Much like Osu! Tatakae! Ouendan (Translated Go! Fight! Cheer Squad), Moero! Nekketsu Rizumu Damashii (Burn! Hot-blooded Rhythm Souls) is about a cartoon version of traditional Japanese 'cheer squads', and their superhero-like efforts to help people through adversity with the power of cheering. Each level is about a character with a problem that needs to be overcome (such as an author with writer's block who has mere hours to finish her novel) and is relayed via a series of partially animated comic-book style panels. At the end of the intro, that level's protagonist, at their wits end yells 'Ouendan!' to summon the cheer squad, who then dance and cheer in time with a catchy Japanese pop/rock tune to help motivate the character to succeed in their task. The gameplay is a supercharged touch screen based rhythm game, where you tap and drag numbered dots on the screen in time with the music, generating percussive beats and roughly approximating the gymnastic 'cheer motions' of your squad. The combination of amusing, over the top plots, great music, and compelling and satisfying rhythm based gameplay helped Osu! Tatakae! Ouendan become much more than the sum of it's parts. None of the basics have changed in Rizumu Damashii, it's really just more Ouendan, but given how good the original was, this is a great thing.
Some old friends return for more motivation
So what has changed? Obviously the stories and music are different this time around, and a loose overarching plot has been added featuring a rival cheer squad, with whom you'll play half the game. While the basic gameplay remains identical, there are numerous enhancements in the game's presentation, many carried over from Elite Beat Agents. The map screen is now in full 3D (although unlike EBA's globe, it's still flat), you can now skip song intros and save replays, and there's a comprehensive tracking system, allowing you to review all your high scores and rankings as well as any cinema scenes. There's a more thorough introductory sequence, playing aids have been added to easy mode, and an expanded multiplayer selection, including a single-cart option, makes for a nice extra. On top of this you've got all the improvements you'd expect from any sequel, such as improved graphics and animations, more content (the stage count has been upped from 15 to 19), and many other small improvements such as improved load times.
Of course, while it's nice that everything is better presented in the sequel, all the technical improvements in the world mean nothing if the game isn't fun to play. Ouendan rose to greatness through a combination of addictive rhythm gameplay that perfectly matched the well-selected catchy music, a near perfect difficulty curve, and amusing and well written little stories tempering the madness of the whole concept. At least initially, Rizumu Damashii trips up on some of these elements, especially for veterans of the first game, but it's a short lived (and possibly unavoidable) misstep that eventually rights itself. having played the original to death, we can't say exactly how well balanced the game would be for new players, but it certainly seems like it would play as it's supposed to for those not yet adept at the rhythmic motions required, so if this was your entry point to the series you'd most likely enjoy it from the beginning.
The difficulty and song selection are the first items of concern to seasoned Ouendan players, and upon beginning the game, it's easy to be underwhelmed. The first few stages seem nice, but on normal difficulty a returning player will breeze through them without breaking a sweat – indeed, they're so easy compared to the higher levels of the first game that they could probably be completed with the sound off, based on sight alone, and this ease of progression breaks the Ouendan spell. The appeal of the game is closely matched with the 'Cheer Squad' theme – failing, falling down, and getting back up to try harder. Plowing through the stages without much danger of failure is about as appealing as an old arcade shoot-em-up where the enemies can't damage you for several levels – the whole point is lost. It also hurts your ability to get to know the songs, as you can proceed while barely even listening to them, so you're not forced to 'get into' them to be able to keep up the beat. As a result of all this, the returning player, while recognising the game is still good, may feel slightly let down compared to the sky-high emotional memories of their accomplishments in the first game.
You'll play as the rival blue team for half the levels
But toward the end of normal mode, it begins to click. You'll finally start losing a few stages. Familiarising yourself with a stage's song helps you pass a section, and the feeling of accomplishment returns when you beat what you'd previously failed. Appreciation for the music starts to kick in at this point too, and you'll start to realise that the songs and stages have been crafted every bit as well as those in the original game, and the game finally comes together. After you've been exposed to the songs enough to know them somewhat, hard mode is incredibly enjoyable, and even going back to earn better scores on easy and normal is much more fun. Ans after finally unlocking very hard mode, the game reaches heights of difficulty that will challenge any veteran. The gameplay remains every bit as good as it was in the original, and the technical improvements (such as the ability to skip song intros) help remove some of the frustrations. After a quiet start, the stories pick up the insanity, and some of the plots are even more ridiculous and over the top than the craziest in the first game, even if some are thematically similar. Quite a few characters return from the first game, but they're mostly in cameos, with a new cast of likable characters taking centre stage, leading up to another hilarious cosmic-sized finale.
What any individual thinks of the song selection will obviously be highly subjective, but after significant time with the game, we found that we actually prefer the songs of Rizumu Damashii to the original, which is high praise indeed. With 19 songs (including the three bonus unlockable stages) there's plenty here from a variety of genres. Particular favourites include the fun pop of "Go my way" by Hitomi Yaida (who did the ballard Over The Distance in the first game), Orange Range's funk-rock version of "Monkey Magic", and the delightful 60's flavoured "Julia ni Shōshin" by The Checkers. There are no complete duds, and even those you probably wouldn't normally listen to on their own match their stages and settings perfectly, like a superbly crafted film soundtrack - Ai's pop-ballad "Believe”, featured in Rizumu Damashii's requisite tear-jerker stage is a good example. Some that may even seem strange or even annoying to begin with, usually because they have odd timings, end up some of the most fun to play on harder settings. Like most songs in the original, all tracks are cover versions. Many are very faithful, and hard to distinguish from the originals, but some have been altered to better suit the settings and fit with the mix.
The stories are still as crazy and original as ever
Moero! Nekketsu Rizumu Damashii - Osu! Tatakae! Ouendan 2 is an import-only title and will stay that way. The majority of the text and vocals are in Japanese, but it's easy enough to navigate the menus and options after two minutes of trial and error. You can easily understand the basic plot (and humour) of each stage through the animations and pictures, although some knowledge of Japanese culture will make several stages even more amusing. Of course, the whole appeal of the game is based on an appreciation of modern Japanese culture, pop music and humour, but classic confrontation stories, catchy tunes and dramatic heroes are pretty universal concepts, so unless you have a particular dislike for Japan's take on American pop-musical genres, Rizumu Damashii is recommended for everyone.
Ultimately Rizumu Damashii is simply more, and slightly better, Ouendan. And like the first game, it's also one of the best games on the DS. As is the nature of good but straightforward sequels, it can't have quite the same impact as the first game, but after a couple of slow hours for returning players, it blossoms to be every bit as good as the original. You'll cheer, you'll laugh, and you'll possibly cry. For those who haven't yet, we'd probably recommend grabbing Ouendan first, but Rizumu Damashii is a recommended import for all, and one of the year's best games.
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