Kenneth Ellis

U2 has shown interest in a Rock Band game focused on their band after seeing the intense effort put into the Beatles: Rock Band. And that is true. A lot of work did go into the making of the game.

Unfortunately, I don’t think anyone let U2 know that they are not the Beatles.

There is dark trend starting to be seen among the big rhythm games. Namely, that a host of specific-band-oriented games are being released. Yeah, that’s great if you like “such and such” band, but just slapping a band name on the box doesn’t guarantee people will actually want it. Remember Guitar Hero: Aerosmith? They couldn’t give it away! I went to a Gamestop with fellow editor Erik Johnson to buy a Guitar Hero guitar one time, and they were giving Aerosmith away with it for an extra $5! GH: Van Halen came FREE with GH:5, and Rock Band: AC/DC wasn’t exactly being given high praise. The only two band-themed games I can think of that have had any real success are GH: Metallica, and Rock Band: Beatles. Metallica is one of the overall funnest and most challenging GH games, but even then only about 60% of the game is even Metallica songs. Not that the other songs are bad (they are awesome), but even Metallica couldn’t fill a whole game!

Which Brings me back to U2. Yeah, they have been around for a long time, and have alot of great songs, but do you think they have the kind of music catalog that could carry an entire Rock Band game? Personally, I don’t think so. The Beatles can, obviously, but they were so far reaching and world impacting, with a huge music catalog that clearly changed style and tone throughout the years, that anyone could find at least one or two songs they like. Could the same could be said about U2? Really, for any other band for that matter? Maybe, but the list would be short, I’m sure.

The bands that want to be featured in Guitar Hero or Rock Band should do what should have been done initially for band-themed games: DLC. It’s cheaper, takes less time, and would get the music out just as well as any fully-priced and jazzed-up stand-alone game would. But you may disagree. You may think U2 is the bees knees. I’m glad for you. Now you and the other two guys standing in line for the games release can high five each other all day.

(Source: RTE Entertainment)