YOUR opinions on Rock Band, Guitar Hero, etc?

Burning Eclipse

Needless to say (but here goes anyway): Mods, don't move this. I already know the opinions of the regular posters in the 'Guitar Hero & Rock Band' forum; I want to know how others feel about these games.

Eurogamer recently reviewed Rock Band 3 and awarded it 10/10. Queue lots of comments complaining about the score, that a rhythm game couldn't deserve so high a mark. Also a number of comments about learning a real instrument, etc. It's nothing we haven't seen before.

I want to know how regular gamers feel about rhythm games?

I love them to bits, and make no apology for doing so, but I've seen people on these boards mocked because they like them.

Just in case anyone feels the need to tell me to learn a real instrument, I've been playing guitar for about 10 years.

Anyway, I'd really appreciate your feedback on this

chin_grin

They're flashy shiny quick play games that usually lose their sheen well before the next one comes along.

I picked up GH 3 on a whim (and that everyone else was playing it and I gave in to peer pressure). And thought it was the sh!t. I've played it a total of 12 hours and now the only opinion I have of it is that it's actually sh!t.

Not cos I'm in any way bad (ok, I am!). Just because it's not enjoyable listening and playing along to sh!tty songs that I have no interest in.

Kiith

How is it any less of a game then, say, Halo or Modern Warfare? I bought Guitar Hero World Tour a few years ago, along with Rock Band 2, and they are still regularly played. Great games, either solo or in a group. They have probably helped me broaden my taste in music as well, as there are some fantastic songs that i probably would never have listened to otherwise.

I think 10/10 might be a bit generous, but then i'd say the same about most 10/10's lately.

Korvanica

Hate these games, my housemates love them... Wish they would play a real bloody instrument and stop taking over the tv and wrecking my ears with the CLICK CLICK CLICK CLICK of the bloody controllers...

rizzla

Nothing against them. Own a few myself but would not feel inclined to buy the next installment. They're all very similar and just refine the experience.

mcgovern

They are grand for what they are, have Rock Band, Band Hero and Beatles Rock Band, and they usually only get played if the nieces/nephews etc are staying over, keeps them happy so that's me happy

Duggy747

They're quite funny to play when you have a mate or 2. Me and a friend used to have dead-close epic battles with "Wayward Son", the points differences would always be just around 50-100 points off.

Other than that I see them as a fun party novelty.

Shryke

I only ever play them with other people and usually with a few drinks. They're good party type games but I wouldn't buy one myself or bother playing on my own. I have a real guitar.

dreamers75

I like them altho would like a case that everything folds neatly into that isnt really big.

Pain in my ass setting up the wired Rockband so much so i cba playing, just the thoughts of setting it up bore me

Great games tho as a party style game.

Retr0gamer

I really like them but haven't bought one since Guitar Hero 3. I just haven't had the money for the full kit and don't have the space to set it up. Setting up one of my consoles to play is a pain enough without setting up drumsets. I wish I could play them more but I've taken up real guitar and think that deserves more time and even still I'm not practicing it enough either.

Penn

I don't think a rhythm game should have gotten 10/10 to be honest. I've nothing against them, but to be considered as one of the greatest games of all time? They're great for a laugh, well made and some of the songs can be a real challenge on harder difficulties. But after the first one, each one offers very little new features or ideas. It's the same game over and over again, except they find a way to add a new instrument.

Nothing from those games can offer what a 10/10 game should. The graphics don't matter. The gameplay is the same no matter if your holding a guitar or the drumsticks. There's no story. And what's more, they're also more expensive and have way too much DLC, driving the cost up even more.

Like I said, for what they are, they're great. But a 10/10 game? Not in my opinion

Retr0gamer

They're no Gitaroo man or Osu! Tatakae! Ouendan!

NotorietyH

Considering Rock Band 3 goes a long way in teaching you how to play a real instrument with the introduction of the pro modes, the old "learn to play a real instrument" argument seems even more tired and redundant than it already was.

I love the Rock Band series, (and actually took up a real instrument because of it) and if people can't see the difference between people hanging out having fun playing a music game, actually participating in the experience rather than sitting around watching YOU play guitar because you can, then I don't know what to say.

