The problem when a publisher decides to annualize a series is the absence of real novelties that there may be from one episode to another. Between development deadlines that are too short, lack of creativity or quite simply a drop in motivation, it is always very complicated for developers to be inventive and competitive. And when we remember how Just Dance 2016 was full of new things, we could only fear the worst with the next episode. And indeed, as soon as you navigate through the menus, you can see how little has changed over the past twelve months. It is even enough to relaunch Just Dance 2016 to realize that the menus are neither more nor less than a photocopy of those which were proposed last year. Obviously, we will not go so far as to sue the developers who have simply taken over a clear and fluid structure, but we would still have liked a little more inventiveness on their part. But let's move on. As usual, before launching the first songs, you will have to choose your configuration. Smartphone, PlayStation Camera / Kinect or PlayStation Move, it's up to you to choose how you want the game to recognize your best wiggles, especially since this year, the game will be less lax than before. We'll talk about it in detail a few hundred characters below.
DANCING WITH THE FANS
Otherwise, we find more or less the same modes offered as last year, starting with the “Just Dance” mode which gives access to all of the 40 new songs that are offered on the disc. This is less than in previous years (43 in 2016, 47 in 2014), but you can still access the "Just Dance Unlimited" service introduced for the first time last year and which allows you to benefit from the 200 tracks grouped together in the online library (for a fee), and therefore to find songs on which we had sanded our floor. The "Dance Quest" modes (we chain the choreos according to very specific themes), "Sweat and Playlists" (to find out the number of calories you can lose by dancing) and the World Dance Floor (compete online with other people from the community) are still there, while the friendly "Showtime" mode of Just Dance 2016 has been replaced by the anecdotal "Just Dance Machine" mode where it is a question of chaining choreographies on atypical styles. The idea is indeed to reproduce movements that are off the beaten track by taking oneself for a conductor, a star dancer (with tutu), a New Zealand rugby player doing his Haka, an open-air guitar musician, a French Cancan dancer. Why so many WTFs? To provide energy to extraterrestrials out of fuel of course! As usual, if the game does not take itself seriously for a single second, the choreography of the “Just Dance Machine” mode ultimately remains quite limited, if not to say very quickly tiresome.
There may be a reason for this lack of fun this year: the desire to make Just Dance a more elite, less popular game by increasing the difficulty, requiring more precise movements on the part of the dancers.
Unfortunately, this somewhat off-putting side is found in all the songs in the game. Clearly this year, the playlist is one of the least inspired and inspiring since Just Dance 2015 (the worst episode in our opinion). Apart from Beyoncé's Singles Ladies, Justin Bieber's Sorry, Queen's Don't Stop Me Now, O-Zone's very amusing Dragostea Din Tei and the two completely psychedelic Japanese tracks (Oishii Oishii by Wanko Ni Mero Mero and PoPiPo by Hatsune Miku), the choice of music for Just Dance 2017 hardly exudes joy and camaraderie. Even Natoo's song, which we hoped was nice, turns out to be one of the worst in terms of songs and choreo. Proof that the piece was integrated at the last minute, even in a pinch. And it's not just the tracklist that disappoints, the choreographies also lack flavor for us to truly give of ourselves. There may be a reason for this lack of fun this year: the desire to make Just Dance a more elite, less popular game by increasing the difficulty, requiring more precise movements on the part of the dancers. And this desire to make the series a more precise game is something that has been demanded for a long time. Be careful all the same, we remain far from the requirement of a Dance Central, but this year, it will not be enough just to move your wrist to chain the Good and the Perfect. Let's say that from now on, you will have to give a little more of your person since Just Dance 2017 takes better account of the whole part of the body, which forces the shy (or the cheaters) to get into it and be more determined in their movements. Lazy people, for example, will no longer be able to dance while sitting on their couch, they will now have to get up and face their responsibilities.
And it's not just the tracklist that disappoints, the choreographies also lack flavor for us to truly give of ourselves.
As for the graphics, Just Dance 2017 is doing quite well, with its very pop, very neon style that we're starting to know by heart. Like the previous episode, Just Dance 2017 offers dynamic and very animated sets, which perfectly transcribe the saucy and festive atmosphere of this series which has no equal in bringing family and friends together around the same game. It's a pity that the playlist is disappointing and the new releases starving, because there was a way to maintain the good momentum initiated by the excellent Just Dance 2016. We just have to make an appointment next year.
