They could have taken just a little something from the past and made this game really good.
Graphics- I can't complain about that at all it was great, but if you try to use the color white, you might as well use sunglasses while you are playing.
Clothing&Jewels- I know it's petty, but it REALLY irked me that you don't have total control with your clothing like last game, whether you wanted it out or tucked in, you should have left that aspect alone, it was good! It blew that I had to make a choice whether to put a watch or bracelet on either hand instead of being able to mix it up. Especially with the rings.......bad business!
Characters- Cool, but why so many DEF JAM affiliates? There are PLENTY of people on DEF JAM and it showed on the last game. It is good and all to get relevant superstars but the last game sold well anyway right? JAY-Z !PRESIDENT! He must have told you no way or something because I don't get it. Everyone else I can understand you might not have had the time. What the hell was up with Tego Calderon and no reggaeton song from him?.....bad business! Fat Joe is about the most horrible unlockable I have ever witnessed in video gaming. He is pretty much negligible. Gameplay- WOW............garbage. The fighting styles are really, really generic and get boring quick. Personally there are only two that I like and can make effective use of. You might as well have cut the cast down to 5 because most have the same EXACT style, with the same EXACT speed. You go from like 15 different fighting styles that you can personally build (FFNY) to only 5? Analog was a cool decision for hard attacks, but a little unresponsive. Oh yeah, the scratching was a crappy idea too, exploding environments are great and all, but not the ability to control them. I want to fight not THROW! Beating with Bass is personally my favorite mode and makes you appreciate the timing of the music better. Back to scratching, you don't control the music PERIOD! You go to the first part of the chorus or the second, that's it. Take that out next time please! If there is a next time. Switching songs was a weird idea too, just to give one or the other the upper hand, use one song and it's all good. Too gimmicky of a game, don't become like how hip-hop is really becoming now. Environments were more interactive in the last game anyway. The music mogul thing was alright, but unnecessary, after you third playthrough, you don't even care anymore. Bring wrestling back! Bring blaze back! bring fighting styles back! You already have a good game engine going, take 2 years if you have to, please! Make a super download update or something.
Play testing- Oh yeah, it was great that you got rappers input and all, but as you have seen with 50 cents game, it really isn't a great idea to have them build any kind of game based on solely their input.
Music- Music was tight though.