Guitar Hero: WT is posing stiff competition to Rock Band 2
Everyone who knows me can tell I’m addicted to rock games. While more hardcore gamers may look down their nose at its fans, there is nothing more fun to me lately than banging around on my Rock Band drums.
I snatched up the first and second Rock Bands, but I was hesitant about Guitar Hero: World Tour. I feel like I need to pick a side in the music game war, lest I’ll be spending even more of my cash on peripherals, and that side seemed easy to pick after the soulless effort that was Guitar Hero III.
But now they have to go and make it hard. Harmonix promised additional free tracks after the release of Rock Band 2, so I was excited to see what they’d offer. And then they had to go and critically fumble. Who are they catering to with this track selection? Indie music fans… who probably don’t play video games? Nice job, Harmonix, don’t even try making it up to me with the Presidents of the USA pack - my heart is already wandering…
Because meanwhile, Guitar Hero: World Tour’s track selection is getting better. While only a few of the original releases pulled me in (Tool, 311, NOFX, and Sublime - all who are new to any games), they seem to have the right idea when adding new content, including the new Metallica album. I’m not sure if I can dig anything newer than the Black album, but I see where they are trying to appeal to, and I like it. You also can’t deny the truth behind Friday’s Penny Arcade strip. Still, GH3’s only real redeeming value to me was that their newest guitar beat Harmonix’s first Rock Band one solidly. That game didn’t hold a lot of replay value for me, which kind of defeats the point for a music game.
Am I going to pick up Guitar Hero: World Tour? Not yet, but I am wagging my finger at Harmonix, too. Hey Harmonix, release a 90s punk pack with more Bad Religion and NOFX, and I won’t say another word.