American Idol

"The game doesn't live up to the name."

The title says it all...not the title of the game, the title of the review. Despite the fact that I was never a fan of the show, from what I've heard from people who do like it, the game doesn't live up to the high standards that fans of the show would expect.

Gameplay: 2

The object of the game: sing the song well. How to sing the song well: push the buttons as they hit the target in the center. Unlike Dance Dance Revolution, where there's relevance to how the arrows are arranged, when you have to hit them, or how long you have to hold them, the American Idol system has almost no...well, system. The pressing of the buttons has almost no correlation to the song, so even if you know the song it's hard to do well in the game unless you've played it a lot...and I honestly can't see why people would play this game more than once or twice. More on that in the replay section, however...

Story: 3

The story: how the American Idol contestants move through the rounds from Auditions all the way to the Finals. That's about it. There are some side-sections to the game, but that's the basic gist of what the game is about. Not much of a story if you ask me.

Graphics: 6

When you consider the game is on the PS2, the graphics are sub-par for the console. For the type of game it is, however, it's understandable that graphics weren't the main concern when it was being developed. What's there is ok, but I wouldn't expect it from any other type of game where graphics could be the difference between success and failure.

Sound/Music: 7

Really the saving grace of the game, the music is the best part of the entire package. The collection of popular titles available for the characters to sing and the variety of that collection is a big part of the few things the game has going for it. The arrangements leave a little to be desired, though...in my opinion, they're too straight and square, not like the original versions of many of the songs that are fluid and smooth.

Replay Value: Poor

Personally, I won't play this game again. My cousin (who introduced me to it) is apparently addicted to it, but I guess to each his (or her) own.

Recommendation: Poor

I really don't see the point of the game, but perhaps I'm too much of the action/adventure/RPG type that expects strategy or fast-paced gaming. I do like certain games in this genre, but not many...and the ones that I do like have a long standing legacy in the gaming world.

Rent or Buy: Rent

This is definitely a game I'd suggest you rent before you decide to buy it. If you find you like the game, more power to you, but it's better to be safe than sorry that you blew 20 bucks on it.

Overall: 5

I can truthfully say that this isn't the worst game I've ever played, but it certainly isn't the best. Watching it was like watching paint dry...wait, the paint drying would be more exciting...and playing it was almost as bad. The graphics and music save it, however...but I don't think that's enough to make a game, so it's on to other games for me.

Conclusion

If you're looking for a quick fix or a party game, then American Idol, might be for you...but if you're looking for a gripping title that will keep you stuck to the television for hours on end...this isn't the one. You might be stuck for hours trying to get through one full game...but you might decide to turn it off by then. Save yourself the agony and leave this game on the shelf, unless of course you like this kind of game, then by all means pick it up. May you enjoy hours of...pushing random buttons and listening to the crappy comments by the judges and characters.

Reviewer's Score: 5/10, Originally Posted: 05/23/04