Difficulty:

Hard

Time Spent:

20 to 40 Hours

The Bottom Line:

"Highly addictive"

Yes, the game is expensive. Most people here tend to talk about this when they mention the game, and rightly so. I'm guessing DJ Hero should have cost about $99, and some cost overrun took the price to a place where people aren't going to be comfortable buying it...at least without some hype from friends and reviewers.

Fortunately for those who took the plunge, they were pleasantly surprised to see that the turntable peripheral controller packed with the $120 version of the game is very well made - must nicer than Guitar Hero controllers. I can only imagine what the $200 "Renegade Edition" black controller looks like, but it was too expensive for even my taste.

Out of the box - the game's opening sequence is simply stunning. I hope people get to see it on youtube if they don't buy at first, because it's quite impressive. The menu system is a blade-type setup like Xbox Live, making a departure from the other "Hero" titles. Grandmaster Flash does the tutorials, which get you up and running quickly. Characters are quirky and unique, and clearly had at lot of time put into them. My favorite is "Cleetus", the southern DJ attacked by an alligator, which is why is he has large wraps on his hands.

Don't hesitate to start on "Easy" if you haven't gotten a chance to play DJ Hero at Best Buy or GameStop, because it really doesn't work like other "Hero" titles - one of the things I like so much about it. On this level you'll only have to deal with the three buttons on the turntable, as well as scratching. On "Medium" the crossfader comes into play, which certainly takes some getting used to. "Hard" brings in directional scratching and tougher crossfader moves. I haven't brought myself to try "Expert" yet - probably just a harder version of "Hard", just like other GH games.

Career mode puts 3-4 songs in a row for you to beat as a "setlist". As you collect stars you open up more venues, setlists, characters, clothing, and decks to spin your beats on. Or, if you don't like this, you can just jam. There are about 10 songs that allow you to play along side a friend with a Guitar Hero guitar, and I think everyone wishes that number was a bit higher, since the game has 100 songs.

If you are on the fence (because of the price) about buying DJ Hero and like rhythm games, try to play it at Best Buy, because I know you'll want it. The new, highly addictive gameplay, solidly built controller, and wide range of songs will have you jamming for months.