Stage Tour - the successor video game to Guitar Hero – is coming soon and the first featured tracks have been confirmed.
The original Guitar Hero was notable for mixing up classics with some lesser-known songs and the developers RedOctane Games seem to be following a similar pattern with their new creation.
Among the big names confirmed are Red Hot Chili Peppers who have contributed their 2006 single Dani California. Meanwhile, Extreme’s 1990 track Get The Funk Out, which features a Nuno Bettencourt solo that Brian May once described as a “tour de force”, also makes the cut.
As you’d expect, there’s a variety in terms of style. So indie rock is covered – Weezer’s 2001 single Island In The Sun is included – as well as metal: Ghost contribute one of their biggest songs, Square Hammer.
Back in the day Guitar Hero offered a hand up to many bands – DragonForce have said that the inclusion of their track Through The Fire And Flames in the game saw their album sales “explode”. So it will be interesting what happens to German ‘electronicore’ band Electric Callboy and Canadian indie rockers Good Kid – neither of whom are household names – after their inclusion in Stage Tour.
RedOctane has also released a developer spotlight trailer for the game, which they are describing as ‘redefining the evolution’ of rhythm games. It spotlights the various stages, characters and controllers – the official guitar controller is a Kramer model, though you can use a standard gamepad or keyboard controller if you so wish.
And Gibson are also involved - the front-end of the game is based on the Gibson Garage in Nashville. Game Lead Alex Jeffreys added that “our ultimate goal with Stage Tour is not only to bring the rhythm game back but bring it back better than ever before.”
There’s not an official release date yet, though when the game was announced in February RedOctane said it would be “later in the year”.
