My relationship with Just Dance 2014 has been a rollercoaster of initial skepticism followed by brief moments of enjoyment. At first glance, it seemed like just another attempt to cash in on the rhythm game craze. However, digging deeper, I discovered a surprisingly diverse tracklist that piqued my interest. Could this game actually turn me into a better dancer? Unfortunately, the reality was a bit more complicated.
To truly experience Just Dance 2014, I dove in with a friend for some two-player action. Immediately, we were both puzzled about what the game truly expected from us. Perfectly mirroring the on-screen dancer’s moves felt nearly impossible, especially for amateur dancers like ourselves. The on-screen indicator, meant to guide us, seemed more like a suggestion than a precise tool. After several songs, a clear picture emerged: Just Dance 2014 prioritizes general motion detection over accurate rhythm-based dance tracking. Before long, we were successfully playing while practically seated, waving the Wii remote with minimal effort.
Any basic movement registered as progress, and even a simple wrist flick with the Wii remote could boost our score considerably. While I wasn’t expecting a professional-grade dance simulator, the game’s leniency was, to put it mildly, disappointing.
Despite these fundamental issues, I must admit that Just Dance 2014 offered fleeting moments of genuine fun. If you gather a group of friends who are willing to embrace the game’s premise, despite its loose interpretation of dance skills, you can have a reasonably entertaining time. Watching each other’s exaggerated movements and playfully arguing about who deserved the higher score becomes part of the charm. This is where the new Party Master Mode had the potential to shine, but it also fell short of expectations.
Party Master Mode allows one player to dictate dance moves for others to perform. However, the incredibly short timer between move selections undermines the fun. After choosing a particularly silly or challenging move, the last thing you want to do is immediately stress about the next command. You’d rather savor the moment, laugh at your friends’ attempts, and then decide the next move. Extending the selection timer by a few seconds could have significantly improved this mode, which, at its core, is a genuinely fun but poorly executed concept.
Ignoring these complaints, the game does boast a respectable collection of songs, both contemporary hits and classics, and the on-screen visuals are undeniably vibrant and engaging. However, the restriction of certain songs to specific modes feels limiting, and the fact that several modes are locked behind in-game currency paywalls is frustrating. If you have friends ready to fully commit to the experience, you might find some enjoyment, as I did, but that fun stems more from the social interaction than the game’s inherent qualities.
Anyone seeking a precise rhythm game will likely be let down by the lack of accuracy in Just Dance 2014. Similarly, those hoping to hone their dance skills with real-time feedback would be better served by instructional dance videos. Just Dance 2014 is likely destined to be a party staple, and perhaps that casual, social environment was Ubisoft’s primary focus. But ultimately, Just Dance 2014 feels like a visually appealing facade built upon what is essentially a glorified interactive dance video.
