| Mail |
You might also like: WoW Insider, Massively, and more

Reader Comments (64)

Posted: May 16th 2008 8:44AM (Unverified) said

  • 2.5 hearts
  • Report
Yeah, I'm gonna avoid both GH4 and Rock Revolution because of the drums.

Not as a "oh noes, they ripped off teh rock bandz!" protest, but because I don't have much room for more than one video game drum kit.
Reply

Posted: May 16th 2008 9:00AM Mr Slayer said

  • 2 hearts
  • Report
You think thats bad? I was recently given a real drum set. I'm having the hardest time trying to get that damn thing setup and fit in my room properly.
Reply

Posted: May 16th 2008 10:42AM (Unverified) said

  • 3 hearts
  • Report
Oh, poor you! Given a drum kit, you must be so depressed.
Reply

Posted: Jul 7th 2008 4:57PM (Unverified) said

  • 2 hearts
  • Report
The GH4 Drum kit is super compact so you should still get that, but this rock rev drum kit looks absolutely bulky and retarded
Reply

Posted: May 16th 2008 8:48AM (Unverified) said

  • 2 hearts
  • Report
I'm about done with Guitar/drum games...
Reply

Posted: May 16th 2008 9:13AM (Unverified) said

  • 2.5 hearts
  • Report
Yeah I'm all about the Harmonica Hero!
Reply

Posted: May 16th 2008 5:10PM Supermanisdead said

  • 2 hearts
  • Report
How about Recorder Hero, Grade 5's would all be pros!
Reply

Posted: May 16th 2008 8:50AM Demaar said

  • 2 hearts
  • Report
Damn... was kinda expecting more from Konami. Surprised that GH4's drum set wins.
Reply

Posted: May 16th 2008 9:04AM KaneRobot said

  • 2 hearts
  • Report
Rock Band's drumset wins because it was out first and people don't want multiple fake kiddie-looking drumsets in their house.
Reply

Posted: May 16th 2008 9:04AM Dr said

  • 3 hearts
  • Report
Rather difficult to choose a winner until you've had a chance to use them all, no?
Reply

Posted: May 16th 2008 9:42AM Demaar said

  • 2 hearts
  • Report
True enough. I guess what I meant was, the GH4 set seems to win in aesthetics and theoretical functionality.

Heck, I'm so impressed with the GH4 set that, assuming the kick pedal isn't wasted on star power or something, it even beats out the RB set. Which blows, since I finally plonked the money down on RB only weeks ago.
Reply

Posted: May 16th 2008 10:05AM Duke said

  • 2.5 hearts
  • Report
Not really Dr. So many of us got the RB kits when it came out, and now have no interested in more drums piling up around the house.

I would say its easy for many to say that RB's kit wins by default.
Reply

Posted: May 17th 2008 9:00AM (Unverified) said

  • 2 hearts
  • Report
Finally, a Drum controller that actually looks like a drum set!

The Rock Band ones looked like a whole bunch of bongos with a bass pedal. It didn't even have designated cymbal options. It just replaced the toms.
Reply

Posted: May 16th 2008 9:04AM (Unverified) said

  • 2 hearts
  • Report
I don't know...for someone who plays drums, I like the Konami set. Hi-hat, Crash, and ride cymbals along with a snare and two toms? Maybe it's not the perfect thing for the typical gamer, but I think it'd be fun.
Reply

Posted: May 16th 2008 10:41AM (Unverified) said

  • 2 hearts
  • Report
I play the drums as well, and I don't like the idea of having one tom and one floor tom. Then again, it's just a game, and I wouldn't expect 8 pads to play on. The basic drumset these days has two toms and a floor tom, and few band's drummers use any less than that, so it's gonna end up being difficult to map the drums if they plan on staying faithful to the designated cymbals.
Reply

Posted: May 16th 2008 11:48AM (Unverified) said

  • 2 hearts
  • Report
Yea that's very true, I'd definitely prefer a 5-piece set too, but I'd think what they have would be at least better than the four drums used for Rock Band. I find their lack of cymbals disturbing.
Reply

Posted: May 16th 2008 11:58AM Rax Dakkar said

  • 2 hearts
  • Report
That's what I thought. My real drumset has a hi-hat, crash, ride, (and a splash), 2 toms, a snare, and a bass drum, so this is actually closer to what a lot of drumset players really play on, even if it is a little cramped. Still, I don't have a lot of room for my Rock Band drums, so I don't really know where I could put these.
Reply

Posted: May 16th 2008 9:05AM (Unverified) said

  • 2.5 hearts
  • Report
What imitation are you talking about!? Konami released Drummania way before Rock Band...even though it did not leave Japan...did it?
Reply

Posted: May 16th 2008 9:14AM SheppyReturns said

  • 2 hearts
  • Report
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Drummania

Now here comes the REAL question... if Bemani wasn't THE most mismanaged franchise in gaming today, would the whole Guitar Hero franchise have launched? Frankly, no. Because Red Octane, sensing the decline in their business dependancy selling DDR custom pads, wanted a new controller phenominon and hired Harmonix to develop Guitar Hero.

