Frequency

"Addictive? Um... Yeah I suppose"

You may remember other beat games such as Bust A Groove, Dance Dance Revolution, etc... You could compare Frequency to those titles, but it isn't fair to limit it to just being a 'ddr'. It is far more, and it is far superior.

Gameplay

Forget about following repetitive button smashing every time you play your favorite level, Frequency improves the genre to a large degree by allowing you to create the song as you play. Your camera perspective is placed in a tunnel of sorts, and each side of the tunnel represents a separate instrument of the song. For example, you will often start on percussion, and as you complete each one to two measures, you unlock one or a couple sides that you can then move your cursor over to. These beat lines repeat themselves until you move on to the next section of the song. By the second section, you should be able to move your cursor to any part of the tunnel, but the game greatly limits you.
Suppose you wished to play synth, but it is on the top of the tunnel from your position. It is too difficult to press right or left half a dozen times in order to get there. It is possible, but only on the slower songs. The right analog stick is unused in game mode, and it would have been a nice feature to be able to use the analog stick to immediately move your cursor from it's current position to the top of the tunnel. This would only make the game more enjoyable to play, and no less difficult.

Graphics

Oooh, bright pretty colors! Some nice particle and lighting effects, but the graphics truly do not matter here.

Difficulty

Ah, this is where the game truly shines... The difficulty! Excellent, excellent learning curve. ANYONE can pick up this game and have a great time with it. Doesn't matter if you've ever played a game in your life, the concept is simple, and consequently easy for your non-game playing girlfriend to get into, and get hooked on. If it is too easy for you, wait until you try your fingers at the later expert stages, and it will present itself as a large challenge for even the most highly skilled of players.

Sound

It's a music game, so the sound is extremely important and it does it's job just fine. Sounds just like it would in your CD player, but sadly you cannot play the soundtrack there. It would have made the purchase all the more worth your while.
The songs accompanying the game span a significant amount of genres with everything from No Doubt, to Akrobatik. There is something for everyone, and the enjoyment you will get out of the game makes up for any songs you don't especially love.
One thing that stands out when you are playing, is when the vocals get cut off (only present in a few songs, not all). It drives a person mad and it appears unpolished and unfinished on a development standpoint.

Buy, Rent, or Forget?

In closing, Harmonix has created a wonderful experience. Definitely a buy. Every PS2 owner needs this in their library. Not everyone will like the music, so maybe a rental is in order first, but if you recognize the artists and enjoy their music (on back of package), a rental is surely not needed. You will be playing this game for a long time. It truly has a very addictive, infinite replay value.
This game is itching for a 10, but it just isn't deserving enough. There are things which could be improved, so it will receive a 9.

Reviewer's Score: 9/10, Originally Posted: 07/24/02, Updated 07/24/02