No-one's Jumping for Guitar Hero: Van Halen

Guitar Hero: Van Halen was just released in North America, but it's proving a disappointment among reviewers. Where have all the good times gone?

[TheDarkCynic]

I'm not particularly partial to the band, so I wasn't planning on giving this a go. Based on the negative press, it seems like the right move. However, I like to give everything a chance, so perhaps after the holidays I'll pick it up :)

[A HiFi]

I really wanted this to be good but...I wonder how it sells. Lego Rock Band failed, didn't it? Maybe they'll be rethinking all these spin-offs very soon.

[Ziriux]

Shoot I'll send you a free copy my man, I will PM you with details and asking for the address, do not worry my young one, I will send you a copy, I have to get rid of crap.

[Saaking]

I really wish they'd give it a rest. These type of music games can easily be supported with DLC packs every once in a while. There's no need for a full 60 dollar game every three months.

[Ziriux]

Not at all mate, Lego Rock Band did quite good actually. It is a very family oriented game indeed.

[A HiFi]

I just say that because it didn't make the top 40 in the UK in its first week. Don't think it has been on since. Will need to check that up.

[Ziriux]

Not sure if you guys are fans of Lego in UK, but kinds love them in the U.S.

[ThatArtGuy]

I'll gladly take it off their hands.

[Nihilism]

maybe that's because hair bands suck, every whip out the spandex so we can rock out like it was 1980 all over again!

[STK026]

While I agree with you Saaking about the fact that it could easily be done with DLC rather than a 60$ retail game, I guess it would come to a similar price due to the pricing of most songs, depending on how many songs each of these band-related games contain, it might simply be cheaper for the consumer to pay 60$ for it rather than pay the usual 2$ a song you usually pay for. Plus, there's usually some kind of artistic difference and some additional stuff that makes it even better.

The reason it's not selling well is mostly due to a major lack of advertising (haven't seen one ad for this game, not even on the internet) and the fact that the band's main audience is not the same group usually targeted by video games. I believe the MEtallica one sold rather well. Also, if both Rock Band and Guitar Hero only selected huge bands with a big catalog to make these band-specific games, they would probably fare better. Rock Band The Beatles sold reasonably well, thanks to the Beatles being a huge band. I highly doubt (and perhaps secretly wish) that the Green Day one will do nearly as well. Don'T get me wrong, I don't hate Green Day, I just think some bands are way more deserving of getting a game than they are.

[cLiCK_sLiCK9]

I would NEVER buy a Guitar Hero game priced at 60 dollars. We all know thats a rip off. But see, Guitar Hero losses its value quickly. GH:WT was released about year ago, and now you can buy at 10 dollars on ebay. Same with all it predecessors. 80 songs for 10 bucks? Thats a deal imo. Much better than buying DLC which never goes down in price. So the more they release the better. I could careless.

And I can guarantee everybody Guitar Hero: Van Helen, GH: 5, and Greatest hits will all be ten bucks each by the end of next year. After all, im not in a rush pick up these games and Activison doesn't get my money either way.

[cyberwaffles]

only thing good about this game is that it has van halen in it. other than, to hell with guitar hero and rock band. pick up a real instrument dammit.

[BenCrazy424]

If you're smart, you have to look at the many people like me that got the game for free.

Either way, $60 for this game is a rip off!!! Half the list from the last game but the same price, and this is coming from a van halen fan, look at my picture!

But what else would you expect from Activi$ion.

[sikbeta]

I really don't like this kind of games, they're on par with Madden, every year a new band and the "peripherals" are cr@ppy toys, so better give this "franchise" a rest

[Smacktard]

Let's see... no Sammy Hagar, no Michael Anthony, and not even a decent Van Halen representation. DURR HURRP I WONDER WHY NOBODY'S JUMPING FOR THE GAME

[ThanatosDMC]

Why release this when you should just be able to download the new songs. Maybe people learned to stop being milked? Nah... i doubt it.

[ThatArtGuy]

No Sammy is a huge plus. <sarcasm>I really want to wail those guitar parts on "When It's Love" and "Right Now."</sarcsm>

[Smacktard]

Right Now is a fantastic song, and Halen had some great tunes with Hagar. He definitely made the band poppier, but songs like Dance The Night Away, Finish What Ya Started, and Black and Blue.

[cb810]

I haven't seen one commercial or print ad for this...

[A HiFi]

Same

[Blaze929]

i havent even seen any reviews. hell if it wasnt for this submission, i wouldnt have even known it was out.

[Marty8370]

I deleted demo once I knew it couldn't be played with controller like the aerosmith one. Shame cos I was looking forward to it.

[Ziriux]

Not sure why you'd want to play a music game with a controller.

[Nihilism]

maybe because the overpriced peripheral is overpriced and ridiculous, I'm sure the control is also easier

[Ziriux]

Geez, a use Guitar at GameStop is about $25.

[bennyace]

Everybody here seems to have those big, full HD giant screens with big sound systems so they can see the 1080p resolution and hear the difference between the uncompressed audio of the PS3 but can't afford a 25$ guitar controller!!! Man, this is hard to believe. Please find another excuse.

[mrv321]

Another GH... colour me amazed.

