel, upgrade, expansion pack, and extension all at once. I’ve always been a big fan of Harmonix’s approach to DLC and how it was used to creatively push Rock Band 1’s songs into Rock Band 2 and they continue that trend here. By using a code on the DC1 instruction manual you can easily import your DC1 content into DC2 (for a small fee) and will never have to swap discs again. All of these songs also have access to the new features of Dance Central 2, mainly, the ability to dance side by side with a partner.
Upon first impressions, the production values feel a bit lower. Character models are still great, but the Intro cinematic has taken a hit compared to previous Harmonix (outstanding) efforts. It’s not really a knock against the game, just an observation. Perhaps more of the budget went into licensing the songs as nearly the entire soundtrack is incredibly recognizable and fun to dance to.
Two people dancing in front of the camera simultaneously is the main upgrade offered in the sequel. This extends beyond the party modes and fully integrates into the now co-op campaign. You and an optional partner dance your way to the top by beating dance teams featuring both DC1 and new characters. These teams have personality. Since you find yourself staring directly at the avatar, there is a bit more connection with them (almost like a street fighter). While still essentially just a list of songs you need to beat, I felt like DC2 offered an almost story-like incentive to push forward. Moving to a bigger city in Rock Band always had tangible benefits (more money to buy things), but putting a rival dance team in their place is gratifying. Hopping in and out mid-song is as easy as stepping up and raising your hands; the Kinect handles the rest.
The Kinect voice commands also work surprisingly well. Picking a song by speaking the title instead of scrolling through the list is much quicker and more intuitive. It’s as smooth as “Xbox, Dance” and the song title. How often can you yell “Baby got back” at your Xbox and then have it start doing something?
I’ve always found Dance Central’s difficulty to be a bit high – I’m not very coordinated – and Dance Central 2 starts out a bit more difficult than the first. Having a second person up there really helps increase the fun factor as long as you don’t concentrate on getting 5 stars, and instead concentrate on *beating them*. As a party game, it can be a bit off putting and isn’t as easy to jump into as most, despite not requiring a controller or plastic instruments. However, most are able to surmount this barrier with sheer will and curiosity, especially ex-DDR players. Taking turns in the first title was a bit embarrassing with all eyes focused on you, but now that is divided by two.
The game can be quite tiring if you really throw yourself into it. On easy difficulty, it is enough to do smaller motions and still get credit, but I’ve found really big motions seem to give higher scores even if their accuracy is not 100%. Just be careful not to hit your partner (because you probably will at least once).
Another Pro Tip: immediately enable “Fitness mode” which stays enabled in all other modes, tracking burned calories and earning achievements. Also, be careful about the hop in-and-out support during the final boss battle marathon; I encountered a bug that gave me the final cinematic but not credit and I had to replay it.
Dance Central 2 is a great game, and a nice continuation of the Harmonix rhythm game platform. Any Dance Central 1 players, you should pick this up for the new songs, achievements, 2 player mode, etc. People looking for a dance party game, DC2’s simultaneous multiplayer goes a long way to bringing that atmosphere. If you are simply looking for an excuse to play with or to purchase a Kinect, Dance Central 2 is a great place to start.
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