I'm not too fond of the Guitar hero series, personally prefer Rock Band, mainly because I feel Rock Band goes a long way in making you feel involved in the music, giving you some semblance of connection with the music, and a great sense of immersion. That's the thing I look for most in video games, is that sense of immersion and it's what Rock Band pulls off seemingly effortlessly and I can easily seei it deserving the perfect scores Rock Band 3 is getting.

paddyirishman85 wrote: »

The gameplay is the same no matter if your holding a guitar or the drumsticks.

It's not, they're different.

Burning Eclipse

paddyirishman85 wrote: »

I don't think a rhythm game should have gotten 10/10 to be honest. I've nothing against them, but to be considered as one of the greatest games of all time? They're great for a laugh, well made and some of the songs can be a real challenge on harder difficulties. But after the first one, each one offers very little new features or ideas. It's the same game over and over again, except they find a way to add a new instrument.

Nothing from those games can offer what a 10/10 game should. The graphics don't matter. The gameplay is the same no matter if your holding a guitar or the drumsticks. There's no story. And what's more, they're also more expensive and have way too much DLC, driving the cost up even more.

Like I said, for what they are, they're great. But a 10/10 game? Not in my opinion

According to who, or what standards? The story in Super Mario Galaxy has less going for it that the one in Rock Band 3, but I'll be damned if that's not a solid 10/10.

Also, to say that it's the same game over and over again show's a genuine lack of knowledge about Rock Band 3.

Finally, I don't understand how having a huge selection of DLC could possibly be considered a bad thing?

johnny_ultimate

The 'learn a real instrument' argument is the same you could apply to something like FIFA (just go play football) or fighting games (just go learn a martial art and to shoot fireballs). I'm sorry, but it really isn't the most effective argument, especially with RB3 being some seriously advanced music tuition software.

I, in short, love Rock Band. I loved Guitar Hero 1 and 2, and then spent a ****ing fortune on Rock Band 1 and 2 and loved them too. Rock Band 3 is yet another progression on the formula, the addition of what is close to an actual keyboard (or KEYTAR) one of the most exciting gaming advances of the year.

It's a skill based game: like Street Fighter, FIFA of countless others its one that rewards mastery of the game system. Getting through a particularly rough solo is a joy, definitely comparable to pulling off a high score or combo in what may be seen as more traditionally 'hardcore' gaming experiences.

It's a game that can be played both competitively and casually. I spent Saturday night playing RB3 with younger and older family members, only one or two of us being able to play above medium or easy difficulty. Yet we all had a blast, for completely different reasons. To bridge that gap between hardcore and casual is some achievement.

It is the game that has set the high bar for DLC. So many games have awful DLC like extra weapons or skins. Rock Band has a HUGE and VARIED array of downloadable songs. I've found some of my all time favourite songs in the Rock Band store, and it's always a joy to be able to play them. The on disc song selections are always fantastic, but Rock Band allows you to personalise and enhance your library with songs that you like, meaning that most Rock Band libraries are full of songs the player genuinely loves.

In short, Rock Band is one of the most accomplished series out there. Guitar Hero is a pale shadow of the Harmonix days, now favouring generic metal and overlong guitar solos over the mixed and enjoyable playlists Harmonix provides. Whereas GH is trying to please an ever decreasing fanbase who wants the games to get harder and harder, Harmonix is consistently trying to enhance the player experience without ever removing the fun from the equation. They are some of the best game developers out there at the moment, the 'real instrument' abilities of Rock Band 3 perhaps the most successful evolution in gaming this year. Picking up that keyboard, I'm in no doubt that Harmonix have made one hell of a game.

Numbers like '10' are redundant when it comes to reviewing something like Rock Band. But as an experience, it is so far an incredible climax of an ever improving genre. I remember the sheer joy of picking up my first plastic guitar a half a decade or more ago now. Playing the Power of Love on keyboard is equivalent to that feeling. Rock Band 3 is simply one of the best games of the year.

Grumpypants

I love them and have bought each game since GH3 from both series and even the Singstar Guitar game that came out last week.

Rock Band 3 has a feature where you can plug in your real guitar and play the songs which is far better than just playing the song on just a guitar as you have the rest of the band backing you and a decent singer.

As for this learn a real instrument bull, as if taking 2 years to be able to play ba ba black sheep out of tune can be compared to taking 5 mins to learn the Who on hard difficulty.

And it could be applied to any game, don't buy FIFA buy a football, don't buy COD go to Afghanistan, don't buy left for dead just get your own zombie infested city..... well ok not every game.

