Battle of the Bands Edition!
Posted: November 14, 2008 by Wiispace
Hey there wiispacers, I just want to extend a big thank you to ^_^ who has agreed to contribute to the front page, making it a much better place for everyone! So thank him with some much deserved rep and praise please!
Battle of the Bands
by ^_^
Music games, an entirely new genre in itself. Just three years after the first Guitar Hero’s release, these music games, no matter which one you end up choosing, have become a cultural phenomenon that have taken gamers by storm. But in the recent arrivals of separate titles of the new genre such as Rock Band and Rock Revolution, and the additional hardware and controls, one question rises above all others: Which music game should I get?
GUITAR HERO WORLD TOUR
Perhaps the most well-known music game franchise, Guitar Hero has recently stepped back into the ring with GHWT. The game now includes the option to play bass guitar instead of rhythm, a microphone and a drum set with 3 drum pads, 2 “cymbals,” and a bass pedal. It also has new modes to be introduced to the GH franchise such as music creator, create-a-rocker, and the Wii-exclusive Mii Freestyle, a game mode in which you use Mii avatars to freestyle with the GH guitar and the Wiimote/Nunchuck for drums. GHWT also has a much more broad 86-track soundtrack (containing all master-recordings, by the way); while it has timeless hits such as “Eye of the Tiger,” “Crazy Train,” and “Hotel California,” the game also has many songs from fresh, alternative, and lesser-known artists such as Modest Mouse, Paramore, Silversun Pickups, and Airbourne. Between the huge soundtrack and the downloadable content waiting to burst in, it makes for an enjoyable soundtrack with a lot of variety.
Of course, it has its problems. The music maker is a bit tedious to regularly work with, there’s a 3 minute song cap, and the end results sound a bit cheap overall. The career mode is a bit stale, the overall soundtrack is notably easier than Guitar Hero III, and many users have encountered technical issues. Regardless, holding these problems aside, GHWT is a great game to add to your collection.
Guitar Hero World Tour is available on Wii, Xbox 360, PS2, and Playstation 3.
ROCK BAND 2
The first “band” game to hit home consoles, Rock Band brings out the sequel that is Rock Band 2. Again, you and up to three other people can jam out with a Rock Band guitar (for rhythm and bass), a drum set, and a microphone. The game is very friendly to those seeking extra modes, automatically offering modes such as “Drum Trainer,” “Freestyle Mode” (allowing free play over drums or uploaded MP3 tracks on Xbox 360 or PS3), and “Breakneck Speed” (doubles the track’s scrolling speed). Along with RB2 comes an 84-piece soundtrack that can be added onto with over 300 downloadable songs both new and available from the original Rock Band. Having variety from the beginning, RB2 doesn’t change; the game includes hits from Pearl Jam, Beck, Guns N Roses, AC/DC, Billy Idol, and much more. All in all, RB2 doesn’t really have any game-breaking problems to condemn. It’s a fantastic title that is definitely worth your money.
Rock Band 2 is currently available for Xbox 360 and Playstation 3, but will be available to Wii and PS2 owners this December.
ROCK REVOLUTION
Rock Revolution is like the weird kid nobody likes at your school. The soundtrack isn’t really that terrific, there’s no narrative plot, and only two tracks of the meager 41-track soundtrack are master recordings, the rest being covers by guitarist Steve Ouimette. On the Xbox 360 and PS3, gamers use guitar and drum peripherals (which must, at the moment, be from Guitar Hero and Rock Band titles, seeing as Konami has yet to release either a drum or guitar piece for the game) to play various rock songs. On the Wii, players simulate drums and guitar with the Wii remote and Nunchuck rather than individual controllers for each instrument. And on the DS, players will use onscreen gestures to pick out notes. None of the games, with the exception of the DS version, support microphone functionality. RR holds a nice studio mode similar to GHWT’s music creator, but it doesn’t hold much overall. I wouldn’t recommend this title; there are better options out there.
Rock Revolution is available for Xbox 360, Playstation 3, Wii, and DS.
ULTIMATE BAND
Ultimate Band, like Rock Revolution, uses the Wii remote and Nunchuck controls to simulate air-guitar and air-drum functionalities and touch screen functionality on the DS. The soundtrack, although said to be broad, is estimated to have around 30 songs (all cover songs) on the Wii soundtrack and 15 to the DS. Artists include The Who, Pink, Jonas Brothers, and Cheap Trick.
In addition, the games offer a couple perks exclusive to Ultimate Band. DS users will be able to create and record their own songs, and will also be able to wirelessly connect with the Wii version of the game to control various stage effects while the Wii band is playing. While it’s certainly not the best of its kind, make sure to look out for Ultimate Band for the Wii and DS on 18 November.
