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By Jeff Ricks on April 8th, 2002
Introduction Frequency is a revolutionary game for the music and rythym genre. With very flashy graphics and hip techno music it draws you in and comes to you as an intense experience. The gameplay is very different from the music and rythym games we’re all used to such as the Parappa series. This is one game that can boast a fun and exciting party enclosed in its play.Presentation The menues in this game give off a techno-spacey feel. With deep colors of blue and purple and green, it’s kind of a techno club atmosphere. The techno music in the backround gives it the perfect back-up to contribute to the club atmosphere. The presentation in Frequency is the most fitting I’ve ever seen. This game is made well enough that the menus impress me!Control in Frequency is pretty basic and the main thing you have to get used to is transferring tracks and being able to start right into a new string. Control is pretty easy at first, but as you move through the game and get higher in difficulty you’ll probably have a tough time getting around to all the buttons and still keep a rythym going. It can be really hard, but if the control gives you no problem, you just better hope that you’re coordinated. Graphics & Sound The graphics in Frequency are really flashy, bright, and also seem sort of cel-shaded. The graphics aren’t exactly wonderful, but they’re definitely unique. In the game you move through a tunnel that twists and turns. The graphics make this seem so realistic that at times when I’m done playing I still feel as though I’m moving through a tunnel. The graphics are hip and perfect for the club-type atmosphere in Frequency.The sound in Frequency is excellent. The music and sound all fits perfectly and fits so well with the atmosphere, that you almost actually feel you’re in a hip-techno club. This game boasts one of the best set up atmospheres of any game I’ve ever played. Gameplay Gameplay is very similar to many of the other music genre games, but seems to meld them all together into something completely different. You have a sort of hand-eye experience that you have in Dance Dance Revolution, a rythym experience like Parappa, and a remixing system that allows you to remix the songs in the game which is similar to MTV Music Generator. This game has it all.The main gameplay can be played with one player or up to four players. The one player mode is like Parappa in that you pass off one song and move on to another, it’s different in that the scores you get on each level actually matter. Every stage has a stage point goal that has to be met in order to earn the bonus song for that stage. This gives you insentive to not only struggle your way all the way through the song, but to also do well.
The multi-player mode is intense and fun. You and your friends can go head to head or remix the songs into a collaboration that’s all your own. The head to head mode is made more intense because now you have to get to different tracks first and you can use weapons to aid yourself, or hurt your opponents. This is one of the best multi-players I’ve ever played. Remixing songs is quite entertaining. When you hear your rendition of songs like No Doubt’s Ex-Girlfriend, you’ll almost be proud(If you’re like me anyway.) One important thing to do before you beging remixing though, is to come up with the perfect DJ name for you, you can’t really start remixing unless you’ve got a good name. This feature of Frequency is my second favorite behind the multiplayer mode. Remixing is really entertaining. Lasting Appeal This game is definitely unique and quite entertaining, but can be far too difficult especially on the harder modes of solo play. The difficulty however can’t keep me from thoroughly enjoying multiplayer mix-offs and remixing the songs of the game. This game is currently my favorite of the music genre, and I imagine will be for a long time.Conclusion If you really love music games you have to get this. If you’re into multiplayer games this one’s fitting there, too. But if you’re not really a fan of either of those two kinds of games, and you don’t like difficult this one’s not for you. This game’s club atmosphere is really fun and provides a perfect addition for your parties and just when you’re hanging out. If it weren’t so difficult, this would be the best of the music genre ever. | 
