Japanese gamers LOVE their music games, and we here
in the states are taking notice. These are some of the most diverse games to ever appear
on any console. Space Channel 5 is Sega's attempt at the expanding genre, a
quirky game featuring Ulala, a reporter trying to repel an alien invasion. She is not
alone as other journalists are also vying for the spotlight by out-dancing her and
eliminating aliens. Yes, you kill aliens by dancing... this is definitely Japanese. The game is played "live" as Ulala ventures deeper into the alien plot and it's up to players to keep the ratings high enough to stay on the air. The controls are intuitive (everything is simple enough) but it's really not that fun once you get into it. The alien patterns are nothing like the flowing rhymes of Parappa, making this seem more like work than relaxation.
The music is so corny, you will be immediately drawn into the games futuristic world. Problem is, the aliens don't follow the beat of the music and most mistakes made by gamers will simply be because their following the music, not the patterns. With music so catchy, there is no avoiding this pitfall.
The Dreamcast provides some excellent character models blended with nearly seamless FMV backdrops. Everything is designed with simplicity in mind, giving this one a style of it's own (as if that wasn't already established by the premise). Get 10 hostages to dance along with you and you'll begin reminiscing about Michael Jackson's "Thriller" video. Scary stuff...
While it's great to see a company take a chance with a game like this, certain things are better off staying in Japan. There's a large library of games sitting over-seas that many gamers are dying to play that would be much better suited to the American consumer. It's a great idea with some nifty presentation, but the fun factor is zilch.