Retr0gamer

I don't think the 10 is unjustified. At this moment is there really a better game in the genre than Rock Band 3?

Grumpypants

Retr0gamer wrote: »

I don't think the 10 is unjustified. At this moment is there really a better game in the genre than Rock Band 3?

People get hung up on 10/10 scores. All i take 10/10 to mean is its brilliant. RB3 is brilliant therefore its justified.

Thing is if you don't like Rhythm games then you wont like this, people also don't like Fallout but those people are stupid

Magill

I personally dont like ryhme games, know some people love them so yeah.. whatever floats your boat. Ratings are always going to be dependant on whos playing them, i personally wouldn't rate them, just like i wouldn't rate a football or racing game because i've no real interest in playing them.


Its pretty much the same with music, really pisses me off when some dickhead that doesnt even like one of my favorite bands does a review and sticks an ole 5/10 on it or some ****, when everyone that actually likes the music would have it at 9-10/10

johnny_ultimate

Retr0gamer wrote: »

I don't think the 10 is unjustified. At this moment is there really a better game in the genre than Rock Band 3?

There's this great game I've been hearing about called Rise of the Six String...

Penn

Burning Eclipse wrote: »

According to who, or what standards? The story in Super Mario Galaxy has less going for it that the one in Rock Band 3, but I'll be damned if that's not a solid 10/10.

Also, to say that it's the same game over and over again show's a genuine lack of knowledge about Rock Band 3.

Finally, I don't understand how having a huge selection of DLC could possibly be considered a bad thing?

Well, first off, I said this was all my opinion. Secondly, what great new gameplay features does RB3 offer? More buttons to press in the Pro Mode? Extra instrument in which you have to press buttons in a sequence shown on the screen? It's all the same. I'm not saying they're bad games, but there is very little variation in the gameplay. There might be new challenges etc, but they're little more than "play these songs" from what I've heard.

Of course, every game at heart is "press these buttons", but there's usually a strategy. I have nothing against the RB or GH games, they're good for what they are. But as one of the best games of all time? To be considered as being as good as GTA Vice City, or Metal Gear Solid 1&3? Sorry, Not in my opinion.

As for my comment regarding the DLC, Cost has to be a factor in if a game is value for money. And with the cost of RB3 with the keyboard, Pro guitar, new cymbals for drums etc, not to mention how all the reviews I've read comment on how great it is that RB3 can use all the songs you've previously downloaded (which is nearing 2000 songs released), the cost is far too much to justify giving such a game 10/10 in my opinion. If I'm going to pay that much for a game, I would want one hell of a game. And from what I've seen, RB3 isn't it.

Look, it's just my opinion on the matter. Lord knows I've been wrong before. And it's a subjective thing at the end of the day. I like the games, but I don't think any of then should get 10/10

Sabre0001

paddyirishman85 wrote: »

Well, first off, I said this was all my opinion. Secondly, what great new gameplay features does RB3 offer? More buttons to press in the Pro Mode?

What? You know that pro mode is completely different - guitar has frets + strings -> ok, the standard has buttons to make up the string on each fret but if you go for the more interesting MIDI guitar, it's all strings.


Back to the topic at hand. I enjoy them but don't tend to play as much on my own. As a result, I pale in comparison to the Gods that I play with...but I am still allowed enjoy it.

It has made small developments that have helped me enjoy it more too - band no longer suffers as much because of me (I fail and therefore we have to retry or leave) with the way you can work yourself back in (Lego Rock Band) or the way bands don't fail now unless all members are crap.

I enjoy DJ Hero too as it offers something different.

With all of these, I like that I get to hear different music and experiment a little. Some great reminders of songs I have liked but haven't heard in ages and some completely new. Plus, some of the mixes in the DJ Hero games shouldn't work and yet, do!

ongarite

paddyirishman85 wrote: »

Well, first off, I said this was all my opinion. Secondly, what great new gameplay features does RB3 offer? More buttons to press in the Pro Mode? Extra instrument in which you have to press buttons in a sequence shown on the screen? It's all the same. I'm not saying they're bad games, but there is very little variation in the gameplay. There might be new challenges etc, but they're little more than "play these songs" from what I've heard.

Maybe if you did a bit of background checking before your rant about Rock Band 3, you might find it seems to taken "why don't you learn how to play a real instrument" argument to heart and included this feature.

The game features a 25-key, 2 octave MIDI keyboard or you can use various electronic keyboards using MIDI adaptor to learn how to play keyboards certain tracks.

