Has Rock Band 4 already killed any chance of a rhythm games revival?

It seems like only yesterday that rhythm games were the biggest thing in gaming.

Whether you’re a veteran gamer or someone with a passing interest, just about all of us have fond memories of calling over some friends, strapping on a plastic guitar, and busting out some power ballads in Rock Band or Guitar Hero. And though a select few (myself included) still uphold that tradition, rhythm games as a whole hit a huge sink in their popularity a few years ago, one which they were unable to bounce back from.

Flash forward to 2015, and we have not just one but two brand new installments of the big two rock star simulators returning to the scene with Rock Band 4 and Guitar Hero Live releasing this month. But is this really the kind of comeback we were hoping for, or another one-hit wonder?

Let’s consider the price tag. Rock Band 4, in its full band setup, is retailing for $349.99 Canadian. Three hundred and forty nine dollars. By comparison, you could get a refurbished XBox One from Gamestop for the same price, or a brand new one for a few bucks more. So in other words, for the price of a current gen gaming console that would last you for years, Harmonix wants us to pony up the hard cash for a handful of instruments that function with one software. Let’s also consider that the first two Rock Band games sold for almost half that on release. Now, I grant you, Harmonix and Mad Catz have been kind enough to make Rock Band 4 compatible with most legacy hardware, but even if you were looking to upgrade as something as crucial as your guitar, you’re looking at dropping close to $200 for controller and software. Ouch.

well it looks very, uh… rock band.

Then there’s the game itself. With its release earlier this week, Rock Band 4 very clearly took a “laissez-faire” attitude. Reviews are saying that while the game is solid, the few changes range between minor improvements to steps in the wrong direction. With the last wave of new rhythm games released back in 2010, you would think Harmonix might have really gone back to the drawing board to try to find relevance again. Instead, what we’re paying for is tantamount to a fresh coat of paint. And sure, I hear you say “but Rock Band was already great!” and “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it!”. Well that’s all well and good, but keep in mind that the entire genre died a natural death. The sudden lack of popularity – whether a result of oversaturation, intimidating price point, or lack of innovation – was enough to undo the mega-sales those same games were seeing in the mid-2000s. In the ever-evolving gaming industry, adaptation and innovation is more important than it’s ever been.

Don’t get me wrong – I am firmly on #teamrockband, with around $200 – $300 worth of DLC songs bought on my PSN account over the years. But the lack of incentive to upgrade, and price point that hardly appeals to gamers on a budget makes me really reconsider buying into the hype. More importantly, I’m concerned that this will be enough to kill what little buzz its return was building. While Guitar Hero Live is promising some radical changes and new concepts, Rock Band 4 being first on the market makes me think new gamers to the genre will take a pass, and veterans like me will settle for dusting off the old instruments when the mood strikes, remembering a time when it was truly exciting to play pretend and be a rock star.