[UltimateSin]

Plus, this game is made by Activision. Their whoring knows no bounds.

[Baka-akaB]

I'm glad people are getting tired of some gimmicks , at least from activision .

Stick to mostly main gh and rb franchises please

[monkey602]

Maybe Van Halen was a bad choice though. I could be wrong but I cant imagine them being the most popular band at the moment - Definitely not around my parts anyway

[Timesplitter14]

Guitar Hero is more of a fad than a game. It won't last forever.

[kneon]

If they didn't keep pumping out a new (and often mediocre) game every other day. Ok, slight exaggeration but really did we need to get Guitar Hero Metallica, 5, Smash hits and Van Halen all in one year? And if that wasn't enough we also had band and DJ hero thrown in there. It's over kill, a couple a year is plenty as long as they pick good music.

Perhaps they seem to think this genre of game is nearing it's end so they are milking it while they can. Unfortunately their actions are almost guaranteeing that these games will die out. We need quality over quantity.

[A LIVING LEGEND]

Zakk Wylde......
Not overly popular within 'mainstream' music but Eddie's superior by FAR.
Don't tell anyone and don't dare listen to Wylde's various works.........

[Dsnyder]

There is something wrong with you. No seriously they were not a crappy "hair band" (I lold at that comment) from the 80's. They are one of the great innovators of rock and you really could not pick a better band for guitar hero (other then metallica but thats been done). Screw the beatles and their wimpy acoustic songs about holding hands. This is REAL music.

[A LIVING LEGEND]

Yet,I must.Halen,a great innovator of rock?
Try Jethro Tull,Sabbath,Zeppellin,Blue Cheer,Mountain,Hendrix,Neil Young, THE Beatles,Skynyrd,etc.
Halen innovated nothing........but marketable rock.

[ThatArtGuy]

Jethro Tull, master of the rock flute? Uh... yeah. Your argument went straight out the window with that choice.

[evrfighter]

You're saying Van Halen doesn't belong in that list?

you are no fan of rock

maybe you should wait around for dj hero article to pop up.

[00]

because there was like what? four/five different versions made in one year.

[Shnazzyone]

I just love hearing about stories where activisions franchises hit brick walls. They really deserve it for the bad domino effect of bad decisions that company has been making lately. Greedy greedy greedy

[BonhamZ0S0]

Helter Skelter was revolutionary. Saying the Beatles were wimpy just makes you sound like a jerk.

[VanHalen]

To the idiot that says who is VH, they never innovated nothing, lol you must be mentally retarded or somethin. Neil Young, comon? VH was the best and biggest party rock bands in the world!!!! Seriously man, i remember being a kid when 1984 came out and that album was HUGE! I was hooked instantly and have been a big fan ever since. They are still my favorite band of all time today. F@ck Hagar and the other guy, what was his name uhh Gary? Gotta be kidding me, it was all about Diamond Dave. There was no VH without Dave, very simple. You can never replace a frontman like that, no way! Everybody wants some, Mean Street, Hear about it Later, etc. Just every god damn song on there albums were hits. I cant think of one song they did with Dave that was no good. Every song on their albums were instant classics! You cannot find that kind of band today!

[A LIVING LEGEND]

Tull=Rock flute...
Check out Aqualung,Locomotive breath,Mother Goose,Bungle in the jungle,Thick as a brick.Flute,sure. irrelevant? not entirely with you on that.Jump.........through hoops for thy record company or?

[ThePistolWhippedDog]

Jethro Tull over Van Halen ANYDAY! David Lee Roth might have been "Hot For Teacher" but the problem is the teacher is a DUDE!

[VanHalen]

rofl, speechless. are you for real?

[ThePistolWhippedDog]

VanHalen please elaborate on this Neil Young c'mon theory? I feel like getting lied to. If some of Neil Youngs songs scare you then I suggest you go to bed.

[VanHalen]

Neil Young sucks!!! Never liked his music nor his voice, he sounds like a dying old man when he sings. Even when he was younger his voice sucked. I like ALOT of classic rock and will tell you that Neil Young brings nothing to the table unless your a 50 yr old burnt out hippie maybe. Dave kicks the sh@t outta that joker anyday. Defend him all you want. Diamond Dave ALL THE WAYYYYYYY!!!!!!!!

[fatstarr]

who the f wants to play guitar hero now its like a pree teen game compared to grown up rockband

grape juice to wine

rockband has like 4 games gh has like 13

its the ddr effect ppl already have their plastic guitars and enough stand alone games for 60$

[kneon]

Really? I find it the other way around. I need to play rockband on expert otherwise the notes go by too slow. On GH I need to play it on hard and learn to make it to expert. The last rockband game I played was rockband 2, did it get much harder with the beatles release?

[Marty8370]

It was a demo, I'd like the option to try out before I purchase expensive guitar controllers. Anyway Aerosmith GH gave that option, Van Halen GH did not. Which was a mistake in my book. They basically lost a customer. As I never got to try the demo, I just wasted my time downloading demo for nothing.

@dchalfont - Your right controller is easy to play GH.

But is don't help been late to the party, adding a rock band name to a GH pack worked in the beginning, but it clearly don't work now. DLC would have been the best way.