Interviews | Rock Revolution
Rock Revolution: Rising Star Or Last Grasp At Rhythm Game Relevance?
October 17, 2008
Despite launching Guitar Freaks – which simulates the experience of shredding along to hard-charging jams on a plastic axe – to arcades in 1999, publisher Konami failed to bring the title home to American shores. Seven years later, RedOctane would wish the company a hearty “Suck our grundle!” to the tune of a billion-dollar empire when it debuted the iconic Guitar Hero. Worse still, developer Harmonix, creator of the latter title, would also couple the experience it gained with vocalized play building Konami’s own Karaoke Revolution (2003) to launch the multimillion-selling Rock Band last year, further rubbing taint in the wound.
Enter Rock Revolution for PlayStation 3, Xbox 360 and Wii, a seemingly last-ditch attempt to cash in on a craze it by all rights started with its popular Japanese “Bemani” series (which also includes Dance Dance Revolution and DrumMania) and reclaim what’s left of the manufacturer’s ailing dignity. Just one problem: With Wii Music, Guitar Hero: World Tour, Rock Band 2, Pop Star Guitar, Ultimate Band, SingStar Pop: Vol. 2, Lips and 60 trillion other pleather-panted wannabes hogging store shelves this holiday season, it may be too little too late. On the bright side, it costs $60 less in bundle form than genre kingpins, sports a more advanced drum kit, is fully compatible with rivals’ guitar controllers and provides yet another reason to channel your inner Axl Rose. On the other hand, by this point, cash-strapped fans who’ve already taken out a second mortgage to turn their basement into a suburban CBGB (before it become a John Varvatos-mart) might not give a shit.
I cornered associate producer Keith Matejka to find out: Is this puppy a real contender, or mere desperation ploy to salvage what little remains of the proud publisher’s rhythm game cred?
