Review
Space Channel 5 just about has it all: high production values, a unique storyline, good music, and even an appearance by Michael Jackson. In fact, the only thing Sega forgot to include was the gameplay. Much like an overstuffed summer blockbuster, it's high on style and devoid of substance. There's no denying that it looks great, but then again, so did Dragon's Lair back in 1983. The comparison between the two games is an appropriate one. In both, you watch some animation, press buttons in a predetermined sequence and pray you got the timing right.
The first instinct of most players will be to quit within a minute of starting Space Channel 5. (My first thought was, "How can they call this a game?") But if you fight through the initial annoyance, you'll likely get past the first level. Then the real frustration sets in, and only super-hardcore fans of the genre will remain interested.
Memorization-based, cue/response gameplay is the norm for dancing sims, but Space Channel 5's reliance on audio-only cues is troublesome. The aliens speak commands in semi-intelligible pseudo-English, and in later levels it all blends together into one squeaking sound. To make things even worse, the game uses at least three different ways to say the word "shoot." The announcer pronounces it properly, the aliens say something that sounds like "kick," and Ulala says "choo."
Speaking of Ulala, she's probably the game's biggest draw. Everyone will get a kick out of this stylish babe, who looks like Lara Croft with a wardrobe out of The Fifth Element. She's a worthy mascot for Sega, who will hopefully one day put her in a game more worthy of her talents.
The amazing visual look of Space Channel 5 is achieved through a nearly seamless combination of pre-rendered FMV backgrounds and polygon-based characters. This allows for some high-quality eye candy, but unfortunately rules out any three-dimensional interaction. The advantage of polygon graphics is the freedom of movement they allow, but Space Channel 5 keeps you locked into a single perspective.
For a game based on music, the tunes are surprisingly forgettable. The wacky songs of Parappa the Rapper and Um Jammer Lammy stuck in your head, but the tracks here are often barely audible. There are some nice beats, and the voice acting is good, but don't go looking to buy the soundtrack.
In the end, there's something perverse about such beautiful images wrapped around gameplay so devoid of life and innovation. Have we really come this far only to play "Simon" wrapped in a pretty package?
Graphics 
The colorful, stylish visuals are Space Channel 5's selling point, and they don't disappoint. For all its gameplay faults, it's a great game to look at.
Sound 
Adequate music and fine voice acting, but the cues spoken by the aliens are hard to make out.
Enjoyment 
The enjoyment of Space Channel 5 comes from watching its visuals and dance choreography, but it's not worth slogging through mindless gameplay to see what comes next.
Replay Value
Each level consists of the same patterns every time, so there isn't much use in playing it a second time. In fact, there is isn't much use in playing it the first time around.
Documentation 
It's a simple game, so the instruction manual doesn't have to work too hard to explain what to do.
