It may not include the greatest music in the world, but keeps gamers playing with its addictive rhythm system.
Originally released as “Osu! Tatakae! Ouendan” in Japan last year, the game “Elite Beat Agents” is basically the same great game as its Japanese counterpart. The only difference is that the original Japanese songs and story cutscenes have now been replaced with American songs and characters to make it more relevant in the Western market.
Changes aside, “Elite Beat Agents” is quite easy to pick up and play.
As one of the three black-suited agents of the mysterious Elite Beat Agency, gamers are responsible for aiding distraught people around the world with an uncanny knack for rhythm and dance. Of course how rhythm and dancing actually helps anyone in trouble is completely left up to the gamer.
Each level is comprised of a relatively popular song from the past 50 years and a story that can either turn out for better or worse depending on how well the gamer does. Each level and song is then broken up into five smaller parts to help separate the often intense action and to help the story flow.
Fans of rhythm games will feel right at home with how “Elite Beat Agents” is played. As a song begins, small little buttons will appear on the Nintendo DS’ touch screen. Rings will then form around said buttons and can be used to time when players should jab the onscreen buttons.
These buttons can follow many different facets of a song, such as the beat of the percussion or the words of the chorus, and require perfect timing to match up with the song. Gamers will also need to recognize aspects like short and long rests, extended notes, and all around have a good grasp on rhythm in order to excel in the game, especially in the tougher levels later.
If a player is doing well in a section of a song, they will be able to watch the central character of said song overcome a small problem. Play well enough through the entire level and the character will solve the larger issue that is troubling them. Likewise, do poorly during the song and reap the consequences of watching the level’s character fail miserably and a “Try Again?” screen.
While it’s easy to speak positively about “Elite Beat Agents” into the wee hours of the night, one thing is certainly not memorable about this game. That one thing is some horrendous song selections.
If listening to mediocre cover of a good song isn’t bad enough, this game excels at forcing gamers to listen to many mediocre covers to already horrible songs, essentially making them cringe worthy. This is especially cruel during the more difficult levels in the game that often require multiple attempts to beat.
These songs can range from anywhere to Ashlee Simpson’s “La La” bad to the Rolling Stones “Jumping Jack Flash” good, with songs from groups like the Jackson 5, Village People, Sum 41, Cher, and Chicago filling up the middle grounds.
Despite some less than pleasurable music, “Elite Beats Agents” is still worth the time and money. Although if gamers find themselves reaching for something to plug their ears with while playing, then spending a little extra money on importing “Osu! Tatakae! Ouendan” may not be such a bad idea.