So in essence, I know it sucks that Harmonix is getting the credit that's rightfully Konami's, but seriously. They had years upon years to get Bemani out of Japan. It's their fault for either dragging their feet or delivering shit ports when the occasional Bemani title did escape (Beatmania on PS2).
Reply

Posted: May 16th 2008 11:01AM (Unverified) said

  • 2.5 hearts
  • Report
Exactly. Since 2000, PS2 owners can already link up GuitarFreaks and DrumMania, and play together.
Reply

Posted: May 16th 2008 1:44PM (Unverified) said

  • 2 hearts
  • Report
Exactly.

The same goes with Guitar Hero, even Harmonix has said that their inspiration, if you may call it that, was GuitarFreaks and Drummania.
Reply

Posted: May 16th 2008 9:07AM meegoo said

  • 2 hearts
  • Report
Except that Konami did guitar and drum games before anyone else.
Reply

Posted: May 16th 2008 9:07AM (Unverified) said

  • 2 hearts
  • Report
"more forgiving difficulty curve than those in Rock Band, which while great are almost unapproachable by rhythm game newcomers even on the easiest setting."

Really? Everyone (including my wife, father, and father-in-law) who I've pushed to try the RB drums have had no trouble on the easy setting...
Reply

Posted: May 16th 2008 9:19AM brentos said

  • 3 hearts
  • Report
I wish EVERY game came with its own proprietary controller!!!1
Reply

Posted: May 16th 2008 9:32AM (Unverified) said

  • 2.5 hearts
  • Report
Hendleman admitted that the $345 retail price might be a bit steep for many consumers. She also conceded that Activision may have erred by not releasing the game between Memorial Day and July 4, the prime parade season in the United States. Even so, she added, Sousaphone Hero contains "more than enough" features to keep gamers absorbed.

"In the career mode, you can rise from playing in park gazebos for church picnics to performing in the halftime show of the Harvard-Yale game," Hendleman said. "If you score enough points, you can unlock the ultimate level: playing in the John Philip Sousa–led Marine Band at Grover Cleveland's inauguration."

"And if you like multiplayer gaming, you're in luck," Hendleman continued. "In Sousaphone Hero's cooperative marching-band mode, as many as 135 of your friends can play simultaneously."
Reply

Posted: May 16th 2008 9:49AM Pojomofo said

  • 2 hearts
  • Report
Im guessing you have Steel Battalion dont you???
Reply

Posted: May 16th 2008 9:20AM (Unverified) said

  • 2.5 hearts
  • Report
so which game is gonna add double bass pedals windchimes and cowbell
Reply

Posted: May 16th 2008 10:04AM Tiptup300 said

  • 3 hearts
  • Report
ROCK BAND: Neil Peart Edition
Reply

Posted: May 16th 2008 10:05AM (Unverified) said

  • 2 hearts
  • Report
lol
Reply

Posted: May 16th 2008 10:17AM Zoot Suit Jedi Grammar Hammer En said

  • 2.5 hearts
  • Report
Yes, and I want to be able to link all three drum kits together and surround myself with them.

PS-Neil Peart effin' rules!
Reply

Posted: May 16th 2008 11:44AM jesusbonjovi said

  • 2 hearts
  • Report
Dude, don't forget the Gong.
Reply

Posted: May 16th 2008 9:31AM DohHefe said

  • 2 hearts
  • Report
First the drums need to work with other games. I have a RB drum set and 2 plastic guitars that my wife is not happy about, no way I can play these other games unless they are compatible.

I would like to see the drum games accept more improv work outside of RB's rainbow areas
Reply

Posted: May 16th 2008 9:37AM Devwar said

  • 2 hearts
  • Report
Theres always room for more Bemani.
Reply

Posted: May 16th 2008 9:38AM foxhound said

  • 2 hearts
  • Report
I can't wait for the syringe included with HEROIN HERO so I can finally chase the dragon down. :\
Reply

Posted: May 16th 2008 10:04AM Gronar said

  • 2 hearts
  • Report
+1 internets for South Park reference!
Reply

Posted: May 18th 2008 6:43PM (Unverified) said

  • 2 hearts
  • Report
You know you never catch that dragon, right?
Reply

Posted: May 16th 2008 9:50AM (Unverified) said

  • 2 hearts
  • Report
Personally i would choose the one that might actually teach me how to play the drums (i might as well build up a skill i could use in real life). What intrigues me about this set up is that you would not be penalized for being creative.
Reply

