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

Reader Comments (64)

Posted: May 16th 2008 11:36AM greyseal said

  • 2.5 hearts
  • Report
Activision, Harmonix, and now Konami have successfully ensured that I won't be buying any of these games ever again. It was bad enough when the guitars didn't work properly together, despite having the exact same button arrangement. But now we have wholly incompatible drum kits in three varieties?

Good work, guys.

Posted: May 16th 2008 12:25PM TRTX said

  • 2 hearts
  • Report
"which while great are almost unapproachable by rhythm game newcomers even on the easiest setting."

That claim is completely unfounded. The drums were new to EVERYBODY (even Guitar Hero enthusiasts) and we all managed to learn.

It's no less approchable than the guitar (I can't remember how long it took for somebody to point out that I could tilt the guitar for Star Power, or that I even had to STRUM)

"the game doesn't penalize players for improvising during a song"

So basically, you're playing the song....but you're not actually playing the song.

Posted: May 16th 2008 12:36PM 343 Guilty Fart said

  • 2 hearts
  • Report
Wow, can't believe no one mentioned how f'ing ugly those things are.

Posted: May 16th 2008 1:23PM Ridgecity said

  • 2 hearts
  • Report
Actually KOnami invented drum video games before Harmonix and its called Drummania and Percussion Freaks since 1999... I'm surprised Joystiq...

Posted: May 16th 2008 1:28PM (Unverified) said

  • 2 hearts
  • Report
Confuse, I am?

Posted: May 16th 2008 1:45PM MasterCKO said

  • 2 hearts
  • Report
ok, I think that there's no way this will succeed in any meaningful way, since RB is already taking over living rooms and has significant brand cache. GH is the only franchise that is a real threat, but I don't know.

Another reason: Harmonix approximates, while still keeping it simple and fun. Most real people don't have the dexterity to even attempt all this and even more will be scared off. Since we're adding more drumming complexity, why not add a second pedal for the hi-hat (actually, I would really like for RB2 to support something like this)? A third for double kick?

Basically, my point is: for aficianados, adding the complexity is great, but it starts to lose the mainstream appeal. This is exactly what happened with GH. Harmonix thankfully bucked the trend with RB, but looks like Konami is ready to go fully down that (misguided, IMO) route.

Posted: May 16th 2008 2:18PM (Unverified) said

  • 2 hearts
  • Report
This is how it'll always be -- Harmonix did everything first when... they really didn't. Even expert, "inside" journalists will never be able to do proper research. I'm surprised people even know who Harmonix are and that they made FreQuency and Amplitude before this. You ask a typical frat kid who plays Rock Band and GH about FreQ or Amp and they'll have no clue what you're talking about.

But yeah, I love Harmonix, but I thought it was bullshit that they got an award for such an "innovative" idea when they made Guitar Hero. Bemani brought out guitars and drums, then combined them in their own 3rd installment as well with Guitar Freaks/Drummania Session back in like... 2000, if not earlier.

Posted: May 16th 2008 4:11PM (Unverified) said

  • 2 hearts
  • Report
"the game doesn't penalize players for improvising during a song"

*beats drums randomly with eyes closed*

100% You rock!

Posted: May 16th 2008 5:41PM Deck said

  • 2 hearts
  • Report
YAY FOR THE WHORING! LETS KEEP IT COMING!

Lolz

Posted: May 16th 2008 6:52PM (Unverified) said

  • 2 hearts
  • Report
seeing as I already have rockband and tons of DLC, I don't think I'll ever be buying another rythm song for at least another 2 years

Posted: May 16th 2008 7:43PM Hoffer said

  • 2 hearts
  • Report
I like the looks of the GH4 drums and will probably get them. I don't like the looks of the Konami drums. Plus, I really don't have room for 3 rock games. Guitar Hero and Rock Band are more than enough for me.

Posted: May 27th 2008 3:48PM (Unverified) said

  • 2 hearts
  • Report
what did they do to the controller :(
if they had USB support like PS2 drummania did they could fix this, but right now this makes me sad

Posted: Jul 2nd 2008 11:26PM (Unverified) said

  • 2 hearts
  • Report
Having bought rock band and actually researched the new competition for it i have reached a conclusion. Rock Band tried to mainstream a superb yet relativly unsuccessfull concept, they suceeded. Unfourtunatley for Guitar Hero, they gained control of the music game industry due to rockband's incredible concept and GH3's relative sucklyness. This is where GH decides to 1+ RB by corecting where Harmonix "fell short" (ie- online world tour, wonky drum pads, unresponsive guitar strummers, etc). GH World Tour is a ploy for cash which i am going to buy into for the the music recorder and pimped out drums. While Rock Revolution is an attempt to jump onto the bandwagon with a comparativley cheap imitaion; unfoutuatley for Konami i will personally kick them off that wagon as their game will most likley will end up in the bargain bin. General Cock Goblin has Spoken!

PS- Me feels lefts out cause I nos gots no Mario picture!!!!!!!!

Posted: Aug 1st 2008 11:57AM (Unverified) said

  • 2 hearts
  • Report
well those drums look terrible the do have the cymbals in the right spot though (the triangles for you morons that dont know what im talking about) but that leaves only 2 toms and a snare drum, sorry konami you lost this battle

Featured Stories

Engadget

Engadget

TUAW

TUAW

Massively

Massively

WoW

WoW