Over the course of time, interactive music games have grown in popularity, mainly attributed to the innovative concept introduced by Masaya Studios' Parappa series. Its success would later incite developers to create their own blend of rhythm and groove, which include, but are not limited to Bust a Move, Space Channel 5 and Slap Happy Rhythm Busters. Clearly, the continued development activity serves as ample proof that the genre has become commonplace.

Following in the wave of the wave of the next generation of musical experiences, Frequency, a DJ simulation developed allows players to 'interact' with various songs composed by leading musical artists, which ultimately transforms into freestyle sessions to create their own music.

Frequency consists of a Tempest vector style atmosphere, complimented by a host of musical hits derived from various genres, including Electronica, House, Rap, Trance, Drum and Bass and Alternative Rock. Regardless what your musical tastes are, Frequency offers a breadth of music to appeal to all audiences.

The playable demo includes a sample of 2 songs (the full version will feature 20 in total). Each level begins with a generic beat, which becomes "live" as you navigate throughout the musical tunnel. Attention must be focused on the the indicator, located at the bottom of the track. Using the face buttons -- circle, triangle, and square, each button respectively corresponds to the notes which will pass through the track. Other onscreen elements consist of a point total and a energy meter (expressed by the tutorial as a time bar) respectively located in the top and bottom left.

Players must successfully hit the bars in each segment in order to activate the entire instrument track, which in turn, allows you to advance to other segements. At this point, you can rotate the axis in order to activate other musical segments. Essentially, you're constructing the entire song. A entire track can consist of drums, vocals, bass, synth, and a few FX tracks designated for brief freestyle sessions. Although the core gameplay revolves around remxing songs, players should be aware of the goal to complete each track successfully within the alloted time that's provided. Too complex? It's a concept which might sound difficult to grasp through screenshots alone. But in all sincerity, the gameplay is relatively easy to grasp within minutes. It's nowhere near the complexity of MTV Music Generator which is totally targeted towards wanabe DJ's. In case the manual proves to be inadequate, Frequency features an interactive tutorial, allowing players to participate in a practice session and become familiarized with the mechanics.

Frequency will feature six distinct play modes, allowing players to "interact" with a variety of leading musical bands, including Crystal Method, BT, Dub Pistols - as well as the ability to freestyle and remix their own music (a plus for more advanced players or avid DJ types). Visually the game consists of a series of 3D structures, animated video sequences, combined with an ample dose of particle and lighting effects. While it doesn't break any standards of what the PS2 graphic potential is capable of demonstrating, Frequency provides a substantial degree of visual flare that's quite pleasant.

Despite the range of difficulty levels (novice to master), Frequency may be quickly dismissed as a relatively short experience. However, the spectrum of gameplay is anything but. In addition to the multiplayer option, Frequency offers a generous variety of online options, thus expanding the replay value substantially. Through the online capabilities, friends can challenge each other, submitting their latest remix, and having them play it as a new level. In addition, up to four players can get together in an musical battle to accurately outperform each other based on the rate of activiated notes. Players can also participate in an online multi-player live jam session. Anyone willing to place bets that Frequency becomes one of the more popular console based multiplayer experiences for PS2?

One doesn't need to be a music aficionado to become immersed with the exciting musical experience offered by Frequency. Harmonix certainly has an appealing title destined to pique the interests of the gaming community. As PS2 gears up its Fall lineup, Frequency delivers a solid mix of gameplay, popular music, and entertaining elements that should prove to be highly addictive, whether it's played online or off. Prepare to get your groove on November 2001.

· · · Bahn