It was and still is a legitimate phenomenon, but as we roll on into the latter part of this year, our heads are starting to spin. DJ Hero . Guitar Hero 5 . Guitar Hero: Van Halen . And let's not forget the competition in the form of another Rock Band ; The Beatles: Rock Band . I know the music-based genre has become a major cash cow but are we overdoing it?
Really, how many of these games can we have? Will the fans always faithfully respond to multiple releases, even those that release very close to one another? Thing is, I know a lot of Guitar Hero fans but not a one of them plans to buy all three GH titles that are on their way to store shelves before 2009 is out. They'll certainly get one of them, but is that enough? Perhaps what I'm really asking is, "how much does it cost the developers and publishers to pump out these titles?" Maybe this is like "Grease;" a tiny overhead followed by truckloads of money that translates to insane profit. After all, we're not talking about cutting-edge technology in terms of graphics, and let's face it, the mechanical foundation was set in place a long time ago. We've got new instruments and new music, but how we play these games is always the same (essentially). There's no doubt it was a fantastic idea to start with, but really…this is starting to feel like Pokemon, or something.
Up until this point, the barrage wasn't really evident; the launches weren't so close together. But now, it's really obvious that there are more than a few titles scheduled for the next few months, and I'm not sure that even the fans are appreciative. Everyone else is just rolling their eyes. It makes perfect business sense to build on a clearly lucrative concept but there always seems to come a time when we all just have to say, "okay, enough ." Either spread these out a little more or just take a break for a while. We have to assume that even the most ardent Hero fan has to work every now and then.
Duh.
ye dude
i agree
I like to play Bargain Hero. I've never paid more than $30 for these games with accessories. They are fun with a few friends.
Sounds lika a good game. 🙂
I agree. I have GH world tour, and was the first one I got. It was pretty fun and still is. However, I'm not sure Im getting another game of this type (redundant) any time soon.
I don't see any reason to purchase the "NEW" guitar hero games. They are almost identical to previous iterations. I have not seen any new features that are worth the purchase. The new game disc doesn't allow full BC to older downloads. You will just end up purchasing most of your library again. When the the guitar hero DLC are continually growing, what is the point in buying a new disc where you might not like all the songs?
GHIII was great, but afterwards they just killed it. If future Rockband games allow me to transfer existing songs over, i can just purchase a used game and keep building my library.
Scalable franchises like these have very little overhead after the initial releases have been developed.
It costs them very very little to make new ones, thus the variability in titles (DJ, VH, Beatles, Metallica etc) as they don't need the volume the previous titles enjoyed, and can cater to more specific audiences.
The only guitar hero anyone needs is Guitar Hero II. That's enough as it is. All the other spin off stuff is just ridiculous. As for Rock Band…you just need Rock Band. If you don't have a console…but you do have a PSP – enjoy Rock Band: Unplugged.
Seriously, if you get only one RB game, get RB2. Everything is improved except for some odd omissions in the interface (which HMX is supposedly fixing in a patch, if it ever comes).
On topic, there are definitely too many of these games this year. Ben didn't even mention GH: Metallica, Band Hero, or LEGO Rock Band by name.
What did you expect from the studio who brought you 421 Tony Hawk games?
Last edited by Fane1024 on 9/8/2009 6:38:56 AM
Never understood the fun in these games. I find them boring as hell and a waste of time. I'd much rather sit down and explore a new world filled with interesting characters and a great storyline than stand in front of my tv with a plastic guitar pushing buttons in as the screen tells me to.
Couldn't agree more…
Yeah, but if you really ..truly love music and games, then it can be heaven. Also, think of how much a game like Tetris has been played over the years, what's the point of playing a puzzle game? To get good at it, to get a high score. Well …GH is a puzzle game, but with great music. Obviously depending on your tastes.
Last edited by Zemus101 on 9/7/2009 11:10:49 PM
@zemus101
im sorry zemus101 but i think if a person really loves to play games then that person would buy a game with a different genre, engine, story, characters, soundtrack, experience (i could go on….) rather than buying a game that involves listening to music.
Don't make me feel like I'm the only one that absolutely loves Guitar Hero 😛 Because I'm not. I love music, and I play a lot of games. Guitar Hero is great to play for an hour when I can't find anything else that I feel like playing. When I want to listen to music, I'll actually feel like I'm playing it, and it still sounds great.
