Music Games

[mjdgoldeneye]

Here's a poll that I'm running just as a test.

 

In recent years, music games (like Guitar Hero, Rock band, etc.) have been incredibly popular. However, I am fairly certain this year will the the Great Music Game Crash of 2009.

 

Originally, there was just Guitar hero. Then, Guitar Hero II was released. Then, Guitar Hero II AND Rock Band came out. Plus, just before Guitar Hero II was released, Guitar Hero: Rock the 80's was released. Just after III, Aerosmith came out. Then, there came Rock Band 2 and GH: World Tour and DS GH games. After that came Guitar Hero Metallica.

 

Today, Guitar Hero 5 comes out. I bet 2 out of every 5 GH fan didn't even know. (Even if you were sort of following it!)

 

By years end, we'll be seeing The Beatles: Rock Band, Guitar Hero: Van Halen, DJ Hero, Band Hero, probably more DS stuff, etc. It's insane!

 

So, I have to ask, what do you think about the trend? Will it collapse completely?

[mjdgoldeneye]

Personally, I think there's simply too many coming out. Not only are there more choices, but the choices are becoming less and less appealing. I'd like to TRY Guitar Hero: Van Halen, and probably Guitar Hero 5, but I doubt I'll buy either.

 

Personally, I am more of a fan of the Rock Band series. Neversoft and Activision know how to flood the market with derivatives (see: Tony Hawk's Pro Skater series). Harmonix has focused on supporting existing games and Rock Band 2, in my opinion, is the best music game going right now.

[The Masked Orange]

It's a huge market though, easy to understand why they are doing it.

 

For every guitar hero game they buy, the person at home is going to have at least one or two guitars bought for it, so that's lots of money already spent, they are really easy to produce, so easy that I have made one before and the fact that people have proven over and over that they will buy brand new games just for updated characters, and they are now doing the same for soundtracks.

 

But there will be a crash. Trust me.

[i effin rule]

I am not really a fan of the GH series. I played the Metallica one and thought it was OK, but generally I stick to Rock Band. Even then I'm not all about buying songs or anything. I am getting the Beatles bundle though, but that is just the Beatles fan in me.

 

The only reason I even remotely care about GH5 and the only reason I'll gamefly it is because of Johnny Cash.

[masterded]

Will I get Band Hero? No Lego Rock Band? No and Did I buy Guitar Hero M? No.

 

That being said I got Guitar Hero 5 today (best buy had a buy 1 360 game get one 50% off so picked it and Madden up). I for sure will get The Beatles Rock Band on 9-9-09. I will be getting Van Halen (though only because you get it free by buying GH5 in September).

 

The thing is I think they all end up selling good (except Van Halen who will buy it if they can get it and GH5 for the price of one). GH is moving to the RB method of all the songs working for one game. If I am not mistaken after some licensing The Beatles will be the only game after Aerosmith where DLC and songs on disc won't have some kind of way to transfer it to one game (either GH5 or RB2 depending on the title).

[Craig Edwards]

I like the DJ Hero game that is coming out. I think they need to let you hook it up with Guitar Hero and really play some Linkin Park Songs and other Rap Rock bands that use a turn table. Plus i think they need to add another guitar so you can have Lead, Bass and Rhythm Guitar. And i so think they need to redo the drum design as being a drummer myself they just don't feel right. They should move the Snare in the middle so it sits between your legs and then have the other drums and Symbols around it and did do a good job by adding the double bass pedals

 

but my game of choice to play is rock band series as the guiters feel better and it is easier to slide your fingers up and down the neck

[fatallylost]

It's a 50/50 kind of thing. I don't see a "crash" as The Beatles Rockband by itself will garner a **** ton of money. But, I believe it's more the Guitar Hero side that's flooding the market.

 

Rockband consists of 1, 2, and The Beatles. Lego will be 4 in three years, whereas Guitar Hero has what, 9? 10 versions now? I'm probably on the low side there, as I think 5 have come out this year, no? I'm not sure if you really want to count the track packs as separate games, as it just consists of DLC some people may not have access to.

 

I did buy 5 today, and it's good. But, the main selling fact was that I was planning on buying Van Halen, so, this way I'll get 2 games for one, in a sense, so, why not?

