Ah, the mainstream penetration of everyone’s favorite guitar playing simulator, Guitar Hero. Even our favorite video game newbie Bob Lefsetz deemed the latest entry into the franchise, Guitar Hero: Aerosmith worthy of mention in his latest email newsletter. Unfortunately for Bob, his glowing enthusiasm for the newly announced title is not shared by members of the gaming community, myself included. I wrote an animated reply back to him which I’ll post in its entirety after the jump.
My email may be a little acerbic, but something about communicating with Lefsetz gets me in a CAPITALIZING MOOD. The fact of the matter is, Activision has severely diluted the Guitar Hero brand by releasing so many expansions/”sequels” in such a short time frame. In a 12 month window we’ll have had Guitar Hero: Rocks the 80’s, Guitar Hero 3, and Guitar Hero: Aerosmith. None of these titles have advanced the core gameplay of the series in a significant way. They all basically amount to song expansion packs. While this may be fine and dandy for fans of the game who just want more tracks (or for aging rock bands to feel like they’re relevant again), but I feel that Guitar Hero is no longer synonymous with cool, innovative rhythm gaming. It’s just about become like The Sims and its shamelessly exploited expansion packs. A mainstream, casual gaming cash cow for sure, but zero credibility with gaming connoisseurs. Understandable from a business perspective, but don’t go around plugging Guitar Hero like it’s Animal Collective.
From: Andy
Date: Feb 15, 2008 6:54 PM
Subject: Re: Guitar Hero-Aerosmith
To: Bob LefsetzBob –
Guitar Hero is OVER. Sure this is great for Aerosmith fans, but how many of those hardcore fans own a current generation video game console? How many of THOSE care enough about this game to plunk down $149 to play an air guitar simulator?
By putting this Aerosmith version of Guitar Hero out, Activision has basically ensured that I will not buy this and any further edition of Guitar Hero unless they make some radical changes. They are milking this franchise for all they can before discarding it like a used condom. Where is the innovation? Why would I want to buy a new version of a game every four months when the only thing different is new songs? It’s like they’re turning the Guitar Hero franchise into NOW THATS WHAT I CALL MUSIC! It’s only there to leech money from the uninitiated, the lazy, the GULLIBLE! Activision is feeling the heat from EA and Harmonix who have a much better fake rock star experience in Rock Band in that it includes ALL of the parts of a band. Does Guitar Hero let me pretend to be Steven Tyler? Only if i want to stare blankly at a poorly animated 3d character on the screen and emulate its movements while shouting DUDE LOOKS LIKE A LADY at my TV.
I find Aerosmith tolerable. They have some good songs. But would I ever consider spending $60 on a glorified song pack for a game I already have? Fuck no! Especially if all of the song are from ONE BAND that I only casually like. I’d much rather pick and choose the songs I want to get, like what Rock Band offers me. Each week Harmonix releases new songs from varied artists that I can get if I want them. Radiohead – My Iron Lung? Sign me up. I want some punk? I’ll take some Clash. A pack of Iron Maiden songs? No thank you. The point is CHOICE at a lower cost of entry ($1.99 per track or 3 for $5.50).
And the press release those guys put out? Here, let me give you a “quote” from the great Steven Tyler on the product press release:
“Any band that can go from ‘Don’t Want to Miss A Thing’ (Aerosmith’s #1 smash hit) to the ass-kicking ‘Sweet Emotion’ to the cheekiness of ‘Love in an Elevator,’ to the classic ballad ‘Dream On’ shows why Activision chose us to headline this game based on the diversity of the Aerosmith catalog. Not only is songwriting a bitch, but then it goes and has puppies.”
Does that sound like a product that you would be satisfied to buy? Is that a band that is “closer to us”? You answer that.
Here’s a different take from all of the circle jerking you’ve put forth:
http://www.theheadofalfredogarcia.com/?p=32
PS: I’d keep that ps3 unless you and Felice want to play Wii bowling all day like you live in a retirement home. The PS3 versions of rock band and guitar hero let you download new songs each week (at a price). The Wii does not.
—
Andy
