Best. Video Game. Ever.
 I am Stony, legendary rock drummer. Hear my fans roar. My band: Fall With The Herd. We will rock your face off.
Q: Can this really be classified as a “video game” if I have tendonitis from banging the skins?Â
A: This is so much more than a video game.
Yes, totally awesome video game. Beats Guitar Hero by a long shot (as fun as GH is in and of itself). The drums are also my favorite.
But as far as the “wow” factor, I have never, ever been more impressed than I have with God of War I and God of War II. The fighting, the weapons, the color, the scenery, the gameplay, the theme, the music - all absolutely perfect. It’s like playing an epic movie. It’s also the only action-adventure that I’ve played over and over (other than Metroid, probably my second favorite ever). The only reason I bought a PlayStation 3 instead of the XBox 360 was because of Cory Barlog’s promise that God of War III would come out on the PS3 only.
Comment by David J — December 27, 2007 @ 10:28 pm
Yeah, Rock Band. It’s better than GH because so many more people can play at once and trade off instruments. I was playing yesterday with my daughter, both sons, and two of their friends. The drums are HARD!
GoW is pretty awesome looking, but I’ve never played it. But I know enough about it to know why you’d choose it, David. GoW III on the PS3 should be insane.
I think two of the most amazing-looking videogames are Ico and Shadow of the Colossus.
Comment by Susan M — December 28, 2007 @ 8:19 am
I dunno. I still think Pong is a pretty great game.
Comment by BTD Greg — December 28, 2007 @ 8:36 am
Susan, I’ve played Shadow of Colossus, and to me there is NO COMPARISON to GoW I or II. Seriously, do your sons a favor and go snag GoW and be amazed.
For multi-player interactivity, NOTHING beats Rockband. Yes, the drums are tough at first.
Comment by David J — December 28, 2007 @ 11:10 am
It looks to me like the drums on Rock Band would actually teach someone to play the drums. I have not played it so I couldn’t say.
I can say that while the guitar of GH is fun, it isn’t much like playing a real guitar. I play both the fake guitar and the real guitar rather poorly. I look forward to a day when one can plug a real guitar into a GH/RB type game and get some practice in.
Comment by a random John — December 28, 2007 @ 11:13 am
My husband tried the drums on Rock Band and got mad. He can play the real drums (a little). He said the notes don’t match up with the actual music, like you have to hit them early. Not sure if that’s something we can adjust on the game or not. I think it’ll at least improve your co-ordination for playing real drums.
There’s a reason I never bought GOW. Rated Mature, isn’t it? Or something.
Comment by Susan M — December 28, 2007 @ 11:17 am
Halo I & II. Nothing better. Halo III was a big disappointment though.
BTW - anyone see the South Park send up of Guitar Hero done ala VH1’s behind the music and about a dozen cheesy 80’s movies?
Comment by clark — December 28, 2007 @ 11:32 am
The best video game of all time is The Legend of Zelda: The Ocarina of Time.
Discussion over.
Comment by Supergenius — December 28, 2007 @ 11:47 am
Portal.
Comment by Scudworth — December 28, 2007 @ 12:14 pm
heh. Scudworth’s onto something, Portal is a work of genius.
Comment by Supergenius — December 28, 2007 @ 1:34 pm
I’m a nintendo guy. I am currently loving Super Mario Galaxy.
Zelda Ocarina of Time has little or no replay value for me. I could play Mario 64 again (and again) Mariokart is the game though that I want to play forever. I am longing for the new version with 16 player online…
Comment by Matt W. — December 28, 2007 @ 1:37 pm
Ocarina was fun, definitely a top 5-er.
Yes, GoW I and II are rated “M.” They’re very bloody, so perhaps when the boys get older. Not to worry, I think it’s an instant timeless classic. I even listen to the soundtrack of GoW I all the time.
I also play the real guitar (bass, actually), and there isn’t much in common with GH/Rockband guitar playing and the real thing. In fact, I think GH/Rb is harder because you’re theoreticaly only playing one string, and in addition, every note is fretted (no open strings). Much of (rock) bass playing is an open “E” or open “A.”
