Preview: SingStar PS3 is not just for Europeans
Karaoke is for foreigners, right? Perhaps, but SingStar PS3 is shaping up to be an enjoyable party game for just about everyone -- Guitar Hero and Rock Band fans included.
Since 2004, Sony has shipped more than a dozen PS2 versions of SingStar, its karaoke rhythm game, totaling an impressive 13 million copies sold worldwide. But nearly 90 percent of those sales have been in Europe where the game is widely popular. So can Americans get excited for the series debut on PS3 this summer? From what we've seen so far, yes.
Like karaoke on steroids
To call SingStar a rhythm game is a bit of a misnomer. Sure, players are required to sing incoming lyrics on time and in tune, but the lack of an interactive peripheral (besides the mic) can more appropriately be described as a party singing game than a "play this to feel like a rock star" game. That said, the competitiveness of real-time scoring makes SingStar PS3 feel more like a video game than definitive karaoke -- and it's a lot more engaging than belting out songs next to wannabes and washed up American Idol contestants at a crappy bar. As a result, I suspect non-karaoke fans will enjoy the game just as much as aspiring singers, if only they give it a chance.
In my recent hands-on experience, I had the opportunity to sing "Enjoy the Silence" by Depeche Mode, "Mr. Brightside" by the Killers, and "Take On Me" by A-Ha, all of which I had a good time with (I didn't have the guts to tackle Hey Ya! by Outkast in front of onlookers, however). SingStar PS3 won't suck you in like an engaging single-player adventure, but it's still fun, particularly when played in dual-mode with others. In terms of presentation, the game in its current form looks well polished, sounds great, and feels complete -- which would make sense being that it launched in Europe last year.
What's new?
The biggest additions to SingStar PS3 are the inclusions of the online "SingStore" for downloading fresh tracks, and "My SingStar Online," an online community aiming to become the YouTube of karaoke videos. According to Sony, the U.S. SingStore will feature 200 songs at launch. Each original recording from the store will cost $1.49, something Sony calls a "good value" when you consider that SingStar tracks include the music video and the inherent nature of interactive play. With regards to replayability, SingStar developers say store visitors can expect 25-50 additional songs per month.
While the store is a primary focus for the game, My SingStar Online is an ambitious little side quest which promises game owners the ability to upload 30-second clips of themselves singing while using the sold separately PlayStation Eye. Global users can then rate each others' videos, much like YouTube, comment and share links with others, and report offensive content that is sent to Sony HQ for moderation. The 30-second time limit for uploads is said to encourage better quality of user-generated content.
Enhanced duets have also been announced, which will allow for two-player harmonies (currently, 2-person local play is turn based and/or melodies-only). The much-requested feature will be available at launch for the low, low price of $0.
Potential drawbacks
Technically, the current build of SingStar PS3 works as expected, but their are some minor feature objections. First, online multiplayer and/or competitions are not currently supported, which is disappointing. And while the game seems like a good value, there are only 30 songs included on the retail disc, which could quickly get old (Rock Band and Guitar Hero ship with 50-70 songs). On top of that, there are only three difficulty settings, the PSP Remote access feature feels underdeveloped (like something we'd never use), and it's unclear how entertaining it will be to watch people sing karaoke, outside of the Numa Numa guy of course (as in the case of SingScene). That said, we're looking forward to playing the final build of the game on May 20.
SingStar PS3 is rated Teen and carries an MSRP of $59.99 with two wired microphones or $39.99 without microphones (PS2 version mics are supported).
Set list on disc (tentative)
Amy Winehouse - Back To Black
Beck - Loser
Blind Melon - No Rain
Blink-182 - All The Small Things
Britney Spears - Toxic
Coldplay - Clocks
Corinne Bailey Rae - Put Your Records On
Dave Matthews Band - Crash Into Me
David Bowie - Let's Dance
Faith No More - Epic
Franz Ferdinand - Do You Want To?
Jane's Addiction - Been Caught Stealing
New Found Glory - My Friends Over You
Ne-Yo - So Sick
OutKast - Hey Ya!
Pixies - Here Comes Your Man
R.E.M. - Losing My Religion
Radiohead - No Surprises
Scissor Sisters - I Don't Feel Like Dancin'
The Automatic Automatic - Monster
The Cardigans - Lovefool
The Killers - Mr. Brightside
The Pussycat Dolls - Beep
The Ramones - I Wanna Be Sedated
The Rolling Stones - Sympathy For The Devil
The Smashing Pumpkins - Today
U2 - Beautiful Day
Warrant - Cherry Pie
Weezer - Buddy Holly
Wolfmother - Love Train
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