This review contains spoilers
ARE YOU READY TO BUST A GROOVE?... 2?!
So if you know anything about me, you pretty much know that I've cemented the first game as my entire personality, I believe it is game is the greatest of all time, and it's the reason I am still a functioning member of society (two truths, one lie). So of course I was gonna write a long ass review about the sequel once I 100% it. The only question is... where do I start.
I see a lot of reviewers talking about how its basically the same game but more polished. I do agree that it's more polished, for starters; you can actually see the arrows you press and now you can counter their jammers. It's very satisfyingly reflecting an attack back, like this is their punishment for daring to mess up my groove.
In terms of the soundtrack, I think the songs hold up very well compared to the first game, but I still prefer the original themes of the characters. Speaking of characters, the selection is very cool. Returning characters get slick redesigns, like Shorty and Kelly. Some designs I do prefer the original, like Heat and Kitty-N (I think she looks better when her suit doesn't look so mechanical). Unfortunately, like an older Smash game, some fan favorites got the cut. Gas-O (who does technically appear in the game but I'll explain why he also technically doesn't), Frida, Pinky, and Hamm. I will never forget you. Especially Hamm. We also got a handful of new characters. Some are cool like Bi-O and Cosmo, some are... okay, like Tsutomu, and then there's WTF like Pander. Freaking Pander, dude.
I gotta dedicate an entire section in this review just to say, WHY IS HE EVEN IN HERE? WHY DOES HE EXIST? EVERYTIME I SEE HIM I FEEL LIKE I'M LOOKING AT SOMETHING I'M NOT SUPPOSED TO. You have each character beautifully drawn on the character selection screen (which I'll get into) by Hideyuki Tanaka, and then there's the manmade horror that is Pander. What's he even supposed to be- okay, I get it he's supposed to be a panda but why? What is his purpose? Is he just some kind of sick joke by the devs? Because it is pretty funny, I'm not going to lie. Funny, but equally disturbing.
So going back to something that doesn't appear in my nightmares and only in my dreams, the music is very good. Of course, whether or not the English or Japanese versions are better will always be up to the ear of the beholders, but I personally love the English versions of each song. I do think that when it comes to the returning characters, they are a bit lacking when compared to the themes from the first game, Hiro and Heat for example, but I do love Shorty's and Kitty-N's new music.
Also throwing some love onto the character selection screen for a bit. I mentioned earlier that each character (with one freaky exception) was beautifully drawn by Hideyuki Tanaka, and if you could so kindly direct your eyes to the cover of the game on this website you'll be able to get a good look at what I'm talking about. His style is very nostalgic and I think it fits the game very well. The screen also gives us some nice information about the character like their age, height kinda like you're looking at their physical or something. The only thing its really missing is a little character description box to give some backstory and background on them, and this wouldn't be necessary if they kept the endings for each character in the game...
This is quite possibly, the only main issue I have with this game, AT LEAST the version I played, because I am an American Bust a Groover. And this section of the review is why this is marked as spoiler.
For some reason, for some god awful reason, the American version does NOT have any of the character endings. When you beat the game, it sends you straight to the credits. No ending cutscene, you're only playing and then wham, credits. Where's the fun in that? One of the things I loved about the first game was how every character had an FMV for you to watch once you've beaten all the stages. In this game, you get nothing! You LOSE! GOOD DAY, SIR!
So if I really wanted to watch the endings for the characters I've beaten the game with, I'd have to go straight to YouTube. And if I'm watching it on YouTube, well then what's stopping me from just watching the others? It loses that kind of incentive. And I have to say, after watching all the endings, I do have some sort of hunch as to why this version in particular got rid of the endings... it was definitely the Beatles joke. And you know what? I thought it was slightly amusing. Sue me.
I need you to keep in mind that Bust a Groove is not a game that went without censorship, neither in the first game or this one. But this was just a whole 'nother level of candy assery on the localizer's part. First game got rid of some smoking and alcohol, as well as changed Hamm's design. Fine, whatever. I think Hamm looks better in our version anyway. But those were just model changes, THIS is quite literally, removing an entire series of cutscenes. I wouldn't even know things like Bi-O is actually Gas-O's father, or that Columbo was a gift from Shorty's parents to keep her company while they were busy at work. You have such a dynamic cast of flamboyant characters and completely decimate their flamboyant backstories. It's such a dunderheaded move (thought I was gonna say Groove, huh).
Reasons for censorship, I'm sure had to do with the E for everyone age rating. I know my opinion doesn't = fact (unless you count my opinion that BaG is the greatest game of all time, that right there IS a fact because I said so), but the series as a whole should've been a T rated franchise. It could've gotten away with so much more; especially here in the West, and I always thought the game in general was intended for a more older audience of kids too. Probably 13+. You're telling me these 13+ kids don't know what flask is used for? Quite funny.
So perhaps we were shirked of our version of the game. I guess it's better than what Europe got (the joke here is that this game didn't even release there), but the fact that our version in particular is missing a whole set of cutscenes is downright disappointing. Maybe the Japanese version is the superior one, but I like the English music too much to really switch. If you enjoyed the first game, you will definitely love this one. And if you can get over the absence of actual endings (or just play the Japanese version) you may even like it better than the first. As for me, I prefer the first game a bit more, but still love this like it was a son. A twin son. And I had just a bit more love for the other son.