GH is not a puzzle game. It's a rhythmic game. Tetris is FAR more complex than GH and it's over 20 years old.
@Limited
You never dreamed of being a rock star? That's the point of RB: feeling like you're playing the songs without the inconvenient business of actually learning a real instrument.
The first time the crowd starts singing along with you is magical.
If you only played GH, I can see how you wouldn't get it; it didn't feel as "right" to me.
Last edited by Fane1024 on 9/8/2009 6:49:58 AM
ok maybe i'm just pissed that they abandoned the frequency and amplitude series haha.
One word to sum it all up "yes" I'm so sick and tired of all these hero games ugh.
i was gonna try a guitar hero game but i never really got to buying one.. and then i noticed that they're making more guitar hero games just by changing the songs only, that's when i said no thanks.
it's just like the saw movies.. i was gonna buy a dvd of saw one (i've never ever seen a saw movie) until i heard the news that they're making a sixth SAW movie.
i guess it's like they're overextending the whole series just by adding stuff, without innovation or a 'new' feature, for a new game price. waste of money in my opinion.
I started playing a little more than a year ago with GH3, was one of the first games I bought for my ps3. I bought World Tour just after last xmas and still play it almost daily today. I want to get Metallica, but only when it's cheaper. I also want to get GH5 asap because I love all the changes they made, and the song list rocks imo. I don't see where they can take the series next, but I'm all for more and more GH games. No one is forced to buy them, but options should be nice right? I can't grasp the reason why people get upset over games being released.
For starters it means less development resources available for games that actually matter to that person. Think of all the time, money, people spent creating these games. I will never benefit from any of it, instead I'd much rather see those resources spent on a game I would play.
Okay, you don't know that as fact, but also ..that's very selfish man. What about the people like me (and it obviously sells very well, they keep making the damn things) that love the games, why would you want us to go without? This is how I listen to my music (most of the time) and even spend time with friends and family this way as well. We get an entire band going of all ages playing songs that they love.
Last edited by Zemus101 on 9/7/2009 11:45:11 PM
You've got to be kidding me. I play video games for entertainment, I think I'm allowed to be selfish and consider the best possibilities of maximizing the potential of my entertainment. With your logic I'm supposed to sit here and twiddle my thumbs due to lack of games out there I enjoy but at least have the happy thought that somewhere you're having a blast with rock band. That's insanity. When it comes to my entertainment via media I'm going to be crystal clear in regards to what I like and what I think should be done to maximize my entertainment.
Oh and what don't I know as fact?
Last edited by LimitedVertigo on 9/7/2009 11:51:08 PM
Guy, what's to stop somebody from saying the same thing about any game series out there? doesn't that make it pointless then to think like that? I don't understand what you're saying exactly. You don't like Guitar Hero, that's fine. But it's insanity that I'm supposed to be fine with whatever game are out there that I don't like? There will always be games that people don't like (obviously doesn't just apply to games) But to deprive millions of people that enjoy it just so that you can… maybe… have something you enjoy sooner? That just doesn't seem right 😛 Life is short, for everyone… I would rather everyone else play their Modern Warfare (Can't think of any other game lol I really have nothing against shooters, there just are a lot of em) and love every minute of it, then wish they stopped making those so I can play more Guitar Hero. I'm hoping someone can give me a really good reason (or if everyone agrees with yours maybe) that they don't like having more Guitar Hero games for sale. Because we're not being forced to buy the stuff. Hell, I've never even seen a Guitar Hero commercial in my entire life.
I already explained in quite obvious words that by the continued development of Guitar Hero and games like it I feel deprived of games I might actually enjoy by the developer. I'm simply voicing my opinion (like everyone else does around here) I didn't type my thoughts and in the same breath expect the world to all of a sudden follow my command. I simply gave you a very logical reason for why people would have a problem with Guitar Hero continuing down the pipeline with what seems like an endless supply of versions. I don't get why it's so hard for you to understand.
BTW I don't care if 5 billion people LOVE Guitar Hero, I despise the game and games like it and since I play videogames to have fun I do believe it's common logic to side with my own personal tastes.
