A Diverse, Multiplayer Rhythm Game For Your PC: Audition (Review)

Audition. No, not the awesome horror film Takashi Miike. I’m talking about the new hit MMO dance/rhythm game. We mentioned this game in a previous article. Developed by T3 Entertainment (a sister company to Hanbitsoft), the game was originally made available in North America via Nexon. However, Nexon discontinued its servers, and the game was transferred to Redbana, which is essentially the North American branch of T3. So, one might say, the game is back where it belongs.

The game is published by different companies in over a dozen countries/regions, mostly in Asia. But it’s gaining popularity in North America, and the good folks at Redbana gave us a tour of this free-to-play MMO rhythm game. It was only a month or two ago that the game was upgraded to “Season 2,” which brought on significant graphical improvements, as well as a much larger expansion of songs (including Lady Gaga and Sean Kingston). And new songs are being added every month!

To check out our full review of Audition from T3 and Redbana, take the jump. You’ll find some screens and even some gameplay footage to break up our wall of text.

I’ve played a lot of rhythm games in my life. What separates Audition from the rest of the games out there are all the different modes of play available. There are modes where the arrows scroll toward a set space, and you must hit the arrow key in line (like Dance Dance Revolution), and there are modes where this same idea is augmented with having to press the space bar at the right time while holding or inputting a variety of arrow keys (like Guitar Hero or Rock Band). But then there are modes for which I have no comparison to draw. One mode has a glowing dot traveling through a circle, and at the four edges of the circle (0, 90, 180, and 270 degrees), there are little input boxes with a few arrow keys that must be pressed. As the dot travels through that specific part of the circle, that’s all the time you have to hit those keys. And the circle continues to change, and as long as you can keep up, the arrow inputs get harder.

There are four-directional modes, eight-directional modes, “reverse” buttons (hit the direction opposite of what is called out), “freestyle” modes, and more. All of these modes can be attempted solo, in free-for-all competitions, or in team-based competition. There are dozens of songs to choose from, each with their tempo (bpm) called out. Good stuff!

Like all rhythm games, the graphics seem supplementary at best. For anyone actually playing the game, your focused on arrows and timing; the last thing you’re worried about is a bunch of people dancing. Your eyes have no time to take it in. However, you can enter a dance room as a spectator and watch your friends duke it out (so to speak). That’s the only way to fully appreciate the multitude of dance moves created for these 3D avatars.

Now, the music? It’s great! There’s a fantastic mix of instrumental tunes written exclusively for the game and licensed pop/techno/dance tunes from around the globe. There’s plenty of Asian (Korean) pop here, but there are some mainstream American performers as well, including Lady Gaga. And, as new songs are added, Redbana is scouting out up-and-coming acts, including some indie pop groups, to have their songs featured in the game. The range of songs is what kept me coming back. Once you figure out how to play the game, applying it to the huge set list and trying to do your best with songs at various tempos is a great experience.

Now you may be wondering, “how does the game generate any money?” But if you’re familiar with the free-to-play MMO scene, you already know the answer: micro-transactions. Your avatar is initially limited to some very basic customization: clothes, facial features, etc. There are two types of currency in Audition; one type is earned by competing in dances and doing well. The other type, of course, is a virtual currency that you purchase with real cash. Different clothing articles, as well as functional items (like houses) can be purchased with both currencies. But the currencies are mutually exclusive. Some items are available for purchase with the earned currency, and some with the purchased currency: never the twain shall meet.

The social aspect of the game has a lot of potential, though the North American servers are scant compared to the game’s popularity in East and Southeast Asia. But there is one thing you’ll want to know about ahead of time before proceeding: when you register for an account at Redbana, the gender you claim as your real gender forces you to be that gender in Audition. You cannot pretend to be something you’re not. Furthermore, the “dating” system (which eventually allows you to marry someone) is very traditional. There are no homosexual relationships in Audition. If that’s a problem for you, feel free to send some strong-worded letters to the publisher. Apparently, it’s something they’re considering “updating.” Just wanted to give fair warning on that.

If you think you’re a pro at rhythm games, I promise you that you will find more-than-sufficient challenges in Audition. The beginner-level stuff in this game rivals expert-level stuff in mainstream rhythm games. And here’s where the real attraction lies for this MMO. Most MMOs are “level grinds,” and really lack any sort of skill or challenge. You just keep going, doing more of the same, advancing levels. In Audition, you will truly improve; or rather, you have to approve if you intend to gain levels and befriend more advanced players. As for me? I’m just trying to keep up with some of the easiest modes, with some of the easiest songs. This is a whole new kind of rhythm game, and I highly recommend it to anyone looking for an awesome challenge.

Below, check out a video of some kids who really know how to rock this game in the advanced “club 2” mode. And feel free to leave comments about what you think of the game. Would you be willing to play it? What improvements would you want to see to this game, or to rhythm games in general?