Honestly speaking, when I first heard of Yoostar, I was stoked for it. A chance to be a part of a famous movie, to step into the shoes of famous actors, and speak the lines that made them famous–it all sounded so great. The first Yoostar on consoles wasn't terrible, but it had its fair share of technical issues that made it far from the advertised masterpiece it was thought to be. Fast forward to now, and we got another Yoostar game on our hands, this time transporting us into the very bro-centric world of MTV, its shows, and its music videos.
That's right, if you ever felt like you wanted to be the Situation (for those with puzzled expressions on their face, that's Mike from the Jersey Shore), step into the shoes of Rob or Big, or perhaps live out your bitchy moments as an overly spoiled 16 year-old in My Super Sweet 16, your chance has finally come.
There are a total of 82 scenes available from shows, like the previously mentioned Jersey Shore and My Super Sweet 16, but also other MTV mainstays like MADE, Laguna Beach, The Real World, and The Hills. Even newer shows like Death Valley and the Hard Times of RJ Berger made the cut, but no Teen Mom?! If you don't feel like acting, and you want to be the inner diva that you know you really are, you can opt to perform in various music videos from Lady GaGa, 50 Cent, Far East Movement, Maroon 5, Snoop Dogg and more. Don't have the singing voice? Some music videos even let you lip-synch, so all you have to do is strut your stuff in front of the camera. As you perform, you gain points, which gains you fame. The point? Not sure there is one, but we all like a sense of progression.
That's right, this could be you, sans the poof
If you're so inclined, the game also has DLC that steadily releases with even more scenes from your favorite shows depicting America's youth at its worst, or more music videos so you can belt out your favorite tunes to the world. Let's say that you performed a masterful recreation of the fight between Ronnie and Sammi, and you feel the need to share it with everyone online, you have the option to. Through the Social Lounge, you can upload all your shining moments, as well as view other performers' bits as well. It's a neat sharing tool that brings a sense of community to the game, and I have to admit, it's sometimes more fun to watch other people make fools out of themselves. Who am I kidding, it's always fun to watch other people make fools out of themselves.
Ok hijinks aside, there are a few improvements this time around. For one, the simulated green screen does work much better than in the first Yoostar game. It cut out almost the entirety of my background, save for giving me a slight white outline, but even that can be tweaked a little bit to make it look even better. The worst part however is the camera tracking. Certain scenes require you to be up close, while others require you to be further away. This is fine, except some scenes I had to stand on my tip toes when asked to be far away just to have my face in the camera, and for a scene where I had to be up close, I had to basically kneel infront of the camera, just to be positioned exactly where Yoostar wanted me to be. It's a pain that the Kinect couldn't auto level based on where your face was located. This turned what could have been an extremely enjoyable time with friends into a very annoying experience that had us in uncomfortable positions.
Then there is the problem with scoring, which seems to have no rhyme or reason. I would deliver every line flawlessly, for which I got the deserved score, but when someone else hopped on and decided to say whatever he wanted, he was still able to get perfect, or near perfect scores. Now I realize how silly it is to complain about scoring in a game that shouldn't really have it in the first place, but if it's there, at least make it somewhat functional.
The thing about Yoostar on MTV is that this is a game that will be largely popular during parties or friend get togethers. As a game on its own, I'd be surprised if anyone got real enjoyment out of starring in a scene from the Hills by themselves, but throw it in a crowd of people, and you have an entertaining party that at the very least is good for a few laughs.
