by Amr (@siegarettes)
- DJMAX Respect V
- Developer: Neowiz
- Publisher: Neowiz
- PC, previously on PS4
Returning to the series PC roots, DJMAX Respect brings over the latest entry in the stylish rhythm game series, with some new features and major omissions. When the original PS4 version of Respect dropped three years ago, both RJ and I adored it, and I personally found it to be the best introduction into the bullet hell-esque sensory overload of the series. Respect V is generally that same game, but the changes here leave it feeling barebones compared to its console counterpart.
Let’s get this part out of the way first: DJ MAX Respect V is painfully tied to an always online anti-cheat program that makes it impossible to play offline. I haven’t personally had any issues with it, but others have had problems logging in when connected, and my fellow editor has found himself unable to play it in various situations. It’s a shame, particularly given the series legacy as a portable title. Having it on a laptop for rhythm game sessions on the go would have given it a big edge over its console version.
In exchange for this requirement Respect V adds a few new songs and the new AIR mode, which acts as basically a radio you play along to with other players. You can’t fail this mode and you’ll often find yourself jumping into the middle of track, which you can choose to even have play automatically. Alongside the song is a feed of comments from other players reacting to it, to create a sense of a communal radio experience. After each song you’ll have the chance to choose from a lineup of other tracks, sorted by easy, medium or hard difficulty, and the chance to change what button mode you play on.
AIR mode is good for jumping into a no pressure, chill session and gives you a chance to explore other songs that you might otherwise miss in the massive song list. It feels like a misstep to launch with this over the standard arcade mode, and it’s definitely not worth the trade off of only being able to play it online. It’s possible that Arcade Mode and Mission Mode will be here later, since this is technically an Early Access release, but its absence is felt.
One aspect I hoped the PC version would address was the limited control remapping of the PS4 version. The Dualshock 4 was always slightly uncomfortable to me for DJ Max and the inability to remap the analog sticks used for the side tracks kept me from using arcade sticks and other controllers I would have found more comfortable. The inability to remap the analog sticks carries over from the console version, which is frustrating, but can be sidestepped by using a keyboard or the Steam remap functionality. It’s more trouble than I’d like it to be, but it finally allowed me to have a comfortable set of controls, which has turned Respect V into my preferred way to play the game.
In its incomplete state, DJ MAX Respect V doesn’t match the celebratory package that the original release brought on PS4. Should it be updated with the missing modes, however, it’ll become the definitive way to play the game, even with the caveat of the always online requirement. A bug or two here and there need to be scrubbed out, but with the new control options and AIR mode, it seems much easier to chill out with, I’m looking forward to dipping back into one of my favorite rhythm games of recent memory.