So if you know anything about me, you pretty much know that I've cemented the first game as my entire personality, I believe it is game is the greatest of all time, and it's the reason I am still a functioning member of society (two truths, one lie). So of course I was gonna write a long ass review about the sequel once I 100% it. The only question is... where do I start.
I see a lot of reviewers talking about how its basically the same game but more polished. I do agree that it's more polished, for starters; you can actually see the arrows you press and now you can counter their jammers. It's very satisfyingly reflecting an attack back, like this is their punishment for daring to mess up my groove.
In terms of the soundtrack, I think the songs hold up very well compared to the first game, but I still prefer the original themes of the characters. Speaking of characters, the selection is very cool. Returning characters get slick redesigns, like Shorty and Kelly. Some designs I do prefer the original, like Heat and Kitty-N (I think she looks better when her suit doesn't look so mechanical). Unfortunately, like an older Smash game, some fan favorites got the cut. Gas-O (who does technically appear in the game but I'll explain why he also technically doesn't), Frida, Pinky, and Hamm. I will never forget you. Especially Hamm. We also got a handful of new characters. Some are cool like Bi-O and Cosmo, some are... okay, like Tsutomu, and then there's WTF like Pander. Freaking Pander, dude.
I gotta dedicate an entire section in this review just to say, WHY IS HE EVEN IN HERE? WHY DOES HE EXIST? EVERYTIME I SEE HIM I FEEL LIKE I'M LOOKING AT SOMETHING I'M NOT SUPPOSED TO. You have each character beautifully drawn on the character selection screen (which I'll get into) by Hideyuki Tanaka, and then there's the manmade horror that is Pander. What's he even supposed to be- okay, I get it he's supposed to be a panda but why? What is his purpose? Is he just some kind of sick joke by the devs? Because it is pretty funny, I'm not going to lie. Funny, but equally disturbing.
So going back to something that doesn't appear in my nightmares and only in my dreams, the music is very good. Of course, whether or not the English or Japanese versions are better will always be up to the ear of the beholders, but I personally love the English versions of each song. I do think that when it comes to the returning characters, they are a bit lacking when compared to the themes from the first game, Hiro and Heat for example, but I do love Shorty's and Kitty-N's new music.
Also throwing some love onto the character selection screen for a bit. I mentioned earlier that each character (with one freaky exception) was beautifully drawn by Hideyuki Tanaka, and if you could so kindly direct your eyes to the cover of the game on this website you'll be able to get a good look at what I'm talking about. His style is very nostalgic and I think it fits the game very well. The screen also gives us some nice information about the character like their age, height kinda like you're looking at their physical or something. The only thing its really missing is a little character description box to give some backstory and background on them, and this wouldn't be necessary if they kept the endings for each character in the game...
This is quite possibly, the only main issue I have with this game, AT LEAST the version I played, because I am an American Bust a Groover. And this section of the review is why this is marked as spoiler.
For some reason, for some god awful reason, the American version does NOT have any of the character endings. When you beat the game, it sends you straight to the credits. No ending cutscene, you're only playing and then wham, credits. Where's the fun in that? One of the things I loved about the first game was how every character had an FMV for you to watch once you've beaten all the stages. In this game, you get nothing! You LOSE! GOOD DAY, SIR!
So if I really wanted to watch the endings for the characters I've beaten the game with, I'd have to go straight to YouTube. And if I'm watching it on YouTube, well then what's stopping me from just watching the others? It loses that kind of incentive. And I have to say, after watching all the endings, I do have some sort of hunch as to why this version in particular got rid of the endings... it was definitely the Beatles joke. And you know what? I thought it was slightly amusing. Sue me.
I need you to keep in mind that Bust a Groove is not a game that went without censorship, neither in the first game or this one. But this was just a whole 'nother level of candy assery on the localizer's part. First game got rid of some smoking and alcohol, as well as changed Hamm's design. Fine, whatever. I think Hamm looks better in our version anyway. But those were just model changes, THIS is quite literally, removing an entire series of cutscenes. I wouldn't even know things like Bi-O is actually Gas-O's father, or that Columbo was a gift from Shorty's parents to keep her company while they were busy at work. You have such a dynamic cast of flamboyant characters and completely decimate their flamboyant backstories. It's such a dunderheaded move (thought I was gonna say Groove, huh).
Reasons for censorship, I'm sure had to do with the E for everyone age rating. I know my opinion doesn't = fact (unless you count my opinion that BaG is the greatest game of all time, that right there IS a fact because I said so), but the series as a whole should've been a T rated franchise. It could've gotten away with so much more; especially here in the West, and I always thought the game in general was intended for a more older audience of kids too. Probably 13+. You're telling me these 13+ kids don't know what flask is used for? Quite funny.
So perhaps we were shirked of our version of the game. I guess it's better than what Europe got (the joke here is that this game didn't even release there), but the fact that our version in particular is missing a whole set of cutscenes is downright disappointing. Maybe the Japanese version is the superior one, but I like the English music too much to really switch. If you enjoyed the first game, you will definitely love this one. And if you can get over the absence of actual endings (or just play the Japanese version) you may even like it better than the first. As for me, I prefer the first game a bit more, but still love this like it was a son. A twin son. And I had just a bit more love for the other son.