Get on Da Mic

PS2

Review by Karl Krueger

Eidos

Music

Graphics: 7

Sound: 9

Gameplay: 5

Overall: 5

The song list in this game weighs in at 40 tracks, an equal mix of classics and current favorites. On one hand, you have "Game Over", "Tipsy", "Hey Mama", "Work It", and "Rubber Band Man" and on the other you have "The Humpty Dance", "Baby Got Back", "Nuthin' But a G Thang", "Express Yourself", and "Rapper's Delight". It's a good mix, but there's no doubt it could be better. Some obvious old school choices are missing. There's no Run DMC, no LL Cool J, no Beastie Boys, no Eric B. & Rakim, not even a Grandmaster Flash track. Saving that for the sequel, I suppose.

Make sure you're familiar with the song list before you buy the game, because if you're not, this game gets HARD. The karaoke system is quite messed up, with varying scroll speeds and the crippling ability to score better by mumbling the words. Some of the cover versions aren't dead on, either. Some others are spot-on, but with horrible vocals ("Baby Got Back" definitely comes to mind, and the DMX impersonator is pretty humorous).

As for how to play the game, there is party mode, which is all that matters, an unnecessary (in my eyes) career mode for all those kids out there fascinated with how much money popular rappers make (kind of like NBA Ballers) and an interesting freestyle mode where you just pick a beat and go at it (choosing from a pile of original beats or one of the in-game tracks). I haven't messed with career mode much at all, which may make you wonder why you'd want to drop $40 on this game.

None of the bad points really matter if you have a few songs memorized (or mostly memorized) and a few friends that are willing to step up to "da mic." The microphone also makes Karaoke Revolution more fun, well worth the extra $20. All in all, single player is admittedly weak, but this game gets very high marks for parties.