Last edited by LimitedVertigo on 9/8/2009 12:07:13 AM
Come on, no hostility. But um… is that really what everyone thinks? Because I've been hearing this "Guitar Hero bad" thing for awhile now, and I felt safest to bring up how I don't understand it here lol Seems like everyone here feels the same way. But it's just because they think that if this group of programmers weren't working on Guitar Hero, they would be making other games that those people might like? Like I said, that would make sense as long as you speak for everyone. That's all I asked for was some answers. It seems like it's not the same if someone asked about some shooter games. "There are too many FPS!" I think everyone would just do the opposite as they are doing here? Just say that the person has no idea what they are talking about or something 😛
I'm with Zemus on this one. Many many people really love th GH games. Just because you dont like a certian game doesnt mean it is a total waste. Acticision is spending a lot of money on these games, yes, but they are making a hell of a lot more than they spend. It's called busniess. With all the money they are making, they can have more people to work on more games. They are also more likely to try out new games that they wouldnt have tried when they had less money.
Zemus if you disliked my favorite genre and wished less developers developed those type of games I wouldn't have a problem. It's your opinion and your entitled to it. I'm not trying to get hostel, just making sure you understand where I'm coming from. I'm sure there are those that enjoy GH (clearly since it continues to expand)
Jed whose to say a different genre of game wouldn't make the same amount if not more than GH thus insuring growth within the company's game divisions.
Last edited by LimitedVertigo on 9/8/2009 12:46:02 AM
The chances of one company having two different franchises as wildly successful as guitar hero at one time are slim to none.
Wow LimitedVertigo, why don't you just STFU and read what you're saying.
I can't believe you think because Activision are spending money on GH, there won't be any games that you like. You just sound like another Activision hating twat. Get over it. They make good games. People enjoy them.
You like RPG's I'm guessing? Stuff like that? I'm not into RPG's but I'm not here telling people I wish they'd stop making Final Fantasy games so there could be more Guitar Hero's.
Seriously, get over yourself. SELFISH
N a S a H I when did I ever say the presence of GH results in me having zero games to play? I was simply pointing out that if the developer didn't create GH the probabilty of them creating a game I might enjoy increases. You need to read what I write.
Oh no, I'm selfish when it comes to the games I like, boo fu(ben would end up stealing my ck)ing who!
Activision is really overdoing it, haven't they head of oversaturation? Put something out there too much and people will get sick of seeing it.
You're spot on, I can think of only one thing that refuses to follow this trend. PORN
Am I the only one who gets totally creeped out by the people in these games?
Nooosir.
Nope. I was freaked out by the singer in GH3. He looked like a muppet.
Yessssir.
Between me and the rest of my family we've had all the Guitar Hero's and both Rock Bands. They're fun to play in a group, and personally I've found that playing them has increased my appreciation of music.
I dislike the sound of a guitar, there I said it.
You need a new avatar dude.
!!Thug life!!
Waste of time series
I have guitar hero 3 and Metallica. That is really plenty for me. I do think all the games that they are pumping out are overkill. But I don't really have a problem with it.
There are a lot of people out there that want to buy every GH game that comes out, so why should they stop making them?
Seriously, how many of you out there would stop selling something that is almost guaranteed to bring in substantial profit.
I guess what I am trying to say here is, buy the games you like, and let other people buy what they like. If the games start to become truly bad, people will stop buying them and that will be that.
They should stop making them because I see the entire genre as a waste, their existence has a conflict with my personal tastes. I understand there are people that enjoy the genre. There are people that like Canadian bacon, I hate the stuff and would be fine with it no longer being in existence.
Why do you make comments on this site when you are the only thing you care about?
We come to this site to share conversation and our opinions with each other, and say why we feel that way.
You come here to and reply to every body's posts just to disagree. We already know what your self-centered opinion is and we don't care. So do us all a favor and just shut up. We don't want to see you troll our comments anymore.
I agree with plenty of people on here, just because I don't agree with you or several others does not mean I'm in conflict with EVERYONE. Stop complaining because I have a differing opinion than yours, grow up.
you think that games you don't like shouldn't be made, and you're telling me to grow up?
I NEVER said any game I don't like should not be made. I was referring to the plastic guitar games. Everything I've been discussing relates to Guitar Hero and only began after someone asked why someone would be against the game. Excuse me for being respectful and answering someone's questions and giving my own opinion on a related topic.
Yes you do need to grow up, instead of continuing a conversation with me you've decided to stoop to name calling and immature antics all becuase I have a differing opinion than yours.
I remember reading an article saying to stop whining about sequels, but I cant remember where.
sorry for the double post.
That was last week, it shouldn't be too far back.