PS2 In the Groove review:4 stars (A step up from DDR) - From a business-ethics standpoint, I should hate this game. Roxor Games, the developer, took the concept of Konami's Dance Dance Revolution and copied it almost pixel for pixel to make In the Groove - even using the DDR cabinets in the arcade for its game (that stupid move got the company slammed with a lawsuit).

But in a way, Konami asked for it. Though DDR is dead in Japan, it continues to grow in popularity in the U.S., and Konami has not addressed that fact. It has not released a new arcade version since 2002.

This left the hardcore DDR fans clamoring for more, and Roxor Games stepped in, creating an arcade game by and for the hardcore players. Personally, I'm glad they did, because it revived a dying DDR fan base.

Now we have the nearly identical home version of that arcade game, and though it's not flawless, it's definitely a step up from the DDR home releases, which target the casual player.

You'll be lucky if you recognize one or two of the songs on In the Groove's songlist - but as far as I'm concerned, that's a good thing. Who wants to play video games to the same old junk that's on the radio? Most of the songs in In the Groove are interesting, diverse and highly listenable, and I plan on buying the soundtrack CD as soon as it's available.

The graphics are noticably crisper than DDR's, though the videos in the background are nondescript. Not a big deal, though.

The difficulty is where some casual fans may run into problems. This game is a step up in difficulty from any available version of DDR anywhere, and even the easier songs tend to be harder than easy DDR songs. The hardest songs, most players will find impossible, even the top players, especially without the arcade bar to lean on.

The addition of "hands" (three or four arrows at once) and "mines" (which force you to avoid certain arrows) are welcome gameplay features, and the first real innovation in the genre since DDR's 6th mix introduced the freeze arrow. In the Groove has about four times as many "mods" (ways to change the appearance and scrolling of the arrows) as any DDR game, but most of them are pointless, and I never use them.

In the Groove offers a marathon mode, pretty much identical to Nonstop mode in DDR, except random mods turn on and off during your game. I never liked nonstop and I'll probably never play marathon courses, but some like them.

A plus for ITG is that it's a statistician's dream, presenting you with all kinds of numbers and charts after each song to show your progress. This is opposed to DDR's nebulous scoring system that makes no sense and is never explained in any game.

In the Groove has a few glaring flaws in programming, unlike the DDR games. For one, load times are absurdly long... up to 10 seconds between screens sometimes. If DDR can get away with NO loading time, even for songs with full-motion video, I don't understand why this load time is necessary.

Also, once in a while, the frame rate will skip a bit during songs... very distracting. Not much thought was given to the practice mode, and it's quite difficult to figure out which buttons do what, and to find the menu you want.

But those who are losing satisfaction in DDR will not care. If Konami ever decides to create a new arcade mix, they are going to have to work very hard to top the innovations that In the Groove has brought to the genre.5 stars (The new Dance Dance Revolution) - If you're like me In the groove (ITG) would be a great switch from DDR. If you are just beginning a dance simulation game i reccomend this one. ITG is a dance game that requires you hit the arrows passing through the "step zone". Not only using your feet but sometimes your hands just as well (quads)! The 4 (sometimes 5) game levels help you work your way to become a great dancer at the game. I suggest starting on novice if you're just starting the game and never played DDR before. When a red circle (mine) comes onto the screen do not step on it or if your foot is left on the arrow s take it off before it passes through the step zone. If you hit a mine it will take your percent (score) down and your life meter. All and all I reccomend this game to anyone not just kids because the challenge never ends!4 stars (Awesome but does have some flaws) - Ok, the game is really fun. The graphics are perfectly clear and superior to all other DDR games. The music selection is really cool because it spans everything from trance to gabber to metal to Irish stepdance. However, the game does have some minor flaws that the other DDR games don't share. For example, when you get a grade after completing a song, the grade does not show up on the song menu the next time. Instead it shows the % (score) you got, but the scoring system is somewhat confusing. I would rather just see the letter grade I need to beat to get the new high score. Second, it takes longer to load than the other DDR games. The graphics are better, but the loading time is annoying. It isn't too long, but its dissapointing after playing this game in the arcade for so long. Third, for some reason, it doesn't seem to grasp the fun party-like mood DDR does. For example, there aren't any videos in the backround. (Even though the backround designes are very cool.) It just doesn't seem as interesting. Also, the voices that narrated the DDR games have dissapeared. All is silent exept for the music. Some people may find this less annoying, but I liked the guy in the backround yelling "good job" and "100 combo!". The songs aren't as happy either. A lot of the music is darker than that on DDR. The soundtrack is actually really interesting, and I like most of the songs because it is a good contrast to DDR, but I do miss the fun bouncy songs such as "Wonderland" and "Dream a Dream". On the positive side, the graphics are superior to DDR by far. Also, the crazy options menu provides amazing challenges. The arrows come up in completely different ways to really play with your mind. It is a lot of fun. In general, the game is great and I would reccomend it for any DDR fan, but I prefer DDR Max 1, Max 2, And Extreme over this newer addition.


PS2 In the Groove Features:
Video Games
PS2 (PSX2)
Sony Playstation (Play station) 2
Playstation2 (Play station2)
Action
Adventure
Classics (Classic)
Retro
Cables (Cable)
Adapters (Adapter)
Xbox (x box)
Microsoft
Dance Mode: This is the main game play mode for In the Groove. The default settings for this mode are identical to those found in the arcade version of the game.
Battle Mode: Challenge a friend or the computer to an all-out competition in Battle Mode. In this mode, as you score better throughout a song, you will unleash modifiers on your competitors screen. The better you do, the harder it will be for your competitor to keep up and vice versa!
Marathon Mode: Play four or five songs in a row with no breaks in-between. Watch out! Some Marathons also feature arrow modifiers that will affect your game play.
Fitness Mode: This mode helps you stay in shape by developing an In the Groove exercise routine and tracking the amount of calories you burn. You can choose between 1 Player, 2 Player, or Double Fitness Modes.
Tutorial Mode: This is a great way for new players to familiarize themselves with the game.

PS2 In the Groove is the Video Game version. The full version can be purchased by clicking on the "CLICK HERE TO ORDER" button below for around 39.99USD.