Ulala is in the house.

Ulala is in the house. <br><br>From the people that brought us the Sega Rally series comes Space Channel 5 (SC5), a dance game that redefines the genre. Tetsuya Mizuguchi was the mastermind behind Sega Rally and Sega Rally 2, and he has reached the same brilliance with SC5. With a new hot game you have to have new and hot character too, and that’s where Ulala comes in. Ulala is a reporter for Space Channel 5, which is one of many TV stations in a future where space travel is a common occurrence. Apparently the 60s had a pretty good idea of how the future will look. Everything has a very retro “Austin Powers” look, and Ulala is no exception. Her outfit changes from level to level but always is made of bright orange vinyl. Ulala may be a smoken' babe but she is also a really cool character too. She’s the most unique and stylish character to come out in along time, maybe even since Sonic. Sonic may have introduced the cool game character image but Ulala gives it a new spin.<br><br>Dancing is the name of the game in SC5, but shooting is also very important. Evil aliens have invaded earth and are mesmerizing everyone around them with their hypnotic dance. It’s your job as Space Reporter Extraordinaire to out dance and shoot down these ET Go-Go dancers. Gameplay is simple “Simon Says” but it’s not as easy as it sounds. First you watch the aliens then you copy their moves and at the right time shoot at them with your transporter beam. When a victim is near, you must free them with a shot of a different gun. The better you do and the more people you save the more backup dancers fallow Ulala. Its this simple but challenging gameplay and stylistic setting that sets SC5 above all its competitors and makes it the hottest game this season. SC5 is a game that appeals to everyone and to all ages. For example my 14-year-old sister saw me playing and demanded to try it herself. Now my sister doesn’t hate games but she plays them almost never. But once she started she didn’t want to quit, which brings me to my next point, addiction. SC5 is the most addicting game since Tetris. Once you get the hang of out dancing and out shooting aliens you’ll never want to quite. For those that dismiss SC5 as a girl’s game or as a crazy Japanese game, you couldn’t be more wrong. SC5 is a beautiful and fun dancing and shooting game that challenges your rhythm, reflexes, and memory.<br><br>SC5 uses a game engine similar to Fear Effect for the PSX, but takes it to a new and higher level. Fear Effect used prerendered animated backgrounds to add depth to the game’s atmosphere. But the game was limited to either short repetitive or long but choppy backgrounds. SC5 uses smooth beautiful MPEGs for the backgrounds that move so well that you’d think its full 3D. Backgrounds are seemless and the camerawork makes for a very convincing setting. The characters are rendered in full 3D with enough polygons to keep them looking realistic. Ulala gets more polygons then any of the other characters and that makes her look a lot smoother and she doesn’t show as much blocky polygons as the lesser characters do. The aliens also look cool and move in a funny looking bending motion. Overall the graphics look great and the engine never gives up. Everything is in sink with the music and the preset camera movements keep everything in view.<br><br>Sound effects are good and the voice work is top notch. Every character has a unique and fitting voice. Ulala isn’t just generic space filler; she sounds great thanks to Apollo Smile for her voice and emotion. The voice acting in SC5 is so high it could pass for TV or even movie quality, and it really adds to the game. On top of the great voice acting is the Music, and to say the music is good would be a total understatement. Sega knew what they were doing when recording the soundtrack for SC5; they even made a CD soundtrack to go along with the game for anyone who preordered it from their website. The music fits the atmosphere well and even creates the atmosphere. As everyone knows a movie isn’t complete until the soundtrack is added, the same is true for games, and since SC5 is a dancing game, it requires a good one, and it delivers. The Austin Powers inspired music is perfect for this kind of game and its even interactive too. The more intense the action the more intense the music gets. It’s this kind of sound and music that makes all other games pale in comparison and makes SP5 so great.<br><br>Other dance games have nothing on Space Channel 5; no other game can compete with its style and presentation. The music is top notch and the voice acting is just about perfect. The graphics are smooth, stylish, and beautiful. The characters are unique and memorable, after playing Space Channel 5 you’ll not only have Ulala on the brain but also see aliens in you sleep. It’s challenging and fun and even though it only lasts for four levels, it keeps you coming back for more. On top of the addictive gameplay and music is a really interesting plot that adds a meaningful message to the great gameplay. If you love dance and music games or just love great games then Space Channel 5 is a must have.</P>