Developer: Ubisoft
Publisher: Ubisoft
Platform: Switch, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series S/X
Tested on: Switch
Just Dance 2022 – Review
Another year, another Just Dance game unleashing itself on the market, with this one being named Just Dance 2022 obviously. It almost feels like reviewing each new entry in this series of rhythm dance games has become a holiday tradition! Not that we’re complaining, and while the formula might stay relatively unchanged each year, it’s still a highly enjoyable way to get some cardio in while also beating your friends’ and your own high score.
Story
If you’re turning to Just Dance for a plot, you are doing everything wrong. There’s no story here, but nobody should be expecting one to begin with. Better to just pick a song and start dancing.
Graphics
Just Dance 2022 looks as crisp as you’d expect, having very similar graphics to the previous games with a just few small updates to make everything look a little nicer. The colors pop off your screen and every song has a unique video clip with thematically appropriate psychedelic backgrounds and fancily dressed-up dance coaches. Sometimes it’s almost as much fun to simply watch the videos as it is to dance to them. For dances with more than one person, it’s also nice that the silhouettes of the coaches have been updated to be a tad bit more visible even when overlapping.
Sound
Music should steal the show in a game like Just Dance and as usual, we were not disappointed. There are about forty songs included in the base game, with over seven hundred more through the unlimited service. The tracks range from classic hits to recently released pop songs to K-pop music, since that’s been rising in popularity too. For the Benelux edition, a bunch of exclusive songs from the famed Studio 100 are included, mainly K3’s latest hits. This is fun little addition for children and younger players. It feels like they really put their heart into curating a song database that would cater to people of all tastes. Aside from the songs themselves, the game comes with a bunch of hyped-up sound effects to let you know when to strike a post and to keep you company on the menu screens.
Gameplay
Just Dance 2022 remains practically unchanged from its predecessors, keeping the exact same gameplay in place. It’s a rhythm dance game where you can use either the console’s motion controller or your phone with the Just Dance app downloaded on it. Whichever one you pick, some sort of strap is highly recommended since you’ll be dancing around with the device clutched in your hand. Then it’s as simple as picking a song and copying the movements shown on screen. The dance coaches show you exactly what to do, and there are also stick figures in the bottom right of the screen which roughly display the upcoming move.
Through the device in your hand, the game awards you a score depending on how well you’re copying the moves. And yes, it’s pretty easy to cheat at this since you practically only need to move that arm around to get the points, but that’s against the Just Dance spirit. If you do it right, this game can be a fun way to work out, and when played with friends, it’s even more hilarious. Some songs have been specifically choreographed to work best when playing with multiple people.
Some small extra features add meat to the game: aside from high scores, each completed song also earns you points to spend on an in-game gacha machine that awards useless but cute cosmetics. There’s a Sweat Mode, which allows you to track how many calories you’ve burned by dancing, and Kids Mode makes a return from previous games with easier dances set to children’s music (it’s where you’d find the aforementioned K3 songs). And if you want to get competitive, there is an online Ranked Mode to play against other players. Also returning from previous installments is the option to play through playlists (either your own or the ones already provided by the game) where you complete a sequence of songs within a theme.
We probably do need to address the elephant in the room though: the Just Dance subscription feature. When buying the game, it only contains a little over forty songs. That’s definitely not nothing, but after a few days of playing, you will probably be sick of them. If you’re planning to play the game a lot, or are using it as a genuine way to exercise, you’ll probably need to get a subscription to unlock the over seven hundred other songs – both old and new – the game has to offer. Just a little something to keep in mind when you’re considering buying this game.
Conclusion
Just Dance 2022 does not bring anything new to the table, but it does stay true to everything that has been enjoyable about playing this franchise. Whether it’s really necessary to release an entirely new game every year just to add a few songs is debatable, but if you’re into adding exercise to your daily routine or are looking for a good time with friends, Just Dance 2022 won’t disappoint you.
Just Dance 2022 - Review,
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