Band Hero

While some people might complain about being fatigued by the seemingly endless stream of similar music games, when they're tied to each other like Band Hero is tied to GH5, I see that as a positive direction for Activision's franchise. It's one of the strongest points of the Rock Band series, and is a very smart move for Hero as well.

With sturdier instruments, a great track listing and some new tweaks and twists to the gameplay, Band Hero is a great game for solo or parties and with the inclusion of celebrity avatars and improved customization features, this game is everything you need to enjoy and start your own virtual band.

Band Hero is simply Guitar Hero 5 repackaged, and this is fine, but gamers should be aware of this before they think Activision has brought something new to the genre.

If you're interested in even half the songs, I can almost guarantee you'll find at least a couple more surprisingly entertaining. And that pretty much sums up Band Hero for me: It's not a revolution for the genre, but it is a surprisingly solid, well thought-out, and just plain entertaining game.

Overall Band Hero is a good game, as it's essentially Guitar Hero 5 with a different skin and track list.

Band Hero brings very little to the table, offering only a small number of minute features that add virtually nothing to the overall experience of the game.

It's not a revolution for the genre, but it is a solid and entertaining game.

A re-skinning Guitar Hero 5 with all the features but fewer great tunes. [Christmas 2009, p.72]

If looked at as a music expansion disc (one that can be played entirely on its own), Band Hero is a solid deal. Just don’t think of it as an opportunity to expand on the Guitar Hero franchise with something fresh – that, it does not do.

This game is aimed for those that enjoy music and video games but maybe not as into the metal scene.

Not for rockers, but still a lot of fun. [Jan 2010, p.92]

Band Hero makes fake plastic rock easy to pick up, family friendly, and a whole lot of fun.

Guitar Hero focuses on a loyal public, but limited to certain ranges. Band Hero broadens the public offering a repertory rich and varied enough to attract anyone.

The Top 40 music game is actually long overdue and I don't think it would be any more sensible to make this entire thing DLC as it would require people only wanting these songs to purchase both the original game and an entirely new pack.

Still clearly a Guitar Hero game, and it’s a little frustrating to see the second full-priced game in the series on store shelves within two months.

Band Hero is Guitar Hero 5's casual sister in almost every way. All the elements from her big brother can be found in this game, along with the new Sing Along-mode and Party Play. The new features, the casual style and matching tracklist have made this a game that can compete with SingStar on every party. Add the ability to import the songs from Guitar Hero 5 and World Tour into the game and Band Hero is a game that is truly for everyone.

We could debate endlessly whether there was any need for Activision to come up with the Band Hero moniker, but the end result is another solid Guitar Hero game. [Jan 2010, p.80]

Overall Band Hero is basically everything we’ve already seen from Guitar Hero 5, however the music featured in the game opens the franchise up to a whole new audience of wannabe pop stars.

Fans of the Guitar Hero franchise should have a look at Band Hero.

There is nothing intrinsically wrong with Band Hero – it is a good game – however ultimately it is a tweaked version of more of the same. If you’ve never liked the series, there is no reason to buy Band Hero. If you are a fan of earlier games and have a preference for pop, you’ll probably love it.

Band Hero is a good game, but it lacks any kind of spark that makes it feel unique. In the end, this is one of the examples people will point to when they talk about Activision milking the Guitar Hero franchise for all it’s worth – even though this time the milk is quenching the thirst of every Taylor Swift fan out there with a plastic guitar.

It’s hard to take Band Hero out of the context of its recent music game brethren. Band Hero is the least innovative of the bunch, but that certainly doesn’t make it bad. For players who found previous releases too hard-edged for their tastes, Band Hero is exactly what they’ve been waiting for.

If you've already played Guitar Hero 5, Band Hero is the exact same thing, just with brighter lights and an easier setting.

Unless you fall squarely within the niche targeted by Band Hero’s formula, you’ll likely find that, primarily thanks to the musical selections, the experience is lacking the same sense of authenticity and grandeur typical of its pedigree.

Although the game is quite easy and The Spice Girls are present in the game, Band Hero is still a fine game within the Guitar Hero series. The game looks stunning, the set list has some really nice highlights and practically all the little annoyances are gone. Kudos!

The driving theme behind Band Hero seems to be an attempt to make it more marketable and friendly to a younger audience. This doesn't necessarily make it a worse game, but it does make it feel extremely different.

Although Band Hero is not a bad game, it misses lots of new possibility's. Don't expect a new game, it's more of a Guitar Hero Light.

Band Hero is essentially just Guitar Hero 5 re-skinned and with a new track-list, but it's still an enjoyable game best enjoyed by its target teenage audience.