 

But, yeah. They need to slow down just a tad. Next year will most likely see Rockband 3, and probably whatever guitar hero 6 is. But, the Harmonix crew was smart by not releasing 3 this year. They concentrated on the DLC for the existing games (which, by the way, completely blows GH out of the water, out of the atmosphere, and about 3 galaxies over) while finalizing a game based on one of, if not the biggest act ever.

 

I played GH Aerosmith... it kinda blew. Even though it had great songs, I don't see myself ever getting it. Maybe if it's free.

 

I bought GH Metallica, and it's fun, if not a bit limited in the end.

[darthsiddus2]

GH Van Halen? holy crap I can't fathom how hard most of the songs will be on expert let alone hard.... good god

[djthefunkchris]

It will fail as fast as that dang Kareoke did...

 

 

Oh wait!

[Astil]

It will fail as fast as that dang Kareoke did...

 

 

Oh wait!

 

When you use words like dang it only enhances my image of you on a rocking chair on your porch posting while yelling at the neighborhood kids, you know this right?

[fatallylost]

GH Van Halen? holy crap I can't fathom how hard most of the songs will be on expert let alone hard.... good god

 

Just to warn you, if you haven't heard anything of it. It's only the David Lee Roth era (in fact, even Michael Anthony is not in the game, let along Hagar)

 

When you use words like dang it only enhances my image of you on a rocking chair on your porch posting while yelling at the neighborhood kids, you know this right?

 

Neighborhood kids?

 

Oh! You're talking about those whippersnappers!

[rodzillahotrod]

im not a big music fan i barley listen to music now, but as far as the games go only thing that ever interested me was rockband because of the drums but i heard gh world tour has it now. i really not sure if they will all fall or not since music is so popular. but besides all of the gh and rockband type of games what about singstar? i got my wife the one for ps3 and i really thought the game blew the online content was really crappy and hard to navigate. i only let her get the game because of being able to download songs with the possibility of being able to play country music (only thing i really like) and last time i checked (probably 5 months after it came out) there was no country music on it. so the game just sits there on the shelf lol. so does anyone else play the karaoke type games?

[Mr T Jobs To Me]

Guitar Hero peaked at 3. I just looked at the track list for GH5 and it sucks, I'd never buy that. I can't see how Beatles Rock Band would provide any enjoyment for people who can play the regular games on hard, no real interest in that either.

 

As for this DJ Hero game that's coming out, I think the only way that could be good is if they just loaded all the boxes with anthrax and eliminated anyone who purchased and opened it from the gene pool. Just no reason for that to exist, it makes me sad that the cash cow was milked to this extent.

[mjdgoldeneye]

Guitar Hero peaked at 3. I just looked at the track list for GH5 and it sucks, I'd never buy that. I can't see how Beatles Rock Band would provide any enjoyment for people who can play the regular games on hard, no real interest in that either.

 

I think GH5 is a good mix of the songs I've been waiting for since 2 (Smells Like Teen Spirit, etc.), random classics (Johnny Cash), and the music I listen to on a regular basis.

 

Because I know many of the songs already, I can tell you that if you're looking for songs that are fun to play and don't really care about the mystique or legacy of the song, GH5 is ideal. Nearly all of the songs in the game have incredibly catchy parts that'll be awesome to play (Plug in Baby, Brianstorm, etc.).

 

Personally, I really disliked World Tour, but I think 5 will be fun. I may very well get it.

 

As for this DJ Hero game that's coming out, I think the only way that could be good is if they just loaded all the boxes with anthrax and eliminated anyone who purchased and opened it from the gene pool. Just no reason for that to exist, it makes me sad that the cash cow was milked to this extent.

 

It appears you aren't aware of how influential the wheels of steel really are!

 

DJing often gets a bad reputation, but I am a big fan of mash-ups (every song in the game is a combination of at least 2 songs). Plus, there's a great amount of skill involved in mixing and the game seems to have the set up down very well. The game looks like it'll be much harder than GH and Rock Band simply because of the level of rhythm and dexterity involved.

 

Whatever its intent, DJ Hero isn't a corny mockery of music and video games. (And DJing isn't an amateur's art.) The game is shaping up to be on par with the best GH and Rock band games.