For Those About to Rock!
I was a happy gamer when Guitar Hero came out. I was even happier when the game took off and became a bonafide phenomenon with the sequel. Just as I finish Guitar Hero III on Medium (it’s excellent), a giant box appears at my door. Yes! Rock Band is here! As I unpack and begin to assemble the drum kit, tear into the guitar box (and the second separate box containing guitar #2), unpack the microphone and crack the shrink wrap of the game I mumble to myself:
“Do they really think a lot of people are going to want this in their living room?”
Rock Band is gaming hubris – it’s a huge risk, at high cost, for a dubious audience. For one thing the game assumes you have at least three players handy (it can be played using any single instrument but is made for multiplayer) who are committed to learning the game and their instrument, that you have sufficient space for a drum kit, guitars, and mic, and that you’ve got $200 for the bundle (add another guitar as bass, and you’ve got a quartet).
That’s a lot of assuming. Especially since the people with the most free time to play a game like this – and synchronize 4 schedules together, are the people who tend to have the least amount of spending money. So who is Rock Band for? The rich? The spoiled? The insane?
Put me in that last category – okay, the two last categories – because I would have bought this game in a heartbeat if it wasn’t sent to me by EA and MTV. I LOVE rhythm games. I have four Donkey Kongas, two Taiko Drums, a set of Maracas and Samba de Amigo, Elite Beat Agents and I even imported Taiko for the DS. Karaoke Revolution, SingStar, DDR, I love them all. Why? Because they’re good for kids. They’re active, they stimulate imagination, and they teach an appreciation for a dying musical form. Real deal Rock & Roll!
Now, if only my kids were older or I had a few more friends with free time and a videogame inclination . . . .
(PS: Good luck Harmonix. I want Rock Band to succeed and I’ve been a fan since Frequency.)
November 16th, 2007 at 1:59 pm
So jealous. I’d love to do Rock Band, but I don’t have the money, space, or time that it requires.
Definitely agree on the benefits of rhythm games for children. Even the ones without fancy accessories still expose children to different musical styles, artists, and teach (directly and indirectly) about song structure.
November 16th, 2007 at 2:14 pm
I played it a bit and it’s interesting. The strum switch is softer and doesn’t clack, but the colored buttons click instead. Cuts down on the noise, which is good. Medium is easier but the difficulty ramps up pretty quick. I think Harmonix paid more attention to that this time out. The song list is great from a “original artist” point of view… but Guitar Hero III rocks harder, Guitar Hero II is still the high watermark, and even GH 1 is a bit cooler than Rock Band. I may change my tune – pun intended – as I unlock more but “Here it Goes Again” doesn’t compare to 70s-90s ear bleeders.
Gonna try the drums soon. With my finger I can’t compete with my friends so I think I’ll do the drums.
November 16th, 2007 at 2:15 pm
Oh, all the above said I think Rock Band is a better guitar game than GH3. It doesn’t rock as well but I like how Harmonix tweaked and improved on the basic game.
November 17th, 2007 at 12:33 pm
I played ROCK BAND with a friend last night (it occurred to me that simply by rigging a mic stand – one person could play AND sing. MUST try that soon!)… is really really great. Worth the money, even if you just run through the entire game playing each instrument. And the drums kick butt. It’s worth the bundle price is what I’m saying. Harmonix made a prestige project. It’s quality stuff and stellar gameplay!
November 17th, 2007 at 11:16 pm
Yeah too expensive for my blood. It will interesting to see how Rock Band does given the price.
I don’t have much interest in this or GH either so it’s not just price.. I guess I couldn’t get past that it’s pretty much the same as every other rhythm game plus I play real guitar.
November 18th, 2007 at 7:31 am
I enjoy rythmn games, but the price of this one (1/2 of a console) will keep me out of it for a good while to come…
November 18th, 2007 at 11:31 am
A study by Joystiq suggests that there are about 12 million more groupies waiting for Guitar Hero III than Rock Band.
November 18th, 2007 at 6:32 pm
Which is exactly my point.
Harmonix sold out and decided to go even deeper into the potential of the game. The game is affordable… only that it’s worth the price. The gear is VERY high quality and the game is VERY well made.
It’s a prestige piece and fun as all get out – even in single player. I mean, I can do each song in the game using GUITAR, BASS, DRUMS, or VOCALS. I can even drum and do vocals, which is my next trick.
@ Freakhead
Great point. GH is mainly so you can FEEL like you’re playing guitar. It’s not the same thing as real guitar. But then again, I know like 5 guitarists who love the game. Appeal to anecdote, I know.
November 19th, 2007 at 11:23 am
I honestly don’t think price is going to affect sales. Their target market is the people who happily shelled out almost the same price for a copy of Guitar Hero and an extra guitar and bought direct from Red Octane the moment the game was released, not the solo GH player who bought into it once it became a phenomenon.
This target market also doesn’t have young children running around (yet) 😉