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Singstar PS2 London Studio/SCEE  Reckon you could kick the asses of those clowns on Australian Idol? Would you like to do karaoke but feel too shy to brave the public gaze? Ever wondered what the words to Murder On The Dancefloor are? If you fall into any or all of the above categories, then Sony Computer Entertainment Europe have got the answer. At first glance 'Singstar' looks like little more than a way to turn your PS2 into a glorified karaoke machine - but as glorified karaoke machines go, it's a pretty impressive one. The game comes with two microphones and a connector that attaches to the USB port on the front of the PS2. 'Singstar' is also compatible with EyeToy, meaning that you can hook up the camera and watch yourself sing, should you so desire and, like EyeToy, 'Singstar' is most likely best played during a year nine slumber party or - as I chose - with a bunch of people and several bottles of wine. There are 30 songs to choose from, although I was dismayed to discover how few I actually knew. Sure, I was delighted to see Kung Fu Fighting, Take On Me and Suspicious Minds on the list - and bemused to see that Motorhead's Ace of Spades also made the cut - but my lack of familiarity with the likes of Blue, Liberty X, Busted and Daniel Bedingford put me at a distinct disadvantage. Whilst the song choices are geared more toward 13 year old girls than 32 year old men, thankfully the game is only concerned with your pitch rather than the octave (when meant that I could belt out Petula Clark's Downtown in a sonorous baritone). It's pretty much exactly like singing karaoke: lyrics come up on the screen and illustrate where in the line you should be, with the added advantage of being able to see exactly how in tune you are. Points are added for holding notes, staying in key and following the phrasing, although you do get extra points for "interpretation," if you want to throw in those cat-strangling trills that Australian Idol competitors are so fond of. In terms of the competitive side, players can either go head-to-head in a turn-based sing-off or each take a mic to sing together. These attempts can be played back or saved to the memory card, which means that my poignant duet with fellow dB Magazine contributor Jeremy Reglar on Careless Whisper has been preserved for the ages. For the solo player 'Singstar' has the 'Star Maker' mode in which you, the aspiring singing sensation, work your way up in the open mic nights of Harmony City's many venues, developing your career, gaining management, record deals and so forth by building up "buzz." I can't speak for other players, but I can tell you that I absolutely killed at the beachside bar with my powerful rendition of Blondie's Heart Of Glass. They assured me they'll be having me back. It would be nice if you could load your own choice of songs (although it would be impossible to map the correct melody, I imagine, even leaving aside the lack of lyrics) and it's hard to imagine too many people playing this on their lonesome, but for tipsily musical good times, 'Singstar' delivers in spades.  |
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