Guitar Hero Vs. Guitar Freaks

[HBCoffin]

Ok, everyone just give me like 2 minutes... First, I have two questions...


1. Which game do you prefer - Guitar Hero or Guitar Freaks?

2. Do you play, or have you ever actually played a real guitar?


This post might be a little harsh, but I'm just damn tired of the Guitar Hero bashing, and now is my time to retaliate, but remember, this is my opinion only, and my opinion should not matter for shit to any of you, because it's my opinion alone, and whether you agree with me or not, should not make you hate me for what I believe.

I'm going to assume that the people who enjoy Guitar Freaks over Guitar Hero have never picked up a guitar, and if they have, they either haven't gone past the stage of playing power chords, or they're just stubborn to the point where they will prefer the game over Guitar Hero due to the fact that they respect Konami more than Red Octane.

I have so much respect for Konami, you wouldn't understand, but I can't just hand the award to them for best guitar based rhythm game while one such as Guitar Hero exists.

Song Choice:
Guitar Freaks - Probably way better and more diverse than Guitar Hero, but what good is it if the experience is crap compared to what Guitar Hero has to offer.

Guitar Hero - Everyone bashes the mainstream lineup that Harmonix settled for, but what do you expect from America? They have to please the overall majority, and I mean come on, the songs aren't that bad. They have a good portion of Indie bands as unlockable songs, and the songs that they were practically obligated to enlist in the main track list to attract a big enough crowd, are descent. I mean come on, Cowboys From Hell, Stevie Ray Vaughn, Jimi Hendrix, Queens of the Stone Age, Queen... These are rock legends! The songs may be covers, but honestly, some of the covers aren't that bad, some of them you can hardly tell are covers, and some would have even been way better recordings than the originals.

Guitar Hero, and I'm sure this is clear for true guitar players, is so much more of an accurate feel of how playing guitar should feel. Sorry people, bad news for everyone who hates using their pinky, but if you ever want to play a real guitar, your pinky is so incredibly valuable, I can't even begin to emphasize on how important it is. Shifting up and down the frets is very important too.

Guitar Freaks is so stationary. I'll admit, it's given me a run for the gun when I play it, 'cause you got to have speed to play, but it's so boring with just 3 frets. Honestly, do a majority of people who play these rhythm not plan on playing any real instruments? That's what these games are for, to enhance rhythm skills. If you can't use these games to your true musical benefit, then what do you plan on doing with these things, playing them till you triple ace everything and then drop dead? Sorry guys, but your memory cards won't be published in the rock hall of fame.

I love rhythm games, in fact, I'm horribly addicted, but I'm still a musician, and if it wasn't for real musical instruments, these games wouldn't even exist. Red Octane and the Harmonix staff did an EXCELLENT job at making a simplified version of how it feels to play guitar, and creating not only a great rhythm game, but a great instrumental exercise. If the people who dislike Guitar Hero can't swallow their Konami loving pride and admit that they did a damn good job producing this title, then it is my opinion that you are either in complete denial, or just pissed off because you don't want to take the time to learn how to use your damn pinky and shift a measly inch up the neck of the guitar to play the fifth fret.

[Monster in a box]

Games are games, and music games are music games. I don't think they're supposed to help you get better at anything. I like music that I don't hate, so I prefer Guitar Freaks. Yeah, I haven't even heard half the stuff in GH, but it's a pretty safe bet that I wouldn't be too keen on it.

[Danser]

Originally Posted by HBCoffin

1. Which game do you prefer - Guitar Hero or Guitar Freaks?

Both.

Originally Posted by HBCoffin

2. Do you play, or have you ever actually played a real guitar?

Yes I have played a real guitar, I suck, but that doesn't mean much to a five/three button guitar game.

[linus]

I hate both. 3 keys is too simple and don't have much variation and 5 keys is just too much. If there are a 4 keys GF that would be perfect.
But at least GF don't have queer music. And Konami had this idea first, so even if GH is super fun, I would just see it as a copy of Konami's idea.
But I still hate both of them.