Posted: May 16th 2008 9:58AM (Unverified) said

  • 2 hearts
  • Report
good point
Reply

Posted: May 16th 2008 10:01AM Kyattsuai said

  • 2 hearts
  • Report
I can stack 3 guitar controllers... 3 drum controllers, not so much
Reply

Posted: May 16th 2008 10:08AM darthdavid said

  • 2 hearts
  • Report
I been playing bemani games for over 8/9 years (beatmania,DDR) I respect Konami for creating the first music based games......but this drums stuff is getting out of hand....Activision is milking Guitar Hero...(that 's why they bought the name/company)....I'm going to stick with Harmonix....they are a true music game developers that brought guitar/drums to US first.
Reply

Posted: May 16th 2008 11:04AM (Unverified) said

  • 2.5 hearts
  • Report
Why is Konami doing this meant that it is getting out of hand? They have DrumMania for many years now, with the ability to link-up (ala Rock Band) with their GuitarFreaks titles. Maybe not the first in the US but as far as gaming in general is concerned, Konami pioneered it.
Reply

Posted: May 16th 2008 10:14AM (Unverified) said

  • 2 hearts
  • Report
Yeah, Konami released these types way before Harmonix even got the idea of guitar hero. First one was actually released back in 1999. Just look up "Guitar Freaks" and "Drummania". They even had console versions and many sequels to these games.
Reply

Posted: May 16th 2008 10:18AM (Unverified) said

  • 2 hearts
  • Report
Err, newsflash. redoctane and harmonix drew from Konami. Sorry to burst your bubbles but guitar freaks and drummania ruled arcades and japanese home consoles LONG before guitar hero even emerged. Kthx. And you can utilize your electric drum kits with midi outs to PCs and PS2s for the games themselves. If rockband/guitar hero 4 could utilize that, gamers with electric sets could save themselves a bit of dough.
Reply

Posted: May 16th 2008 10:18AM (Unverified) said

  • 2 hearts
  • Report
Jesus, 1st timers on RB drums take some getting used to. People will be afraid to sit down at this contraption.
Reply

Posted: May 16th 2008 11:26AM (Unverified) said

  • 2.5 hearts
  • Report
wow, this game has no vocals, and all songs are cover versions. Back up the dump truck for another load of FAIL.
Reply

Posted: May 16th 2008 9:55PM (Unverified) said

  • 2 hearts
  • Report
As a side note, any gamer into music and rhythm games should embrace the competition. I hate guitar freaks, but i love guitar hero. Love drummania, hate rockband drums. Love belting out terribly in rock band, hate karaoke revolution.

If only konami/harmonix/activision(or neversoft) could smash heads together and make a great game, that'd be fake band bliss.

I understand the concern of not many gamers have the kind of money to spend on more peripherals, but before you criticize the way these companies are handling the genre, why don't you give their versions a try you can determine your winner. Granted, even I thought Beatmania in the US lacked, but reading the reviews for it made me kind of sad that no one can embrace such a fun game because of it's difficulty curve. That's one way I guess Bemani was totally mismanaged. Thanks konami, you have a giant focus group in California spending countless tokens on your games, and cash importing it, and yet you can't deliver a decent one for the states.
Reply

Posted: May 16th 2008 10:39AM (Unverified) said

  • 2 hearts
  • Report
Their beating this rock thing to death. When are they going to release Hip Hop Band?

Mic
Turntables
Break Dancing pad.
Reply

Posted: May 16th 2008 10:47AM Chibi Chaingun said

  • 2 hearts
  • Report
LOL - Gotta love Konami. They sue the pants off of every dance game developer then they come in wanting a piece of the guitar/band games.

Also, as a drummer, those drums look terrible.
Reply

Posted: May 16th 2008 11:04AM (Unverified) said

  • 2 hearts
  • Report
These are the same jagoffs that can't get their panties out of a twist long enough to support each other's hardware. Now they all expect us to buy each of their own cheap plastic crap piles?

Screw brand loyalty, this is exactly the kind of crap that leads to the Blu-Ray vs. HD-DVD fiascos. If you can't support the stuff I've already invested in, then wait the few years until it breaks before hoisting more crap at us that's intented to replace it.
Reply
Sorry, you must be logged in to leave a comment.

Featured Stories

Rhythm Heaven Fever review: Crazy into you

Posted on Feb 9th 2012 12:00PM

Remedy not done with Alan Wake

Posted on Feb 9th 2012 10:30AM

Engadget

TUAW

Massively

WoW