We already learned last week about the drum kit for what
will be the fourth full entry in the Guitar
Hero franchise, which will include a drum kit that’s different from Rock Band. The game won’t be called Guitar Hero 4, though, as the official
press release terms it as Guitar Hero
World Tour – that last bit sounding a bit like Rock Band’s multiplayer mode.
The description reads a lot like one for Rock Band too: “Guitar Hero World Tour
will transform music gaming by marrying Guitar Hero’s exhilarating guitar
gameplay, with a cooperative band experience that combines the most advanced
wireless instruments with revolutionary new online and offline gameplay modes.
The game will feature a slick newly redesigned guitar, a genuine electronic
drum kit and a microphone...”
But what’s new is: “an innovative Music Studio music creator
that lets players compose, record, edit and share their own rock and roll
anthems, along with online Band Career and 8-player ‘Battle of the Bands.’” The
whole “make your own” seems to be the theme of many upcoming games, but Guitar Hero World Tour may give new rise
to indie music.
While it seems difficult that Guitar Hero would be able match up to the DLC majesty of Rock Band, Activision is boasting that Guitar Hero World Tour will have “the
largest on-disc set list in a music-rhythm game to-date,” meaning that it’ll
have more than the 71 songs found in Guitar
Hero III. Better yet, all the tracks are to be master recordings from the
likes of Van Halen, Linkin Park, The Eagles, Sublime and many more.
“Guitar Hero has set the standard for music-based gaming and
with Guitar Hero World Tour and the game’s groundbreaking Music Studio, we are
once again delivering unprecedented innovation that has the potential to
revolutionize consumer generated music, much in the same way that video sharing
hubs have driven user generated video,” said Dusty Welch, Head of Publishing
for RedOctane. “With the introduction of our advanced high-quality new wireless
instruments, in-depth customization options and advanced online functionality,
the game enables music fans and gamers globally to share in the most social and
expressive music experience ever.”
I’m not happy that the soon-to-be released Guitar Hero: Aerosmith is a retail release
when it really should be DLC, but if anything can unshackle Rock Band’s hold on true music rhythm
fans it’s Guitar Hero World Tour.