One thing I really like about GH3 over the previous releases is the ability to have your hero play the guitar hero controller on stage. It’s very funny.
Comment by David J — December 28, 2007 @ 2:06 pm
Matt, SMG is the finest game thus far for the Wii, and it is wonderful indeed. Good taste! It’s the heir to the Mario 64 throne.
I agree that Ocarina’s replay value is limited, but wow, what a wonderful game nonetheless.
Comment by Supergenius — December 28, 2007 @ 2:06 pm
SG, you’re definitely right about Zelda/Ocarina in one sense. That’s the game that introduced me to home video games and is also how my son taught himself to read at age four (I kid you not). We actually do still play it together on occasion (the mastersword version). But it’s old. Ancient history in video game time. Also, only one person can play at a time. Compared to Rock Band (which IMO does have some real-life application to playing instruments and, more obviously, singing) Zelda now seems a little like Pong.
I think it’s true that you have to hit the drums earlier than you would on a real drum set, but not by much, and that’s a pretty small quibble. We all play real guitars and there is no application toward teaching chords, but as far as rhythm and quick fingers, you bet there is.
ARJ: I was thinking the same thing. Why can’t someone make it possible to plug a real electric guitar or electronic drum set or keyboard into one of these games. That would really be incredible. Can someone invent an adapter?
Comment by MCQ — December 28, 2007 @ 2:58 pm
Have you seen the video of Dave Mustaine trying to play a Megadeth song on GH? It’s pretty funny.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uj9785W53lQ
Comment by Susan M — December 28, 2007 @ 3:11 pm
MCQ, I think marketability is the real issue there. A lot of people’s interest would drop off in a game that was “too real.” Playing a real guitar is no picnic for a novice. I’ve thought about it too. But what the game companies want is as wide an audience as possible, a short (but fun) learning curve, and accessability. One of the amazing things about GH/Rb, is that they’ve successfully marketed those two games to women/girls in addition to men (who play more video games, on average, than women), and made it fun for both (especially GH2, which, IMO, has the most widely accepted song-list of all 4 versions of GH, including the 80s encore version). If they marketed the game to accept real guitar input, not only do you have serious interface issues (I mean, how many inputs and input combinations are possible into a console compared to the number of output combinations possible on a guitar neck? It’s not even close), but you also encounter a lot of people who would be frustrated with the game’s inability to create cool sound from day 1. With GH/Rb, you’re f***ing Zack Wylde within minutes.
Comment by David J — December 28, 2007 @ 3:18 pm
Yeah, I get that David, that’s why I thought an adapter would be ideal. Whoever wants to play on the controller could do so, but if you want to plug in a real electric, you could have at it.
I’m thinking that the adapter could simplify the output of the guitar into a binary if/then statement. If the guitar is playing a sound or signal that corresponds to the note being asked for onscreen, then you get a “correct” response in the game. If not, you get a “incorrect” response, just like if you hit the wrong button on the controller. It seems doable to me, but then I’m no programmer, I’m just dreamin’.
Comment by MCQ — December 28, 2007 @ 5:52 pm
Donkey Kong Country 1, 2, and 3 for Super Nintendo.
Comment by Merkat — December 28, 2007 @ 6:06 pm
Isn’t a realistic guitar hero called Garage Band and comes as part of iLife?
Comment by clark — December 28, 2007 @ 6:45 pm
I thought Garage Band was for recording music.
Comment by Susan M — December 28, 2007 @ 6:59 pm
That’s kind of the point, Susan. It was a joke.
Comment by Clark — December 28, 2007 @ 11:59 pm
MCQ -
This might be what you’re looking for.
the “Guitar Wizard” game to be shown off next week at CES aims to be a Guitar Hero that actually teaches you how to play guitar. (Sort of like a Rock Band for drums!) The software will ship with a Washburn electric guitar with a MIDI pickup and will sell for around $180 on the back half of next year.
Comment by Ivan Wolfe — January 4, 2008 @ 8:03 am