[HBCoffin]

I agree, I know Guitar Hero isn't an original idea, it's most likely a branch off idea of GF, but you have to give them as much credit as making a game, whether you think it's good or not, at least good enough to compete with Guitar Freaks. I guess I'm just too much of an actual guitar junkie, so I like Guitar Hero. I enjoy doing licks up and down the frets, this is what makes the game so enjoyable for me and is also the reason I prefer it over Guitar Freaks.

Honestly, I don't think either game was designed better than the other, they're both great games, and hell, Guitar Freaks has GF & DM where you can practically play a full jam session, which is something Guitar Hero will never have to offer, and if it does ever offer such an option, it'll be a long time from now. I'm just tired of people making Guitar Hero sound like it was a complete failure.

And linus... I'm sorry, I own GF V & DM V and there's some good music on there... But there are also some fuckin' queer as songs on there buddy, by some half assed fuckin' rock bands (I'm talking about the more Americanized bands on the song list, the J-Rock ones are a lot better). You also have to understand the fan base Guitar Hero was going for, which was not J-Rock fans. It was supposed to be a representation of American rock legends. Honestly, what songs did you expect? I know they're a little old school and main stream, but I'm pretty sure the next Guitar Hero won't have Sum 41 and the Donnas, they had to make a name for themselves first, and they also have to sell what sells to the American rock loving population.

I would love for a game with the Guitar Hero controller, to feature completely independent indie, electronic music instead of what they feature in the GH series, but I'm willing to put up with the music, because I honestly don't have a problem with it. This game was made for true guitar players and to influence people to actually pick up a guitar. That's why it features bands like Hendrix, Osbourne, these are all bands whose songs are used by guitarists everywhere to learn a lick or two in the beginning.

Monster in a box: Totally understandable that you just don't prefer the track list. I'm cool with that. I can understand that the music does not appeal to the Konami fan society. The only problem I had with your comment is that I do think that these games were made to help us. If anything, in the beginning that was the original plan, then they found out that all these kids became rhythm game junkies who didn't want to play an actual instrument. Why do you think Keyboardmania was made? You think they made that game for the fuck of it? Why do you think it got canceled? It was too realistic, and probably too hard for the Bemani audience, but I think it's a very fun and addicting game, and it's supposed to help on your rhythm, stamina, posture, and finger placement and movement along the keyboard.

Guitar Hero clearly states in their game that kids should eventually think about going out and buying a real guitar. Playing real musical instruments is a fun, positive experience, and that's what Guitar Hero is trying to get at when they tell us this. I'm sure even Konami would be more than honored to say that they influenced their audience to not only appreciate rhythm games but the skills they can provide us with when playing real instruments. I know games like DDR, PPP, and Pop'n Music aren't realistic instrumental music games, but I think even DDR has a purpose, and that's to get the lazy ass gaming population of the world to finally get in shape! The only games I can safely say were made for the mere "fun" of it were games like Para Para Paradise and Pop'n Music, but even those games can help with the true concept of the word "Rhythm."

Let me try to clear this up. I don't have a problem with people who think the GH song list sucks, because everyone has a musical preference. I don't have a problem with people who dislike the game due to their incapability of moving up and down the frets and using their pinky, I've played guitar for 7 years now, and trust me, it takes years to master for some people, it's not easy! If you really want to enjoy the GH controller to it's fullest extent, it will only be enjoyable if you actually practice, and to throw down the controller just because you can't do it right away is just being a quiter and being stubborn. It's possible people, I can ace Crossroads on expert.

I just want everyone to give Red Octane and Harmonix at least a little props for making such a successful game. It's obviously successful because they're making another one and plan on making many more.

Please don't take anything I say here personally or to the heart, I'm just trying to understand why people hate on the damn thing so much.

I'm not directing this entirely towards you linus, because I have no idea which Bemani games you like. I love all Bemani games! But I hope other people who claim the GH music is "queer" aren't fans of games like Para Para Paradise, because if you can compare Pantera to Dave Rodgers and consider Pantera to be more queer, then you probably have sexual identity issues.

GH: Great game!