It also has a real guitar teaching mode, using either a hybrid button/string guitar or a MIDI-compatible Fender Stratocaster with finger-sensing technology.
The aim of these is to teach you how to play the tracks in the game, each and every note as it would be on a "real" guitar; all in a fun to learn environment of a game.

Twilightning

This section from Rock Band 3's wiki article summarizes the game's universal acclaim pretty nicely:

Chris Kohler of Wired described the experience he and a friend had where after playing though Devo's "Whip It" on Pro guitar and keyboard, they were able retain enough muscle memory to play their respective parts on real instruments, albeit not perfectly; Kohler summarized his experience that "Just playing Rock Band 3 taught us a little bit of actual music".

If I pick up any musical instrument and I'm able to play a passage or section of any song after playing Rock Band 3, that's when I say "Wow, this game's really something."

Sisko

Personally I don't get it at all.

The game is pressing the coloured button at the right time, and repeat. With music playing in the background. The timing of the button presses being roughly in line with the track and thats it.

You could make it in flash in a day. But people seem to get a buzz from this , I don't understand it at all.

Maybe they're easily able to lose themselves in it and imagine they are playing the song at some level. I dunno. I don't think I'll ever understand it.

Heres someone playing a similar game but using a keyboard

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oDHUo6bTh3M

Theres some buzz people get from repeating button presses to timing that I don't get but meh whatever, people find enjoyment from it.

I'm not gonna be telling people to learn a real instrument but I can see it making sense I guess if you really are going to be sitting down and practicing something over and over and training your muscle memory.

But again I don't get it so thats just me.

Sabre0001

Sisko wrote: »

Theres some buzz people get from repeating button presses to timing that I don't get but meh whatever, people find enjoyment from it.

.

I have to ask and I'm not trolling but do you get a thrill from cracking a difficult combo in a fighting game? (and yes, I understand the greater meta-game)...I ask because some people spend hours upon hours in training mode or beating all the trials etc.

I find that I do - only instead of creating music, I'm creating PAAAAIIINNNN! (Pity I can't bring that when it matters though).

Sisko

Only if that combo was performed during a match against a human opponent at the perfect moment. And that buzz is combined with the fact that I correctly predicted and read my opponents moves and reacted accordingly.

Only reason I ever have to learn and practice a combo in a fighting game, is so I can take full advantage of situations when facing a human player.

I'm not the type of player that spends hours on the trails in SF4 etc, I'd imagine the players that do are the same that enjoy guitar hero etc.

Penn

ongarite wrote: »

Maybe if you did a bit of background checking before your rant about Rock Band 3, you might find it seems to taken "why don't you learn how to play a real instrument" argument to heart and included this feature.

The game features a 25-key, 2 octave MIDI keyboard or you can use various electronic keyboards using MIDI adaptor to learn how to play keyboards certain tracks.

It also has a real guitar teaching mode, using either a hybrid button/string guitar or a MIDI-compatible Fender Stratocaster with finger-sensing technology.
The aim of these is to teach you how to play the tracks in the game, each and every note as it would be on a "real" guitar; all in a fun to learn environment of a game.

I know that. I never mentioned the argument about "Just learn a real instrument" because I disagree with it. I think being able to use real instruments as part of it is a great idea. I've owned GH1&3, and my friend has RB2. I've played them. I've enjoyed them. I've loved hearing new songs which gets me interested in new bands. I've enjoyed the rush of finally finishing that one song you get stuck on for ages. I think they're great games.

My point is that I don't think the current games out can be considered to be one of the greatest games of all time. Because that's what 10/10 implies.

Agricola

Dont like them at all. Invariably, every games podcast has a rhythm music game section these days. I always fast forward through it! I consider them only slightly better than Wii shovelware. I always gravitate towards RPG's, sports sims, FPS's, this kind of game doesnt interest me at all

Im not a big music head anyway but I can fully understand how it allows music lovers to act out their rock star fanstasies, but its just not for me.

Jazzy

annoying games in all areas

Fnz

Burning Eclipse wrote: »

Eurogamer recently reviewed Rock Band 3 and awarded it 10/10. Queue lots of comments complaining about the score, that a rhythm game couldn't deserve so high a mark.

Saying that a rhythm game couldn't deserve 10/10 is one of the stupidest things I've read in this whole thread. :rolleyes: