Well I'm back again to do another editorial. Albeit this is different, I will still be doing Games that deserve a sequel soon enough. I was going to do one about Okami... sooner..but then.....nevermind... ... Also, yes I'm overjoyed.

So why Activision?

Well, as many of you might notice, Activision has been milking any series they come into contact with and botching/rejecting games with potential (ending the sarcasm now). My recent sparks about Activision actually have nothing to do with the constant Guitar Hero re-hashes, or the endless Tony Hawk games. I say this because of the last few Guitar Hero games actually adding nice things to the series, and Tony Hawk Ride (I can't say how this will turn out).

After reading that, you may be thinking to yourself, "So why are you thinking about Activision enough to write up another rant?" Well, I'm an avid reader of most stories at GoNintendo. I've seen many reviews about Guitar Hero 5 being positive, (Please note: when clicking this link, read the stories from the bottom up to be in order)but I've recently seen one major issue certain people seem to have with the game mentioned several times.

If you're too lazy to click the link above, I'll write a quick summary of all the articles contained within that web page.
Anybody remember that video Joe posted a while ago?

Unfortunately, this video has been removed by Activision. You'll most likely see why after reading the next few paragraphs. It depicts Kurt Cobain singing "You Give Love A Bad Name", while he dances around with big headed cartoon characters on stage wildly like a maniac.

Yes, this is insulting people. When I say people, I mean fans of Nirvana, ex-Nirvana members Dave Grohl and Krist Novoselic, and more relevant to the links above, Courtney Love. Now if you want to know my opinion on this, that was painful to watch. Courtney Love might seem like an annoying bitch about the situation, but it is sad to see Kurt displayed in such a way. He had his life cut short and led an amazing career, the least Activision could do was leave him for his own songs. They did that with hendrix in GH4, so why can't they have done that here? I'm unsure where the lawsuit is headed as of now, but this is seriously odd.

So before I move on, lemme just cover this issue up, and move on to more... Brutal.. issues I have with Activision.

Respect for the deceased and Courtney Love

So, my first question, does having Kurt Cobain sing this show signs of disrespect in Activisions part? This right here, is up to you. It could be, if you take it the wrong way. It could also be ignorance on Activisions/Courtney Love's (for signing the contract) part. Before we ask ourselves this, let's take a step back. Let's ask this... Does having Kurt Cobain at all show signs of disrespect. Take a look at this article (Note - This article, also some others, may have been included in the first link. I advise you check that if you haven't done so).

Seeing the article above, you can take the band members more seriously than Courtney Love. They also are a lot less whiny about it, but they've got a great point. The blurb doesn't sound like they cared too much that he was in the game at all, but the fact that was butchered a bit was the problem. Seeing that, I don't think someone like Mr. Cobain would really sign up for that. However, there's also this quote from the same response.

Dave Grohl and/or Krist Novoselic wrote:

The name and likeness of Kurt Cobain are the sole property of his estate - we have no control whatsoever in that area...

There's so much truth in this statement, and I believe it couldn't be said better by anyone else.

Now look at that, a calm, collected statement. So this brings me to one of two things. Courtney Love.
Why does she think she has possession of Cobain? Just because she was married to him doesn't really give her ownership of where he goes. If he's dead, I personally think that they shouldn't just toss around his name in video games and such.
Though saying this brings me back further towards last year...

Jimi Hendrix. This man is nothing short of a real-life guitar hero. So if his life was also cut short, and his likeness is in Guitar Hero... Where are the complaints? I'll tell you, nowhere really. He's respected, and he only plays his songs (this includes the DLC ). Although this is widely appreciated (I hope), who the hell gave Activision permission to use him here? Needless to say, Jimi seemed like a light hearted guy. Who knows, maybe he would've taken up the offer if he were around today.
Though it still strikes me as awkward having to show dead celebrities in video games like this. The Mo-Cap was good, and it was also good because celebrities agreed to do it. I could go on with this forever, so what do you think about this? Surely this proves none of this could really be answered... by me anyways.

Before you stray from Guitar Hero, tell me...

This doesn't deserve a section, but I already know what might be asked so I'll get it out of the way.
What do I think about the countless Guitar Hero games and spin-offs right?
Well, lemme just iron this out for you. All of the new Guitar Hero games (and its one spin-off) has added something in some form to the series that's either new or good. They're not just set list updates that are non-exportable (The exportables are excluding 4 and Smash Hits. Some songs can be ported to 5.).

Guitar Hero Metallica - The first entry in a year of Guitar Milking Hero, and a great one at that.
What's so great here? - The fact that it's Metallica. No, I'm not kidding. The nice cameos of Lemmy and King Diamond, along with Metallifacts are great goodies here. The set list also kills GH4's 86 songs with only 48.


*cheers and attempts to follow along* garble garble dancin with the devil!.. um ... THE ACE OF SPADES!
So where's the new? - Double Bass pedals arrive. The fresh (and much needed) take for the already superior (Not counting the ion sets here) drum controller to enhance play. Now you can waggle your feet around like a madman, and still not know how to play real drums. It does add a massive factor to fun though.
There's also the new quickplay added, all songs are unlocked. No more tedious story mode.
Any disappointments? - There are a few songs that seem like they don't belong (seriously), and there's only half as many as GH4.

Guitar Hero Smash Hits - The second entry hits only two months after Metallica. People rage, etc. I don't actually own the game so I'll go by what I know, and what people told me
What's so great here? - Songs you couldn't play with the full band before are here, several songs picked by Activision/RedOctane and are upgraded in all aspects and re-charted for accuracy.
So where's the new? - Like I said before, songs you liked upgraded. It's also worth mentioning that the songs that were in Guitar Hero's 1 and 2 were made into master tracks. Good to know, I remember Harmonix being cover whores before Rock Band
Any Disappointments? - Again. Only 48 songs, there could've been a lot more this time. Especially considering the amount of songs at their disposal. Sure there could've been problems getting the licenses, but you could've went for a few more songs.


Okay, I'm sure you don't want to see a copy/pasta template of me explaining the games over and over..
I don't own Guitar Hero 5, but it's been getting a decent amount of praise from what I hear.
DJ Hero, I assume, will be the same as it is a new game.
Van Halen is Van Halen, how else do you think it'll be? The Best of You - Foo Fighters is there. End of argument here.
GH - Hendrix... It's in the pipeline, so they say.... Wait... Oh god not the dead celebrities argument again... It's a Vicious Circle..


Someone say Vicious Circle?

And now, my brutal issues

Okay, okay. Like many of you on this site, I love listening to music. Preferred type of music? Metal (or Prog. Luff yuu dream feater. haert). When I heard about Brutal Legend (through word of mouth.. during a gamestop troll... after it was canned the first time) I was hyped. Sounded amazing, but dropped the thought since it was canned at the time.
Well, thank EA for expanding their ideas to something other than repeated, useless sports games and picking this up as a publisher.

*cheers and happy* Can't wait for Rocktober man.

So lemme let you understand something for a moment. There were many games that had a similar path to travel as the Legend.
I could go into this more, but I'd rather not right now.
All I'll say is that Activision and Vivendi merged and became Activision Blizzard.
During the merge here, many titles were scrapped, dropped, or shelved.
In the list of titles dropped, Brutal Legend. Now most people would say, " So what? The game's coming out but was scrapped by a publisher. Why complain?"

Well, I complain because of THIS (Thank you Raiku for posting this and another link I might use later. Credits and luff).
Reading this disgusts me so much. Remember when they also tried to get Schafer to turn Brutal Legend into a Guitar Hero spinoff?

See that? It's almost as if they don't care about making games for the sake of the gamer anymore.... Oh wait.
(Thanks again Raiku! -- viewtopic.php?f=34&t=3268)
That thread title, I'm linking you to there because it describes my thoughts in one short segment.

Alright, let's be real. Activision is a business, they're doing what they do for money, but whatever happened to the 90s?
Remember when games were colorful and fun, and not just the same colors and fun. Varied. Remember that word Activision?
I seem to remember the final system whose library was filled, only with, awesomely awkward games being the dreamcast.
Now all popular games are remakes or brown shooters...
Also, what's with that last statement in the Activision milking article on Destructoid?

Jim Sterling, a writer from Destructoid wrote:

Something tells me that if the videogames market has another crash like the famous one of 1983, Activision will have a big hand in its arrival.

Wow... what if... wait. Someone thought all of this out before me.. He relates video games to the comic book industry's crash. He also talked about how games today are all gritty and too realistic...


He's the GameOverthinker! This guy's awesome IMO.


I do believe I've finished up here...

So, in conclusion... I can't really say anything. I stated all my thoughts and half-lined them up.
What are your thoughts?
What are your thoughts on my thoughts?
If this gets in one of the links on the front page, lemme know before you do that.
After writing this, I realized how odd the gaming industry really is.
It's like people sitting at Burger King arguing over the actual business proportions of the restaurant.. Who does this?
I actually feel as though we're all over-analyzing everything. Do you think that maybe we should get back to just playing video games instead of ripping them apart... reviewing them, judging them?
...
...
No we're not over analyzing. It's a business and we're contributing XD
Reviews save money. [sometimes, but more importantly http://www.gamerankings.com]
Judging games partners with how we judge everything.
Games=Art... wait, wrong argument.

Well then, next editorial? I hope to write about Viewtiful Joe.
I'll need to actually finish one of the games first :S

Long post is LOOOONG

I could see how Jimi Hendrix could be described as having his life "cut short" because he died somewhat accidentally, but Kurt Cobain killed himself. That's a tragedy of course, but it's not some quirky twist of fate that "took him" or anything. He wanted to die. He even wrote a song with that in the title.

Regardless of how/when they died, I don't have a problem with crudely animated versions of deceased musicians performing in a video game. That's one of the (many) downsides to being dead: you don't have a say in how people remember you. But when you're dead, it doesn't matter to you anyway.

I used cut short to really say how they were just dead during their prime, or so most people believe and say.
I am one of those who believe that as well.
I know he committed suicide, that's a persons choice

It's not as if this is the first time Cobains death has been used for the purposes of marketing and selling new products etc.

Activision havd brought it into the realms of video games where as before it was soley exclusive to CD/Book/DVD sales.

Meh.

I know this isnt really related.... but damn, I hadnt looked at any thing on Brutal Legend bar the court case wanting to keep it a surprise. Because of that my interest was waning but that screen shot got me going again.

Oh, and this should go on the front page maybe? Good article. Waiting to see about the Courtney Love thing, could be interesting.

^Blokey pm'd me, taking care of that matter for now.
Thanks btw. Next Games that deserve a sequel will probably be based on Viewtiful Joe or Jet Set Radio..
Leaning moreso towards JSR though...

Just let it be known that I FUCKING CALLED IT.

It's like he's trying to beat Jack Thompson and reach the lowest circle of gaming hell.

Hmm, I can't decide whether he's an evil, joyless man, or if he's just an idiot.

Good read.
I would suggest less links to explain your points and instead simply give a quick explanation in addition to the link.
Just some quick feedback from the reader's point of view.

About Activision though, I hate 'em. It's not so much the fact that there are so many GH games, it's just that they are able to saturate the market to such an extent with little or no risk since they're swimming in money. Why can't they put that money towards new ideas and new IP's? That's why I have a newfound respect for EA. They are starting to do this.

It's really the principle of the matter. If you have success in the game industry and end up with money, then use some of it to broaden horizons and better the industry.

He is a CEO.