American Idol’s Version of Karaoke Revolution Rocks, But the Melody May Be a Bit Too Familiar
While many believed that the addition of the American Idol license would bolster an already venerable series, they don’t really add anything really new to the experience and feel more like filler than fresh new content. Despite the tacked on feeling the American Idol license adds to the game, there are more great songs to sing and even more customization options available in the character creator, still making this one of the best games in the series. One of the reasons why the American Idol modes in the game feel so faulty is because not only is Paula Abdul no where to be found in the game, despite having her smash-hit “Straight Up” featured in it, there isn’t enough Simon or Randy to go around, with maybe only a dozen different sound bites used in the game for each character, making these distinct and unique characters feel repetitive after only a few hours of gameplay.
Despite this, this new version of Karaoke Revolution still features a ton of great gameplay modes that make the game a must have at any party. Featuring a wide array of songs such as “Proud Mary,” “Always Something There to Remind Me” and “All My Life” this game has something for everyone. Multiple levels of difficulty to choose from also give gamers of all skill levels the opportunity to simply jump in and have a great time.
However despite the game’s solid and dependable formula, after five games, it’s about time that the general presentation and graphical engine in the game should to be kicked up a notch, as all of the player models and menu screens have pretty much stayed the same throughout all of the games, making you feel like you’ve been there and done that already, despite 40 new songs to choose from and an exhaustive American Idol competition mode added to this year’s game. While it doesn’t take anything away from the fun you’re guaranteed to be having when playing, hardcore fans of the series may be a little disappointed.
By the time the last dance is over, this year’s version of Karaoke Revolution doesn’t separate itself from it’s predecessors as much as you would think, but that’s not an entirely bad thing. Long-time fans of the series may have wanted to see something a little different, rather than the same game with a slightly different coat of paint on it, but that won’t stop them from playing this game for hours on end.