GF: Great game! I just spent a crap load of money buying a lot of rhythm games, so I have to wait to get the controller, I'm still waiting for my DrumMania controller to come in so GF V & DM V is just sitting there but I've played 7th Mix (I think it was 7th Mix) at arcade and was upset about how bad I sucked, hahaha, I didn't realize how hard the pick controller was, but I wasn't going to stick around and practice at an arcade that rips you off with their machines (All the machines jack 2-3 extra tokens before you can actually play the game). I can't wait to play a full band set with friends once I actually get a hold of some controllers.

Konami is so much cooler than Red Octane, they're just the veterans, the top dogs, and the originators. But let's face it, the true originators were Indians and shit, back in the day beating on drums for mere amusement. Let us all thank the tribal societies who first invented the true concept of rhythm, for if it was not for them, none of us would be here today...

[Shito]

guitar freaks, cuz guitar hero is too easy, even with DS(dual shock) and don't stuff like hi-speed, unlocking system...hope it change with gh2 or maybe gh3

[HBCoffin]

Originally Posted by Shito

guitar freaks, cuz guitar hero is too easy, even with DS(dual shock) and don't stuff like hi-speed, unlocking system...hope it change with gh2 or maybe gh3

Definately, that is something that would help a lot. I doubt they'll change it with GH2 But who knows, maybe?

[linus]

Originally Posted by Shito

guitar freaks, cuz guitar hero is too easy, even with DS(dual shock) and don't stuff like hi-speed, unlocking system...hope it change with gh2 or maybe gh3

Invalid point. The songs will surely get harder in later style. Just like GF1 doesn't have some omg super songs.

[Monster in a box]

*points to In the Groove

[linus]

That's because DDR has a much bigger fan base that seek for challenges, so ITG was made.

And I think that
Guiter Hero vs Guiter Freaks is like DDR vs ITG.
Except ITG is a more successful copy-cat game (well, kind of) than Guiter Hero.
That means I admit that ITG could be more fun, but it won't get too much respect from me because it doesn't have enough special elements to make it not to look like a DDR clone.
Guiter Hero still has a chance to get good and unique though. Successful examples are PIU, Ez2DJ etc

[generac]

i would liken guitar hero to PIU, and not ITG.

the hammer ons, pulloffs, 5 buttons vs 3, and star power make it even more different from guitar freaks than PIU from DDR

and both are fun. i like guitar hero for having popular american songs. and five buttons.

i've only played guitar freaks on a dualshock however, but it is good for the same reasons. For not having popular american songs. and only three buttons.

[gotjpeg]

Out of either of them I prefer Guitar Hero. Mainly just because of the song listing. Guitar Freaks was fun but it really lacked the music that I enjoy. Not to mention I really enjoy the overall look and feel of Guitar Hero. Even though it was there 1st mix they did a really awesome job from the way the models looked, to the venues, to the even overall covers of the songs. A good amount of them sounded almost identical to better than the orginal.

I'm really hoping if Harmonix is listening please make a Drum Hero. Can anyone see them doing Van Halens - Hot For Teacher?

[generac]

ooooooohhh drum hero. drummania with a harmonix twist... would ROCK
by rock i mean having tons of familiar songs, and hopefully more stuff in the drum kit to go crazy on. i wonder what the star power equivalent would be? kicking over one of the cymbals? tossing the drumsticks in the air making them twirl? I'm totally making a new thread for this

the thing i didn't like about guitar hero was i thought the presentation was really cheesy. Some of the venues looked nice, but the characters were really lame. and so was the outdoor concert venue

[Monster in a box]

ITG, more successful? Didn't ITG sell like crap, while GH is selling like mad (for what it is)? It seems like everyone plays GH, or at least knows of it (all the game stores around here still have the marque in the window), while nearly no one knows what ITG is.

[HBCoffin]

If there was a Drum Hero, I bet you'd see Rush in there. Imagine this: Drum Hero, double pedal, featuring eeyore by Slipknot. Haven't heard the song? Download it and see what the hell I'm talking about. It'd be like the GH secret song you can only unlock with a Game Shark.