The Decline Of The Rhythm Game

Have we reached the summit of rhythm gaming? Have we ventured to the top of the viking metal mountain and now we look down on a rockier road full of dead plastic guitars?

I think we have seen a flawless (cough) progression through rhythm gaming that got better and better. Lets take the uphill climb. Pa Rappa, Um Jammer Lammy, Frequency, Gitaroo Man, Amplitude, Donkey Konga, Guitar Hero 1, 2. This is where we were a year a go. Loving Guitar Hero 2 on 360 and thinking it was only a taste of things to come. And it was. But for as much innovation and popularity that Guitar Hero 3 and Rock Band have brought us, they are officially the top of the mountain and the first games to introduce problems into the genre.


Guitar Hero 3 was everything you could of wanted out of the 3rd game... on paper. It had mostly all master tracks, hd- graphics, online, and wireless guitar. But after a few weeks of heavy metal shredding and enjoyment, the beer goggles came off and a few problems became evident. Characters were lame, models looked weird, online works... but what fun is it without being in the same room.

Rockband had a similar feeling after a while. This game is amazing, I mean amazing, but I need 3 friends to commit to playing the same instruments every-night for the next month to keep it fun.

And that is where I am right now. Guitar Hero 3 seems is wear I wanna be when I play alone but the songs and graphics really lack at this point compared to Rockband. But then when I want to shred in Rock Band I quickly drift back to earth as I realize this game this game is much less fun with one guitar.

This problem of which to pick and neither satisfying my full urge to tear ass, is the first in what I feel will be many many more dissatisfactions with the series. The music is getting less and less impressive as most of the best rock songs have already been used and the music pool with drain up eventually. As for new music being debuted on Rock Band, I think this is only a good idea in theory. People are always hesitant to spend their virtual change on things they are not familiar with. (Frogger is a top seller on XBLA) With band oriented games on the way and more product placement in the games, it feels like the best days are behind us. Sure we can still find some fun in the Aerosmith game and more songs in the future, but I think the instal thrill has defiantly worn off and we need innovation to propel the genre at this point. We are at the mercy of Harmonix now to tell us what is cool and see what the next trick they have up their sleeves.

Top 5 of 2007: Brian Edition

Here it is my crazy top 5 personal best games of 07... enjoy.

5# 3D Ultra Mini Golf


3D mini golf of XBLA fame, I loved this game for one simple reason, it was one of the few games I was able to beat Max at. It was fun, easy and highly addictive. The courses were genius and the game physics was perfect. The variety in courses was awesome and it was different every time you played it. My favorite set of courses had to be the Space course, where you were mini golfing on the moon and various other planets. If you hit a ball to hard you could send it into orbit around a planet, really really cool.

#4 Uncharted: Drakes Fortune


Uncharted: Drakes Fortune. Drake made it to my personal top 5 because it was a brand new game on a brand new console that I really had a lot of fun with. Drake made me excited to play my PS3, and gave me a nice 10-12 hour game. Drake, on a personal note, also gave rise to my room mate Zac, making some crazy predictions that came true. When he watched me play it for the first time, he kept saying how there should be monsters running around on this island... little did I know how right he was going to be. He didn't shut up about it for 2 weeks. All in all a solid number 4 spot.

#3 Bioshock

I hope this doesn't piss to many people off, but I just thought there were so many good games this year. Bioshock really took to a different light and made a new experience right from the start. The plasmids were so cool and the upgrades to your weapons were great too. I think that if I had been better at Bioshock it would be higher on my list, and if the ending was so terrible, but oh well. Here's to you number 3.

#2 Scene It


Scene It: Lights Camera Action! OK this might be a lame choice for some of you, but damn it this game is awesome! My friends and I have had some amazingly heated games of the board game scene it, and now being on a console with actual buzzers takes this franchise to a whole new level. Its perfectly balanced, the mini games and questions are new and the saving system so you don't repeat scenes and questions is fantastic. Thanks number 2 for more nights to come of scene it craziness.

#1 Guitar Hero 3


And my number 1 personal game of 2007 is... Guitar Hero 3. I know that Rock Band totally destroyes Guitar Hero as a rhythm game that you can play with your friends, and that rock band has a way better DLC library, but Guitar Hero 3 is simply amazing. The wireless guitar is the definition of a perfect upgraded peripheral. The buttons are easier to press and the strum bar makes much less sound. Battling against the likes of Slash, Tom Morello and the Devil were a true test of your skills and the online was again flawless. The songs were tougher than last year and there is a crazy variety so I know I'll be playing well into next year. Everything about the game was great and I've had an amazing time playing it every night. Thanks Guitar Hero 3 for being my number 1.