Band Hero review

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Tue, 08 Dec 2009 4:16p.m.

Reviewed by Lucy O’Brien of NZgamer.com

It’s too easy to unleash the inner cynic while grappling with the concept of Band Hero. The name is bad enough – an amalgamation of Neversoft’s Guitar Hero franchise and Harmonix’s edgier Rock Band, it smacks of a desperate attempt at brand recognition, or, to put it another way, blatant cash-in.

Its tracklist, too, lacks the eccentricities of its Guitar Hero forbears, streamlined into the sort of pop-centric candyfloss you’d find on a Now That’s What I Call Music compilation. Could it be that Guitar Hero has lost its guts?

The answer is, yes, probably. However, that in no way negates Band Hero’s power as a great social experience; it can still get the party started, albeit a younger, wide-eyed party. Whereas the first four Guitar Heroes had a decidedly cool and grungy edge (my verdict is out on the fifth) and focused primarily on satisfying guitar licks, the Band Hero tracklist is utterly without irony.

There are three Taylor Swift songs, Hilary Duff, and some decidedly dorky ‘classic’ throwbacks such as the Village People’s ‘YMCA’ and The Mighty Mighty Bosstones’ ’The Impression That I Get’. That nagging inner cynic could perhaps be placated if this was re-packaged as Guitar Hero: Guilty Pleasures.

That said, the guitar is just another part of the band now. There is no satisfaction to be gleaned from jamming along to the Spice Girl’s ‘Wannabe’, yet belting it out on the mic is wonderful. The drums get their turn in the sun in songs like Joan Jett’s overexposed ‘Bad Reputation’ and emo-king Dashboard Confessional’s ‘Hands Down’, although these too are better enjoyed with a hearty set of lungs. The recognisable pop will almost certainly repel the hardcore crowd, yet it will entice those who are yet to pick up a plastic guitar, or those whose music-game experience has been limited to Sony’s Singstar franchise.

Indeed, Neversoft have made a risky tactical decision by distancing Band Hero from the Guitar Hero moniker. For Guitar Hero vets, there’s almost nothing new here. Band Hero is vehemently modelled on the finely tuned structure of Guitar Hero 5, with the same in-game interface, career and multiplayer modes, and additional frills including the drop-in/drop-out mode and Xbox 360 avatar import feature.

Approaching it as someone who owns and regularly plays Guitar Hero: World Tour, this feels more like a pop track-pack than a re-invigoration. Neversoft have (generously?) included the option to import and export songs from other Guitar Hero titles, although these are still not rounded out to complete tracklists. Band Hero also suffers from a smaller tracklist than we’re used to, at 65 songs, it’s a cautious entry; Guitar Hero 5 had 85.

It’s my duty to note that Neversoft have redesigned the Band Hero drum kit for those who are yet to clutter up their living room, with sturdier cymbals and a foot pedal that can be attached to the base. Practical, but unless you have ambitions to be the virtual-drummer equivalent of Neil Peart, not worth an overhaul.

Ultimately, this all adds up to a disappointment for the vets. Band Hero, simply, is not for them. It is an introductory title, a gateway drug for those who are yet to experience the near-saturated market of music games.

Band Hero is a title for the pop-star wannabes, the avid Idol viewers, families who sit down together and watch the MTV video awards and shake their heads at Kanye West’s abhorrent behaviour. It’s light, breezy fun, and kudos to Neversoft for ignoring their inner cynics. They’re going to make a lot of money out of this game.

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